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First identify what stopped
“The stream stopped” can mean several things. Check the FFmpeg process and its logs before choosing a fix:
- FFmpeg is running and processing, but the network output has failed: FIFO output recovery may retry the connection.
- FFmpeg exited: FIFO cannot restart a process that is no longer running. Use an external supervisor to launch it again.
- FFmpeg is running but appears stalled: a supervisor that only watches for process exit may not notice. Add an independent liveness or progress check if you need to recover from hangs.
These layers can be combined: FIFO handles some temporary output failures; a supervisor handles process exit. Neither guarantees that YouTube will resume the broadcast exactly as before in every stream configuration, so test the complete recovery path in advance.
Configure FIFO recovery for a temporary output failure
The FFmpeg manual documents the FIFO muxer as an approach to network-output recovery. Its example is an illustrative RTMP command, not a tested YouTube command:
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ffmpeg -re -i INPUT
-c:v libx264 -c:a aac
-f fifo -fifo_format flv
-drop_pkts_on_overflow 1
-attempt_recovery 1
-recovery_wait_time 1
-map 0:v -map 0:a
rtmp://example.com/live/stream_nameReplace INPUT, the example destination, codecs and stream maps with the values for your actual source and YouTube ingest configuration. Keep your real stream key private; do not put it in a public script, screenshot or log. Check the installed build’s supported FIFO options with ffmpeg -h muxer=fifo and consult the manual matching that FFmpeg version.
What the recovery options do
-attempt_recovery 1enables attempts to recover a failing output.-recovery_wait_time 1makes this example wait one second between recovery attempts. The documented default is five seconds.-drop_pkts_on_overflow 1allows queued packets to be dropped if the FIFO fills rather than blocking the encoder. That trades preservation of every packet for continued processing; dropped packets mean omitted content.max_recovery_attemptsdefaults to0, documented as unlimited attempts. Set a limit only if that is the behavior you want.restart_with_keyframedefaults to false. Check the version-matched manual before changing it.
The FIFO muxer retries output while FFmpeg remains alive. It does not detect or relaunch an exited process, and it is not a remedy for a process that is alive but wedged.
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Restart FFmpeg when the process exits
Use a service manager or watchdog appropriate to the host—such as systemd on a Linux system that uses it, Windows service or task tooling, macOS launchd, or a container orchestrator. Configure it to start the FFmpeg command, restart after an exit with a deliberate delay or backoff, and preserve useful logs. If a hung process must also be recovered, configure a separate health or progress check; an exit-only policy cannot detect a process that never exits.
There is no single supervisor configuration that fits every operating system and deployment, and the appropriate configuration depends on your host. A basic shell loop can relaunch a command after it exits, but without a delay or restart limit it can spin rapidly, and it does not by itself detect a live but stalled process. Whatever supervisor you choose, make its restart policy explicit and make sure you can inspect FFmpeg’s exit status and logs.
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Match the 4K/60-fps output to YouTube’s published settings
YouTube’s encoder-settings page, accessed in 2026, gives different 2160p-at-60-fps bitrate recommendations depending on ingest codec. These are published encoder settings, not a guarantee that your encoder, upload connection or recovery setup can sustain the stream.
| Ingest codec | Minimum bitrate | Recommended bitrate |
|---|---|---|
| H.264 | 14 Mbps | 50 Mbps |
| AV1 or H.265 | 10 Mbps | 35 Mbps |
- Resolution and frame rate: confirm that the actual encoder output is 3840 × 2160 at 60 fps; a source file’s label alone does not establish the output settings.
- Bitrate mode: YouTube lists CBR.
- Keyframes: YouTube recommends a two-second interval and says not to exceed four seconds. At an actual 60 fps, two seconds is 120 frames, so a 120-frame GOP corresponds to that interval only if the output really is 60 fps.
- Protocol: YouTube lists RTMP and RTMPS as supported and recommends RTMPS.
YouTube says encoder settings are detected automatically by default, but recommends testing with representative audio and motion and monitoring stream health and messages during the event. Verify the installed encoder’s actual resolution, frame rate, codec, bitrate mode and keyframe interval rather than copying a setting from a 30-fps example.
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Reconnect the encoder and verify YouTube’s stream state
- In the encoder configuration, enter YouTube’s Live server URL and stream key for the intended stream. Treat the key like a credential and keep it out of public scripts and logs.
- When restarting an already configured stream, preserve the intended stream and encoder configuration. Confirm that the destination and key are still the ones for the stream you mean to run.
- Check the FFmpeg process and logs to establish whether it exited, is still running but blocked, or remains active while output has failed.
- After recovery, check YouTube Live Control Room for the expected preview, stream health and messages. In YouTube’s documented scheduled-stream workflow, wait for the preview and then click Go live. Do not assume scheduled and unscheduled streams have identical live-state behavior after an automatic encoder restart.
Troubleshoot a failed recovery
| Symptom | What to check | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| The stream drops, but FFmpeg is still running | FFmpeg logs, process activity and the installed FIFO muxer’s supported options | Check whether output recovery is enabled and whether the failure is one FIFO can retry. Confirm that the FIFO is not blocking or overflowing in a way that prevents the behavior you expect. |
| FFmpeg exits and stays down | Exit status and the last FFmpeg log messages | Configure an external supervisor to restart on exit, with a deliberate delay or backoff and retained logs. |
| The supervisor reports FFmpeg as running, but the stream does not advance | Whether the process is making progress, not merely whether its PID exists | Add an independent liveness or progress check if stalled processes are in scope; an exit-only restart policy will not catch them. |
| FFmpeg reconnects, but YouTube does not show the expected preview or stream health | Server URL, stream key, stream configuration and Live Control Room status | Verify the intended encoder configuration and inspect YouTube’s messages. Follow the applicable scheduled-stream workflow rather than assuming the stream is already live. |
| The restored stream is not actually 4K at 60 fps | Actual output dimensions, frame rate, codec, CBR target and keyframe interval | Compare the encoder output with YouTube’s published 2160p/60 settings above; confirm that a 120-frame GOP is being used only with a true 60-fps output. |
Test before relying on automatic recovery
- Run the intended FFmpeg command with representative video and audio, then confirm its output settings.
- Test a temporary output interruption and observe whether FIFO recovery retries while the process remains alive.
- Separately test how the host supervisor handles an FFmpeg exit. If you need hung-process recovery, test that health check too.
- Confirm the result in Live Control Room, including preview, stream health and any messages.
Testing these cases separately shows which recovery layer is working; a successful process restart alone does not prove that the YouTube broadcast returned to the intended state.
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