You can use SRS on Ubuntu to receive a continuously looped video from FFmpeg, but the basic SRS example does not forward that video to YouTube. The documented setup has two separate links: FFmpeg publishes to SRS, while YouTube expects an encoder to publish to its Live Control Room URL and stream key. This guide shows the SRS loop, YouTube’s encoder requirements, and the boundary between them so you do not mistake a working local stream for a YouTube broadcast.
What SRS does—and what it does not do in this setup
SRS (Simple Realtime Server) is a media server; FFmpeg reads a video file and publishes its audio and video to the server. YouTube Live is the final destination in a YouTube broadcast. SRS supports protocols including RTMP, WebRTC, HLS, HTTP-FLV, SRT and MPEG-DASH, and its upstream project recommends Docker. The SRS repository identifies version 8.0, while its separate v7 RTMP guide labels that branch unstable, so do not treat a v7 guide as a universal version instruction. SRS repository · SRS Getting Started · SRS RTMP guide
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The key distinction is that publishing to SRS is not the same as publishing to YouTube. The official SRS getting-started examples document an FFmpeg publisher sending to SRS; YouTube’s instructions document an encoder sending to YouTube. They do not establish the outbound SRS-to-YouTube relay configuration that would join those two steps. Do not expect the basic Docker and FFmpeg examples below, by themselves, to create a YouTube Live broadcast.
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SRS’s Getting Started guide gives this sample Docker command:
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docker run --rm -it -p 1935:1935 -p 1985:1985 -p 8080:8080 ossrs/srs:5This is an upstream example, not a claim that the 5 image tag is the latest or the right choice for every host. The current SRS repository README shows a different image tag and additional UDP ports. Before deploying, verify the upstream image tag you intend to use. For a persistent service, plan restart behavior and configuration persistence rather than relying on a temporary interactive example. Expose only ports you need: the sample maps RTMP on 1935, 1985, and 8080, but it is not a hardened production firewall recipe. SRS repository examples
Check that the local server responds
The Getting Started example uses http://localhost:8080/ as a lightweight local check. Its documented sample playback paths include:
- HLS:
http://localhost:8080/live/livestream.m3u8 - HTTP-FLV:
http://localhost:8080/live/livestream.flv
These localhost addresses are for a process on the same host or networking context. From another machine, substitute an address reachable from that machine and make sure the relevant port is exposed and allowed by the host and network firewalls. Docker networking details vary by deployment; do not assume a hostname or port mapping works identically on every Ubuntu installation. SRS Getting Started
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Loop a video file into SRS with FFmpeg
SRS documents an FFmpeg example using -stream_loop -1 for indefinite repetition, real-time input pacing with -re, stream copying, and an RTMP destination:
docker run --rm -it ossrs/srs:encoder ffmpeg -stream_loop -1 -re -i doc/source.flv
-c copy -f flv rtmp://host.docker.internal/live/livestreamThe guide’s doc/source.flv is part of the SRS source repository example; replace it with a file FFmpeg can read. The example’s host.docker.internal hostname depends on the container and host environment and may not work on every Linux installation. Use the correct address for your Docker networking setup. SRS FFmpeg example
Run FFmpeg directly on the Ubuntu host
If FFmpeg is installed on Ubuntu and SRS is listening on the host’s loopback interface at port 1935, this adapted command publishes a local file to SRS:
ffmpeg -stream_loop -1 -re -i /path/to/video.mp4 -c copy -f flv rtmp://127.0.0.1:1935/live/livestreamHere, -stream_loop -1 repeats the input indefinitely, -re reads it at a real-time rate, and -c copy passes the existing audio and video streams through without re-encoding. Copying works only when the input streams are compatible with the destination ingest. It does not make an unsupported codec suitable for YouTube, and the sources cited here do not establish a tested transcoding command for a particular file. Watch FFmpeg’s output for errors and check the receiving service’s playback or stream health.
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The command is an adaptation of the SRS documented loop option and publisher pattern, not a verbatim upstream command. The SRS RTMP guide also provides publisher examples, but its v7 branch is marked unstable. SRS Getting Started · SRS RTMP guide
Connect an encoder to YouTube Live
In YouTube Studio, create or schedule a live stream and open Live Control Room. Under Stream settings, copy the server URL and stream key and enter both in the encoder that will publish to YouTube. YouTube recommends RTMPS, which encrypts the stream using TLS/SSL. To reveal the RTMPS URL, use the lock icon under Stream settings; copy the URL shown there rather than assuming a default RTMP address. Keep the stream key private: anyone with it may be able to send a stream to your channel. YouTube: Encrypt your stream using RTMPS
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These instructions describe the direct encoder-to-YouTube connection. They do not configure SRS to relay the FFmpeg publication onward. To use SRS as an intermediate server, you need an explicitly configured and verified outbound push/forward path for your chosen SRS version and deployment. The cited SRS examples do not provide that complete configuration, so this guide does not invent a relay directive or claim the end-to-end SRS-to-YouTube route is configured.
