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To relay a Spanish internet radio station to YouTube from Linux, use a station-authorized audio feed, pair it with a visual you have permission to use, and send both from OBS or FFmpeg to the server URL and stream key shown in YouTube Live Control Room. YouTube recommends RTMPS for encrypted ingest. First confirm that you are allowed to retransmit the station and its music on YouTube in the territories where the stream will be available: public listening access is not permission to rebroadcast.
Before you set up the stream: confirm access and rights
Ask the station for an authorized stream URL and any required credentials. Confirm the feed format and whether its terms permit retransmission to YouTube in your intended territories. Check music, recording, publishing, and broadcast rights with the station and relevant rights holders. YouTube’s Livestream terms and conditions require the streamer to have the necessary rights, including music licensing rights.
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YouTube scans live streams for third-party content. If it detects a match, it may replace the stream with a placeholder; an unresolved match can interrupt or terminate the broadcast. A license alone may not prevent interruption: YouTube says the content owner may need to allowlist your channel. Confirm permissions and allowlisting with the station and rights holders before going live. See YouTube’s guidance on live-streaming restrictions.
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Choose a Linux workflow
| Workflow | Best fit | What to plan for |
|---|---|---|
| OBS | Desktop use with a graphical preview and scene controls. | Add the station feed as an audio source and a still image or other permitted video source. The installed OBS build and feed format affect compatibility. |
| FFmpeg | Command-line use, scripts, or a headless Linux host. | Combine an audio input with an image or looped video, then encode and send it. Feed redirects, playlists, TLS, authentication, codecs, and local FFmpeg build options can all affect the command. |
| Liquidsoap | Radio-oriented scheduling or audio processing. | Its suitability depends on your configuration and source. No single turnkey recipe is established for every station feed; check the current official documentation for your setup. |
Do not assume a stream URL or sample command will work unchanged for every station. Test the exact feed and your installed encoder before depending on it for a broadcast.
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Create the YouTube live stream and protect its key
- In YouTube Studio, open Go Live and create a stream or select an existing one.
- In Live Control Room, copy the displayed server URL and stream key into OBS or your FFmpeg setup. Prefer the RTMPS server URL when your encoder supports it. YouTube describes RTMPS as RTMP over TLS/SSL, which encrypts the connection; see Encrypt your stream using RTMPS.
- Treat the stream key like a password: do not publish it or include it in shared scripts or screenshots. Reset it in YouTube Studio if it is exposed.
- Start the encoder and wait for YouTube’s preview and stream-health status. Start the live event according to the options shown in Live Control Room.
Set the video and audio output
For a basic RTMP/RTMPS broadcast, YouTube’s general encoder guidance lists H.264 video and AAC or MP3 audio. Even if the picture is static, send a video signal: add the still image as a source rather than trying to send audio alone.
| Setting | YouTube guidance for RTMP/RTMPS |
|---|---|
| Video codec | H.264 is supported. |
| Audio codec | AAC or MP3. |
| Stereo audio sample rate | 44.1 kHz. |
| Stereo audio bitrate | 128 kbps recommended. |
| Rate control | Constant bitrate (CBR). |
| Keyframe interval | Two seconds recommended; do not exceed four seconds. |
These are YouTube recommendations, not a guarantee that your Linux distribution’s OBS or FFmpeg build supports every encoder option. For current details, consult YouTube’s live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions. Check your available upload capacity and monitor stream health while testing representative audio and video movement.
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Set up OBS on Linux
- Open OBS and create a scene for the radio relay.
- Add the authorized station feed as an audio input. The exact source method depends on the feed and your OBS build; confirm that it can open the station’s URL and any required credentials.
- Add a permitted still image or other visual as a video source. Check the preview to verify it fills the intended frame and stays visible.
- Open OBS output and stream settings. Select the available YouTube service or configure the RTMPS server URL and stream key from Live Control Room. Set the output to the audio and video recommendations above where the installed encoders allow it.
- Start streaming in OBS. Check YouTube’s preview for both picture and sound, then start the event in Live Control Room when the preview and stream-health indicators look right.
Before making the event public, listen for silence, distortion, or clipping and confirm the station feed remains connected. Keep OBS and the Linux session running for the duration of a desktop broadcast.
Use FFmpeg from the command line
FFmpeg can combine an audio source and a still image, but there is no universal command for an unnamed station: its feed may use a playlist, redirects, TLS, authentication, or codecs your FFmpeg build lacks. Check the station’s authorized URL and local encoder support first, and test with the actual input. Avoid copying a command intended for a different feed without validating it.
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- Confirm that FFmpeg can access the station feed, including any credentials or redirects, and that the build includes a suitable video encoder and AAC or MP3 audio encoder.
- Choose a permitted image file and confirm that FFmpeg can read it. For a static-image stream, the command needs to keep the image present as video while the audio continues.
- Configure the output for H.264 video, AAC or MP3 audio, CBR, a two-second keyframe interval (not more than four seconds), and 44.1 kHz stereo audio, with the recommended 128 kbps stereo audio bitrate where supported.
- Send the output to the current RTMPS server URL and stream key from Live Control Room. Keep the key out of public command history, logs, and shared scripts.
- Start the process and check YouTube’s preview and stream-health status. Test audio and picture together before starting a public event.
For unattended or continuous operation, plan for feed drops, process exits, host restarts, and monitoring; a sample command by itself does not provide recovery or guarantee uninterrupted streaming.
Test the feed, monitor, and stop cleanly
- Confirm YouTube receives both sound and picture, and that the selected image remains displayed.
- Listen for silence, clipping, or unexpected changes in the station feed; watch YouTube’s stream-health status.
- Check that the feed remains reachable from the Linux host and that the encoder process is still running.
- To finish, stop streaming in OBS or stop the FFmpeg process, then end the live event in Live Control Room if it has not ended already.
Troubleshoot common failures
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| FFmpeg or OBS cannot open the station URL | The URL may redirect, point to a playlist, require authentication or TLS support, or use an unsupported format. | Ask the station for the correct authorized feed URL and access details. Test that URL with your installed application and verify the build’s supported inputs. |
| YouTube shows no image | The encoder is not sending video, or the image source is missing or not active. | Check the scene or FFmpeg image input and confirm that YouTube’s preview displays it before starting the event. |
| YouTube receives video but no sound | The feed may have disconnected, failed to decode, or not been routed to the encoder’s audio output. | Check the source connection, audio routing, encoder logs, and preview audio; listen locally where possible. |
| Stream health reports problems or the stream disconnects | Upload capacity, encoder settings, host stability, or station-feed continuity may be insufficient. | Check available upload bitrate, use the recommended CBR and keyframe settings, inspect the encoder and feed, and monitor recovery rather than assuming the process will resume itself. |
| Stream is interrupted for a copyright match | YouTube may have detected third-party audio or other content. | Do not restart on the assumption that public access is permission. Resolve rights with the station and rights holders, including any required channel allowlisting. |
Or let it run in the cloud
If you want a pre-recorded program to loop on YouTube without keeping a Linux computer running, StreamNeo is a cloud option for uploaded videos. Upload the recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. It does not relay a live radio feed or stream from a camera, so use the Linux workflow above when you need the station’s current broadcast.
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