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To publish an FFmpeg feed to YouTube through MediaMTX, send FFmpeg’s audio-and-video output to a MediaMTX RTMP path, then configure that path to forward to the current RTMPS ingest URL and stream key shown in YouTube Studio. This creates two separate connections to check: FFmpeg → MediaMTX, then MediaMTX → YouTube.
What you need before configuring the relay
- A YouTube channel with live streaming enabled and an active stream configured in YouTube Studio.
- MediaMTX installed and reachable by FFmpeg on an RTMP listener, typically on the same machine for a local setup.
- An input file or other FFmpeg input, with codecs suitable for the workflow.
- A YouTube stream URL and stream key copied from the active stream’s settings. Treat the key as a password.
YouTube’s encoder instructions say to enter the live server URL and stream key into the encoder: Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder. Use the values currently shown in Studio; do not rely on a hostname copied from an older example.
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Configure YouTube and MediaMTX
1. Get the active YouTube ingest details
- In YouTube Studio, select Create → Go Live, then open the Stream tab.
- Copy the stream URL and stream key for the stream you intend to use. The key identifies the destination for the encoder feed and authorizes YouTube to accept it.
- Keep the key private. Do not include it in screenshots, public configuration files, or logs. If it is exposed, reset it in YouTube Studio and update the MediaMTX forwarding destination.
2. Create a MediaMTX path and publish to it with FFmpeg
Choose a path name, for example mypath, in MediaMTX. Then publish the input to MediaMTX’s RTMP listener. For a local MediaMTX instance, a file input can use this documented pattern:
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ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i file.mp4 -c copy -f flv rtmp://localhost:1935/mystream
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Replace file.mp4 with the actual input and mystream with the path configured in MediaMTX. The example uses -re so a file is read at its native rate, and -stream_loop -1 to repeat it. -c copy passes the existing codecs through without transcoding; it is appropriate only when those codecs and tracks suit the destination workflow. For a live input rather than a file, do not add file-playback pacing or looping flags automatically.
MediaMTX documents this RTMP publishing approach in its FFmpeg publishing guide. The exact path in the FFmpeg URL must match the path MediaMTX will forward.
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3. Forward that path to YouTube over RTMPS
In the matching MediaMTX paths entry, set the forward destination using the current YouTube ingest URL and the key, separated by #. The documented pattern is:
rtmps://<current-youtube-ingest-host>/<path>#<stream-key>
Use the exact URL and key displayed for the active stream in YouTube Studio. MediaMTX’s forwarding documentation gives a.rtmp.youtube.com/live2 as a sample host from the time that page was last updated; it explicitly may not be current. Do not assume that sample host is still the right endpoint.
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Choose RTMPS rather than plain RTMP for encryption in transit. The MediaMTX example also records a certificate-fingerprint observation tied to its own check at documentation-update time. That is not a reason to copy an old certificate exception: verify TLS behavior against the current YouTube endpoint and your MediaMTX version before changing certificate validation.
4. Confirm both tracks, then start and test
The forwarded feed must contain audio and video. MediaMTX warns that YouTube silently rejects video-only streams, including cases where the intended program appears visually complete. If the program is meant to be silent, supply an audio track rather than assuming video alone will ingest.
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Start MediaMTX, publish from FFmpeg, and check YouTube Studio for an incoming preview and stream-health messages. YouTube recommends testing with representative audio and video motion before relying on the stream.
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YouTube’s encoder guidance supports RTMP/RTMPS and H.264, H.265, or AV1 video, frame rates up to 60 fps, AAC or MP3 audio, constant bitrate (CBR), and a recommended two-second keyframe interval (no more than four seconds). Use RTMPS for encrypted ingest. The bitrate figures below are YouTube’s recommendations on its encoder guidance page, not measurements of a particular setup; that page’s retrieved search result did not expose a publication date.
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| Video mode and codec | YouTube recommended bitrate | YouTube minimum bitrate |
|---|---|---|
| H.264, 1080p at 30 fps | 5 Mbps | 5 Mbps |
| H.264, 720p at 60 fps | 8 Mbps | 3 Mbps |
| AV1 or H.265, 1080p at 30 fps | 10 Mbps | not stated on the cited guidance |
| AV1 or H.265, 720p at 60 fps | 6 Mbps | not stated on the cited guidance |
Consult YouTube’s live encoder settings for its full current guidance. Pick a resolution, frame rate, and bitrate that the source and real upload connection can sustain; a higher target needs more upload capacity. Test the actual path and monitor YouTube’s feedback instead of treating a recommended bitrate as a guarantee of stable ingest.
Troubleshoot by separating the two connection legs
No YouTube preview or ingest rejection
- Check that the MediaMTX-forwarded feed has both an audio and a video track. Video-only input can be silently rejected.
- Confirm that the destination URL and key belong to the active YouTube stream, and that the path being forwarded is the one receiving FFmpeg’s publish.
MediaMTX receives FFmpeg, but YouTube receives nothing
- First verify the input leg: confirm FFmpeg is sending to the correct MediaMTX host, listener port, and path.
- Then verify the output leg: check the path’s
forwarddestination, current RTMPS URL, and stream key. - Review MediaMTX and FFmpeg output for connection errors, keeping the key out of shared logs.
The stream key stopped working or may be exposed
Reset the key through YouTube Studio, then replace the key in the MediaMTX forwarding destination. YouTube documents stream-key management in its live stream settings help.
Quality is poor or ingest is unstable
- Check that the selected bitrate fits the available upload capacity, including normal variation in the connection.
- Verify the chosen resolution, frame rate, codec, CBR mode, and keyframe interval against YouTube’s current guidance.
- Run a representative test and inspect YouTube Studio’s stream-health messages.
TLS or certificate errors
Confirm the current YouTube ingest endpoint and MediaMTX version, then investigate the actual certificate presented. The fingerprint note in an older MediaMTX example reflects a check made at that page’s update time; do not disable or bypass certificate validation solely because of that historical note.
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