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cartoon playlist

How to Run a 24/7 Kids’ Cartoon Stream with OBS Playlists

Use OBS’s VLC Video Source for a multi-file cartoon playlist, enable Loop Playlist, and test visibility and restart behavior before attempting a continuous YouTube stream.

By VGSources Team 4 min read
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For a continuous sequence of local cartoon files in OBS, use a VLC Video Source playlist, enable Loop Playlist, and check how the source behaves when it becomes hidden in a scene. For one file on repeat, use a Media Source and enable Loop. These settings make OBS repeat playback; they do not guarantee that your computer, connection, or stream will stay online 24/7. Before broadcasting, confirm you have the rights to stream the cartoons and set the YouTube audience designation accurately.

Before you set up the playlist

  • Clear the rights. Having a cartoon file does not necessarily give you permission to redistribute it in a livestream. Confirm that you have the required rights for your intended platform and territories. OBS and YouTube’s setup guidance do not determine whether you may stream any specific cartoon.
  • Check YouTube eligibility. YouTube says livestreaming requires a verified channel with no live-streaming restrictions in the prior 90 days. Livestreams must also comply with YouTube’s Community Guidelines and Terms of Service. See YouTube’s live-streaming requirements.
  • Prepare the media locally. OBS’s Media Source guide lists supported video formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM. Keep the files accessible to the computer running OBS.

Choose the right OBS source

Need OBS source Important controls
Repeat one file Media Source Loop repeats the file after it finishes; it is off by default. Restart playback when source becomes active is on by default.
Play several files as a sequence VLC Video Source Supports a playlist. VLC must be installed; 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. Loop Playlist is on by default, and Shuffle Playlist is off by default.

These controls are documented in the OBS Project Media Sources guide, published January 11, 2022. Defaults may not suit your intended order or scene setup, so inspect them rather than relying on them.

Set up a multi-file cartoon playlist in OBS

  1. Install VLC if needed. If VLC Video Source is missing, install VLC. Match its architecture to OBS: a 64-bit OBS installation requires 64-bit VLC.
  2. Add the source. In the scene that will show the cartoons, add a VLC Video Source. Add the local files you intend to play to its playlist.
  3. Set playback order. Leave Shuffle Playlist off for a fixed sequence; enable it only if you want files randomized.
  4. Enable repetition. Confirm Loop Playlist is on so playback starts again when the list runs out.
  5. Review visibility behavior. OBS documents the default as Stop when not visible, restart when visible. This setting concerns whether the source is visible in an OBS scene—not whether the OBS application window is on screen. If scene changes should not interrupt playback, inspect the source’s Visibility Behaviour setting and test the result in your scene collection.

For a single cartoon file on repeat

Add a Media Source to the scene, select the file, and enable Loop. Because looping is off by default, a file can finish and stop if you leave the setting unchanged. Also review Restart playback when source becomes active: it is on by default, so source activation can restart playback. Test how that interacts with your scene changes before using the stream continuously.

Test the setup before going live

OBS documents playback controls, not guaranteed seamless transitions, crash recovery, or 24/7 uptime. Test the actual scene collection and computer you plan to use rather than assuming a playlist will survive every interruption.

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  1. Start playback and confirm the intended file or sequence appears and plays with sound as expected.
  2. Change scenes so the VLC source becomes hidden, then make it visible again. Check whether playback stops, restarts, or resumes in the way you want.
  3. Let the final playlist item finish and confirm that the list wraps to the beginning when Loop Playlist is enabled.
  4. Restart OBS and check that the source and playlist work after reopening the scene collection.
  5. Test privately or in another controlled way before relying on a public continuous stream. Monitor the computer, network, and stream during operation.

The guide lists 400 ms as the VLC source’s default network caching value. That is a setting, not a guarantee of smooth playback or uptime; the guide does not prescribe a universal computer specification, internet connection, or recovery configuration for a 24/7 stream.

Set YouTube’s audience designation correctly

YouTube requires creators to say whether a video or livestream is made for kids. Make that decision based on the actual content and intended audience, not simply because the files are cartoons. YouTube identifies children as a primary audience consideration and says child-appealing subject matter and characters—including animated characters or cartoon figures—can also factor into the assessment. Review YouTube’s audience-setting guidance.

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When a stream is set as made for kids, YouTube restricts features including live chat and personalized advertising. YouTube says contextual ads may be shown, but personalized ads are disabled for made-for-kids livestreams. Do not plan on standard live chat, Super Chat, or personalized-ad revenue for this stream. Check YouTube’s current guidance before launch because platform policies can change.

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Or let it run in the cloud

If you want a YouTube channel to keep playing uploaded cartoon videos without leaving your own computer running, StreamNeo is a cloud option. Upload the cleared video or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It loops uploaded videos from the cloud; it does not broadcast from a camera.

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  • Nothing has to stay on at home: the stream runs in the cloud, so your computer and home connection do not need to remain on.
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