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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →To run a prerecorded video continuously on YouTube Live from Ubuntu Server, configure an encoder to send the video and audio repeatedly to your YouTube stream URL and key over RTMPS. Set the output to 3840×2160 at 60 fps and follow YouTube’s bitrate guidance for your chosen codec. Before leaving it unattended, confirm in YouTube’s Live Control Room that the incoming stream has the expected resolution and frame rate and that stream health is good.
YouTube’s documentation establishes the ingest settings and credential flow, but it does not validate a universal Ubuntu or FFmpeg command. The command below is an implementation example: check it against your installed FFmpeg build, encoder, source file and audio before relying on it.
What you need before starting
- An Ubuntu Server machine with FFmpeg installed and an encoder capable of processing your source at the intended resolution and frame rate in real time.
- A stable internet connection with enough sustained upload capacity for the chosen video bitrate, plus audio and network overhead. YouTube’s recommended bitrate is not a measurement of your server’s or ISP’s capacity.
- A prerecorded video with a usable audio track, or a deliberate choice to send no audio. Check its streams and properties before encoding.
- A YouTube channel and a live event set up in YouTube Studio, with its stream URL and key available.
Ubuntu version, FFmpeg build, installed hardware encoders and source-file properties vary. Confirm those locally rather than assuming a command that works on one server will work unchanged on another.
Choose YouTube’s 4K 60fps ingest settings
The target video frame size is 3840×2160, at 60 frames per second. YouTube’s current encoder guidance recommends the settings below; they specify what to send, not what a particular system can encode or upload.
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| Setting | YouTube guidance for this workflow |
|---|---|
| Resolution and frame rate | 3840×2160 (2160p), 60 fps |
| H.264 bitrate | 35 Mbps recommended at 4K/2160p 60 fps |
| H.265/HEVC or AV1 bitrate | 10–40 Mbps listed ingest range at 4K/2160p 60 fps |
| Rate control | CBR recommended |
| Keyframe interval | 2 seconds recommended; do not exceed 4 seconds |
| Video codecs listed | H.264, H.265/HEVC and AV1 |
Use a codec your installed encoder can actually produce at 4K 60fps without falling behind. Which codec and bitrate are practical depends on the CPU or GPU, FFmpeg build, source characteristics and network. YouTube recommends RTMPS for ordinary live ingestion: Choose live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions.
Create the YouTube Live event and protect its key
- Open YouTube Studio and create or select the live stream/event you intend to use.
- In the stream setup, copy the server URL and stream key shown for that event. Use YouTube’s documented stream-key and encoder setup flow: Set up your encoder for live streaming.
- Keep the key private. YouTube treats it like a password: do not publish it, commit it to a repository, or expose it in shared scripts or public logs. If it is exposed, reset it in YouTube Studio before continuing. See YouTube’s stream key guidance.
- Use the RTMPS endpoint provided for your stream. YouTube recommends RTMPS for normal live ingestion; its implementation guidance uses a valid RTMPS endpoint on port 443. See RTMPS ingest protocol.
YouTube can detect resolution and frame rate automatically, which is its default recommendation, or you can use a custom stream key and manual settings. Either way, verify the received format in Live Control Room rather than relying only on the encoder’s configured output: encoder settings and Live Control Room stream health.
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Inspect the source and installed FFmpeg encoder
Before constructing an encoder command, identify the video and audio streams, frame rate, dimensions and available encoders. These checks are local diagnostics, not settings prescribed by YouTube.
ffprobe -hide_banner -i /path/to/video.mp4
ffmpeg -hide_banner -encodersChoose a video encoder listed by your FFmpeg build and confirm it is compatible with your hardware. A software H.264 encoder and a hardware encoder have different options and performance limits. Forcing 60 fps or scaling to 3840×2160 does not make a low-frame-rate source contain new motion detail; it changes the output format. Ensure the selected encoder can sustain the target rate before leaving it running.
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Build and test a looping RTMPS command
The following is a template, not a verified, drop-in Ubuntu recipe. Replace the input path, encoder options and YouTube destination with values appropriate to your source and installed encoder. Keep the stream key out of shell history and process listings where possible; a protected configuration or secret-injection method is safer than pasting a credential into a shared command.
ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i /path/to/video.mp4
-map 0:v:0 -map 0:a?
