To loop a prerecorded video into YouTube Live through MediaMTX, configure two separate hops: FFmpeg publishes the file to a MediaMTX path, then MediaMTX forwards that path to YouTube using the current RTMPS URL and stream key from your YouTube account. The loop command is not an uptime guarantee: unattended operation also depends on hosting, process supervision, and recovery arrangements that these basic examples do not configure.
How the stream path works
MediaMTX is a live media server and proxy that can accept, forward, record, and play real-time media. In this setup, FFmpeg reads a local prerecorded file and publishes it to a MediaMTX path; MediaMTX then sends that path onward to YouTube Live. These are separate connections, so a successful FFmpeg-to-MediaMTX publish does not by itself prove that YouTube is receiving the stream.
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MediaMTX’s current documentation search result identifies configuration documentation for v1.21.1. Check the documentation matching the version you install, since configuration details can change between versions. MediaMTX introduction
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What you need before configuring it
- A host that can run MediaMTX and FFmpeg, and a source video accessible to FFmpeg. If the stream must continue while your own computer is off, the MediaMTX host and FFmpeg process still need to run somewhere that remains available.
- A YouTube channel with live streaming enabled and access to its Live settings.
- The current YouTube RTMPS endpoint and stream key for the broadcast. Use the values shown in the target account, not a URL copied indefinitely from an old example.
- A source with both video and audio tracks. MediaMTX warns that YouTube requires both and may silently reject video-only streams. The stream-copy commands below do not create an absent audio track.
Step 1: Publish a looping file to MediaMTX
MediaMTX’s FFmpeg guide recommends RTSP for publishing into the server and shows this command for a real-time loop:
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ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i file.mp4 -c copy -f rtsp rtsp://localhost:8554/mystreamReplace file.mp4 with the path to your source file. The output path here is mystream; use that same path in the MediaMTX forwarding configuration. The -re option reads the file at its normal playback rate, while -stream_loop -1 repeats it indefinitely. -c copy passes through the existing audio and video streams instead of encoding them.
This is stream copy, not a compatibility conversion. It will not add audio, change codecs, or ensure the file meets YouTube’s ingest requirements. Inspect the file’s tracks and format before relying on it. If it lacks audio or uses an unsuitable format, this example alone does not show how to produce a compliant replacement.
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RTMP alternative for the MediaMTX input
The MediaMTX guide also documents publishing to the same path using RTMP/FLV:
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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i file.mp4 -c copy -f flv rtmp://localhost:1935/mystreamChoose between RTSP and RTMP based on the protocols available in your deployment and which connection you can troubleshoot most easily. MediaMTX recommends RTSP for FFmpeg publishing, but the documentation cited here does not establish a general performance advantage for either method. MediaMTX FFmpeg publishing guide
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Step 2: Configure MediaMTX to forward the path to YouTube
In MediaMTX’s configuration, set the mystream path to forward to YouTube. The documented format separates the destination URL from the stream key with #; its example is:
paths:
mystream:
source: publisher
runOnReady: ffmpeg -i rtsp://localhost:8554/$MTX_PATH -c copy -f flv rtmps://a.rtmp.youtube.com/live2#streamKeyUse the configuration format required by your installed MediaMTX version. The endpoint above is an illustration from MediaMTX’s documentation, not a promise that YouTube still assigns that exact URL. Obtain the current RTMPS URL and stream key from your channel’s Live settings. YouTube’s RTMPS help explains how to reveal the RTMPS URL using the lock control in stream settings and recommends RTMPS, an encrypted extension of RTMP. MediaMTX YouTube forwarding guide · YouTube Help: Stream using an encoder
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Do not put a real stream key in a public example, screenshot, shell history, or source control. Treat it as a credential: keep it private and replace it through YouTube’s account controls if it is exposed. The cited configuration example demonstrates forwarding syntax, not a complete key-management or deployment-security design.
Check YouTube’s live encoder requirements
Use YouTube’s current encoder guidance for the resolution and frame rate you intend to send. The recommended bitrate varies with output resolution and frame rate, so there is no single bitrate that is correct for every stream. Do not assume that copying a file unchanged produces settings YouTube recommends.
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- Protocol: YouTube lists RTMP and RTMPS; its help recommends RTMPS.
- Video: YouTube’s guidance lists H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1, with frame rates up to 60 fps.
- Keyframes: YouTube recommends a two-second interval and says not to exceed four seconds.
- Audio: YouTube lists AAC or MP3 and recommends stereo audio at 44.1 kHz and 128 Kbps.
- Rate control: YouTube recommends CBR. Refer to its current bitrate table for the particular resolution and frame rate you select.
These are YouTube’s published encoder recommendations; the cited page does not display a publication date, so check it for current guidance before configuring or converting your media. YouTube Live encoder settings
What “24/7” requires beyond a loop
The FFmpeg loop makes a file repeat while that FFmpeg process continues running. It does not configure a complete unattended service. The examples here do not establish automatic process supervision, restart policy, reconnection after a YouTube disconnect, handling for network outages, storage management, or an end-to-end tested uptime design.
For a continuous deployment, plan those pieces separately: keep the host available, decide how the processes will be started and monitored, determine how they should behave after failures, and verify that YouTube is receiving both tracks. Do not treat a running loop or a connected MediaMTX path as proof of uninterrupted delivery.
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Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is simply to keep a prerecorded YouTube stream running, StreamNeo is an alternative to operating FFmpeg and MediaMTX yourself. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live; StreamNeo loops the uploaded video from the cloud, so your computer and home connection do not have to stay on. It supports video as uploaded up to 4K 60fps at one flat price per slot, with automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly pricing is $9.99 per month. StreamNeo is for prerecorded video on YouTube, not camera broadcasts. See StreamNeo, or start the free first day.
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