For a stereo internet-radio stream, use YouTube’s recommended audio targets: AAC or MP3 at 44.1 kHz and 128 kbps. Send the feed to YouTube over RTMPS when available. If you add a still image or other visual, configure video separately: YouTube recommends a two-second keyframe interval and constant bitrate (CBR). The exact FFmpeg command depends on your radio source and FFmpeg build, so there is no universal command that can be safely prescribed without those details.
Recommended FFmpeg output settings
| Setting | Recommendation | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Audio codec | AAC or MP3 | YouTube lists both as supported audio codecs for RTMP/RTMPS ingest. |
| Audio sample rate | 44.1 kHz | YouTube’s recommendation for stereo audio. |
| Audio bitrate | 128 kbps | YouTube’s recommendation for stereo audio; this is not a video bitrate. |
| Transport | RTMPS recommended; RTMP also listed | Use the RTMPS ingest URL shown in your YouTube Live Control Room where available. |
| Rate control | CBR | YouTube’s encoder guidance. For audio-only output, configure audio encoding appropriately; video rate control applies only if sending video. |
| Keyframe interval | 2 seconds recommended; do not exceed 4 seconds | Video encoding only. Audio-only streams have no video keyframes. |
These are YouTube ingest recommendations, not guarantees that a particular FFmpeg command will work with every radio stream. YouTube’s resolution-based video bitrate table is for video encoding; do not use it as a target for radio audio.
Choose the right setup for your stream
Audio-only relay
If your YouTube workflow accepts the audio-only stream you are sending, encode the stereo radio audio at 44.1 kHz and 128 kbps using AAC or MP3. Your input may already be encoded, but whether it can be passed through or should be transcoded depends on its format and your FFmpeg build. Confirm the resulting stream in YouTube’s preview before starting the broadcast.
Radio with a still image or visualization
Adding a static image, waveform, or other visual makes the outgoing stream a video stream as well as audio. You then need to configure video resolution, frame rate, bitrate, rate control, and keyframes in addition to the radio audio settings. YouTube’s general encoder guidance specifies CBR and recommends a two-second keyframe frequency, with four seconds as the maximum. Its Live Control Room can automatically detect resolution and frame rate; follow the settings it shows for your stream rather than treating an audio bitrate as a video target.
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Get the input and YouTube destination details
- Identify your radio source. Note its URL, protocol, audio codec, and whether it requires authentication. FFmpeg input options vary by source; check the current FFmpeg documentation and the station or provider’s connection details.
- Open YouTube Live Control Room. Create or select the live stream and copy the ingest URL and stream key shown there. Choose RTMPS if it is offered. Keep the key private: anyone with it may be able to send a stream to your channel.
- Build the FFmpeg command for those specifics. Put the radio source in the input position and use the YouTube ingest destination and key as the output destination. Select the audio codec, sample rate, and bitrate above; add video options only if your output includes a visual. Do not assume flags or reconnect options from another source will fit yours.
- Start the encoder and check the preview. Wait for YouTube to detect the incoming feed. Confirm that the preview appears and that the audio is audible before clicking “Go live” in Live Control Room.
Because the source URL/protocol, format, and installed FFmpeg build are not specified here, an example command would risk implying compatibility that has not been established. Check your build’s current FFmpeg documentation for the exact input and output syntax, then validate it with your actual radio source.
Check bandwidth and stream health
- Run an upload-speed test from the network that will send the stream.
- Allow at least 20% upload headroom above the total outgoing bitrate, as YouTube recommends. Count video and audio together if you are sending a visual.
- Use a stable connection where possible; capacity alone does not ensure that a fluctuating link will maintain the stream.
- After the encoder connects, watch YouTube’s stream health and preview for interruptions, missing video, or inaudible audio.
Troubleshooting common problems
YouTube does not detect the incoming stream
Check that the ingest URL and key were copied from the correct event in Live Control Room, that the key has not been changed, and that the encoder is actually sending to the RTMPS destination. Do not publish or share the key while troubleshooting.
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The preview appears, but there is no sound
Check that the radio input itself is reachable and producing audio, and verify the output audio mapping and codec settings in your FFmpeg command. Confirm audibility in YouTube’s preview before going live.
The stream drops or becomes unstable
Retest the upload connection, compare its sustained capacity with the total outgoing bitrate, and preserve YouTube’s recommended 20% headroom. If the source requires special reconnect handling, consult documentation for that source and your installed FFmpeg build; reconnect flags are not universal.
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The video is missing or its quality is poor
If you intended to include a still image or visualization, verify that the command actually supplies a video stream and that its resolution, frame rate, bitrate, CBR, and keyframe interval are set for video. The audio-only recommendations do not configure those video properties.
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