Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteIn OBS Studio, add the recording as a Media Source and enable Loop. For a simple test, leave Close file when inactive off and keep the source visible in the scene. These settings make OBS replay the file and avoid reloading it when it becomes inactive; they do not guarantee a seamless audio boundary. If a gap remains, compare the original file with an OBS recording to narrow down whether the discontinuity is in the media or appears during OBS playback or capture.
Set up a basic loop with Media Source
- In OBS, add the local video as a Media Source. This source supports video and audio files; OBS lists formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF and WebM for video, and MP3, AAC, OGG and WAV for audio. Support for a listed format does not guarantee identical behavior for every codec or encoding variant. See the OBS Media Sources reference.
- Open the source properties and enable Loop. OBS describes this control as specifying whether the file plays again once playback has completed.
- For the baseline test, leave Close file when inactive disabled and keep the source visible in the scene. OBS warns that when this option is enabled, returning to a scene can leave a short period with nothing showing while the file reloads.
- Play the source through at least one repeat and listen to the transition at the end and beginning of the file.
OBS labels can vary by version. If a control is missing or named differently, note your OBS version and the source type before changing other settings.
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Understand Loop versus restart on activation
Loop repeats the file when playback completes. Restart playback when source becomes active addresses what happens when the source becomes active; it is not documented as a seamless-loop control. Use restart-on-activation only if you want playback to begin again when the source becomes active. A scene change or visibility change is a separate event from reaching the end of the file.
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallFor VLC Video Source, check its Visibility Behaviour setting if playback changes when the source is hidden or shown. OBS forum discussions offer community troubleshooting advice about activation settings, but do not establish that a particular setting fixes end-of-file gaps for every setup. See the OBS forum discussion on automatically playing media and the discussion about a source not restarting when active.
#1 Best Overall
- Pro performance with great pre-amps - Achieve a brighter recording thanks to the high performing mic pre-amps of the Scarlett 3rd Gen. A switchable Air mode will add extra clarity to your acoustic instruments when recording with your Solo 3rd Gen
- Get the perfect guitar and vocal take with - With two high-headroom instrument inputs to plug in your guitar or bass so that they shine through. Capture your voice and instruments without any unwanted clipping or distortion thanks to our Gain Halos
- Studio quality recording for your music & podcasts - Achieve pro sounding recordings with Scarlett 3rd Gen’s high-performance converters enabling you to record and mix at up to 24-bit/192kHz. Your recordings will retain all of their sonic qualities
- Low-noise for crystal clear listening - 2 low-noise balanced outputs provide clean audio playback with 3rd Gen. Hear all the nuances of your tracks or music from Spotify, Apple & Amazon Music. Plug-in headphones for private listening in high-fidelity
- Everything in the box: Includes Pro Tools Intro+, Ableton Live Lite, Cubase LE, and Hitmaker Expansion: a suite of essential effects, powerful software instruments, and easy-to-use mastering tools
When VLC Video Source is worth trying
For one local ASMR video, Media Source is the straightforward starting point. Try VLC Video Source if you need a playlist or VLC-backed media support. It has a Loop Playlist option, a Visibility Behaviour control, an Audio Track selector and a Network caching (ms) setting. OBS states that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC.
| Consideration | Media Source | VLC Video Source |
|---|---|---|
| Best fit | One local media file and a straightforward loop | A playlist or a workflow needing VLC-backed media support |
| Repeat control | Loop | Loop Playlist |
| Activation or visibility controls | Restart playback when source becomes active; Close file when inactive | Visibility Behaviour |
| Dependency | Built into OBS | Requires VLC; OBS specifies 64-bit VLC for 64-bit OBS |
| Additional documented controls | An audio-track selector is not listed in the cited Media Source settings reference | Audio Track selector and Network caching (ms) |
| Guaranteed seamless boundary | Not established by the OBS reference | Not established by the OBS reference |
Changing network caching is not an evidence-based fix for a local-file loop gap: OBS documents the control, but that does not show it resolves this symptom. The source settings above are documented in the OBS Media Sources reference.
Rank #2
- The new generation of the songwriter's interface: Plug in your mic and guitar and let Scarlett Solo 4th Gen bring big studio sound to wherever you make music
- Studio-quality sound: With a huge 120dB dynamic range, the newest generation of Scarlett uses the same converters as Focusrite’s flagship interfaces, found in the world's biggest studios
- Find your signature sound: Scarlett 4th Gen's improved Air mode lifts vocals and guitars to the front of the mix, adding musical presence and rich harmonic drive to your recordings
- All you need to record, mix and master your music: Includes industry-leading recording software and a full collection of record-making plugins
- Everything in the box: Includes Pro Tools Intro+, Ableton Live Lite, Cubase LE, and Hitmaker Expansion: a suite of essential effects, powerful software instruments, and easy-to-use mastering tools
Diagnose the gap at the file boundary
- Play the original file outside OBS and listen closely around its end and beginning. Check whether the same click, silence or other discontinuity occurs there.
- Make an OBS recording that includes the loop transition, then listen to that recording at the same point. Judge the captured result rather than relying only on the preview or monitoring path.