-vf "scale=3840:2160:force_original_aspect_ratio=decrease,pad=3840:2160:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,fps=60"
-c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -b:v 35M -minrate 35M -maxrate 35M -bufsize 70M
-g 120 -keyint_min 120 -sc_threshold 0
-c:a aac -b:a 192k -ar 48000
-f flv "rtmps://YOUR_INGEST_ENDPOINT/YOUR_STREAM_KEY"This illustrates an H.264 path with a 35 Mbps target and a 120-frame GOP, which corresponds to two seconds at 60 fps. It is not proof that libx264, these exact options, the optional-audio mapping, or the chosen filter chain is available or suitable on your server. Verify encoder support and output behavior with your FFmpeg version. In particular, if the source is not 16:9, the scale-and-pad filter preserves its aspect ratio by adding bars; choose a different crop or layout only if that is intentional.
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The example embeds a placeholder URL, not a real credential. Construct the actual destination using the stream URL and key YouTube provides for the event; do not publish the resulting command with a live key in it. For AV1 or H.265, select an installed encoder that supports the format and use YouTube’s listed 10–40 Mbps range as guidance rather than copying the H.264 bitrate. Encoder-specific options and performance must be checked locally.
Confirm the output before relying on it
- Start the event and send a short test first, if your event setup allows it.
- Watch FFmpeg’s output for encoder errors, dropped or duplicated frames, connection failures and interruptions at the loop boundary.
- In YouTube Live Control Room, confirm the incoming resolution, frame rate and stream health. A configured 3840×2160/60 output is not confirmation that YouTube received that format.
- Check both picture and sound, including the transition where the video loops back to its start.
Keep the Ubuntu stream running unattended
The loop and restart policy are server-side implementation choices; YouTube’s documentation does not certify a particular Ubuntu command, process supervisor or service file. Do not treat a successful short test as proof of reliable unattended operation.
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- Run the process under an account with access only to the media and configuration it needs.
- Use a service manager or supervisor if you require restart after a process failure or reboot. Configure logs with care so the stream key cannot leak.
- Monitor process health, available disk space, sustained upload capacity and YouTube’s stream health. A restart policy cannot fix an invalid key, unsupported encoder or failing connection.
- Test recovery deliberately and verify that a restarted encoder reconnects to the intended event and resumes sending a valid feed.
To end transmission, stop sending content from the encoder. YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived; see YouTube’s live stream archive guidance.
RTMPS or HLS?
For ordinary live ingestion, use RTMPS. YouTube describes HLS as an alternate ingest option for cases such as HDR or codecs that RTMP does not support. HLS sends segments rather than one continuous RTMP-style stream, so it can introduce higher latency. Choose it only when your codec or HDR requirements call for it and your encoder supports YouTube’s HLS workflow: Stream using a custom HLS ingest URL.
Copyright and YouTube channel rules still apply
A prerecorded loop remains a YouTube livestream, so having permission to upload a file does not automatically clear every right needed for continuous public streaming. Check rights for the footage, music, performances and other material, and review YouTube’s applicable policies before scheduling a long-running event. Repeating content does not itself establish that it is permitted or suitable for monetization; YouTube’s channel monetization policies address reused and repetitive content separately from the technical ingest settings. Review the current YouTube channel monetization policies and use the platform’s notices and restrictions as they appear for your channel.
Troubleshoot common failures
| Symptom | Likely area to check | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube receives no signal | Wrong event URL or key, connection, firewall, or encoder exit | Re-copy the event’s URL and key in Studio, protect and verify the credential, then inspect FFmpeg errors and outbound connectivity to the RTMPS endpoint on port 443. |
| Received stream is not 4K or 60 fps | Encoder output, source properties, or YouTube ingest status | Inspect FFmpeg’s output configuration and source; then check the received resolution and frame rate in Live Control Room. Do not infer receipt from command-line settings alone. |
| Frames drop or encoding falls behind | Insufficient CPU/GPU capacity or an unsuitable encoder configuration | Test the chosen encoder locally at the target settings, reduce other system load, or choose an encoder your hardware can sustain. Confirm that any changed codec follows YouTube’s guidance. |
| Stream health is poor or feed disconnects | Upload capacity, network stability, or server interruption | Check sustained upload performance and the encoder/network logs. Allow overhead beyond the video bitrate; a nominal ISP plan does not establish sustained throughput. |
| Playback has no sound or breaks at the loop point | Source audio stream mapping or media boundary | Inspect the source with ffprobe, confirm the intended audio stream is mapped and encoded, and test the transition in a short run. |
| Key or authentication errors after a reset | Encoder still using an old credential | Update the protected configuration with the current Studio key and restart the encoder without exposing the new key in logs or public scripts. |
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