If an SRS-fed YouTube stream freezes or shows a spinning indicator exactly when FFmpeg moves to the next playlist video, start by checking the files on either side of that transition. FFmpeg’s concat demuxer requires matching streams—including codecs and time bases—and inaccurate duration metadata can misplace the next file’s timestamps. If the playlist contains mismatched media, normalize it before concatenating, or use a script to publish each file to SRS in sequence.
First identify what is playing the playlist
“Playlist” can mean different things in an FFmpeg command. An HLS .m3u8 input and FFmpeg’s concat demuxer (concat or ffconcat) are not interchangeable: their input handling differs. Read the command’s input options and identify the actual demuxer before changing files or flags. FFmpeg’s documentation describes the concat demuxer at ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-all.html.
Then establish where the failure begins. Check whether FFmpeg reports an error while opening or reading the next file, whether its output changes or stops at the boundary, whether SRS continues receiving RTMP, and whether the symptom appears only in YouTube playback. Without the command and logs from your deployment, the reported spinning indicator alone cannot identify which stage failed.
Check the two files around the failing boundary
Compare the item that plays successfully with the next item that triggers the problem. For concat demuxer input, FFmpeg requires all files to have the same streams, including the same codecs and time bases. Differences in stream count or types, codec, or time base make compatibility the first thing to investigate.
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- Compare the number and type of streams in both files, including video, audio, and any additional streams.
- Compare the codecs and time bases of corresponding streams.
- Check the reported duration against the actual media duration. FFmpeg uses each file’s duration to position the next file; incorrect duration information can create artifacts at transitions.
- Read the FFmpeg log around the boundary for input errors, stream mismatches, or timestamp problems, and check whether SRS continues to receive the published stream.
The exact metadata-inspection command depends on your installed tools and build; the cited documentation does not prescribe one universal probe command. Use a tool and workflow appropriate to your environment, and check documentation for the FFmpeg version actually deployed.
Choose a repair that fits the playlist
Normalize files, then use the concat demuxer
If you want FFmpeg to concatenate the playlist, first make the listed files compatible. Transcode files with differing stream layouts or properties to a common set of streams and encoding properties suited to your sources and publishing workflow, then test the transition again. A September 22, 2024 FFmpeg-user discussion describes trouble when changing among videos with different formats, sizes, and aspect ratios; its reply points to the concat demuxer’s matching-stream requirement and recommends transcoding to common properties. That is a useful example, not a controlled test or a universal encoding recipe: select settings for your own material rather than copying a command blindly. See the discussion at ffmpeg.org/pipermail/ffmpeg-user/2024-September/058723.html.
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If the streams match but the transition still misbehaves, inspect duration metadata. FFmpeg’s concat demuxer uses file duration to calculate where to place the next file. Its documentation allows a duration directive to override the stored duration; use it only when you have a reliable duration to supply, and verify the resulting transition.
Publish files sequentially through an SRS ingest script
SRS’s archived v4 ingest documentation says SRS does not ingest a file list directly; its documented workaround is to use a script as the ingest tool and copy files to the RTMP stream one by one. The same documentation describes FFmpeg-based file ingest and RTMP publishing, including use of -re for file ingest. This is a different workflow from concatenating a playlist inside FFmpeg. It does not promise gapless switching: test how your script handles transitions, process restarts, and failures in your deployment. The documented SRS v4 page is at ossrs.io/lts/en-us/docs/v4/doc/ingest.
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Compare the two approaches before changing production
| Approach | Best fit | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Normalize media and concatenate with FFmpeg | You want one FFmpeg concat input and can prepare compatible files. | Matching streams, codecs, and time bases; accurate durations; transition behavior in your actual command. |
| Script sequential publishing through SRS | You want a script to send files to the RTMP stream one by one. | File handoff, process supervision, restart behavior, and any transition gap in your deployment. SRS documents the workaround, not a continuity benchmark. |
The cited sources establish the concat compatibility constraint and SRS’s script workaround. They do not compare continuity, latency, or operating cost between these approaches.
Troubleshoot by symptom and stage
- FFmpeg errors as the next file opens: confirm that the playlist points to the intended file and inspect the input error. Compare that file’s streams and properties with the preceding entry.
- The next item plays with artifacts or a mistimed transition: check stream compatibility and duration metadata. Incorrect duration can affect timestamp placement even when the files open.
- FFmpeg output continues but YouTube playback stalls: determine whether SRS is still receiving the RTMP input and whether the failure is visible in FFmpeg or SRS logs. A YouTube-only symptom is not enough to prove the cause is the concat demuxer.
- Sequential SRS ingest has a gap or stops between files: inspect the script’s handoff and process supervision. The SRS v4 documentation describes publishing files one by one but does not guarantee seamless transitions.
For a case-specific diagnosis, collect the FFmpeg command and version, the playlist entries, metadata for the files immediately before and after the boundary, and relevant FFmpeg and SRS logs. The SRS reference cited here is archived v4 documentation; check the documentation for your deployed SRS version before relying on version-specific behavior. These sources do not establish current YouTube Live encoder requirements, ingest endpoints, or account configuration.
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