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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchTo show the current playlist filename on a YouTube Live stream, play the playlist through OBS’s VLC Video source and place an OBS text source above it. To keep that text current as VLC advances, use a plugin such as TUNA to write the playing item’s details to a text file, then configure the OBS text source to read that file. TUNA is a community-reported option, not a guaranteed feature; test it with your OBS version, media and operating system before relying on it live.
What the overlay displays—and why filename matters
VLC keeps an item’s path, optional playlist name and title metadata as distinct values. The title stored inside a media file may not match its filename. If the overlay must show the filename, make sure the method extracts the final component of the file path rather than displaying embedded title metadata.
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This distinction matters for remote URLs, too: a URL path is not always a simple local filename, and may include URL encoding or other details that need deliberate handling. Test with a media file whose embedded title differs from its filename to verify what your overlay actually shows.
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Set up the playlist and overlay in OBS
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Add the playlist as a VLC Video source
In OBS, add a VLC Video source and configure its media playlist. OBS’s official Media Sources guide says VLC must be installed. For 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC. Confirm that the playlist plays and advances before adding the overlay.
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Add a text source above the video
Add an OBS text source and place it above the VLC Video source in the Sources list. Set its position and appearance where you want the filename to appear. The text source is separate from the video source; it needs a way to receive the changing item name.
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Connect the current item to a text file
A commonly suggested approach is to use TUNA to write information about the playing file to a text file, then set the OBS text source to read that file. An OBS forum member, HanZie82!, described this approach on Nov. 21, 2020: “TUNA will put all the info of playing file in text file, and in OBS you can use said text file to display right on the stream.” That is an individual report, not an OBS or plugin compatibility guarantee. Check that the text file contains the filename you intend to show, rather than a title or other item detail.
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In the text source’s properties, enable the option to read from a file and select the text file TUNA updates. The exact property labels can vary by OBS version and operating system, so confirm them in your installed version.
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Test item changes before going live
Start the playlist and watch the text source as it changes tracks. Check whether the displayed value updates at each transition, whether long filenames fit, and whether special characters appear correctly. Test the actual media types and operating system you will use on stream.
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Try TUNA or build a custom script
TUNA plugin
TUNA is the simpler route to try if its current version works with your setup: the reported workflow writes playing-file details to a text file for an OBS text source to render. Community reports are mixed, including a report that it did not work for a video-file case. Compatibility and behavior should therefore be verified with your installed OBS, plugin, media format and operating system. The forum reports do not establish universal reliability or a supported setup procedure.
Custom Lua or Python script
OBS supports Lua and Python scripting. A custom script could observe playlist-item changes, obtain the item path, extract the filename and update a text file that an OBS text source reads. The official OBS Scripting Guide establishes that scripting is supported, but does not provide a ready-made filename-overlay recipe. The event handling, API details and behavior across operating systems need validation against your OBS version. VideoLAN’s VLC Lua API documentation is relevant if your approach also depends on VLC scripting.
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| Approach | What to verify | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| TUNA | Whether it works with your installed OBS, plugin, media format and operating system; whether its output is the filename or another item detail. | Less custom development if compatible, but community reports are anecdotal and conflicting. |
| Custom script | Playlist-change handling, path-to-filename extraction, text-file updates and local-file or remote-URL behavior for your versions. | Can be designed around the exact output you need, but requires implementation and version-specific testing; the cited OBS guide is not a turnkey recipe. |
Check these edge cases before the broadcast
- Embedded titles: Use a test file with a title that intentionally differs from its filename; confirm the overlay shows the filename.
- Remote media: A URL may not map cleanly to a filename. Decide how encoded characters and URL paths should appear.
- Playlist transitions: Confirm the text changes when the VLC source advances, not only when the source first starts.
- Text-file updates: Confirm the OBS text source is reading the same file the plugin or script updates, and that it refreshes as expected.
- Platform and version: Test on the target operating system with the OBS, VLC and plugin versions you will actually use.
Troubleshoot a missing or incorrect filename
- The text is blank: Verify that the text source is configured to read from a file, the selected path is correct, and the file contains text. Check that TUNA or your script is writing to that same path.
- The text never changes: Confirm that the playlist advances and that the plugin or script detects item changes. The reported TUNA workflow is not guaranteed to work for every video case.
- The overlay shows a title instead of a filename: The source may be outputting embedded title metadata or another item detail. Test with a deliberately different embedded title and adjust the extraction so it uses the path’s final component.
- A remote item shows an odd name: Review how the URL is parsed and whether percent-encoded characters should be decoded; remote URLs do not necessarily have a straightforward local filename.
- VLC Video does not appear or play: Check that VLC is installed and that its architecture matches OBS; the OBS guide specifies 64-bit VLC for 64-bit OBS.
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