For a YouTube Live playlist that automatically picks up new files in a local folder, OBS Studio with the community PlayFolder script is the closest documented match. PlayFolder builds and loops a playlist from a selected folder and updates it when files are added, but it requires an OBS Media Source—not the VLC Source—and its feature claims have not been independently validated in the cited resource. If you want a cloud-run continuous stream instead of a watched local folder, StreamNeo is the first alternative to consider: it loops uploaded videos on YouTube from the cloud, at any quality up to 4K 60fps for one flat price per slot, with the first day free.
How to choose a playlist playout tool
These options solve different problems. A watched folder, a manually maintained OBS playlist, a broadcast automation system, a hosted scheduler, and a cloud service that loops uploaded videos are not interchangeable. Check whether the tool notices newly added files, how it plays or schedules them, what it needs to run, and how it hands video off to YouTube.
- Need new local files to join the playlist automatically? Start with OBS Studio and PlayFolder, then test the folder update behavior with your media before relying on it.
- Need a simple OBS playlist that loops or shuffles? OBS’s VLC Video source is an option, but you add playlist items yourself; its documentation does not describe a watched folder.
- Need broadcast-style clip queuing or scheduled media transfer? CasparCG-based workflows offer more operational control but require additional setup and do not, on the cited documentation alone, establish a direct YouTube output.
- Want hosted scheduling? Castr TV Playout describes uploaded media, schedules, and plan-dependent loop options, but its documentation does not establish local folder monitoring or YouTube destination compatibility.
- Want uploaded videos to keep looping on YouTube without a computer running at home? StreamNeo runs the playout in the cloud; it is not a local watch-folder tool.
YouTube’s encoder guidance explains the handoff: an encoder converts video to a digital format for streaming and is configured with YouTube’s stream URL and key. A playlist feature alone does not prove that a product supports YouTube as a destination. Configure the stream in YouTube Live Control Room and confirm the selected playout tool can feed a compatible encoder or stream endpoint. YouTube’s instructions for creating a live stream with an encoder cover that setup.
OBS Studio with PlayFolder: best documented fit for a watched folder
The OBS Forums resource for PlayFolder says the script scans a selected folder, creates a playlist, plays files sequentially, loops to the first item, and updates the playlist when new files are added through OBS events. Its author describes the aim as “a simple, stable, and automated way to continuously play video files from a folder without manual playlist management.” That is the resource author’s description, not an independent reliability assessment. See the PlayFolder resource and its requirements.
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What the documented workflow does—and does not—establish
- Folder monitoring: The resource describes updating the playlist when files are added. Test how it handles your specific folder, file formats, and timing before depending on it for a scheduled broadcast.
- Playback: Files play sequentially and the list loops back to the beginning, according to the resource description.
- Required source: PlayFolder requires an OBS Media Source. The resource explicitly says not to use the VLC Source.
- YouTube delivery: PlayFolder is a playlist mechanism, not proof of a complete YouTube destination setup. You still need a working OBS stream configured for YouTube.
- Reliability and compatibility: The cited page does not establish independent testing, compatibility across current OBS versions, recovery behavior, or uninterrupted performance.
Practical setup and preflight
- Install OBS Studio and obtain PlayFolder from its OBS Forums resource page. Follow the resource’s installation and configuration notes; do not assume a setting or compatibility detail not stated there.
- Choose the folder that will contain the videos. Add files in the order or naming scheme you intend to use, then use the PlayFolder setup to create the playlist as described by the resource.
- In OBS, use a Media Source for the script’s workflow. Do not substitute a VLC Source: the resource explicitly rules that out.
- Configure YouTube Live Control Room and OBS with the stream URL and stream key. Keep the key private, and verify YouTube’s preview before starting a public broadcast. See YouTube’s encoder setup guidance.
- Run a test stream or private/unlisted preview. Confirm that a file plays, playback advances, the list loops, and a newly added file appears as expected. Test the exact media formats you plan to use.
- Only rely on the setup for a live event after checking the complete path—from local folder through OBS to the YouTube preview—under the conditions you expect to use.
OBS VLC Video source: loop or shuffle a manually maintained playlist
OBS’s built-in VLC Video source supports a playlist with loop and shuffle settings. This is useful if you want playlist playback inside OBS and are comfortable adding or removing items yourself. The OBS documentation does not describe this source as automatically rescanning a folder for new media. Read OBS’s VLC Video source documentation.
Requirements and trade-offs
- You must install VLC because the source uses VLC libraries.
- If you use 64-bit OBS, the documentation requires 64-bit VLC.
- The playlist can loop or shuffle, but automatic folder monitoring is not documented for this source.
- This is a different workflow from PlayFolder, which requires an OBS Media Source and explicitly says not to use VLC Source.