The documented simpler alternative: publish directly to YouTube
If you do not need SRS for local ingest or playback, a simpler architecture is an encoder publishing the looped file directly to YouTube using the server URL and key from Live Control Room. YouTube documents encoder-based streaming, but the exact FFmpeg command and file compatibility depend on your input and chosen settings. The direct path avoids an intermediate SRS relay; it does not use SRS. YouTube: Create a live stream with an encoder
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchChoose YouTube-compatible encoder settings
YouTube’s encoder guidance lists RTMP/RTMPS, H.264, H.265/HEVC or AV1 video, frame rates up to 60 fps, AAC or MP3 audio, and constant bitrate (CBR) encoding. YouTube recommends a two-second keyframe interval and says not to exceed four seconds. Its bitrate recommendations depend on resolution, frame rate and codec; the figures below are YouTube’s published recommendations, not audience-performance guarantees. The retrieved page does not state a publication year. YouTube encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions
| Example format | YouTube-listed minimum | YouTube-listed recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| 720p at 30 fps, H.264 | 3 Mbps | 8 Mbps |
| 1080p at 30 fps, H.264 | 5 Mbps | 14 Mbps |
| 1080p at 30 fps, AV1 or H.265/HEVC | 4 Mbps | 10 Mbps |
Choose a bitrate for the actual resolution, frame rate and codec rather than copying a figure from a different format. YouTube recommends testing upload bitrate with a speed test, testing representative audio and video motion, and monitoring stream health. Leave headroom on the upload connection so other network use or fluctuations do not consume the entire stream bitrate. YouTube encoder guidance
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Choose between direct streaming and an SRS relay
| Approach | What the documented setup establishes | What to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Direct encoder-to-YouTube | YouTube’s Live Control Room supplies a server URL and key; YouTube recommends RTMPS. An encoder can publish to YouTube without SRS. | Fewer components. Verify the file’s codecs and your upload connection, then monitor YouTube stream health. |
| FFmpeg into SRS | The SRS examples establish a local RTMP publication and sample HLS/HTTP-FLV playback paths. | Useful if you need SRS’s local ingest or playback, but this alone does not send the stream to YouTube. |
| SRS intermediate relay to YouTube | The cited examples do not establish a complete outbound SRS-to-YouTube configuration. | Verify the forwarding configuration for your specific SRS version before relying on this architecture. Account for the host’s network path and upload capacity. |
Troubleshoot the common failure points
- YouTube never shows the stream: identify which connection is actually running. An FFmpeg publisher pointed at SRS proves only that it is sending to SRS, not that YouTube receives anything. Confirm that an encoder is publishing to the YouTube URL and key, or that a separately configured SRS relay is active. SRS Getting Started · YouTube RTMPS setup
- RTMPS reports an SSL or connection problem: verify that you copied the RTMPS URL revealed with the lock icon in Live Control Room, rather than using an RTMP URL by assumption. YouTube says to try port 443 if needed and compatible with the provided URL. YouTube RTMPS guidance
- It works locally but not from another machine: check that the client uses an address reachable from its network, the right port is mapped by Docker, and firewalls permit the intended traffic.
localhostalways refers to the machine or network context where the command runs, not automatically to your remote Ubuntu server. SRS Getting Started - The file fails to publish or YouTube flags stream health: inspect FFmpeg’s error output and YouTube’s stream-health status. Confirm that the input codecs, frame rate, bitrate and keyframe interval match an accepted configuration. Stream copying does not convert incompatible media; the cited setup examples do not test every input file. YouTube encoder guidance
Copyright, repeated video and monetization
Before looping a recording, confirm you have the rights needed to stream its video and audio on YouTube. A file that you may watch privately is not automatically cleared for public livestreaming. YouTube’s encoder setup pages explain connection and technical settings, not whether a particular recording is copyright-safe or eligible for monetization. Check YouTube’s current policies and any applicable rights before going live; technical success does not establish permission or monetization eligibility.
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