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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteTo loop several local videos on YouTube Live with FFmpeg, put their paths in an ordered concat manifest, feed that manifest to FFmpeg as one playlist, and loop the playlist input before sending the encoded output to YouTube’s stream URL and key. The concat demuxer works best when every file has matching streams, codecs, and time bases; mismatched files may need to be normalized or re-encoded. The example below is a starting point, not a tested live-stream command: verify options with your installed FFmpeg build and test privately before going public.
1. Check and order the videos
A folder is not a playlist: filesystem order can vary, so decide the sequence explicitly. Play each file and check its picture, audio, duration, and format before building the list.
FFmpeg’s concat demuxer reads files sequentially as one input. For its no-re-encode approach, files need the same streams, codecs, and time bases. The demuxer adjusts timestamps between files using their durations; inaccurate duration information or unequal stream lengths can produce gaps or artifacts. See the FFmpeg Formats Documentation.
- Use the concat demuxer when the source files are compatible and you want to avoid re-encoding.
- If files differ in codec, stream layout, time base, frame size or rate, or audio parameters, normalize them to common settings or use the concat filter and re-encode. FFmpeg’s FAQ distinguishes these approaches.
2. Create an ordered concat manifest
Make a plain-text file named playlist.txt in the directory where you will run FFmpeg. Add one file line for each video, in the exact order you want them played. For example:
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ffconcat version 1.0
file 'video-01.mp4'
file 'video-02.mp4'
file 'video-03.mp4'The optional ffconcat version 1.0 header must be the first line, with no leading whitespace or byte-order mark, for FFmpeg to recognize it automatically. Paths containing spaces or special characters must be quoted or escaped correctly; check the concat documentation’s quoting rules if your filenames are more complex. You can also use full paths, but the concat demuxer’s safe option defaults to 1 and rejects absolute paths and names outside its portable-character rules. Do not disable that protection for a manifest you do not trust. If a trusted local manifest needs absolute paths, set safe=0 explicitly in the input options and understand that this relaxes path validation.
3. Get the YouTube ingest URL and stream key
- Open YouTube Studio and go to Create > Go live to open Live Control Room. Create or select the stream and copy its current stream URL and stream key. The encoder guide covers connecting an encoder in Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder.
- Where your encoder supports it, use the RTMPS URL. In Live Control Room, use the lock control to retrieve it; do not assume the ordinary RTMP URL displayed by default is the secure address. RTMPS encrypts the feed in transit. YouTube’s RTMPS guide also describes URL and connection troubleshooting.
- Treat the key as a password: do not put it in a public script, screenshot, or shared log. YouTube explains that “Stream keys are like your YouTube stream’s password and address” in Manage live stream settings.
Scheduled streams may require you to inspect the preview and click Go live yourself. Whether a stream starts or stops automatically depends on its Live Control Room auto-start and auto-stop settings.
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4. Loop the entire playlist with FFmpeg
Options in FFmpeg generally apply to the next input or output, so put the input-loop option before the playlist input. This shell example uses the concat demuxer and an H.264/AAC output; replace the URL, key, and settings with the values appropriate for your stream. The loop option must apply to the combined playlist input, not to an individual clip.
ffmpeg -stream_loop -1 -f concat -safe 1 -i playlist.txt
-c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -b:v 10M -maxrate 10M -bufsize 20M
-pix_fmt yuv420p -r 30 -g 60
-c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100
-f flv 'YOUR_RTMPS_URL/YOUR_STREAM_KEY'This is an illustrative command, not a verified combination for every FFmpeg build or source set. Confirm that your installed build supports the selected options and that the input files work with the concat demuxer. For a source that is already compatible, stream-copying may avoid re-encoding, but the output must still be accepted by YouTube and match the requested stream settings; if you change resolution, frame rate, or need to normalize transitions, encode instead.
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Replace YOUR_RTMPS_URL/YOUR_STREAM_KEY with the actual RTMPS address and key from Live Control Room. Since the key in a command line can appear in shell history or process listings, avoid sharing that command and protect any script containing it. Keep credentials out of screenshots and logs. FFmpeg’s command-line documentation explains option ordering and input/output behavior. Validate loop-option support and behavior with your installed build, then run a private or unlisted test stream before relying on this setup.
5. Choose settings for your source and connection
Use settings your files and upload connection can sustain. YouTube’s current encoder settings and bitrate guidance lists RTMP/RTMPS ingestion and H.264, H.265 (HEVC), or AV1, frame rates up to 60 fps, constant bitrate (CBR), and a recommended 2-second keyframe interval, with a maximum of 4 seconds. Match the frame rate and resolution to the source where practical rather than upscaling needlessly.
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For H.264, YouTube’s guidance lists 10 Mbps for 1080p at 30 fps and 12 Mbps for 1080p at 60 fps. These are YouTube recommendations, not guaranteed best settings for every source or network; consult its current table for other resolutions, frame rates, and codecs. In the example command, -g 60 gives a 2-second GOP at 30 fps. If you change frame rate, adjust the GOP to maintain a 2-second keyframe interval.
Your upload capacity needs room beyond the selected stream bitrate. YouTube recommends 20% upload bandwidth headroom; other people and devices sharing the connection can reduce what is available. See YouTube’s streaming tips. If upload capacity fluctuates, lower the bitrate or resolution rather than running at the edge of the connection.
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6. Test, monitor, and end the stream
- In Live Control Room, use a private or unlisted test stream where possible. Include moving video and audio similar to the planned broadcast.
- Start FFmpeg and check that Live Control Room receives the feed, shows a preview, and reports healthy stream status. If a scheduled stream requires it, review the preview and click Go live.
- Watch both picture and sound after going live. Keep Live Control Room open to catch stream-health warnings or connection loss; consult YouTube’s encoder guide for starting and ending an encoder stream.
- When finished, stop the FFmpeg feed and use the relevant end controls in Live Control Room. YouTube’s encoder guide says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived.
Common problems and fixes
- FFmpeg rejects a file or the transition breaks: check that all listed paths exist and are readable. Confirm matching stream layouts, codecs, and time bases; inspect duration accuracy. Normalize incompatible sources or use the concat filter with re-encoding.
- The manifest is not recognized or a path is refused: ensure the optional header is the exact first line, without a byte-order mark or leading whitespace. Check quoting and the
safesetting; only relax path safety for a manifest you created and trust. - The playlist does not repeat as expected: verify that
-stream_loop -1appears before the concat input, so it applies to the combined playlist. Check option support and behavior in your installed FFmpeg build. - YouTube does not receive the feed: confirm the current URL and key in Live Control Room, the URL protocol and server, and that the encoder supports the RTMPS connection. If YouTube reports an SSL-related issue, follow its RTMPS troubleshooting steps, including the port specified by the actual stream URL where applicable.
- The picture stutters or stream health degrades: check whether the upload connection can sustain the chosen bitrate with headroom. Reduce bitrate, resolution, or frame rate if needed, and review which devices are sharing the connection.
- The feed arrives but the stream is not public: check the stream’s privacy and auto-start/auto-stop settings. A scheduled stream may need a manual preview review and Go live action.
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