To loop a local video indefinitely into a YouTube Live event, put -stream_loop -1 before that file’s -i, and use -re before the same input to pace file playback at its native frame rate. Then choose an output format and ingest URL that match the event’s selected YouTube ingest protocol. The command below is an illustrative RTMP-style shape, not a tested, universal configuration.
First, identify what “playlist” means
In this workflow, “playlist” can mean either a finite program assembled from several media files or an HLS .m3u8 manifest. Those are different input cases. -stream_loop repeats the input FFmpeg is given; the option does not establish that a changing live HLS playlist can be replayed as a finite program sequence.
- One file: use the local media file as the input and loop that input.
- A finite sequence of files: first represent the desired sequence as an input FFmpeg can consume as that sequence, then verify how that source behaves at its end before relying on repeated playback.
- An HLS manifest: do not assume that adding
-stream_loop -1makes an evolving or live manifest repeatable. The loop option and the behavior of the playlist source are separate concerns.
Loop a local file into a typical RTMP-style YouTube Live event
For a local file and an RTMP-style ingest, the command shape is:
ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i input.mp4
-c:v libx264 -c:a aac
-f flv "YOUR_YOUTUBE_INGEST_URL/YOUR_STREAM_KEY"Replace input.mp4 with the media file and replace the output placeholder with the ingest address and stream key shown for your YouTube Live event. Confirm the current protocol and settings in Live Control Room before starting. This example assumes RTMP-style FLV output; it is not appropriate for an event configured for HLS without a different, segment-based workflow.
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Why the option order matters
-stream_loop -1is an input option: place it before the-ibelonging to the input you want to repeat.-1means loop indefinitely;0means do not loop.-rereads a file input at its native frame rate (equivalent to-readrate 1). It is useful when pacing file playback for live-style output. It is intended for file-style inputs, so do not add it indiscriminately to a live capture or network stream.- The loop and pacing flags do not set a universally correct codec, bitrate, keyframe interval, or transport. Choose encoding and output options to match the source media and the ingest settings for the event.
Protect the stream key
Treat the stream key as a secret credential. Do not expose it in public scripts, screenshots, or logs. Use the key and ingestion address provided for the specific event, and avoid publishing a command containing the real key.
RTMP-style output and HLS are not interchangeable
The example above sends continuous FLV output to an RTMP-style destination. YouTube HLS ingest instead uses a media playlist and separate segments sent over HTTPS. Selecting HLS does not mean you can simply change the filename or append an HLS-looking extension to the example command.
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| Decision | RTMP-style file output | YouTube HLS ingest |
|---|---|---|
| Output shape | Continuous stream output, such as FLV/RTMP in the example | A media playlist and separate media segments sent to YouTube |
| Latency | Use the latency mode configured for the event | YouTube describes HLS as higher latency; ultra-low latency is unavailable when HLS is selected |
| Playlist handling | The FFmpeg input loop and output protocol are separate concerns | YouTube requires rolling media playlists and ignores master playlists |
| Media and transport | Match the current event’s ingest settings | Meet the HLS playlist, segment, container, codec, and HTTPS requirements |
| When it fits | A straightforward local-file loop into a typical live ingest | When the HLS-specific workflow or requirements justify its added constraints |
HLS requirements to account for
YouTube Help specifies HLS segments of 1–4 seconds, TS segment format, a rolling playlist with no more than five outstanding segments, HTTPS POST or PUT, and no encryption other than HTTPS. YouTube’s developer guide describes M2TS muxing, H.264 and HEVC video, frame rates up to 60 fps, closed GOP, and AAC audio. YouTube ingests Media Playlists; Master Playlists are ignored.
The HLS Help page’s audio-codec list differs from the developer guide. Check the current official settings and the specific HLS workflow rather than assuming the lists are interchangeable. HLS is segmented delivery, not a continuous RTMP-style connection, and YouTube says ultra-low latency is turned off for HLS.
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Check the source and event before going live
- Confirm the source type. Decide whether FFmpeg is reading one local file, a finite program sequence represented as an input, or an HLS manifest. Do not treat these as equivalent loop targets.
- Confirm the event’s ingest protocol. In YouTube Live Control Room, use the ingestion address and protocol selected for the event. An RTMP-style FLV output and an HLS workflow require different output handling.
- Match media settings. Check the source’s codecs and properties against the current settings for the chosen ingest mode. The loop flag does not determine encoding, bitrate, resolution, or keyframe spacing.
- Keep the key private. Use the event’s stream key in the command environment, but redact it anywhere the command may be shared or logged.
- Verify behavior at the end of the source. For a finite sequence or manifest, confirm what FFmpeg receives when it reaches the end or the playlist changes; the loop option alone does not guarantee seamless repetition.
Common problems and fixes
- The file plays once and stops: check that
-stream_loop -1appears before the correct input’s-i. - Playback runs too quickly or is not paced as expected: for a file-based live output, place
-rebefore that file’s-i. Do not apply it blindly to network or live-capture inputs. - YouTube does not accept the output: check that the output protocol, muxer, ingest address, and stream key match the event’s current Live Control Room configuration. The example is for RTMP-style FLV, not HLS.
- An HLS manifest does not repeat like a video file: a changing HLS playlist is not necessarily a finite program input. Verify its source behavior; do not expect the loop flag to convert it into a replayable sequence.
- HLS output is rejected or incomplete: check segment duration and format, rolling media-playlist behavior, HTTPS method, muxing, codecs, frame rate, and closed-GOP requirements against YouTube’s current HLS workflow.
- A command or screenshot exposes the key: remove the exposed credential and replace or reset the key through the controls available for the event before using it again.
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