Larix Broadcaster and FFmpeg can work in the same YouTube Live workflow, but they do different jobs: Larix sends a live feed from a phone, while FFmpeg can pace, encode, or remux media and send it to YouTube. For a prerecorded video loop, FFmpeg can publish the file directly. For a live phone feed processed by FFmpeg, you also need a separately configured ingest service that receives Larix’s contribution and gives FFmpeg an input address; neither app supplies that connection automatically.
Choose the workflow that matches your source
There are two straightforward setups and one more involved relay setup. Pick one before copying settings, because the input to FFmpeg differs in each case.
| What you want to send | Workflow | What keeps it going |
|---|---|---|
| A live phone camera or mobile production | Larix sends directly to YouTube over RTMPS. | Larix’s connection behavior and the phone’s power and network; FFmpeg is not needed unless you have an ingest service for it to read. |
| A prerecorded video that should repeat | FFmpeg reads and loops the file, then publishes to YouTube. | The FFmpeg process, source file, network, and YouTube live session. |
| A live Larix feed that must be processed or relayed by FFmpeg | Larix publishes to a separately configured RTMP/RTMPS ingest service; FFmpeg reads that service’s feed and publishes to YouTube. | The ingest service, FFmpeg process, network, and YouTube live session. |
The third arrangement is not a universal Larix setting or a built-in FFmpeg server. You must provision the ingest service and know its publishing address and the input URL it exposes to FFmpeg. The Larix and FFmpeg documentation cited below do not define one particular server or a universal Larix-to-FFmpeg URL, so don’t assume a local address such as rtmp://localhost/live will work without configuring a receiver.
Prepare YouTube Live and protect the stream key
- In YouTube Studio, create or select a live stream. Copy the server URL and stream key shown for that stream. YouTube’s encoder setup guide explains where those values go.
- Treat the stream key like a password: anyone who obtains it may be able to publish to your channel. Do not put a real key in a public command, screenshot, or shared configuration file. Use a YouTube-provided RTMPS server URL when available; RTMPS encrypts the connection in transit.
- Decide whether you are sending a phone feed, a file, or an FFmpeg relay. Set the video codec, resolution, frame rate, audio, and bitrate for the output that will actually reach YouTube, not just for the phone’s preview.
YouTube says to test before starting and to monitor stream health. Its current encoder settings and bitrate guidance recommends RTMPS, constant bitrate (CBR), a two-second keyframe interval (no more than four seconds), up to 60 fps, and AAC or MP3 audio. Recommended bitrate depends on codec, resolution, and frame rate: for H.264, examples in the current table include 5–14 Mbps for 1080p30, 6–17 Mbps for 1080p60, and 3–8 Mbps for 720p30. Use the table for your actual format rather than treating any one figure as universal.
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Send a live Larix feed directly to YouTube
- In Larix Broadcaster, create an RTMP/RTMPS connection using the YouTube server and stream key. Softvelum’s Larix Grove example shows the combined form
rtmp://a.rtmp.youtube.com/live2/{stream-key}. Prefer the secure RTMPS endpoint if YouTube supplies one for your stream. - Configure Larix to send both video and audio. Softvelum notes that the YouTube configuration in its example cannot accept a video-only or audio-only stream.
- Choose an output profile supported by your device and consistent with YouTube’s settings table. H.264 is broadly supported; YouTube also lists H.265 and AV1 for supported ingest cases. Larix describes HEVC over RTMP as a Premium capability, so don’t assume your app edition or phone supports it.
- Start the stream in YouTube Studio, then connect from Larix. Confirm YouTube receives both picture and sound, inspect stream health, and test representative motion and audio before relying on the setup.
Larix is a mobile live publisher, not a prerecorded-file looping tool. For a phone camera stream going straight to YouTube, adding FFmpeg does not make the phone optional: the phone remains the source.
Loop a prerecorded file with FFmpeg
For a file you want to repeat, use input pacing and an input loop. This example targets H.264, 1080p30 and AAC. The 6 Mbps video rate is within YouTube’s current H.264 1080p30 recommendation, but it is an example profile, not a guarantee that every source or connection should use that rate.
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ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i "/path/to/video.mp4"
-c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -b:v 6000k -maxrate 6000k -bufsize 12000k
-r 30 -g 60 -keyint_min 60 -sc_threshold 0
-c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100
-f flv "rtmps://a.rtmp.youtube.com/live2/YOUR_STREAM_KEY"- Replace the file path and
YOUR_STREAM_KEY. Keep the key private. If YouTube gives you a different RTMPS server URL, use that URL with the key in the format expected by the destination. -repaces file input in real time (equivalent to-readrate 1);-stream_loop -1repeats the input indefinitely. They solve playback pacing and source repetition, not reconnects or process restarts. See the FFmpeg documentation.-g 60at 30 fps requests a keyframe every two seconds. If you change the frame rate, adjust the GOP/keyframe interval to retain the intended interval. The bitrate, resolution, and frame rate must suit the output and YouTube’s matching recommendation.- This command encodes video and audio. If the file lacks an audio stream, the audio options may fail; inspect the file first or use an appropriate silent-audio input. If the input has a different shape or frame rate, decide explicitly how to scale or convert it rather than assuming this example preserves the source exactly.
