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If you only want the same VLC Video Source playlist to repeat, turn on Loop Playlist in the source properties—no Lua script is needed. If you mean “reload” as in apply changed playlist settings or run a custom action after playback ends, OBS Lua can connect to a media_ended signal and update the source, but that update rebuilds playback and may interrupt it. A media-ended signal alone is not documented as proof that the entire playlist—not just one item—has finished.
Choose between looping and reloading
| Approach | Use it when | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| VLC Video Source with Loop Playlist enabled | You want the same configured list to start over after it runs out of media. | It repeats the configured playlist; it is not a custom workflow for re-reading changed playlist settings. OBS VLC Video Source guide |
| Lua callback plus a VLC source settings update | You need a custom response to a media-ended event or want to apply changed playlist settings. | Updating settings rebuilds the VLC source’s playlist/player handling and can restart playback. The signal documentation does not establish that every event marks the end of the entire playlist. VLC source implementation |
Set up the VLC Video Source
- Install VLC on the computer running OBS. The VLC Video Source is available only when VLC is installed. OBS VLC Video Source guide
- In OBS, add or select a VLC Video Source and add the media files to its playlist.
- Open the source properties. If your goal is simply to repeat the same list, enable Loop Playlist. Use Shuffle Playlist only if you want playback order randomized.
- Test the source through the end of its list. Confirm its behavior in your own OBS and VLC versions before adding a script.
What Lua can detect—and what it cannot assume
OBS scripting uses the obslua module, and scripts are managed under Tools > Scripts. OBS source APIs expose media lifecycle signals, including media_ended, and Lua can connect a callback to a source’s signal handler with signal_handler_connect(handler, signal, callback). OBS scripting documentation OBS source API
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The signal name tells you that media ended; it does not, by itself, establish that the final playlist item ended. A playlist can contain multiple items, and source behavior can vary with the OBS/VLC versions and configuration. Observe the signal behavior in your setup before using it to trigger a full-list reload. Do not refresh on every event unless that is the behavior you actually want.
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The following is a version-sensitive implementation outline, not tested, drop-in code. It shows the sequence: identify the VLC source by its OBS source name, obtain its signal handler, connect a callback to media_ended, and update its settings when your own end-of-playlist check says to refresh. The exact source name and the way you determine that the whole list ended must be verified in your setup.
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- In Tools > Scripts, add a Lua script and load the
obsluamodule as required by the OBS scripting interface. - Find the VLC Video Source using its exact OBS source name. Obtain the source’s signal handler and connect the callback using
signal_handler_connect(handler, "media_ended", callback). - In the callback, first determine whether the event represents the end of the entire playlist. Only then proceed with a refresh; the signal itself is not documented as a whole-playlist boundary.
- Read the source settings and preserve the existing
playlistarray and each entry’svaluefield unless you intend to replace the list. Apply the settings update only when there is a real change or a deliberate restart to perform. - Release OBS data and source objects according to the scripting API’s ownership rules. Incorrect handling can leak memory or crash OBS. OBS scripting documentation
OBS’s VLC source implementation reads the playlist settings array and rebuilds the playlist when settings are updated. That makes a settings update consequential: it can restart player handling, rather than seamlessly refreshing the current playback in place. VLC source implementation
Test and troubleshoot the refresh
- The playlist never starts over: Check that Loop Playlist is enabled if you want ordinary repetition, and confirm the source is a VLC Video Source with the expected files.
- The script reacts between items: The callback may be receiving an event for an individual item. Verify event timing in your OBS/VLC setup and add a reliable whole-playlist check before updating settings.
- Playback visibly stops or restarts: This is consistent with the VLC source rebuilding its playlist/player handling after a settings update. Avoid treating the update as a seamless refresh.
- The script cannot find the source: Check the exact source name in OBS and confirm the source type is VLC Video Source.
- The VLC source is missing: Install VLC on the OBS computer, then reopen or recheck OBS.
- OBS becomes unstable after script changes: Review how the script obtains, retains, and releases OBS source and data objects against the scripting documentation. Remove the script if necessary and verify the source works without it.
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