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AWS Elemental MediaTailor can assemble a continuous linear channel from scheduled video-on-demand (VOD) programs, live feeds, or a mix of both. It does not, by itself, publish a YouTube Live stream: its channel output is a playback manifest, so sending that output to YouTube requires a separate, verified distribution and ingest path.
This guide covers the MediaTailor channel-assembly workflow, the source requirements that affect scheduling, and how to verify continuous playback. For a simpler YouTube-only option that plays uploaded videos, see StreamNeo.
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What MediaTailor channel assembly does—and does not do
MediaTailor channel assembly creates a linear stream by assembling manifests for scheduled programs. It does not alter the underlying media segments; those continue to be served from their origin. AWS describes it as “a manifest-only service that allows you to create linear streaming channels using your existing video on demand (VOD) content mixed with live content.” See AWS’s channel-assembly overview.
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Choose the schedule model
| Model | What you schedule | Key consideration |
|---|---|---|
| VOD-to-live | Library assets arranged as programs in a channel schedule. | Source packages must meet MediaTailor’s compatibility requirements, including aligned durations and matching child-stream counts within a package configuration. |
| Live-to-live | Incoming live sources arranged as scheduled programs. | Live manifests and package configurations must meet compatibility requirements; the source must have at least one package configuration. |
| Mixed live and VOD | Library programs interspersed with scheduled live events or feeds. | Check each source’s package configuration and ensure the channel has corresponding outputs for the source groups and formats in use. |
MediaTailor supports VOD schedules and schedules that mix live sources with VOD or other live sources. The appropriate model depends on what your origin can provide and how its manifests are packaged. AWS’s live-source guide details live-specific requirements.
Set up a continuous MediaTailor channel
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Prepare an origin and its manifests
Choose an origin and its HTTP or HTTPS base URL. AWS lists Amazon S3, a standard web server, a content delivery network (CDN), and a packaging origin such as AWS Elemental MediaPackage as possible sources. S3 can optionally use SigV4 authentication. Create a source location in the MediaTailor workflow and configure source content and package information. See Creating a source location.
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For VOD, add the VOD sources and package configurations you will schedule. AWS’s getting-started procedure notes that sources within a package configuration need the same number of child streams and that source package durations must align. It recommends a consistent encoding template; its tutorial cautions that per-title or automated ABR methods can violate these conditions in the setup it describes. Confirm the current requirements for your particular production workflow before encoding a library.
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Create the channel and outputs
Create a channel, select the playback mode suited to the intended behavior, and define outputs corresponding to the source package configurations. HLS and DASH are examples of supported package formats. Each output provides a playback endpoint for a compatible player; it is not itself a YouTube ingest endpoint. AWS walks through channel creation in Getting started with MediaTailor channel assembly.
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Add programs in schedule order
Add programs to the channel schedule in the order you want them to play. Each program references a VOD or live source. In the console workflow, a live program has a duration setting in milliseconds. Use the documented schedule transition controls to position programs relative to one another. See Adding a program to a channel’s schedule and Creating a program within a channel schedule.
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For continuous operation, arrange the intended lineup and use a playback mode and schedule behavior that produce continued playback. The reviewed AWS workflow does not identify a special “24/7” switch or promise uninterrupted operational uptime; treat continuity as an operating goal that requires a valid schedule and monitoring.
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Start the channel and verify playback
Start the channel, then open its playback URL in a compatible player. Check that the manifest advances and that transitions occur as expected. AWS’s getting-started guide includes starting and testing the channel. If the destination is YouTube, test the separate delivery path from MediaTailor’s playback output through the distribution component to YouTube ingest; do not assume that a working MediaTailor player URL proves YouTube is receiving a live stream.
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Check live-source compatibility before scheduling
Schedule order alone does not make a live source compatible. For HLS live sources, AWS specifies these checks:
- Include
#EXT-X-PROGRAM-DATE-TIMEon the first segment in the manifest window and on every discontinuity. - Use
DATERANGEfor HLS ad markers. - Keep the source manifest window at least as long as the MediaTailor channel’s manifest window. AWS suggests making it 30 seconds longer as a best practice.
- Match the target duration and number of child playlists with existing sources.
- For a package configuration, live sources should have the same number of child streams.
These requirements are described in AWS’s live-source documentation and live-source setup guide. Validate manifests before putting a source into a scheduled lineup.
Plan schedule changes and operating costs
Near-term edits on looping channels
On a looping channel, an edit to a program scheduled within the next 10 minutes may not appear until the next loop. Allow for that behavior when planning a lineup change close to its scheduled time, and confirm current service behavior before making operational guarantees. See AWS’s program scheduling guidance.
Channel assembly charges
AWS’s getting-started tutorial states a channel-assembly fee of $0.10 per hour for active channels and says inactive channels are not charged. The tutorial page’s publication year is not stated, so this figure should not be treated as a guaranteed current quote. Check the applicable AWS pricing page and your account terms before budgeting.
Troubleshoot common setup problems
- The channel plays in a player but not on YouTube: MediaTailor provides a playback manifest, not a documented direct YouTube publishing integration. Check the separate distribution and ingest component, its configuration, and YouTube’s acceptance of the incoming stream.
- A source cannot be added to the intended package: Compare the number of child streams and source package durations across sources in that package configuration. Align the encoding and package characteristics with the current AWS requirements.
- A live source fails validation or transitions poorly: Inspect its HLS manifest for the required program date-time tags,
DATERANGEad markers, suitable manifest-window length, target duration, child-playlist count, and child-stream alignment. - A recent schedule edit is not visible: If the program is within 10 minutes on a looping channel, the edit may wait until the next loop. Check the schedule position and validate the current service behavior.
- Playback stops or does not advance: Confirm the channel is started, the playback URL is correct, the origin remains available, the manifest is advancing, and the scheduled sources and outputs match. Then test the playback endpoint separately from any YouTube delivery path.
Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is to keep a YouTube channel playing uploaded recordings, rather than assemble a MediaTailor linear channel, StreamNeo is an alternative focused on that use case. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. StreamNeo loops the uploaded videos from the cloud, so no home computer or connection has to stay on. It supports the uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps at one flat price per slot, automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream, and the first day is free with no card. Monthly pricing is $9.99 per month. It plays uploaded videos and streams to YouTube; it is not a camera broadcast service or a replacement for MediaTailor’s manifest-assembly workflow. Start your free day with StreamNeo.
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