To loop a video on YouTube Live from a Contabo VPS, run FFmpeg with -stream_loop -1 before the input file, then send its output to YouTube’s RTMPS ingest URL using a private stream key. The loop option repeats the input; it does not keep a failed encoder process or network connection alive. Before streaming, check your Contabo plan’s current CPU, memory, traffic allowance and terms, and test the full setup at the intended quality.
What you need before you start
- A video file on the VPS, or a way to transfer it there.
- FFmpeg installed with an encoder that supports your selected output codec.
- A YouTube channel enabled for live streaming and a stream created in YouTube Studio.
- A Contabo VPS plan whose current CPU, memory, traffic allocation and use terms suit your encoding workload and expected continuous transfer. No particular plan capacity is established here; check the current plan details before choosing one.
This method encodes and sends video from the VPS. It is distinct from simply repeating a file locally: the VPS must also sustain the encoding workload and upload the stream for as long as you intend to broadcast.
1. Create a YouTube stream and protect its key
- In YouTube Studio, open the Live Control Room and create or select a stream.
- Copy the server URL and stream key shown in the stream’s settings. YouTube describes the key as a password and address for the stream. Keep it private; reset it if it is exposed. See YouTube’s encoder setup guide and stream settings guide.
- For a scheduled stream, send the encoder feed and wait for the preview in Live Control Room. Click Go live when ready, unless your current stream settings use a different start workflow. Auto-start and auto-stop affect stream lifecycle, so check those controls in Studio.
Do not paste your stream key into a public script, screenshot, support post or shared terminal log. Treat it as a credential, and avoid putting it in shell history where other users of the VPS can read it.
2. Choose a format and bitrate
YouTube’s encoder guidance recommends RTMPS and lists H.264, H.265/HEVC and AV1 as supported ingest codecs, with AAC or MP3 audio. Use a codec your installed FFmpeg build can encode; availability depends on how FFmpeg was built. YouTube recommends constant bitrate (CBR), up to 60 fps, and a two-second keyframe interval that does not exceed four seconds. Its current H.264 recommendations include:
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| Output example | YouTube-recommended video bitrate | Recommended stereo audio |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p at 30 fps | 14 Mbps | 128 Kbps |
| 720p at 30 fps | 8 Mbps | 128 Kbps |
These are YouTube ingest recommendations, not guarantees about what your VPS can encode or upload. YouTube recommends leaving 20% upload bandwidth headroom above the total stream bitrate. For example, a 14 Mbps video stream plus 128 Kbps audio requires more than 14.128 Mbps of sustained available upload capacity once the headroom is included. Check the actual network capacity available to your VPS rather than assuming a plan’s traffic allocation proves a particular sustained bitrate. Guidance: YouTube encoder settings and streaming tips.
3. Run FFmpeg with the input loop option
FFmpeg’s -stream_loop is an input option, so place it before the -i input it controls. The FFmpeg manual defines -stream_loop -1 as infinite looping; -stream_loop 0 means no loop. That repeats the input file, but by itself does not provide network reconnection, process supervision or automatic recovery if FFmpeg exits.
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For a compatible H.264/AAC setup, this command illustrates the pieces to adapt. Replace the file path, server URL, key, and encoding values as needed; it is an example, not a tested command. The libx264 encoder must be present in your FFmpeg build.
ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i /path/to/video.mp4
-c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -b:v 8M -maxrate 8M -bufsize 16M
-pix_fmt yuv420p -r 30 -g 60 -keyint_min 60 -sc_threshold 0
-c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100
-f flv "rtmps://SERVER_URL/STREAM_KEY"Here, -re reads the file at its recorded rate rather than sending it as fast as possible; -stream_loop -1 repeats the input; -b:v and -maxrate set the example video rate; and -g 60 at 30 fps gives a two-second GOP/keyframe interval. The example’s 8 Mbps video rate aligns with YouTube’s H.264 recommendation for 720p30, but it does not scale or verify the source file’s resolution. For 1080p30, use the recommended 14 Mbps video rate and sufficient upload headroom; adjust the other settings consistently. Confirm the output resolution and frame rate rather than assuming the input is already suitable. The full key is included in the RTMPS destination, so keep the command private.
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FFmpeg option syntax and encoder availability can vary with the installed build. The authoritative behavior of the loop option is in the FFmpeg command-line documentation.
4. Test, start and monitor the broadcast
- Start the command while the stream is prepared in YouTube Live Control Room. For scheduled streams, wait for the incoming preview and use the applicable Go live control.
- Check the preview for correct picture, representative motion and audio. Use the intended resolution, frame rate and bitrate during the test.
- Check YouTube’s stream health indicators and error messages, then monitor them while live. YouTube recommends testing representative audio and motion and leaving the stated upload headroom.
- When finished, stop the encoder and end the stream in Live Control Room as appropriate. YouTube says encoder streams shorter than 12 hours are automatically archived; that platform behavior is not a guarantee that a long-running VPS process or connection will stay up.
Contabo capacity and continuous operation
Before committing to a long broadcast, verify the current plan’s CPU and memory against your chosen encoder, resolution and frame rate. Also check traffic allocation and applicable use terms for the volume and duration you expect. The available evidence does not establish which Contabo plan can sustain a specific encoding workload, resolution or continuous transfer.
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-stream_loop -1 only handles repeating the input. If the process exits or the VPS loses its connection, the loop option alone will not restart FFmpeg or restore the broadcast. Plan how you will detect and recover from those failures, and test that recovery separately; do not treat a looping input as an uptime mechanism.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check or do |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube does not receive a signal | Wrong server URL or stream key, or an encoder connection failure | Copy the current ingest URL and key from the intended stream in Live Control Room. Keep the key private; reset it if exposed. Inspect FFmpeg’s error output and verify network access to the RTMPS destination. |
| Video ends instead of repeating | The loop option is missing, has a non-infinite value, or is placed after the input it should control | Put -stream_loop -1 before the relevant -i option. |
| Stream is unstable or reports network problems | Insufficient sustained upload capacity or competing traffic | Compare available upload capacity with total video and audio bitrate, leaving YouTube’s recommended 20% headroom. Reduce the selected bitrate or resolution if needed, then test again. |
| Encoding cannot keep up or FFmpeg reports an encoder error | Insufficient compute for the selected settings, or the requested encoder is unavailable in this FFmpeg build | Check CPU load and FFmpeg’s available encoders; select a supported encoder or a less demanding output setting. Verify current VPS resources rather than assuming a plan supports a particular encode. |
| Preview has no audio or motion looks wrong | Source-track issue or unsuitable output settings | Test with the actual audio and representative motion. Confirm the intended audio track, frame rate and resolution in the preview before going live. |
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