Use SAM Broadcaster as your radio player and OBS as the video encoder. Capture the audio coming from SAM in OBS, add a suitable visual, then send OBS’s feed to YouTube Live using the server URL and stream key from YouTube Studio. The SAM documentation covered here describes radio-stream destinations such as SHOUTcast and IceCast; it does not establish that SAM itself sends a video stream directly to YouTube.
What you need
- SAM Broadcaster playing your station and an operating-system audio device carrying its output.
- OBS Studio to capture that audio and encode a video feed. OBS’s documented audio-device capture options vary by operating system.
- A YouTube channel with live streaming enabled. YouTube says first-time activation can take up to 24 hours.
- A visual for the OBS scene, such as station branding or a static image. This workflow sends video as well as audio to YouTube.
SAM’s documented encoders handle radio audio streaming: its user guide describes MP3 and AAC encoders with destinations such as SHOUTcast and IceCast, while its cloud guidance describes Icecast v2-compatible source streams using AAC, MP3, or Ogg Vorbis. Those descriptions are not evidence of a direct SAM-to-YouTube video output. YouTube’s encoder workflow instead uses a compatible encoder configured with the YouTube server URL and stream key. SAM Broadcaster documentation · SAM Broadcaster Cloud support · YouTube’s encoder instructions
Route SAM audio into OBS
- Start SAM playback. Confirm the station is playing and identify the operating-system device that carries its output. SAM’s exact output controls depend on edition and configuration, so verify the signal on your own system.
- Create an OBS scene and add a visual. Choose an image, station branding, or another appropriate visual source. A video source is needed even if the program itself is audio-led.
- Add audio capture. In the scene’s Sources panel, select + and add Audio Input/Output Capture. Choose the device that carries SAM’s sound. On Linux, OBS directs users to ALSA or PulseAudio sources as appropriate.
- Check the OBS audio meter. Play audio in SAM and confirm the selected source’s meter moves. If it does not, check SAM’s output device and select the device actually carrying its sound.
- Avoid duplicate capture. OBS warns that selecting the same device both as a global audio source and as a scene source can cause echo. Use one capture path for that device unless you have deliberately configured a different routing setup.
OBS documents device capture for Windows and macOS, and ALSA/PulseAudio source options for Linux. A separate interface or cable is not a documented requirement for this workflow. See OBS: Audio Sources.
Get the YouTube stream URL and key
- In YouTube Studio, open Create > Go Live.
- Create a stream or select the intended existing stream in Live Control Room.
- Copy the stream’s server URL and stream key. YouTube’s instruction is to enter those values into the encoder.
- Keep the stream key private: treat it like a password, and do not show it in screenshots or on air.
If live streaming is not available on a channel that has never streamed before, allow for YouTube’s stated activation period of up to 24 hours. Find the current setup flow in YouTube Help: Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder.
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Configure OBS and go live
- Open OBS stream settings. Select YouTube if it is offered, or enter the server URL and stream key manually.
- Prefer RTMPS if OBS offers it and the supplied endpoint supports it. Use the endpoint YouTube provides for the stream; do not substitute a guessed URL, port, or path.
- Start streaming in OBS. Check the OBS audio meter while SAM plays, then check the incoming preview in YouTube Studio for the right visual and audible station output.
- For a scheduled broadcast, wait for YouTube’s preview and click Go live in Live Control Room.
- To finish, stop the encoder output and follow Live Control Room’s end-stream flow if the broadcast was scheduled. YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived.
Do a private or unlisted preview before promoting a public broadcast. Confirm the actual output rather than assuming a moving OBS meter means YouTube is receiving usable audio.
Choose an ingest protocol
YouTube documents RTMP, RTMPS, HLS, and DASH as third-party ingest choices. They are not interchangeable in every encoder. For a straightforward radio station feed through OBS, RTMPS is a practical default when available: it encrypts the connection and supports normal, low, or ultra-low latency modes in YouTube’s comparison. HLS and DASH provide additional codec options and can suit some high-resolution workflows, but typically have higher latency. For a static-image station broadcast, dependable audio capture is usually the more important setup question than high-resolution codec support.
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YouTube’s RTMPS guidance requires an rtmps URL, port 443, TLS, and correct server-name indication (SNI) using the endpoint hostname. The guide was last updated 2026-09-14. If the encoder cannot connect, verify the exact supplied endpoint before changing protocol settings. See Google for Developers: Delivering Live YouTube Content via RTMPS and YouTube Live Streaming Ingestion Protocol Comparison.
Troubleshoot common problems
| Symptom | What to check |
|---|---|
| OBS will not connect | Confirm the server URL and key belong to the intended YouTube stream. Check the endpoint and protocol selected in OBS. For RTMPS, verify the supplied rtmps address, port 443, TLS, and hostname/SNI handling. |
| SSL error or timeout | An SSL error can indicate that the encoder reached an RTMP rather than RTMPS endpoint, used the wrong port, or has a TLS/SNI problem. A timeout may mean plain RTMP was attempted against an RTMPS endpoint. Recheck the endpoint and protocol against Google’s RTMPS guidance. |
| YouTube shows video but no station audio | Confirm SAM is playing to the device selected by the OBS capture source, and check that source’s meter. Make sure the source is active and that the same device is not being captured twice in a way that causes duplication or echo. |
| OBS meter moves but YouTube preview is silent | Check OBS’s audio output configuration and the YouTube preview. The cited documentation does not establish a single SAM-version-specific cause or universal fix for this symptom; verify the signal at each stage rather than assuming the capture meter proves the encoder is sending audio. |
| Live access is unavailable | If this is the channel’s first live stream, YouTube says activation can take up to 24 hours. Check Live Control Room again after activation is available. |
Music rights and YouTube policy
Before broadcasting music, confirm you have the necessary rights for the material and the intended use on YouTube. The cited SAM, OBS, and encoder setup documentation does not establish that any particular recording is cleared for broadcast. A technical connection working correctly does not resolve copyright permissions or YouTube policy eligibility; check the relevant rights-holder terms and current YouTube guidance for your content.
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Quick Recap
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