Use the VLC source when playlist playback controls matter more than automatic pickup of files. If new files must be incorporated without manual playlist maintenance, the documented match in this comparison is PlayFolder, subject to testing.
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CasparCG: broadcast-oriented clip queuing
CasparCG’s AMCP protocol supports loading a clip in the background and starting it automatically after the foreground clip ends. Its documentation limits this automatic queue to one clip per layer. This is a broadcast playout workflow, not a simple watched-folder playlist recommendation for a typical OBS user. See the CasparCG AMCP protocol documentation.
Nebula’s CasparCG deployment documentation describes schedule-aware media transfer and transcoding to playout storage. That can be relevant to a station operation managing content and storage, but the cited material does not establish a direct YouTube stream output. Expect to configure an encoder or another output path and verify it separately. See Nebula’s deployment documentation.
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Castr TV Playout: hosted scheduling, not a verified watch folder
Castr TV Playout’s help page describes uploaded media, schedules, looping, and limits that vary by plan. This is a managed upload-and-schedule approach rather than a documented local folder monitor. The cited documentation also does not establish direct YouTube destination compatibility, so confirm the destination and workflow with Castr before choosing it for a YouTube channel. Check Castr’s TV Playout documentation.
The help page, dated July 13, 2026, lists these limits for the plans it describes. Plan details can change, so verify them on the current product page before subscribing.
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| Plan listed in help page | Maximum files per playout | Maximum file size | Maximum file duration | Loop mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | 5 | 500 MB | 30 minutes | Not supported |
| Standard | 10 | Not stated on the cited page | Not stated on the cited page | Not supported |
| Premium | 30 | Not stated on the cited page | Not stated on the cited page | Listed; maximum advance loop period 15 days |
| Ultra | 30 | 10 GB | 240 minutes | Listed; maximum advance loop period 30 days |
| Events | 50 | 10 GB | 240 minutes | Listed; maximum advance loop period 30 days |
The cited page lists one playout across the plans shown and says Trial, Starter, and Standard output includes the Castr logo. It does not provide a basis here for assuming that a scheduled Castr playout can monitor a folder on your computer or send directly to YouTube.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.StreamNeo: cloud looping for uploaded videos on YouTube
StreamNeo is a different kind of option: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It loops the uploaded videos from the cloud, so your computer, OBS, and home internet connection do not have to remain on. It is for uploaded video playout, not a live camera feed, and streams to YouTube only. See StreamNeo.
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- One always-on stream per slot, with 24/7 looping and playlists.
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Copyright, reused content, and YouTube readiness
A playlist tool automates playback; it does not grant rights to the files or guarantee that a channel will qualify for monetization. Before scheduling a continuous stream, check that you have the necessary rights to every video and any music or other material it contains. Review YouTube’s applicable copyright and monetization policies directly, and confirm the stream preview and destination settings in Live Control Room. The sources cited for these playout tools do not establish how YouTube will assess a particular channel’s reused content or monetization eligibility.
Common problems and what to check
- New files do not appear in the PlayFolder playlist: Confirm the selected folder and PlayFolder setup, then test whether adding a file triggers the expected OBS event. The resource describes automatic updates but does not document every failure mode.
- PlayFolder does not work with the chosen OBS source: Use an OBS Media Source; the resource explicitly says not to use VLC Source.
- OBS VLC source cannot load media: Confirm VLC is installed and that its architecture matches OBS; the documented requirement is 64-bit VLC for 64-bit OBS.
- The video plays locally but YouTube does not receive it: Check that OBS is configured with the correct YouTube stream URL and key, then inspect the YouTube Live Control Room preview. A playlist tool alone does not configure the YouTube handoff.
- A hosted playout plan cannot loop or accept your files: Check the current plan’s file count, size, duration, and loop limits. For Castr’s listed plans, limits differ and may change.
- You need YouTube output from Castr or CasparCG: Do not assume it is available based solely on playlist or scheduling features. Verify the exact output route with the provider or in a test setup.
- A stream stops during a test: The cited materials do not provide comparable recovery guarantees for OBS PlayFolder, OBS VLC, CasparCG, or Castr. Test the full workflow and plan for the consequences of a local computer, network, or encoder interruption.
Which tool should you use?
Choose OBS Studio with PlayFolder when automatic additions from a local folder are the deciding feature and you can validate the community script in your own OBS setup. Choose OBS’s VLC Video source when a manually maintained playlist with loop or shuffle is sufficient. Consider CasparCG for broadcast operations that need clip queuing and managed playout storage, and Castr for hosted schedules after confirming destination compatibility and current limits. If your goal is simply to keep uploaded videos looping on YouTube without leaving a computer on, StreamNeo is the cloud alternative; it does not monitor a local folder.
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