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OBS and YouTube handle different parts of recovery: OBS plays the local playlist, while YouTube receives the encoder feed and manages the broadcast. OBS’s built-in VLC Video source supports looping playlists, but its documentation does not promise that the current item survives a full OBS restart. The community Media Playlist Source plugin says it can save the current file for playback after OBS restarts, though it does not promise to restore the exact playback timestamp. YouTube’s auto-start and auto-stop settings do not restore either one.
First identify what restarted
A source becoming visible again, OBS closing and reopening, and the computer rebooting are three different events. OBS documents a visibility behavior for its VLC Video source; that is not the same as saving playlist state through an application restart. A computer reboot adds another separate requirement: the host must start and OBS must run again.
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Think of recovery as separate checks: the host launches OBS, the source selects the intended file, playback resumes, the encoder reconnects, and YouTube’s broadcast goes live if required. A successful encoder reconnect alone does not show that the right playlist item or position was restored.
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OBS’s Media Sources documentation describes the VLC Video source as a VLC-backed media source that can use a playlist. VLC must be installed. The documented defaults are Loop Playlist on, Shuffle Playlist off, and “Stop when not visible, restart when visible.” The Loop Playlist setting determines whether the source restarts after it has run out of media files.
#1 Best Overall
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Those controls support playlist playback and visibility behavior, but the official documentation does not say that the current playlist item is saved across a full OBS restart. Do not treat looping as restart recovery: looping handles what happens at the end of a list, not whether OBS remembers which file was playing after it closes.
If your source stops or starts over when you switch scenes, review its visibility behavior. If you need continuous playback while its scene is hidden, check whether stopping when not visible is appropriate for your setup. This is separate from recovering the current file after OBS has been restarted.
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Use a plugin if the current file must be remembered
The community Media Playlist Source resource says it saves the currently playing file so it can play when OBS restarts. It also describes an option to play either the first or current file when the source restarts. The resource listing gives OBS 30.0.0 as the minimum version and notes limitations.
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Rank #3
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Set up recovery as separate steps
- Check the media source. In OBS, identify whether the playlist uses the built-in VLC Video source or Media Playlist Source. For VLC Video, confirm VLC is installed, the playlist entries are correct, and Loop Playlist and visibility behavior match your needs.
- If you need current-file recovery, check the plugin. Confirm that Media Playlist Source supports your installed OBS version and operating system. Test what happens when the source restarts and when OBS itself closes and reopens. Do not infer exact timestamp recovery from the plugin’s current-file feature.
- Plan for a computer reboot separately. The cited source documentation does not establish that a plugin launches OBS after a reboot or provides end-to-end unattended recovery. Host startup, launching OBS, restoring the playlist item, and reconnecting the encoder each need their own verification.
- Connect OBS to YouTube. YouTube’s encoder setup guide explains using the YouTube server URL and stream key in an encoder, as well as creating or scheduling a stream. The key and server URL connect the encoder feed; they do not store the local playlist position.
- Check the broadcast controls. YouTube’s live stream settings guide covers auto-start, auto-stop, and reusing settings. These options govern broadcast startup and shutdown, not which local file OBS plays.
- Verify both sides after recovery. Confirm in OBS that the intended media is playing and the encoder is sending it. Then check Live Control Room for the expected stream and broadcast state. Depending on how the stream was created and configured, sending an encoder feed and taking a scheduled stream live may be distinct actions.
Compare the recovery options
| Option | What it supports | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| OBS built-in VLC Video source | VLC-backed playlists, loop and shuffle controls, and documented visibility behavior. VLC must be installed. | The OBS documentation does not promise current-item recovery after a full OBS restart. |
| Community Media Playlist Source plugin | The resource description says it saves the current file for playback after OBS restarts and lets you choose the current or first file when the source restarts. | It does not promise exact timestamp recovery. Compatibility must be checked for the installed OBS version and operating system. |
| YouTube Live Control Room settings | Server URL and stream-key setup, scheduled streams, auto-start and auto-stop, and reuse of settings. | These are YouTube-side broadcast controls, not local playlist persistence settings. |
When choosing a setup, check whether it remembers the current file, restores the position within that file, keeps playback running while a scene is hidden, supports your OBS version and operating system, and brings the YouTube broadcast live without a separate action. The documented behavior answers some of these questions, but not exact timestamp restoration or unattended reboot recovery end to end.
Troubleshoot a stream that comes back incorrectly
- The playlist starts at the beginning. The built-in VLC documentation does not promise current-item persistence across an OBS restart. If remembering the current file is necessary, evaluate Media Playlist Source, check compatibility, and test it.
- The right file plays from the wrong point. The plugin resource describes saving the current file, not restoring its exact timestamp. The reviewed documentation does not establish timestamp recovery.
- Playback stops when you change scenes. Review the VLC source’s “Stop when not visible, restart when visible” behavior and decide whether it suits your scene setup.
- OBS is sending video but the YouTube broadcast is not live. Check Live Control Room’s stream and broadcast state. An encoder feed and a scheduled stream’s Go live action can be separate steps.
- YouTube is live, but the playlist is wrong. Check the playing media in OBS. YouTube’s stream key, server URL, and auto-start settings do not select or restore the local playlist item.
- Nothing returns after the computer reboots. Treat starting the host, launching OBS, restoring the playlist, reconnecting the encoder, and taking the broadcast live as separate recovery steps. The cited source documentation does not establish a complete automatic-recovery chain for a reboot.
Or let it run in the cloud
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- ⭐【Highly Customizable Settings to Meet Individual Needs】- It supports adding static text, scrolling captions, brand logos, and timestamps. Users can freely adjust core parameters such as video resolution, frame rate, and bitrate, and also perform personalized editing functions such as video cropping, rotation, flipping, and mirroring. It supports dual input of HDMI embedded audio and line-in audio, with adjustable sound quality, making your live stream content more distinctive and allowing you to create a unique brand live stream style.
- ⭐【Stable and Efficient Transmission, Easy Operation】- Employing HDMI to Ethernet core connection technology, it ensures stable and reliable network transmission with low latency and no lag, adapting to various network environments. Equipped with an intuitive user interface and detailed instruction manual, no professional technical background is required; setup can be completed quickly after connecting the device. It is also compatible with multiple terminals such as computers and mobile phones for management, and the video stream status can be viewed in real time via a URL.
- ⭐【Lifetime Free Warranty and Technical Supports】- All URayCoder video codecs come with a lifetime free warranty and technical supports, supporting secondary development and feature customization to meet enterprise-level personalized needs. Meanwhile, we providing many kinds of customization services such as shell pattern printing, logo addition, hardware and function development, ensuring reliable quality and worry-free after-sales service.
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