If FFmpeg plays the first clip but does not repeat or advance through the rest of your playlist, check where -stream_loop appears. It is an input option: it applies to the input that follows it, not automatically to every -i. For several local clips that should play in order and repeat together, use an FFmpeg concat-demuxer playlist as one input, then loop that input. The exact cause depends on your command and whether you send RTMP or upload HLS segments directly.
First check which input FFmpeg is looping
FFmpeg documents -stream_loop as an input option. Use -1 for infinite looping and 0 for no looping. Because input options apply to the input they precede, a loop option before the first -i does not loop later inputs as well. See the FFmpeg documentation.
If you have a command with separate inputs, inspect each -stream_loop and -i pair. Put -stream_loop -1 before every input that needs to repeat. Also check output options such as -map, -shortest, or a duration limit: depending on the command, they may affect what is sent or when the output ends. Without the full command, none of these can be confirmed as the cause.
Loop a playlist of local clips as one input
When clips should play in sequence and repeat as a group, the concat demuxer lets FFmpeg treat the playlist as one input. Create a text file such as playlist.txt:
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ffconcat version 1.0
file '/path/to/clip-01.mp4'
file '/path/to/clip-02.mp4'
file '/path/to/clip-03.mp4'The signature must be exactly ffconcat version 1.0 at the start of the first line, without leading whitespace or a byte-order mark, for automatic format recognition. Add one file directive for each clip, in the order you want them played. Quote or escape paths that contain spaces or special characters. See the concat demuxer documentation.
For a continuous RTMP-style output, a command can take this form:
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ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -f concat -safe 0 -i playlist.txt
-c:v libx264 -c:a aac -f flv 'rtmp://a.rtmp.youtube.com/live2/REDACTED_STREAM_KEY'Replace the playlist path, codecs, and destination with settings appropriate to your setup. Keep your real YouTube stream key private; do not expose it in logs, screenshots, or published commands. This is an illustrative starting point, not a verified recipe for every FFmpeg build, set of files, or YouTube ingest configuration.
What the important options do
-rereads the input at its native frame rate (equivalent to-readrate 1), rather than sending a file as fast as it can be read. FFmpeg cautions against using it on an actual capture device or live stream because it can cause packet loss. See the FFmpeg documentation.-stream_loop -1requests infinite looping for the following input. Here, that input is the concat playlist.-f concatselects the concat demuxer, while-safe 0permits the example’s absolute file paths. Use that setting only with a playlist and paths you trust.-c:v libx264and-c:a aacencode video and audio for the example output; they are not universal requirements. Check the stream and ingest requirements for your setup.-f flvspecifies the output container in this RTMP-style example. Confirm the appropriate endpoint and protocol for your YouTube ingest setup.
Check the playlist if playback breaks at a clip boundary
The concat demuxer reads files in order, but it expects compatible streams, codecs, and time bases. It adjusts timestamps using each file’s duration, so inaccurate duration metadata or a truncated file can cause artifacts. The concat demuxer supports a duration directive to override an inaccurate duration; consult its documentation before adding one.
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- Confirm that every listed path exists and that the playlist order is correct.
- Compare each clip’s audio and video stream layout, codecs, and time bases. Do not assume
-c copywill make incompatible inputs match; stream copy does not normalize them. - Check duration metadata and whether any file is incomplete. If the clips do not have compatible stream properties, re-encoding to common parameters may be necessary.
- Review FFmpeg’s input stream report to see what it detected in the playlist.
Separate local looping from direct HLS upload
If FFmpeg sends a continuous output to YouTube, investigate input looping, encoding, and muxing. If instead your workflow uploads HLS segments directly, the playlist itself has separate requirements. YouTube’s HLS ingest documentation describes media playlists and their segment order; it says YouTube supports media playlists and ignores master playlists, and specifies sequence-number and outstanding-segment requirements. Check the current requirements against your generated playlist and segment acknowledgments. Do not apply this HLS branch to continuous RTMP output unless your workflow actually uses HLS.
Collect the details needed to pinpoint the cause
- Save the full FFmpeg command, but redact the stream key.
- Record the FFmpeg version using
ffmpeg -version. - Note the source file formats and whether the output is RTMP or direct HLS.
- Check the position of every
-stream_looprelative to each-i. - If using concat, verify playlist syntax and order, then inspect the reported streams, codecs, time bases, and durations.
- If using direct HLS, inspect the generated media playlist, segment names and order, sequence numbers, and server acknowledgments against YouTube’s current HLS requirements.
Common symptoms and fixes
| Symptom | What to check | Possible fix |
|---|---|---|
| Only the first separate input repeats | Whether -stream_loop -1 precedes only the first -i. |
Place the input option before each separate input that should loop, or combine the ordered clips in a concat playlist and loop that single input. |
| Playlist stops or glitches at a clip boundary | Stream layouts, codecs, time bases, duration metadata, and truncated files. | Correct playlist entries or duration metadata; make the clips compatible, re-encoding to common stream parameters if needed. |
| Playlist is not recognized | Whether the first line is exactly ffconcat version 1.0 with no leading whitespace or byte-order mark. |
Correct the signature and check each file path, including quoting or escaping special characters. |
| Output stops despite looping input | Output mapping, -shortest, duration limits, and the full command’s other options. |
Review which output options govern the selected streams and duration; the responsible option cannot be identified without the command. |
| Direct HLS output does not behave like a continuous RTMP stream | Whether the workflow actually uploads HLS and whether the generated media playlist meets YouTube’s requirements. | Validate segment order, sequence numbers, and server acknowledgments using YouTube’s HLS guidance; do not substitute local-looping fixes for HLS playlist issues. |
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