To keep an FFmpeg stream running after you disconnect from SSH, run FFmpeg under systemd on your Linux VPS and send it to the exact RTMPS endpoint and stream key shown in YouTube Live Control Room. systemd can restart a process that exits; it cannot fix a bad key, missing input, insufficient server capacity, or an unhealthy YouTube broadcast. The example below is a starting point for looping a video file. Adapt it to your distribution, FFmpeg build, and input before relying on it for a live event.
How the setup works
The path is: a video file on your VPS → FFmpeg → YouTube’s RTMPS ingestion service. systemd supervises FFmpeg independently of your SSH session. YouTube recommends RTMPS for encrypted streaming, and its documented RTMPS ingestion uses port 443 and the endpoint hostname for TLS SNI authentication (YouTube RTMPS guidance; YouTube developer documentation).
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This example loops a local file. A live capture device, RTSP source, or generated feed needs different input and reconnect handling; do not assume the file-loop options suit those inputs.
What you need before configuring the service
- A Linux VPS with systemd. The exact OVHcloud plan, operating-system image, and systemd version are not established here; check the current plan specifications and terms, then test the selected host rather than assuming it can encode a particular resolution or sustain a bitrate.
- An installed FFmpeg build that supports the input, codecs, and RTMPS output you intend to use. Package versions and build features vary by distribution.
- A local video file suitable for continuous playback, with permission to stream its audio and video.
- A YouTube Live event and access to its current RTMPS server URL and stream key.
- Outbound access from the VPS to YouTube’s RTMPS endpoint on port 443, plus enough measured CPU and outbound capacity for the chosen profile.
Get the current YouTube RTMPS URL and key
- Open YouTube Live Control Room and select the event or stream you intend to use.
- In the Stream URL field, use the lock control to reveal the RTMPS URL, then copy the URL and the stream key. YouTube’s instructions are in Encrypt your stream using RTMPS.
- Keep the key private. Do not put a real key in scripts committed to a repository, screenshots, published examples, or configuration files readable by other users.
Use the entire RTMPS URL supplied for that stream rather than guessing a hostname or application path. If you rotate or revoke a key in YouTube Studio, update the VPS configuration as well.
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Choose the video and audio profile
YouTube’s encoder page lists RTMP/RTMPS; H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1; frame rates up to 60 fps; CBR; and AAC or MP3 audio. It recommends a two-second keyframe interval and says not to exceed four seconds. For RTMP/RTMPS, 5.1 surround is supported only with AAC. YouTube says its defaults detect resolution and frame rate automatically, with manual settings available through a custom stream key. Check the current encoder settings and bitrate table for the codec and mode you actually plan to use.
These are YouTube-published H.264 bitrate figures, not measurements of an OVHcloud server. YouTube’s current guidance was checked on 2026-10-03; consult its linked table again when configuring a later stream.
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| H.264 mode | YouTube minimum | YouTube recommended |
|---|---|---|
| 2160p (4K), 60 fps | 14 Mbps | 50 Mbps |
| 2160p (4K), 30 fps | 11 Mbps | 42 Mbps |
| 1440p, 60 fps | 8 Mbps | 34 Mbps |
| 1440p, 30 fps | 7 Mbps | 21 Mbps |
| 1080p, 60 fps | 6 Mbps | 17 Mbps |
| 1080p, 30 fps | 5 Mbps | 14 Mbps |
| 720p, 60 fps | 3 Mbps | 8 Mbps |
| 720p, 30 fps | 3 Mbps | 8 Mbps |
| 480p, 30 fps | 0.4 Mbps | 4 Mbps |
| 360p, 30 fps | 0.4 Mbps | 4 Mbps |
Do not treat the recommended bitrate as a universal setting or proof that a VPS can sustain it. Measure outbound capacity from the server that will send the stream, leave room for network variation, and check actual CPU use while encoding representative motion. YouTube lists stereo audio at 44.1 kHz and 128 Kbps, and 5.1 audio at 48 kHz and 384 Kbps. Its AV1/H.265 bitrate recommendations differ from H.264, so use the corresponding current table row rather than reusing an H.264 figure.
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Create a file-loop command and test it interactively
FFmpeg documents this general real-time file-to-RTMP pattern: ffmpeg -re -i myfile -f flv rtmp://myserver/live/mystream (FFmpeg Protocols Documentation). It is an RTMP illustration, not a complete YouTube command. For a file-loop test, replace the placeholders below with your file, chosen profile, and the complete RTMPS URL plus stream key from Live Control Room:
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ffmpeg -stream_loop -1 -re -i /srv/live/loop.mp4
-c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -b:v 8M -maxrate 8M -bufsize 16M
-r 30 -g 60 -keyint_min 60 -sc_threshold 0 -pix_fmt yuv420p
-c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100 -f flv "$YOUTUBE_RTMPS_URL"The values shown are an example 720p30 H.264-oriented profile, not a promise about server performance; the input must actually be suitable for that output, and the 8 Mbps video bitrate corresponds to YouTube’s 720p30 H.264 recommendation. At 30 fps, a 60-frame GOP is two seconds. Change the frame rate, GOP, bitrate, and scaling deliberately for your chosen output, and ensure the installed FFmpeg has the selected encoder and output protocol. The sample does not force a scale filter; add one only if you need to convert the source dimensions.
