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Short answer: For a graphical Linux setup that loops one prerecorded video, start with OBS Studio’s Media Source and enable Loop. For an ordered or shuffled playlist, use OBS’s VLC Video source with Loop Playlist and install VLC. If you want a headless command-line setup, mpv can loop playback indefinitely, but you still need a separate streaming/encoding path—commonly FFmpeg—to send video to YouTube Live. There is no established universal “lightest” winner or controlled 24/7 endurance comparison.
Which Linux option fits your stream?
A player that repeats a video is only one part of a YouTube live stream. You also need software that encodes or otherwise sends the video to YouTube’s ingest server, a configured stream key, a stable upload connection, and a way to notice when the stream stops or becomes unhealthy.
| Option | Best fit | What it does | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| OBS Studio Media Source | One local file and graphical controls | OBS supports Linux, and its Media Source has a Loop setting for a local file. OBS Media Sources | The feature is documented; that does not establish OBS as the lightest choice or prove it will run unattended for 24/7. |
| OBS Studio VLC Video source | A playlist of local files | Provides a Loop Playlist option when VLC is installed. OBS notes that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. OBS Media Sources | Adds a VLC dependency; there is no cited controlled resource comparison. |
| mpv | Minimal-interface or command-line playback | Its manual documents infinite looping, and it is a command-line media player. mpv manual | Playback alone does not configure the complete YouTube live-ingest workflow. No comparative CPU or RAM figure is established. |
| VLC | General playback or OBS playlist support | VLC is a cross-platform media player and framework; OBS can expose its VLC source when VLC is installed. VideoLAN documentation | The cited documentation does not establish VLC as a uniquely lightweight 24/7 encoder. |
| FFmpeg | Headless encoding and streaming pipeline | It is the relevant class of tool for constructing a command-line stream pipeline. | It is not a player, and a running FFmpeg process does not itself provide monitoring or reliable recovery. No tested command or comparative load result is established here. |
Choose by workflow, not a “lightest” claim
- For one video with a visible control interface, OBS Media Source is a practical starting point.
- For multiple videos, OBS’s VLC Video source is the better fit if you are comfortable installing a VLC build that matches your OBS architecture.
- For a headless machine, treat playback and streaming as separate jobs: mpv can handle looping playback, while a streaming encoder such as FFmpeg handles the YouTube output. Plan process supervision and monitoring separately.
- If you only need local playback and are not sending a public live stream, VLC or mpv may be sufficient. A YouTube destination makes encoder configuration part of the decision.
Set up a looping OBS stream
One prerecorded video with Media Source
- Install OBS Studio for Linux and prepare the local video and audio file you intend to broadcast.
- In OBS, add a source with Sources → + → Media Source. Select the local file.
- Enable Loop in the Media Source properties. Confirm the source is visible and its audio meters move during playback.
- Open YouTube Live Control Room and create or select a stream. Copy the server URL and stream key into OBS’s streaming settings. Treat the stream key as a password; do not share it or include it in a public command or screenshot.
- Start the stream as a test or scheduled broadcast. Check the YouTube preview and stream-health messages before directing viewers to it.
Playlist with OBS’s VLC Video source
- Install VLC with the same architecture as OBS. OBS documents that a 64-bit OBS installation needs 64-bit VLC.
- In OBS, add Sources → + → VLC Video, then add the files in the order you want them played.
- Enable Loop Playlist. Verify the transition from one file to the next and check that audio continues as expected.
- Configure the YouTube stream connection in OBS, then test the preview and stream health before going live.
Headless playback and encoding
mpv’s stable manual documents an infinite loop setting for playback. That does not turn mpv into a complete YouTube streaming pipeline. A headless arrangement needs a configured streaming encoder, such as FFmpeg, plus a plan to supervise the process, detect a failed connection, restart it when appropriate, and monitor the public stream. The exact command depends on the source’s codecs, resolution, frame rate, audio, and the encoder/output settings you choose. No single tested command is established here, so verify the command against your media and YouTube’s current encoder requirements rather than copying an assumed universal recipe.
