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SRS vs OBS for Keeping a Pre-Recorded YouTube Channel Live

OBS can loop a local video and send it directly to YouTube. SRS adds a server-side ingest or relay stage when your workflow needs one.
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For a simple prerecorded YouTube livestream, use OBS: add the video as a looping Media Source, then send the program directly to YouTube. SRS is a separate streaming media server, not a prerequisite for looping a file; add it when your workflow actually needs server-side RTMP ingest, relay, or protocol conversion.

What each tool does

OBS: build and publish the program

OBS can play local media, combine it with titles or overlays in a scene, encode the result, and publish it to YouTube over RTMP. Its Media Source supports common video formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM, as well as audio formats such as MP3, AAC, OGG, and WAV. The Media Source has a Loop option that restarts the file after playback ends. OBS supports Windows, macOS, and Linux. OBS Media Sources documentation

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SRS: receive or relay a stream

SRS is a streaming media server. It can accept an RTMP stream published by OBS or FFmpeg, then serve or convert the stream as needed. That makes it useful when a separate server-side ingest, relay, or protocol-conversion stage is part of the architecture—not simply because a video needs to repeat. The cited SRS documentation does not establish it as a local playlist editor or a tool that keeps OBS running. SRS documentation

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Which setup fits your channel?

Consideration OBS direct to YouTube OBS through SRS
Main role Scene composition, local media playback, encoding, and publishing. Server-side RTMP ingest, relay, or conversion to other protocols.
Looping a local file Use the Media Source Loop option. The cited SRS pages establish stream ingest, not local playlist editing. Loop the source in OBS or use a separately documented media-playout method.
Moving parts OBS and YouTube encoder settings. OBS, an SRS deployment and configuration, and YouTube or another downstream destination.
When it fits A single encoder sends a composed stream to YouTube. You need a distinct server ingest, relay, or conversion stage.
Archive planning YouTube’s archive caveat still applies; keep a local recording. The same YouTube archive caveat applies; SRS does not remove it.

This is a comparison of documented roles, not a performance test. The cited documentation does not establish comparative reliability, CPU load, or unattended restart behavior for a particular deployment.

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How to loop a prerecorded video from OBS to YouTube

  1. Add the video in OBS. Create or choose a scene, add a Media Source, select the local file, and enable Loop if it should restart when playback ends. Add any title, image, or overlay you need to the scene. Check the file’s audio and video in the OBS preview.
  2. Set up the YouTube livestream. Create or schedule the stream, then copy the stream URL and stream key from YouTube Live Control Room into the encoder settings. YouTube’s encoder workflow uses those values; treat the stream key like a password and do not share it. YouTube encoder setup
  3. Use the endpoint YouTube provides. YouTube offers RTMPS, which is RTMP over TLS/SSL. If the encoder configuration supports RTMPS, copy its URL from Live Control Room and use the associated stream key. Do not assume an RTMP endpoint and an RTMPS endpoint are interchangeable. YouTube RTMPS guidance
  4. Start early and verify the output. Start the encoder before the intended broadcast, inspect the Live Control Room preview, and check that picture and audio are correct. If recording locally, verify that the recording is being written and continues to grow while the stream runs. Monitor the broadcast rather than assuming a successful connection means the whole program is playing properly. YouTube livestream setup guidance
  5. Clear rights and check the rules. Confirm you have the necessary rights for every video and audio element, including music, and follow YouTube’s Community Guidelines. YouTube’s livestream terms state: “The Live Content must comply with the YouTube Community Guidelines.” YouTube Terms of Service
  6. Plan for long broadcasts. YouTube says streams shorter than 12 hours can be automatically archived, while streams exceeding 12 hours may not be captured; it recommends keeping a local archive backup. Do not rely on YouTube’s archive as the only copy of a continuous or multi-day broadcast. YouTube archive guidance

When adding SRS makes sense

Insert SRS only when you have a concrete server-side job for it—for example, accepting an RTMP publish from OBS and relaying or converting the stream for a downstream workflow. In that arrangement, OBS still creates and encodes the program, while SRS receives and serves or converts it. Follow the SRS deployment and configuration documentation for the version you choose; the cited material does not establish a universal configuration for every deployment.

If your only requirement is to play one local video on repeat and send it to YouTube, the additional server creates another component to configure without a documented need. The available documentation does not establish that SRS by itself schedules a playlist, provides failover, restarts OBS, or guarantees 24/7 continuity.

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Common problems and what to check

  • The video stops after one play: Open the Media Source properties in OBS and enable Loop.
  • YouTube does not receive the stream: Recheck the stream URL and key copied from Live Control Room, confirm that the selected endpoint matches the encoder configuration, and check the Live Control Room preview.
  • The stream connects but the wrong content appears: Confirm the selected OBS scene and Media Source file, then inspect the preview for image, sound, and overlay errors before relying on the broadcast.
  • The broadcast runs longer than 12 hours and no complete archive appears: YouTube warns that streams over 12 hours may not be captured. Use a local recording as your archive backup.
  • You are considering SRS to make the broadcast stay up unattended: The cited SRS and OBS documentation does not establish unattended restart or continuous-operation guarantees. Do not treat adding SRS alone as a recovery plan.
  • A video or song may not be cleared for livestreaming: Do not broadcast until the necessary rights are confirmed; a license for one use does not necessarily establish permission for live and archived use.
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