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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →To stream a radio station to YouTube from a Mac mini, capture the station’s audio in OBS Studio, add an approved still image or other visual, and send the encoder feed to YouTube Live with the stream URL and key from YouTube Studio. This guide assumes OBS Studio 30 or later on macOS 13 Ventura or later for built-in desktop or app audio capture; older setups may need audio-routing software. Before broadcasting, confirm the station has permission to make its programming available on YouTube.
Before you set up the stream
First identify where the station audio comes from. If it plays in a browser or another Mac app, OBS may capture that app directly. If it arrives from a mixer, receiver, or other external source, you will need to select the corresponding audio input device. These are different signal paths, so do not assume the Mac is already receiving the station audio just because you can hear it.
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Also confirm that the station’s rights and agreements cover streaming its planned programming on YouTube for the intended territory and duration. A station’s ability to broadcast over radio does not, by itself, establish permission to simulcast its programming online. Check with the station’s rights holders and review current YouTube rules before proceeding.
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Create a YouTube Live stream
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In YouTube Studio, select Create > Go live, then use the Stream tab to create a stream or schedule one. Set its visibility, title, description, and any other metadata.
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In Live Control Room, copy the server URL and stream key. Use the RTMPS URL if your encoder supports it; YouTube describes RTMPS as RTMP over TLS/SSL. You may need to reveal the RTMPS URL rather than use the default RTMP URL shown in the interface. See YouTube’s encoder setup instructions and stream settings guidance.
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Treat the stream key like a password. Do not publish it or share it beyond people who need to operate the stream. If it is exposed, a channel owner or manager can reset it in Live Control Room; see YouTube’s guidance on stream keys.
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Check eligibility before your first broadcast: YouTube says the channel must be verified and must not have had a live-streaming restriction in the preceding 90 days. See YouTube’s live-streaming requirements.
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Capture the station audio in OBS
If the station plays in a Mac app
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Install and open OBS Studio 30 or later on macOS 13 Ventura or later. OBS documents native capture of all desktop audio or a selected application through its macOS Audio Capture source on these versions. See the OBS macOS audio capture guide.
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In OBS, select or create the scene you will use, then add a macOS Audio Capture source. Choose the capture mode and select the station player or application if using app-only capture.
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Play the station and watch the OBS audio mixer. Its meter should move in response. If it does not, the source, selected app, or macOS/OBS version may not match the setup; do not proceed until you can see the signal.
If audio comes from a mixer, receiver, or interface
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Connect the external source to the Mac’s audio input path or a compatible audio interface, then add an Audio Input Capture source to the OBS scene and select the correct input device.
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If macOS asks for microphone access, allow OBS to use the input. On Ventura or later, check System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone. Apple documents that apps need permission to use audio input; see Apple’s microphone privacy settings. Restart OBS after changing access if the input remains unavailable.
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Check that the OBS meter responds to the incoming audio. Avoid selecting the same device both as a global audio device and as an active scene source without checking the result: OBS warns that duplicate routing can cause echo. Its macOS audio guide explains the relevant routing considerations.
For macOS versions earlier than Ventura or OBS versions earlier than 30, OBS’s documented native source may not be available. OBS describes additional audio-routing software and a manual multi-output-device setup for older configurations; the exact steps depend on the macOS version and chosen routing tool. Check the meter in your specific setup rather than assuming the newer workflow applies.
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Add a visual and configure OBS for YouTube
YouTube Live expects an audio-and-video encoder feed, even when the broadcast is a radio station. Add a suitable visual to the OBS scene, such as a station logo, program art, or static image, and include useful station-identification text. Confirm that the station is authorized to use that image or logo.
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In OBS, select Settings > Stream, choose YouTube as the service if available, and enter the server URL and stream key copied from Live Control Room. If OBS offers a server field, use the RTMPS URL when supported.
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Under Settings > Output, configure a constant video bitrate and use H.264 video encoding. YouTube’s documented RTMP/RTMPS recommendations include H.264, constant bitrate, and a keyframe interval of two seconds; do not exceed four seconds. Use a resolution and frame rate appropriate for a mostly static visual and your stable upload capacity. See YouTube’s encoder settings.
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Configure audio as AAC or MP3 for RTMP/RTMPS. YouTube recommends stereo audio at 44.1 kHz and 128 kbps. In OBS, verify the audio output format and bitrate settings rather than relying on the source app’s playback setting.
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Choose a video bitrate based on YouTube’s current settings for the resolution you select and the Mac’s measured, stable outbound bandwidth. An audio-only program still sends video because of the visual scene; do not assume the audio’s low data demand means any video bitrate will work. Check YouTube’s stream-health feedback during testing.
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Test, go live, and monitor
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Before the public broadcast, run an unlisted or private test. Confirm that the Live Control Room preview appears, the station audio is audible there, and the image is legible.
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Listen from a separate playback device as well as checking the OBS mixer. This can reveal silence, clipping, wrong-source audio, or an echo that the local meter alone may not make obvious. Check that the network remains stable and monitor YouTube’s stream-health indicators.
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For a scheduled stream, start streaming from OBS and wait for the incoming preview in Live Control Room. Then select Go live in YouTube Studio. YouTube recommends checking preview and monitoring audio and video quality throughout the event; see its encoder workflow.
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When the broadcast is finished, stop the stream in OBS and end it in Live Control Room as appropriate. YouTube says streams shorter than 12 hours are automatically archived; confirm the archive is available if you need it.
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Common problems and fixes
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The OBS audio meter does not move: Confirm the station is playing, the correct app or input is selected, and the source is enabled in the active scene. For external audio, check the cable/interface and macOS microphone permission. Older macOS/OBS combinations may require a separate routing setup.
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The stream has echo or doubled audio: Check whether the same input is captured as both a global OBS device and a scene source. Disable the duplicate path and retest.
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YouTube does not receive the encoder feed: Recheck that the URL and key were copied correctly and that the key corresponds to the stream selected in Live Control Room. Use RTMPS when supported. If the key may have been exposed, reset it rather than continuing to use it.
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The connection is unstable or stream health is poor: Reduce video resolution or bitrate to a level supported by a stable measured upload connection, then test again. A static image does not remove the need for an appropriate video feed.
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The scheduled stream is not public: Sending the feed from OBS only supplies YouTube with the encoder signal. For a scheduled event, wait for preview and explicitly select Go live in Live Control Room.
Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is to keep a prerecorded radio program or playlist looping on a YouTube channel, StreamNeo is a cloud alternative to leaving a Mac mini and OBS running. Upload the recording or build a playlist, add the YouTube stream key once, and go live. Nothing has to stay on at home; it streams the uploaded file as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one price per slot, and it automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. Each slot includes 10 GB storage pooled across active slots, 24/7 looping and playlists, and StreamNeo team support. It plays uploaded video; it is not a live microphone or camera feed, and it streams to YouTube only.
The first day is free with no card. The monthly option is $9.99 per month. Shorter and longer billing options are available, and UPI works for customers in India. See StreamNeo for details. To try it, start the free day with StreamNeo.
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