Configure YouTube’s encoder connection and quality
YouTube’s encoder workflow uses a server URL and stream key, with configuration and preview in Live Control Room. YouTube says a channel must be verified and must not have live-streaming restrictions in the previous 90 days to stream. See YouTube’s encoder setup guidance.
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YouTube recommends RTMPS, a secure extension to RTMP. Its current encoder guidance lists H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1, supports up to 60 fps, specifies constant bitrate (CBR), and recommends a two-second keyframe interval (no more than four seconds). Use only settings supported by your chosen encoder and source, and check YouTube’s current encoder settings and bitrate recommendations.
Example YouTube bitrate recommendations
The figures below are YouTube’s current encoder recommendations, accessed October 3, 2026. They are ingestion recommendations, not a guarantee that a particular internet connection will sustain a stream. The 1080p and 720p entries below are for 30 fps; codec matters.
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| Resolution and frame rate | Codec | Minimum bitrate | Recommended bitrate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p at 30 fps | H.264 | 5 Mbps | 14 Mbps |
| 1080p at 30 fps | AV1 or H.265 | 4 Mbps | 10 Mbps |
| 720p at 30 fps | H.264 | 3 Mbps | 8 Mbps |
| 720p at 30 fps | AV1 or H.265 | 2 Mbps | 6 Mbps |
Choose a bitrate your upload connection can sustain with headroom for normal variation. Test with the actual computer, network, video, and audio you will use, then monitor YouTube’s stream health and messages rather than assuming that a running player means a healthy broadcast. YouTube’s encoder guidance and live-streaming tips cover these checks.
Plan for long broadcasts, archives, and rights
Do not rely on YouTube to archive a 24-hour stream
YouTube Help says streams under 12 hours can be automatically archived, while streams longer than 12 hours may not be captured at all. Its DVR guidance also says rewind may be limited or unavailable for streams longer than 12 hours. These are platform caveats, not a guarantee that every shorter stream will archive successfully. If you need a usable recording, keep a local archive and consider shorter sessions; verify the current platform behavior before relying on an archive or full rewind. See YouTube’s live-stream archive guidance and DVR guidance.
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Use video and audio you have the right to stream
Looping a recording does not change its copyright status or make it exempt from YouTube’s rules. Use content you own or are licensed to broadcast, including music and any third-party footage in the recording. A stream that complies with copyright requirements can still be subject to YouTube’s other policies, so check the platform’s current rules before building a continuous channel around prerecorded material.
Troubleshoot common failures
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| The video plays locally, but YouTube shows no incoming stream | The encoder is not connected to the correct YouTube server URL or stream key, or the channel cannot currently go live. | Recheck the URL and key in Live Control Room and the encoder; confirm verification and eligibility, and inspect YouTube’s status messages. |
| The video ends instead of repeating | The source’s loop option is off or the wrong source type is being used. | For a single OBS Media Source, check Loop. For a playlist, check Loop Playlist on VLC Video and verify VLC is installed. |
| The OBS VLC Video source is missing or unavailable | VLC may not be installed or may not match OBS’s architecture. | Install the matching VLC build; OBS specifically notes the 64-bit OBS/64-bit VLC requirement. |
| YouTube reports poor stream health or the stream drops | The upload connection may not sustain the configured bitrate, or the encoder settings may not match YouTube’s requirements. | Compare the selected codec, frame rate, keyframe interval, and CBR bitrate with YouTube’s current encoder guidance. Reduce bitrate if needed, leave upload headroom, test again, and monitor health messages. |
| The stream runs but there is no complete archive or rewind | The broadcast may exceed YouTube’s 12-hour archive/DVR caveat. | Use a local recording if retention matters, and consider shorter broadcast sessions. |
| A headless stream stops and stays stopped | A playback or encoder process may have exited, and no supervision or recovery mechanism may be in place. | Inspect process and encoder logs, confirm the input is readable and the connection is available, and configure and test monitoring and restart behavior separately. |
Or let it run in the cloud
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