Before creating the service, test the command from a shell with a temporary environment variable containing your real endpoint, then confirm the preview and stream health in Live Control Room. Avoid saving the key in shell history. YouTube recommends testing before going live and monitoring stream health and messages during the event.
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Store the URL privately and create a systemd service
The following unit is a distribution-neutral starting template, not a verified OVHcloud-specific configuration. Check the systemd manual and your distribution’s conventions before deploying it. It uses a root-owned environment file so the credential is not embedded in the unit itself. The RTMPS URL still becomes an FFmpeg process argument while running, so restrict shell and host access to trusted administrators.
- Create a dedicated service account and ensure it can read the input file. For example, on a system where these commands and paths are appropriate:
sudo useradd --system --home-dir /nonexistent --shell /usr/sbin/nologin ffmpeg-stream sudo install -d -o root -g root -m 0755 /etc/ffmpeg-stream sudo install -d -o ffmpeg-stream -g ffmpeg-stream -m 0750 /srv/livePlace the media file at
/srv/live/loop.mp4and set ownership or group permissions so the service account can read it. - Create
/etc/ffmpeg-stream/youtube.envas root, with one line containing the full URL and the actual key appended in the form YouTube supplied:YOUTUBE_RTMPS_URL='<paste the exact RTMPS URL and stream key here>'Protect it so only root can read it:
sudo chown root:root /etc/ffmpeg-stream/youtube.env sudo chmod 600 /etc/ffmpeg-stream/youtube.envDo not publish or share this file. Confirm your systemd version accepts the environment-file syntax you use.
- Create
/etc/systemd/system/ffmpeg-youtube.serviceand adjust the FFmpeg path and profile if needed:[Unit] Description=FFmpeg YouTube live stream After=network-online.target Wants=network-online.target [Service] Type=simple User=ffmpeg-stream Group=ffmpeg-stream EnvironmentFile=/etc/ffmpeg-stream/youtube.env ExecStart=/usr/bin/ffmpeg -stream_loop -1 -re -i /srv/live/loop.mp4 -c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -b:v 8M -maxrate 8M -bufsize 16M -r 30 -g 60 -keyint_min 60 -sc_threshold 0 -pix_fmt yuv420p -c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100 -f flv $YOUTUBE_RTMPS_URL Restart=on-failure RestartSec=5 [Install] WantedBy=multi-user.targetRestart=on-failureasks systemd to restart a process that exits unsuccessfully; it does not establish that YouTube accepted the stream or that restarting will recover every ingestion failure. Validate the unit directives and restart behavior against the installed systemd documentation. If FFmpeg remains running but reports a connection or YouTube-side problem, systemd may have nothing to restart. - Load the unit, enable it at boot, start it, and inspect its state and logs:
sudo systemctl daemon-reload sudo systemctl enable --now ffmpeg-youtube.service sudo systemctl status ffmpeg-youtube.service sudo journalctl -u ffmpeg-youtube.service -fConfirm YouTube receives the stream and shows a healthy preview before treating the service as ready.
Preflight before a scheduled broadcast
- Confirm the intended YouTube event is selected and the current key matches the RTMPS URL.
- Check that the VPS can reach the exact ingestion hostname over outbound port 443.
- Verify the file plays, loops as intended, and carries the expected audio; test with representative motion.
- Confirm the installed FFmpeg build supports the encoder and protocol selected, and that the unit can read both its environment file and media input.
- Measure CPU and outbound capacity on the actual host under the intended encoding workload; a running process alone is not proof of adequate capacity.
- Check the YouTube preview, stream health, and messages, then monitor them during the broadcast.
- Check that all content is yours or that you have the rights needed to broadcast it. YouTube encoder settings do not grant rights to music or video.
Troubleshooting common failures
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Unit fails immediately | Incorrect FFmpeg path, malformed unit, missing input, or unreadable file/environment file. | Read systemctl status and the service journal; check the paths, permissions, and unit syntax for the installed distribution. |
| RTMPS or SSL connection error | Wrong protocol or host, an incorrect URL/path, or blocked outbound connectivity. | Copy the current RTMPS URL from Live Control Room; check the exact hostname and outbound port 443. YouTube’s SSL guidance says to check protocol and server and to try port 443 if the URL appears correct. |
| YouTube does not receive the stream | Wrong event/key, stale credentials, unsupported output protocol, or connection failure. | Verify the selected event and current key in Live Control Room, confirm the FFmpeg build supports the output protocol, and inspect FFmpeg logs. |
| Service is active but broadcast is unhealthy | FFmpeg may still be alive while the input, encoding, network path, or YouTube ingest is unhealthy. | Inspect FFmpeg output and YouTube’s stream health/messages; test the input and server’s outbound connection instead of relying on systemd’s active state. |
| Stream drops or buffers | Unstable outbound path, insufficient capacity, or a profile that is too demanding for the actual host. | Measure the VPS’s outbound capacity and CPU during representative playback; lower the profile if needed and test again before the event. |
| Audio is missing or wrong | Input mapping or audio codec/sample-rate settings do not match the source or intended output. | Inspect the source streams and FFmpeg logs; confirm the chosen audio codec and sample rate against YouTube’s current guidance. |
Or let it run in the cloud
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