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Freedom251 › Blog › 24/7 Livestream

How to Stream a 24/7 Rain Video to YouTube from a Windows PC with OBS

By Freedom251 Team · · 6 min read

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You can stream a rain video around the clock by looping it in OBS Studio and sending the feed to YouTube with your channel’s stream key. The Windows PC running OBS and its internet connection must stay active. Set up a short test first, and plan separately if you need a complete replay: YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived, but does not promise a complete automatic archive for one continuous 24-hour stream.

Before you start

  • A YouTube channel with live streaming enabled. The channel must be verified and have no live-streaming restriction in the preceding 90 days. First-time activation can take up to 24 hours. YouTube’s encoder setup guide
  • OBS Studio installed on your Windows PC. YouTube identifies OBS as free, open-source streaming and recording software. YouTube’s encoder guide
  • A local video file you have the rights to stream, plus a stable upload connection with enough sustained capacity for your selected output settings.

Set up a looping rain video in OBS

  1. Run OBS’s Auto-Configuration Wizard. Use the wizard to configure OBS for streaming based on your intended use, hardware and network conditions. OBS Quick Start Guide
  2. Create a scene and add the video. In the Scenes panel, create or select a scene. In Sources, choose + → Media Source, name it, and select your local rain-video file. OBS Media Source supports formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF and WebM. OBS Media Sources
  3. Enable looping. In the Media Source properties, turn on Loop. OBS will play the file again after it finishes. If you want several clips rather than one repeated file, use OBS’s VLC Video source to loop a playlist; VLC must be installed, and a 64-bit OBS installation requires 64-bit VLC. OBS Media Sources
  4. Check the framing and audio. Make sure the video fills the canvas as intended. Watch OBS’s audio meters while playback runs. If the clip includes rain audio, confirm it is audible; disable unwanted desktop-audio or microphone capture sources so the stream does not pick up unrelated system or room sound. OBS’s Quick Start Guide notes these captures are enabled by default. OBS Quick Start Guide

Connect OBS to your YouTube stream

  1. Open YouTube Studio and select Go Live. Create a stream or select one already set up in Live Control Room. YouTube’s encoder guide
  2. Copy the stream’s Stream URL (Live server URL) and Stream key from YouTube Studio.
  3. In OBS, open Settings → Stream. Choose YouTube as the service and enter the server URL and stream key, or select the option to use a custom server if needed. Apply the settings. YouTube describes the stream key as the credential that tells the encoder where to send the feed and allows YouTube to accept it. Treat it like a password: do not share it or publish it.
  4. Return to the main OBS window and select Start Streaming. Check the Live Control Room preview before making the broadcast public. YouTube’s encoder guide

Choose output settings that your connection can sustain

YouTube’s current encoder recommendations for H.264 include these combinations. They are platform recommendations, not a guarantee that a particular connection can sustain them; leave headroom for network variation and reduce quality if the upload cannot hold steady. YouTube recommended encoder settings

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Output YouTube-recommended H.264 bitrate Keyframe interval guidance
1080p at 30 fps 14 Mbps 2 seconds recommended; do not exceed 4 seconds
720p at 30 fps 8 Mbps 2 seconds recommended; do not exceed 4 seconds

In OBS, open Settings → Output and select an encoder and bitrate appropriate to your setup. YouTube’s RTMP/RTMPS guidance calls for constant bitrate (CBR) and recommends a 2-second keyframe interval, with a maximum of 4 seconds. In OBS’s output settings, use CBR and set the keyframe interval to 2 seconds. In Settings → Video, choose the canvas and output resolution and frame rate that match your content and connection. Rain footage does not inherently require 1080p; 720p may be the more dependable choice if the sustained upload is limited. YouTube recommended encoder settings

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Test upload capacity rather than relying on a brief speed-test peak. The stream has to upload continuously. If OBS or Live Control Room reports unstable health, lower the bitrate and, if needed, the resolution or frame rate; then test again.

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Test the broadcast and keep the PC awake

  1. Start with a short test, using an unlisted stream if you do not want viewers to find it. OBS recommends testing for a few minutes before the real broadcast. OBS Quick Start Guide
  2. In YouTube Live Control Room, verify the preview, picture, rain audio and stream health. Keep monitoring stream health after going live; YouTube advises checking it during the broadcast. YouTube live streaming tips
  3. Adjust Windows power settings so the PC does not sleep during the stream. Windows menu names vary by version; use the power or battery settings available on your system. The display can turn off, but the computer must stay awake and connected for OBS to keep sending video.
  4. For a locally encoded stream, consider a UPS for the PC and network equipment if brief power interruptions are a concern. It may help with short power cuts, but does not prevent an internet outage or guarantee continuous streaming.

What to expect from a 24-hour stream archive

YouTube’s encoder setup documentation states: “All streams under 12 hours will be automatically archived.” That statement supports automatic archiving for streams shorter than 12 hours; it is not a promise that a single continuous 24-hour broadcast will be preserved as one complete replay. YouTube’s encoder setup guide

If retaining the full video matters, plan a separate recording or shorter broadcast sessions, and check YouTube’s current behavior before relying on an automatic replay. YouTube recommends checking local archive integrity and confirming that the local archive file continues to grow. YouTube live streaming tips

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Fix common problems

Symptom Likely cause What to check
YouTube does not accept the stream Live streaming is not enabled, or OBS has the wrong server URL or stream key. Confirm channel eligibility and activation in YouTube Studio; copy the current stream URL and key carefully. If this is the first activation, allow up to 24 hours.
The rain clip stops instead of repeating Loop is off or the wrong source is playing. Open the Media Source properties and enable Loop. For a playlist, confirm VLC is installed and matches OBS’s 64-bit or 32-bit architecture.
Stream health is poor or the video buffers The bitrate exceeds reliable upload capacity or the connection is fluctuating. Lower the bitrate, then reduce resolution or frame rate if required. Run another test and monitor Live Control Room health.
Rain audio is missing or unwanted audio is audible The clip has no usable audio, its source is muted, or OBS is capturing the desktop or microphone unintentionally. Check the audio meters, source mute state and selected capture sources; test the actual stream preview.
The stream ends when you leave the PC Windows sleeps, OBS closes, or the local connection or power is interrupted. Keep the PC awake and OBS open, maintain a stable network connection, and consider UPS protection for brief power loss.

Copyright and reused-content checks

Only stream rain footage and audio that you own, have permission to use, or are otherwise licensed to broadcast on YouTube. A video being freely available online does not by itself establish permission. Review YouTube’s current rules and the terms attached to any licensed material before broadcasting; live content can still raise copyright concerns. A long loop of prerecorded material also does not by itself establish eligibility for monetization: YouTube evaluates channels under its monetization policies, including reused-content rules. YouTube channel monetization policies

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Or let it run in the cloud

If you want to keep a YouTube channel live without leaving this Windows PC running, StreamNeo runs uploaded videos from the cloud. The setup is: upload the rain video or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, then go live. Your computer and home connection do not have to stay on. StreamNeo supports the uploaded quality up to 4K at 60 fps for one flat price per slot, with no re-encode or quality tiers, and automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly billing is $9.99 per month. StreamNeo streams to YouTube and plays uploaded videos; it is not a camera-based live broadcast. See StreamNeo, then start your free day.

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24/7 LivestreamOBS Studiorain videoWindowsYouTube Live

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