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You can play a pre-recorded YouTube Live playlist from a Windows mini PC using OBS Studio: use a Media Source for one looping video, or a VLC Video source for a playlist, then send OBS’s output to a YouTube encoder stream. The difficult part is making it genuinely unattended. The documented OBS and YouTube steps cover playback and streaming, but do not establish how to make Windows start the PC, reopen OBS after a crash, or recover reliably after a reboot. Test the complete setup and plan for failure before relying on it.
What you need—and what “unattended” does not guarantee
- A YouTube channel eligible for live streaming, plus an event or stream configured in YouTube Studio.
- OBS Studio as the computer-side encoder. For a multi-video playlist, install VLC as well; it must match OBS’s architecture, so 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC.
- Local video files, a stable internet connection with sufficient upload capacity, and a mini PC capable of encoding the selected output settings. The cited official guidance does not establish a minimum CPU, RAM, GPU, or mini-PC model.
- A tested plan for power loss, Windows restarts, OBS failure, and loss of the connection. The sources cited here do not verify specific Windows automation steps for startup, sign-in, sleep prevention, or OBS relaunch.
OBS can loop media and send an encoder feed, but that is not the same as proving the whole computer will recover unattended. YouTube’s Auto-start & auto-stop settings control starting or stopping the stream from the encoder; they do not establish that Windows will boot or OBS will reopen after a restart. Reusing stream settings also copies those options. See YouTube’s live stream settings guidance.
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Check YouTube eligibility and create the encoder stream
- Enable live streaming ahead of time. YouTube says a channel must be verified and have no live-streaming restrictions in the prior 90 days. First-time live streaming setup may take up to 24 hours, so do not leave enablement until the day of the broadcast. See Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder.
- Create or schedule the event in YouTube Studio. Set visibility to public, private, or unlisted deliberately. Scheduling may show the stream as upcoming in subscribers’ feeds and allow viewers to choose “Notify me,” but a scheduled event still depends on the encoder sending a valid feed. YouTube’s live stream settings guidance covers event options.
- Get the stream URL and key from YouTube Studio’s Live Control Room. YouTube describes the stream key as like the password and address for the encoder. Keep it private: do not put it in screenshots, public instructions, or other exposed material. See YouTube’s encoder setup instructions.
- Enter the connection details in OBS. Open OBS stream settings, select the YouTube service if available, and enter or select the stream URL and key supplied by YouTube. Start the encoder only when ready to test or go live; an event being scheduled does not itself send video.
Build the loop or playlist in OBS
For one video: Media Source
- In the OBS scene you will stream, add a Media Source and select the local video file.
- Enable the source’s Loop option. This repeats that file rather than moving through a sequence of files.
- Check that the source is visible in the active scene and that its audio is routed as intended.
For multiple videos: VLC Video
- Install VLC. If you use 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC; OBS will not show the VLC Video source if the required VLC installation is missing or mismatched.
- Add a VLC Video source to the scene, then populate its playlist with the local files in the order you want.
- Leave Loop Playlist enabled to repeat the playlist. OBS documents this as enabled by default. Set shuffle off for a fixed sequence or on for randomized playback.
- Review the source’s visibility behavior. VLC Video offers options such as stopping and restarting, pausing and unpausing, or always playing when its scene visibility changes. Choose the behavior that fits your scene transitions and test it.
OBS describes VLC Video as allowing a playlist, unlike Media Source, which handles an individual media file. Its Media Sources documentation explains the source options. Looping documents repeat behavior; it does not establish uninterrupted playback through every file error, nor recovery after a computer restart.
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Choose encoder settings the mini PC and connection can sustain
In OBS, choose a connection method YouTube supports; YouTube recommends RTMPS. Set output resolution, frame rate, and bitrate according to the connection and the host’s encoding capability. YouTube lists H.264, H.265, or AV1 video and AAC or MP3 audio for RTMP/RTMPS, but the fact that OBS offers a setting does not mean a particular mini PC can encode it reliably.
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Use YouTube’s current table of recommended settings for the resolution and frame rate you intend to send rather than guessing a bitrate: Choose live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions. Test the chosen combination on the actual mini PC and internet connection. If the upload connection is unstable or the encoder struggles, reduce the output demands and test again.
Rehearse the full run before leaving it alone
- Test the whole playlist for the expected duration. Verify file order, looping, picture, sound, scene visibility behavior, and the stream’s intended visibility.
- Check the Live Control Room preview before starting the event. YouTube advises setting up encoders at least 2 hours before a livestream and starting encoders at least 15 minutes before the scheduled event.
- Inspect stream health and messages. YouTube advises continuously monitoring audio and video quality. A test with movement and audio similar to the real stream is more informative than a static or silent check.
- Confirm what happens after interruption. Rehearse the recovery plan for loss of internet, power interruption, Windows restart, and OBS closing. The official sources referenced here do not verify a particular method for automatic Windows sign-in, OBS startup, or crash relaunch; do not assume scheduling the YouTube event handles any of those.
- Stop the encoder after the event has stopped on YouTube. This follows YouTube’s computer livestream tips, which also say to check the preview before clicking Start Streaming.
YouTube states that streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. The cited guidance does not establish that a stream lasting 12 hours or longer will be archived as one complete video. If a single archive matters, plan around that stated threshold rather than assuming a continuous all-day run will produce one complete archive. See Manage live stream settings.
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Troubleshoot the common failure points
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| VLC Video is missing in OBS | VLC is not installed or its architecture does not match OBS. | Install VLC and match 64-bit OBS with 64-bit VLC, then reopen OBS. |
| Playlist stops after the last item | Playlist looping is disabled. | Open VLC Video source properties and enable Loop Playlist. |
| Playback changes unexpectedly when switching scenes | The source’s visibility behavior is stopping, restarting, or pausing playback. | Review VLC Video visibility options and test transitions between scenes. |
| YouTube receives no feed | OBS has not started streaming, or its server URL or stream key is incorrect. | Compare OBS’s stream settings with the current YouTube Live Control Room details. Keep the key confidential. |
| Video is unstable, drops, or the mini PC struggles | The selected resolution, frame rate, bitrate, codec, or connection exceeds what the connection or host can sustain. | Check YouTube’s recommended encoder settings, reduce the output demands if needed, and repeat a full test. |
| The stream does not return after a reboot or OBS crash | The Windows host or encoder did not restart; YouTube scheduling does not prove either will. | Use a rehearsed recovery procedure. The official guidance cited here does not establish a specific Windows startup or relaunch configuration. |
Or let it run in the cloud
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