You can use FFmpeg to publish prerecorded video into MediaMTX, then configure MediaMTX to forward it to YouTube over RTMPS. MediaMTX documents an endless loop for a single file, but its cited guide does not provide a ready-made multi-file playlist recipe. For a playlist, you must supply an FFmpeg input your workflow can read and verify its order, compatibility, transitions, and recovery yourself.
What you need before starting
- A YouTube channel eligible to livestream. YouTube says the channel must be verified and must not have had live-streaming restrictions in the previous 90 days; check the channel’s actual status in YouTube Studio. YouTube’s live-streaming eligibility guidance.
- FFmpeg and MediaMTX installed on a computer or server that can remain online, with a stable network connection.
- Video files you have the rights and permissions to broadcast.
- A playlist input that your FFmpeg workflow can read. The MediaMTX FFmpeg guide demonstrates looping one file, not a specific multi-file playlist format. MediaMTX: Publish with FFmpeg.
Configure YouTube and MediaMTX
1. Get the current YouTube stream URL and key
In YouTube Studio, open the Live Control Room and create or select a stream. Copy its current stream URL and stream key. YouTube uses the key to identify the encoder feed and accept it, so treat it like a password: do not publish it, commit it to a public repository, or share it. If it is exposed, reset it in YouTube Studio and update the encoder configuration. Stream values are account-specific; use the values currently displayed for your stream. YouTube’s encoder setup instructions.
2. Publish an FFmpeg input into MediaMTX
MediaMTX’s documented example loops one MP4 indefinitely and publishes it to a local RTMP path:
ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i file.mp4 -c copy -f flv rtmp://localhost:1935/mystream
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Replace file.mp4 with the path to your media. This command is specifically a single-file loop; it is not a multi-file playlist command. For a playlist, build an input your FFmpeg setup can consume, then adapt the input and publishing workflow without assuming the example handles playlist ordering, transitions, or incompatible files. MediaMTX also documents an RTSP publishing example; choose RTMP or RTSP based on the client and configuration you actually use rather than assuming one is universally better. MediaMTX’s FFmpeg publishing examples.
3. Forward the MediaMTX path to YouTube
Configure MediaMTX to forward the published path to YouTube using RTMPS, with the stream key joined to the destination as described in the current MediaMTX forwarding instructions. Use the RTMPS URL shown in YouTube Studio rather than copying an ingest address from an older example: MediaMTX notes that endpoint details and certificate information on its page reflect the documentation’s last check. Follow its current certificate guidance.
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Verify the feed before leaving it running
- Start MediaMTX and the FFmpeg publishing process using your selected input and path.
- Check YouTube Studio’s Live Control Room preview and stream health to confirm that YouTube is receiving the intended picture and sound.
- Confirm that the playlist advances in the intended order and that the transitions and audio are acceptable. Test with the actual files; the single-file example does not establish how a multi-file workflow behaves.
- Keep the host and network available and monitor both the FFmpeg publisher and MediaMTX-to-YouTube forwarding path. A repeating input does not itself guarantee uninterrupted publishing or automatic restart after a process, host, or network failure.
MediaMTX warns: “YouTube requires streams to have both a video and an audio track. Video-only streams are silently rejected.” Check that the incoming feed contains both tracks, then use YouTube’s preview and health feedback to catch failures before relying on the broadcast. MediaMTX: Forward streams.
Plan for continuous operation and archiving separately
The loop controls what FFmpeg reads; it does not keep a failed process alive, restore a broken network connection, or establish indefinite YouTube archiving. A 24/7 setup therefore needs an operating host, network monitoring, and a recovery plan for the publishing and forwarding processes. Verify restart and recovery behavior in your own environment rather than assuming a loop provides failover.
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YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. That is an archive condition, not a guarantee that an around-the-clock broadcast will be retained indefinitely. When you intend to finish a stream, YouTube instructs encoders to stop sending content and end the stream. See YouTube’s encoder instructions.
Common problems and what to check
- YouTube does not receive video: confirm the current stream URL and key in the MediaMTX forwarding configuration, check the MediaMTX path and forwarding status, and inspect the Live Control Room.
- The stream is rejected or has no sound: ensure the feed contains both an audio and a video track. MediaMTX says YouTube silently rejects video-only streams.
- The loop works, but the playlist does not: the documented MediaMTX example covers one file only. Check your FFmpeg playlist input separately for file paths, ordering, supported media, and transition behavior.
- The broadcast stops after a failure: looping a file is not process supervision. Check whether FFmpeg exited, whether MediaMTX can still reach YouTube, and what monitoring or restart mechanism your deployment provides.
- The saved stream is missing or shorter than expected: distinguish the running broadcast from its archive. YouTube’s stated automatic archive condition applies to streams under 12 hours; do not treat it as a promise of indefinite storage.
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