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For an HTTP or HTTPS podcast feed, put FFmpeg’s HTTP reconnect options before the input’s -i. These settings can retry a dropped or ended input; they do not guarantee recovery of the RTMP(S) connection publishing to YouTube or restart FFmpeg if the process exits. Those are separate failure points that need separate handling and testing.
Use reconnect options on the HTTP input
This illustrative command shows where the options go when your podcast source is HTTP(S). It is a template, not a tested command; replace the source, encoding, mapping, and YouTube destination to match your setup.
ffmpeg
-reconnect 1
-reconnect_streamed 1
-reconnect_at_eof 1
-reconnect_on_network_error 1
-reconnect_delay_max 30
-i "$SOURCE_URL"
-c:v libx264 -c:a aac
-f flv "$YOUTUBE_RTMPS_URL/$STREAM_KEY"- Confirm that the input is HTTP(S). These
reconnect*options are documented for FFmpeg’s HTTP protocol, not as universal reconnect switches for every input or output. For a multi-input command, put each input’s protocol options before the corresponding-i. - Set the reconnect options before
-i "$SOURCE_URL". Options placed after that input do not configure it. - Replace the illustrative source and output values, and choose codecs and stream mapping that fit the actual feed and YouTube Live Control Room. Keep the YouTube stream key secret.
- Check that your installed FFmpeg build supports the options, then test recovery with your actual source and event configuration.
What each HTTP reconnect option does
-reconnect 1retries after disconnection before EOF.-reconnect_streamed 1permits reconnects for streamed or non-seekable inputs.-reconnect_at_eof 1treats EOF as an error and reconnects. FFmpeg describes this as useful for “live / endless streams.”-reconnect_on_network_error 1retries TCP/TLS errors during connection establishment.-reconnect_on_http_error 5xxretries the specified HTTP status codes. You can specify a deliberate list, such as429,5xx, if appropriate for the source. Avoid retrying permanent client errors such as authentication failures as though repeated attempts would fix them.-reconnect_delay_max 30sets the maximum delay, in seconds, for this reconnect behavior. FFmpeg also documents retry-count and total-delay controls; consult the documentation for your installed version and choose limits deliberately.
The options handle different conditions: EOF, connection errors, and HTTP response codes are not interchangeable. See the FFmpeg Protocols Documentation for the HTTP options and version-specific behavior.
Separate input, publishing, and process failures
A relay reads from a source, encodes or passes through media, and publishes to YouTube. Identify which part failed before changing reconnect settings. HTTP input flags address the matching HTTP input; they do not establish that FFmpeg will recover a lost RTMP(S) publishing connection.
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| What failed | Relevant handling | What to test |
|---|---|---|
| HTTP source disconnects or reaches EOF | FFmpeg HTTP reconnect options on that input | Whether the source returns, and how retry and delay limits behave |
| RTMP(S) publishing output disconnects | Diagnose the output and network separately; use supported output-specific handling or an external restart strategy where appropriate | Reconnect to ingest, live-event behavior, and YouTube stream health |
| FFmpeg process exits | An external supervisor or wrapper must restart the process | Restart-loop control, configuration and secrets, and event continuity |
For RTSP, local files, or capture devices, do not copy HTTP flags blindly: behavior depends on the source protocol and FFmpeg build. The appropriate settings cannot be determined without those details. A process restart can interrupt the broadcast, and the behavior of a particular YouTube event or account after a disconnect is not established by these input options.
Check YouTube ingest settings
YouTube’s encoder guidance recommends RTMPS, lists RTMP and RTMPS as supported streaming protocols, and lists H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1 among its live codecs. It recommends CBR, a two-second keyframe frequency, and says not to exceed four seconds. Its audio guidance lists AAC or MP3. Use the server URL and stream key shown in the Live Control Room and match your encoder configuration to that event’s settings. These ingest recommendations do not replace reconnect handling.
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YouTube also recommends testing before going live and monitoring stream health during the event. See YouTube’s live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions guidance.
Troubleshoot a stream that does not recover
- Find the failing layer. Review FFmpeg logs and YouTube stream-health messages to distinguish a source-read failure, encoder or process failure, network issue, or publishing failure.
- Verify the input protocol. Use these HTTP options only for a matching HTTP(S) input; investigate protocol-specific behavior for other sources.
- Check placement and support. Confirm the option spelling and that the flags appear before the relevant
-i. Verify they are available in your installed build. - Review retry bounds. Choose finite retry and delay limits that suit the source and the response you expect when the limits are reached.
- Handle a stopped process separately. If a stopped FFmpeg process must come back, configure a supervisor or wrapper, prevent a rapid restart loop, and test how a restarted encoder interacts with the scheduled YouTube event.
- Test failures deliberately. Test source loss, network loss, and publishing loss separately. Verify recovery and alerting, then monitor stream health during operation.
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