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To keep FFmpeg reading an internet radio stream when its HTTP connection drops or reports an unexpected end of file (EOF), put the HTTP reconnect options before the radio input’s -i. For an endless station feed, start with -reconnect 1, -reconnect_at_eof 1, and -reconnect_streamed 1, then set a bounded retry delay. These options address reading the radio source; they do not restart FFmpeg or guarantee recovery of the separate YouTube connection.
Start with a reconnect command for the radio input
This is a configuration pattern for an HTTP radio URL relayed to a YouTube Live event. The placeholder output options are intentional: the station’s format, any still image or other video treatment, and the event’s ingest details determine the complete command.
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ffmpeg
-reconnect 1
-reconnect_at_eof 1
-reconnect_streamed 1
-reconnect_delay_max 30
-i "$RADIO_URL"
...output options...
"$YOUTUBE_RTMP_URL/$YOUTUBE_STREAM_KEY"Replace $RADIO_URL with the station’s HTTP stream URL. Replace the output placeholder with the ingest address and stream key shown for the specific YouTube Live event, along with the output options needed for your audio and video. Keep the stream key private: YouTube describes it as the information that tells an encoder where to send its feed and lets YouTube accept it. See Manage live stream settings.
FFmpeg protocol options apply to an input when placed before the -i for that input. Confirm that the installed build supports the options you intend to use with ffmpeg -h protocol=http. Option availability can vary with FFmpeg version and build configuration; the example is not a station-specific tested command. FFmpeg documents the HTTP options in its HTTP protocol reference.
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What the reconnect options do
| Option | Purpose | When it may help |
|---|---|---|
-reconnect 1 |
Reconnect after a disconnect that occurs before EOF. | The HTTP connection to the station drops while FFmpeg is reading. |
-reconnect_at_eof 1 |
Treat EOF as an error and reconnect; FFmpeg identifies this as useful for live or endless streams. | A station feed expected to continue indefinitely closes or signals EOF unexpectedly. |
-reconnect_streamed 1 |
Allow reconnect attempts for streamed, non-seekable inputs. | The station delivers a continuous stream rather than a seekable file, as many radio services do. |
-reconnect_on_network_error 1 |
Reconnect on TCP/TLS errors during connection establishment. | Add it if connection-establishment errors are present in the logs and the local FFmpeg build exposes this option. |
-reconnect_on_http_error 503,5xx |
Retry selected HTTP status codes; FFmpeg accepts explicit codes and classes such as 4xx or 5xx. |
Use a targeted status or class that matches observed, potentially temporary station responses. Avoid retrying every client error by default: authentication, access, or malformed-request errors generally need correction, not repeated requests. |
-reconnect_delay_max 30 |
Set the maximum reconnect delay in seconds. | The example sets a bound of 30 seconds; choose a delay appropriate to the station and how long you can tolerate silence. It is not a universal recommendation. |
-respect_retry_after 1 |
Honor a server’s Retry-After header when present rather than relying only on exponential backoff. |
Potentially useful for responses such as HTTP 429 or 503, if the server sends that header and the local build supports the option. |
The current FFmpeg HTTP documentation also lists maximum retry-count and total-delay options. Check ffmpeg -h protocol=http for support and decide how long source retries should continue before a separate supervisor intervenes. Retry defaults and option availability are version-sensitive; no single retry count or delay is right for every station.
Configure the YouTube output separately
The reconnect flags above govern the HTTP radio input, not YouTube’s encoder or publishing connection. For the destination, YouTube’s current encoder guidance lists RTMP and RTMPS ingestion; H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1 video; frame rates up to 60 fps; constant bitrate (CBR); and AAC or MP3 audio. YouTube recommends RTMPS and a two-second keyframe interval, and says not to exceed four seconds. Select output settings that fit the event and chosen visual treatment; these destination settings do not change how FFmpeg retries the radio input. See Choose live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions.
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For audio with a still image
A radio feed supplies audio; reconnecting it does not create or repair the video stream. If the event requires video, configure the output to include a suitable video stream—for example, using a still image and the appropriate FFmpeg input and filtering options. The exact command depends on that image, filters, codecs, and the event’s current settings, so there is no reliable universal full command without those details.
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Use the ingest address and key displayed for the intended YouTube Live event, and verify that FFmpeg is publishing to that event. Before relying on the stream, check the YouTube preview and monitor stream-health messages during operation. YouTube’s guidance covers encoder setup and monitoring in Choose live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions.
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Find which part of the stream failed
A relayed broadcast has separate failure layers. Input reconnect settings only address documented HTTP source behavior; they do not make every part of the route self-healing.
| Failure layer | What to check | What reconnect flags can do |
|---|---|---|
| Radio HTTP source | FFmpeg logs, HTTP status codes, station URL, and whether the station is reachable. | Retry eligible disconnects, EOFs, or selected errors when the relevant option is supported and enabled. |
| FFmpeg process | Whether the process is still running and what caused it to exit. | Nothing after the process has exited. A process supervisor or service manager is a separate layer that can relaunch it. |
| Local network | Whether outbound connectivity is stable and has sufficient capacity. | Input retries may help with some source-side connection failures, but cannot ensure stable connectivity. |
| YouTube output | The YouTube event’s preview, ingest setup, and stream-health messages. | These radio-input options do not configure or guarantee recovery of the publishing connection. |
Troubleshoot common reconnect failures
- FFmpeg stops at EOF. For a source expected to run continuously, confirm that
-reconnect_at_eof 1is present before the radio input’s-i. Also check-reconnect_streamed 1if the source is non-seekable. - The source disconnects but does not retry. Confirm that
-reconnect 1is attached to the correct HTTP input and that the installed build recognizes the options. Inspect the logs to distinguish a disconnect from EOF or a different error. - The same HTTP error repeats. Check the status code and fix the underlying URL, credentials, access permission, or request problem where applicable. Repeatedly retrying a client error such as an authentication failure will not correct it. Configure
-reconnect_on_http_errorselectively for errors that merit retries. - Connection setup errors continue. If logs show TCP/TLS errors during connection establishment, check whether
-reconnect_on_network_error 1is available in the local build. Also investigate connectivity and station availability; enabling retries is not proof either has recovered. - FFmpeg exits entirely. Reconnect options cannot revive a stopped process. Use a separate process supervisor or service manager if automatic relaunch is required; that operational layer needs its own configuration.
- Audio returns but YouTube is not receiving a healthy stream. Check the destination key and ingest details, output codecs and settings, event preview, and YouTube stream-health messages. Source recovery and successful publishing are separate conditions.
- The stream fails during network disruption. Check outbound bandwidth against the total bitrate being sent. YouTube recommends leaving 20% bandwidth headroom and warns that connectivity disruption can break a stream. See Streaming tips.
Choose retry limits for the station and your operating needs
Reconnect behavior is not a guarantee that a station will come back. Its URL, codec, redirects, authentication requirements, and response to interruptions all matter, and the right retry window depends on how long an outage can be tolerated. Use a bounded delay and, where supported, a maximum retry count or total retry time. If retries should not continue indefinitely, decide what should happen next—such as alerting an operator or having a separate supervisor restart the process—and configure that layer independently.
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For a specific station, first establish its correct stream URL and format, then test a short end-to-end run and inspect both FFmpeg logs and YouTube’s stream health. The station and event details are not specified here, so no station-specific command or recovery reliability can be asserted.
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