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What the reconnect options do—and what they do not do
FFmpeg documents the reconnect options as HTTP protocol controls. They can help FFmpeg retry a source read when that source is HTTP(S) and the failure matches the option. YouTube’s encoder workflow sends video to an ingest URL using RTMP or RTMPS, so HTTP input flags should not be presented as a way to guarantee recovery of that output connection. See the FFmpeg Protocols Documentation and YouTube’s encoder setup guidance.
| Option | HTTP behavior | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
reconnect |
Retries after a disconnect before EOF. | An HTTP source connection drops before the input ends. |
reconnect_at_eof |
Treats EOF as an error and reconnects. | An HTTP source is expected to be live or endless, rather than to finish normally. |
reconnect_streamed |
Allows retries for streamed or non-seekable HTTP inputs. | The HTTP input is streamed or cannot be sought. |
reconnect_on_network_error |
Retries on TCP/TLS errors during connection establishment. | The HTTP connection fails while being established. |
reconnect_on_http_error |
Selects HTTP response codes or categories, such as 503, 4xx or 5xx, that trigger retry. |
The HTTP server returns a status that you have configured for retry. |
reconnect_delay_max |
Caps the delay between retries. | You need a ceiling on the wait between attempts. |
reconnect_max_retries |
Caps the number of retries. | You need a finite retry count. |
reconnect_delay_total_max |
Caps cumulative retry delay. | You need a limit on total time spent waiting to reconnect. |
respect_retry_after |
Honors an HTTP Retry-After response when available. |
The HTTP server supplies that response header. |
These are input-protocol controls, not a universal recovery system for a broadcast. Put applicable HTTP options before the corresponding -i input in the command, and confirm that the input URL is actually HTTP(S). Do not apply them to an RTMP(S) output and assume they will restore a YouTube ingest connection.
Check defaults on the FFmpeg build you actually run
The FFmpeg project’s current HTTP implementation on the master branch declares defaults of 120 seconds for reconnect_delay_max, -1 for reconnect_max_retries, 256 seconds for reconnect_delay_total_max, and enabled for respect_retry_after. These are implementation defaults on the current master source, not a promise about every released binary. Check the documentation or help output for your installed FFmpeg build. An unlimited retry-count default does not mean retries continue indefinitely: another limit or the protocol behavior can still stop them.
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Identify the failure before choosing a fix
“The stream stopped” can describe several different failures. Inspect FFmpeg’s logs and the stream-health messages in YouTube Live Control Room before selecting a retry mechanism. The official guidance establishes HTTP input retry behavior and YouTube ingest recommendations; it does not establish one FFmpeg command that guarantees recovery of every RTMP(S) output failure.
- HTTP input dropped: Choose HTTP reconnect options that match the observed error—disconnect before EOF, EOF, streamed input, connection-establishment error or retryable HTTP status.
- RTMP(S) output disconnected: Treat this separately from the input. Validate an output-recovery approach with your installed FFmpeg build and the YouTube workflow; do not assume the HTTP flags apply.
- FFmpeg process exited: Reconnect options cannot restart a process that is no longer running. Arrange and validate process supervision or restart behavior appropriate to your deployment.
- Source media ended: A completed file is not a continuing live source. Check the playlist or media workflow rather than treating normal EOF as a network failure.
- Host, power or network failed: A process on that host cannot recover until the relevant system returns. A backup encoder or hosting design is a separate resilience decision.
Set YouTube ingest quality independently of reconnect behavior
Bitrate, codec and keyframe settings affect ingest quality and network load; they do not make reconnect flags work on RTMP(S). YouTube’s encoder settings guidance recommends RTMP/RTMPS, constant bitrate (CBR), a two-second keyframe frequency (four seconds maximum), and AAC or MP3 audio. It lists H.264, H.265/HEVC and AV1 video options, with frame rates up to 60 fps. Use the bitrate row for the codec, resolution and frame rate you actually intend to send.
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| H.264 output example | YouTube-listed minimum | YouTube-listed recommended bitrate |
|---|---|---|
| 720p at 30 fps | 3 Mbps | 8 Mbps |
| 1080p at 30 fps | 5 Mbps | 14 Mbps |
| 1080p at 60 fps | 6 Mbps | 17 Mbps |
Those are YouTube’s published recommendations, not evidence that a particular internet connection can sustain them. YouTube advises choosing quality to suit connection reliability, testing before going live and monitoring stream health. Its streaming tips recommend upload capacity with 20% headroom above the total stream bitrate. If running primary and backup encoders simultaneously, allow for the bandwidth required by both streams plus headroom. YouTube recommends RTMPS, its encrypted extension of RTMP.
Build a practical 24/7 recovery plan
- Observe the failure. Check FFmpeg logs and YouTube Live Control Room health messages. Record whether the source read ended, the output disconnected, the process exited or the host/network became unavailable.
- Configure HTTP retries only for HTTP inputs. Match the option to the input’s behavior. Set retry and delay ceilings deliberately, and verify support and defaults on the installed build.
- Design output recovery separately. Validate the chosen RTMP(S) output recovery and process supervision behavior with the actual FFmpeg binary and YouTube workflow. Do not treat an HTTP retry setting as proof that the output resumes the same event.
- Test the whole path before launch. YouTube recommends testing and monitoring stream health. For a dual-encoder setup, deliberately stop the primary encoder or disconnect its network and verify that the player actually switches to the backup; a configured backup is not proof of a working failover.
- Keep an independent recording if the program matters. YouTube says streams under 12 hours can be automatically archived, but streams longer than 12 hours may not be captured at all. Its archive guidance recommends local recording as a backup.
For a continuous broadcast, decide deliberately whether the program should remain one long event or be split into shorter scheduled events if archive availability matters. Do not rely on YouTube to preserve a complete day-long stream.
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Troubleshoot common reconnect failures
- HTTP flags do not restore the YouTube output: The failing connection may be RTMP(S) output, not HTTP input. Inspect logs and Live Control Room, then handle output recovery as its own problem.
- Retries stop earlier than expected: Check the installed build’s option support and configured retry-count, delay and cumulative-delay limits. The current master-source defaults are not necessarily the defaults in your binary.
- HTTP source reaches EOF and stays ended: If it is meant to be an endless/live source, determine whether
reconnect_at_eofis appropriate. If a file or finite source ended normally, fix the media or playlist workflow instead. - Connection repeatedly degrades or YouTube reports health issues: Compare actual upload capacity with the total stream bitrate and keep YouTube’s recommended 20% headroom. Lowering output quality may be more reliable than repeatedly retrying an unsustainable bitrate.
- Stream runs but no complete archive appears: A stream longer than 12 hours may not be captured. Keep a local recording and plan event length around the archive requirement.
- Backup encoder does not take over: Test failover by stopping the primary or disconnecting its network, then confirm that the player switches. Review the backup setup and monitor stream health rather than assuming configuration alone proves recovery.
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