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For an endless HTTP input, put FFmpeg’s HTTP reconnect options before the -i that reads that input. A useful starting point is -reconnect 1, -reconnect_streamed 1, and -reconnect_at_eof 1, with network and HTTP-status retries added when appropriate. These flags retry input failures; they do not loop a finished local playlist, restart a crashed FFmpeg process, or guarantee YouTube keeps an event running.
Configure reconnects for an endless HTTP input
Use the following as an illustrative starting pattern for a live or endless HTTP source:
ffmpeg
-reconnect 1
-reconnect_streamed 1
-reconnect_at_eof 1
-reconnect_on_network_error 1
-reconnect_on_http_error 5xx
-reconnect_delay_max 30
-i "INPUT_URL"
...OUTPUT_OPTIONS...Replace INPUT_URL with the actual source and ...OUTPUT_OPTIONS... with the output configuration for your YouTube ingest method. This is not a tested universal command: confirm the available options in your installed build with ffmpeg -h protocol=http. FFmpeg versions and builds can differ.
Why option placement matters
These are HTTP protocol options for the input. Put them before the -i they govern. If you have multiple inputs, place the relevant options before each corresponding input rather than assuming a later option will affect an earlier one.
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What the core flags do
-reconnect 1asks FFmpeg to reconnect when the connection is lost before EOF.-reconnect_streamed 1allows reconnecting for streamed or non-seekable inputs.-reconnect_at_eof 1treats EOF as an error and reconnects. FFmpeg documents this for live or endless streams; it is not a general-purpose playlist-loop option.-reconnect_on_network_error 1retries TCP/TLS errors during connection.-reconnect_on_http_error 5xxretries selected HTTP response codes. FFmpeg accepts explicit codes and classes such as4xxand5xx.-reconnect_delay_max 30caps the delay for an individual reconnect attempt at 30 seconds in this example. Choose a cap appropriate to the source and operational need.
Choose retry limits and defaults deliberately
The example sets a per-attempt delay cap but does not set a retry count or total-delay cap. Those values can affect how long FFmpeg keeps trying, so check the documentation for your installed release rather than assuming a default.
In the FFmpeg 8.1 HTTP implementation, the listed defaults are a 120-second maximum delay for one reconnect attempt, an implementation retry-count default of -1, and a 256-second total reconnect-delay cap. The option documentation describes the retry-count default as unset. These are FFmpeg 8.1-specific values, not timeless guarantees; see the FFmpeg 8.1 HTTP implementation and verify your build.
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-reconnect_max_retries Nlimits the retry count.-reconnect_delay_total_max Ncaps total reconnect delay in versions that provide the option.-respect_retry_after 1honors a server’sRetry-Afterrequest. Current FFmpeg documentation says this is enabled by default.
For the exact option definitions and version-specific availability, consult the FFmpeg Protocols Documentation. Do not add an option until you have confirmed your installed build accepts it.
Do not confuse reconnecting with looping or process recovery
A nonstop stream involves several separate failure layers. HTTP reconnect flags address only supported failures while FFmpeg reads an HTTP input.
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| Layer | What it addresses | What to configure or verify |
|---|---|---|
| HTTP input interruption | Supported disconnects, selected HTTP responses, connection errors, or EOF when requested. | HTTP protocol reconnect options and a retry policy suited to the source. |
| Playlist completion | A finite file or list reaching its normal end. | Use looping at the playlist or demuxer layer appropriate to the actual format. HTTP reconnect flags do not necessarily repeat a local file or finite concat list. |
| FFmpeg process exit or host reboot | A crashed or stopped encoder process, or an unavailable machine. | A separate process supervisor and host-level recovery plan. Reconnect flags do not restart FFmpeg or reboot the host. |
| YouTube ingest and event state | The destination encoder feed and the lifecycle of the YouTube live event. | Configure YouTube’s server URL and stream key in the encoder, and manage the event separately. Input retries do not promise a single continuous event. |
If the source is a finite playlist
Do not enable -reconnect_at_eof as a blanket way to loop an ordinary file or playlist: EOF may simply mean that the input completed as expected. Configure repetition using the mechanism appropriate to the file, playlist format, or demuxer, then use reconnect options only for the network failures they are intended to handle.
Connect FFmpeg to YouTube and test the full path
YouTube’s encoder setup requires the YouTube Live server URL and stream key in the encoder. Treat the stream key like a password: anyone who obtains it may be able to send a feed to your channel. Reconnect behavior at the input does not substitute for a correctly configured destination.
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- Start setup ahead of the intended stream and confirm YouTube receives an encoder preview.
- Monitor stream health rather than assuming a successful FFmpeg launch means viewers are receiving a healthy feed.
- Test encoder failover. YouTube’s guidance suggests stopping the primary encoder or disconnecting its Ethernet cable when testing a backup encoder.
- If you are keeping a local archive, verify that it is growing.
- Keep YouTube’s event controls and the encoder feed in view as separate parts of the operation.
YouTube Help says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived; do not treat FFmpeg reconnect flags as a guarantee that one YouTube event will continue indefinitely beyond YouTube’s event behavior.
Do not apply HLS output rules to HTTP input retries
YouTube’s HLS ingest requirements concern the output protocol, not FFmpeg’s HTTP input reconnection. For HLS, YouTube specifies a rolling playlist with no more than five outstanding segments, TS segments from one to four seconds, and HTTPS POST/PUT. Those requirements matter only when configuring HLS output; they are not settings for the HTTP input flags above.
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Troubleshoot reconnect behavior
- FFmpeg reports an unrecognized option: check
ffmpeg -h protocol=httpand the documentation for your installed release. Remove or adapt options not available in that build. - The command still stops at the end of a local file or list: expected EOF is not necessarily a reconnectable network failure. Configure looping at the relevant playlist or demuxer layer instead of relying on
-reconnect_at_eof. - It retries some failures but not an HTTP response you expected: review the status class or explicit codes set with
-reconnect_on_http_error; the example’s5xxclass does not request retries for every HTTP response. - Retries stop sooner or later than expected: inspect the installed build’s retry-count, per-delay, total-delay, and
Retry-Afterbehavior. Defaults vary by version; the FFmpeg 8.1 values above should not be assumed for another release. - FFmpeg exits and does not return: protocol reconnect options do not supervise the process. Configure separate process and host recovery.
- YouTube has no healthy incoming feed: check the server URL, stream key, encoder preview, and YouTube stream-health status. An input reconnect does not repair a misconfigured or unavailable YouTube destination.
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