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Use FFmpeg’s -stream_loop -1 input option to repeat a gaming VOD indefinitely while sending it to YouTube Live. Put the option before -i. That makes the file repeat; it does not guarantee that the audio and picture will join perceptually without a pause or glitch, so test the actual boundary before going public.
FFmpeg command for an endless YouTube Live loop
This example reads a local MP4 at its native rate, encodes H.264 video and AAC audio, and sends the result to YouTube using RTMPS:
ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i "gaming-vod.mp4"
-c:v libx264 -b:v 10M -maxrate 10M -bufsize 20M -g 60
-c:a aac -b:a 160k
-f flv "rtmps://SERVER/live2/STREAM_KEY"- Replace
gaming-vod.mp4with the path to your VOD. - Replace the destination with the server URL and stream key shown in YouTube Live Control Room. The key is a credential; do not publish it or paste it into a public log.
-stream_loop -1is an input option, so it must appear before-i. The value-1means repeat indefinitely.-rereads a file at its native rate, which is useful when using a file as a live-style feed.-g 60sets a 60-frame GOP. That is a two-second GOP only at 30 fps; adjust it for a different output frame rate.- The 10 Mbps video bitrate is an illustrative setting for 1080p30 H.264, not a universal target. Match settings to resolution, frame rate, codec and reliable upload capacity.
This mapping-free example expects the input to contain both video and audio. Inspect the file first; if it has different streams, use explicit stream mapping and adapt the command rather than assuming this example will fit.
Configure YouTube Live and start the encoder
- In YouTube Studio, open Live Control Room and create or select the stream.
- Copy that stream’s URL and key into the FFmpeg output destination. YouTube describes the key as password-like information used by the encoder. Keep it private.
- Start FFmpeg, then check the Live Control Room preview and stream health before starting or promoting the event.
- When finished, stop FFmpeg and end the stream in Live Control Room as appropriate.
YouTube’s live-streaming eligibility requires a verified channel with no live-streaming restrictions in the preceding 90 days. Enabling live streaming for the first time can take up to 24 hours. YouTube also says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived; that is an archival rule, not a promise that a broadcast can run uninterrupted forever. See YouTube’s live-streaming setup guidance and stream-key guidance.
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Choose encoder settings that fit the source and connection
YouTube’s encoder guidance lists RTMP/RTMPS ingest; H.264, H.265 or AV1 video; AAC or MP3 audio; constant bitrate (CBR); up to 60 fps; and a recommended two-second keyframe interval that should not exceed four seconds. For H.264, YouTube gives recommended examples of 10 Mbps for 1080p30 and 12 Mbps for 1080p60. These are recommendations tied to resolution and frame rate, not a requirement to use those values for every stream. Check the current YouTube encoder settings for the configuration you intend to send.
- Keep the output resolution and frame rate appropriate to the VOD; encoding at a higher setting cannot add detail that is not in the source.
- Use a bitrate your connection can sustain. YouTube recommends leaving 20% headroom for the total stream bitrate, and advises testing with representative movement and audio while monitoring stream health.
- The sample uses H.264 and AAC. If you change codec, resolution, frame rate or audio settings, revisit the corresponding YouTube guidance and adjust the command.
Can the repeat really be gap-free?
The loop option repeats the input; it does not make every file’s end and beginning line up seamlessly. A pause, repeated frame, audio blip or discontinuity can result from source timestamps, codec boundaries, or audio and video streams having different durations. FFmpeg’s concat demuxer documentation warns that timestamp adjustment can cause gaps when streams are not exactly the same length and that concatenated files need matching streams, codecs and time bases. Those notes are reasons to inspect and test a source, not proof that every single-file loop will have a gap.
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Test the actual boundary before broadcasting
- Inspect the VOD’s streams and durations so you know whether it has the expected video and audio and whether their lengths match.
- Play several repeats locally and watch and listen across each join. Check for a brief freeze, black frame, silence, click, or abrupt change in game audio.
- If audio runs longer than video, or vice versa, prepare a corrected source or explicitly map and trim the streams to a common duration.
- Test the loop as an unlisted or private YouTube stream. Check the preview and stream health before making the event public.
If the command keeps running but the join still feels broken, investigate the VOD’s timestamps, encoding structure and audio/video durations first. An infinite loop is not itself a seamless-editing feature.
Troubleshooting common problems
FFmpeg says the input or output cannot be opened
Check the input path, quote paths containing spaces, and confirm that the destination contains the correct YouTube server URL and stream key for the selected stream. Do not share the key while asking for help.
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The stream starts, but there is no sound or picture
Confirm the VOD contains the expected audio and video streams. The example relies on automatic stream selection; use explicit -map options when the file’s streams require it, and make sure the selected audio and video are encoded in formats YouTube accepts.
YouTube reports poor stream health or the feed disconnects
Check the encoder settings against YouTube’s recommendations and measure whether the upload connection can sustain the total bitrate with the recommended 20% headroom. Reduce the output load if the connection cannot reliably carry the chosen settings, then test again while monitoring stream health.
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There is a pause or glitch at every loop point
Inspect the audio and video durations and timestamps, then watch and listen across repeated joins. Correct mismatched stream lengths or prepare a source with a cleaner boundary; increasing bitrate does not repair a timing mismatch in the file.
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