- If the original and OBS recording share the same discontinuity, investigate the edit or encoded audio boundary in the file. If the discontinuity appears only in the OBS recording, inspect the source settings and capture path. This comparison narrows the investigation; it does not by itself prove a specific cause.
- Record your OBS version, operating system, source type, file format, and whether the problem occurs on every repeat or only after a scene or visibility change. OBS is available for Windows, macOS and Linux, but the available sources do not establish platform-specific behavior for loop gaps.
A 2023 OBS forum thread includes an individual report of loop timing being off by less than a second, including with VLC. That is an anecdote, not a measured rate, universal duration or proof that OBS loops generally have this problem. See the forum discussion about seamless-loop timing.
Troubleshoot by symptom
- The file does not repeat: Confirm that Loop is enabled for Media Source, or Loop Playlist for VLC Video Source. These are separate controls.
- Playback starts over after a scene change: Check whether Restart playback when source becomes active or VLC’s Visibility Behaviour matches the behavior you want. These settings concern activation or visibility, not a guaranteed seamless audio join.
- There is a pause when returning to a scene: For Media Source, test with Close file when inactive disabled. OBS documents that reloading after inactivity can leave a short period with nothing showing.
- The gap is present outside OBS too: Inspect the original recording’s ending and beginning; the evidence points to the file boundary as the next place to investigate, not to a proven OBS fault.
- The gap appears only in the OBS recording: Compare the source configuration and capture path, and retain the version and setup details when seeking help. The available documentation does not identify a universal cause or guaranteed fix.
- You are using VLC with 64-bit OBS: Verify that VLC is also 64-bit, as OBS specifies.
Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is a 24/7 YouTube channel playing uploaded ASMR videos, StreamNeo is a separate option from local OBS playback: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. StreamNeo loops uploaded videos from the cloud, so nothing has to stay on at home. Your upload streams as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one price per slot; there are no quality tiers. It can automatically recover if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card, and the monthly option is $9.99 per month. StreamNeo streams to YouTube only and plays uploaded videos; it does not stream from a camera. Learn more at StreamNeo, or start the free day.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- The new generation of the artist's interface: Connect your mic to Scarlett's 4th Gen mic pres. Plug in your guitar. Fire up the included software. Start making your first big hit
- Studio-quality sound: With a huge 120dB dynamic range, the newest generation of Scarlett uses the same converters as Focusrite’s flagship interfaces, found in the world's biggest studios
- Never lose a great take: Scarlett 4th Gen's Auto Gain sets the perfect level for your mic or guitar, and Clip Safe prevents clipping, so you can focus on the music
- Find your signature sound: Air mode lifts vocals and guitars to the front of the mix, adding musical presence and rich harmonic drive to your recordings
- With Scarlett 4th Gen, you have all you need to record, mix and master your music: Includes industry-leading recording software and a full collection of record-making plugins
Rank #4
- Podcast, Record, Live Stream, This Portable Audio Interface Covers it All - USB sound card for Mac or PC delivers 48kHz audio resolution for pristine recording every time
- Be ready for anything with this versatile M-AUDIO interface - Record guitar, vocals or line input signals with two combo XLR / Line / Instrument Inputs with phantom power
- Everything you Demand from an Audio Interface for Fuss-Free Monitoring - 1/4" headphone output and stereo 1/4" outputs for total monitoring flexibility; USB/Direct switch for zero latency monitoring
- Get the best out of your Microphones - M-Track Duo’s transparent Crystal Preamps guarantee optimal sound from all your microphones including condenser mics
- The MPC Production Experience - Includes MPC Beats Software complete with the essential production tools from Akai Professional
Rank #3
- PLUG IN AND HEAR SOUND IN SECONDS - USB Type-A connector with a 3.5mm stereo headphone output and a separate 3.5mm mono microphone input. No drivers, no software, no external power - the adapter is USB bus-powered and is recognized as a standard USB audio device.
- WORKS ON WINDOWS, MAC AND LINUX - Driverless on Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP/Server 2003/Vista/7/8, Linux and Mac OSX, and compliant with the USB Audio Device Class 1.0 specification, so any system that supports class-compliant USB audio will see it. Select it as the sound output and input device after plugging it in.
- TWO JACKS, TWO JOBS - The green jack is stereo OUT for headphones or powered speakers; the pink jack is mono microphone IN for a 3.5mm mic. It does NOT support 4-pole headsets on a single combo plug, it does NOT power passive speakers, and it does NOT add surround sound - it is a stereo 2-channel adapter.
- FOR LAPTOPS AND DESKTOPS THAT NEED AN AUDIO PORT BACK - Adds a headphone and mic port to a laptop, desktop, or mini PC whose onboard jack has failed or was never there. Managed and work-issued computers can block new USB audio devices by policy - check with your IT department before ordering for a company machine.
- SABRENT SUPPORT AND WARRANTY - What is in the box: one USB audio sound adapter. Backed by a 1-year limited warranty, extended to 2 years when you register within 90 days on the manufacturer's website.
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