Do not apply low-rate -re pacing to a real-time capture or live input to make it “more live.” FFmpeg warns that low read rates on live inputs can cause packet loss. File pacing is for prerecorded media.
Relay Larix through FFmpeg only when you have an ingest service
If you need filters, format conversion, or a relay between Larix and YouTube, first configure an RTMP/RTMPS receiver that accepts Larix’s contribution and exposes a readable input URL to FFmpeg. The receiver may be on a separate host or an appropriately configured server; the exact setup depends on that service. Do not copy the file-loop command unchanged: its input must be the receiver’s feed, not a video file.
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Once the ingest service is running and you have its actual input address, a schematic transcoding command is:
ffmpeg -i "INGEST_SERVICE_INPUT_URL"
-c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -b:v 6000k -maxrate 6000k -bufsize 12000k
-r 30 -g 60 -keyint_min 60 -sc_threshold 0
-c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100
-f flv "rtmps://a.rtmp.youtube.com/live2/YOUR_STREAM_KEY"INGEST_SERVICE_INPUT_URL is a placeholder, not a Larix default. Configure its real value at the ingest service and verify that FFmpeg can read it before starting YouTube output. This example re-encodes to an illustrative 1080p30-style profile; it does not scale the picture to 1080p, so add an intentional scale/filter if the source resolution differs. If you only need to forward an already compatible feed, stream-copying may avoid a generation of encoding, but the input codecs and container/output requirements must actually be compatible. Re-encoding also adds processing load and can add latency.
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What “continuous” does—and does not—mean
A looped file, a running FFmpeg process, a recovered network connection, and an open YouTube live event are separate things. The FFmpeg file loop only repeats source playback. It does not supervise FFmpeg, restore a broken input, retry a failed YouTube output, or guarantee that YouTube keeps the same event open.
- Larix reconnect behavior: Softvelum’s FAQ says default behavior does not retry when the network goes offline. It describes advanced connection attempts despite network-presence checks, and an iOS reconnect timeout without network. Names and availability of controls can depend on app version and platform; configure and test the actual device rather than relying on an unverified menu path.
- FFmpeg recovery: Decide what should happen when input or output fails and how the process is restarted or monitored. The commands above are single processes; they do not include a process supervisor or establish automatic recovery.
- YouTube session lifecycle: YouTube’s encoder guide says stopping content from the encoder ends a stream and that streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. That archive statement is not a promise of infinite session duration or recovery after a dropped connection.
- Viewer experience: Plan what viewers see during outages, whether playback should resume from a live camera or restart a file, and who will check Studio’s stream health.
Copyright, reused content, and channel safety
Looping a video does not grant permission to broadcast it. Use footage, music, and other material you own or are licensed to stream on YouTube, and keep documentation of permissions. A live stream can be interrupted or restricted if rights holders or YouTube identify a problem. Separately, repeatedly replaying material does not by itself make it eligible for monetization; assess YouTube’s current channel monetization and reused-content rules before building a channel around loops. Do not treat technical acceptance by the encoder as a rights or monetization approval.
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Troubleshoot the common failures
- YouTube never receives the stream: Check that the server URL and key belong to the selected live stream, that the key was copied without extra characters, and that the output uses the intended RTMPS endpoint. Keep the key private while correcting it.
- Larix connects but YouTube reports missing media: Verify Larix is sending both audio and video, then confirm that the device’s selected formats are supported by the destination.
- FFmpeg reports that it cannot open the input: For a file, check the path, permissions, and that the file can be decoded. For a Larix relay, confirm the ingest service is running and that the input URL is its real published/read address; an assumed localhost address is not enough.
- The loop runs too fast or ends: Confirm the command includes
-rebefore the file input and-stream_loop -1for repeated playback. These options apply to file input; they are not a recovery mechanism. - Video stutters or YouTube flags stream health: Check the upload connection, encoder load, codec, frame rate, keyframe interval, and bitrate against YouTube’s current table. Test with representative motion; a static test image can hide problems.
- Audio is absent or out of sync: Verify the source contains audio, Larix is configured to send it, and FFmpeg can decode it. Confirm the output audio codec and sample rate are supported by the chosen profile.
- The stream stops after a network interruption: Identify whether Larix, the ingest service, FFmpeg input, FFmpeg output, or YouTube ended the connection. Configure and test recovery at the component that failed; the loop option alone cannot resume a stream.
Or let it run in the cloud
If the job is a prerecorded video that should keep a YouTube channel live, StreamNeo is a simpler alternative to maintaining a phone, FFmpeg host, and home connection. Upload the video, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live; StreamNeo loops uploaded videos from the cloud. It does not take a live Larix camera feed.
- Nothing has to stay on at home; the stream runs in the cloud.
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See StreamNeo for the service details, then start your free first day.
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