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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11To loop several local videos into a live RTMP feed, list them in an FFmpeg concat-demuxer playlist, loop that input with -stream_loop -1, pace playback with -re, and publish to an Nginx RTMP application. The key constraint is compatibility: every file in the concat list must have the same streams, codecs, and time base, or you may need to normalize or transcode them first.
What you need
- FFmpeg installed with the input and output support your chosen files and codecs require. Check which encoders your build provides before choosing an encoding command.
- Nginx built with nginx-rtmp-module, configured with an RTMP application.
- A set of local video files that are compatible with one another for concat demuxing.
This setup publishes to your own Nginx RTMP server. It does not by itself send a feed to YouTube; to use YouTube, you would need to publish onward to YouTube’s ingest endpoint with an appropriate stream key and settings.
Build the ordered playlist
In a text file named playlist.txt, put the files in the order you want them to play:
ffconcat version 1.0
file 'video1.mp4'
file 'video2.mp4'
file 'video3.mp4'The ffconcat version 1.0 header must be the first line, exactly as shown, for automatic format recognition. Relative paths are simplest when the playlist and videos are in the same directory. If a path contains spaces or special characters, quote or escape it according to the concat playlist format.
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By default, the concat demuxer uses safe-path rules and rejects some absolute paths, protocol paths, or paths outside its portable format. Prefer safe relative paths. You can use -safe 0 to allow paths the default policy rejects, but do so only with a playlist you trust: it permits arbitrary file names.
Configure an Nginx RTMP application
Add an RTMP server and application to the Nginx configuration. This minimal example follows the module’s documented pattern and assumes FFmpeg and Nginx are on the same machine:
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rtmp {
server {
listen 1935;
application live {
live on;
allow publish 127.0.0.1;
deny publish all;
}
}
}The application name is live, so the matching publish URL uses /live/. With this example, FFmpeg publishes to rtmp://127.0.0.1:1935/live/playlist; playlist is the stream name. The module’s README describes RTMP URLs in the form rtmp://rtmp.example.com/app[/name] and shows port 1935 in its example server configuration. If FFmpeg and Nginx are on different hosts, replace the loopback address and adjust the publishing access policy for your network. Do not leave publishing open to untrusted clients.
Start the looping RTMP feed
Run this representative command from the directory containing playlist.txt:
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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://127.0.0.1:1935/live/playlistThe command uses -safe 0 because playlist paths may not meet the default safe-path rules. If your playlist uses safe relative paths, omit that option and retain the default protection. The command is a pattern assembled from documented options, not a guarantee that the sample codecs fit every file or FFmpeg build.
-rereads the file input at its native frame rate (equivalent to-readrate 1) so it is paced like a live source rather than sent as fast as possible.-stream_loop -1repeats the input indefinitely.-f concatselects the concat demuxer, and-i playlist.txtsupplies its ordered input list.-c:v libx264 -c:a aacselects video and audio encoders for this example. Confirm they exist in your FFmpeg build and that the resulting streams suit your server and downstream player.-f flvwraps the output for RTMP publishing, and the final URL targets theliveapplication configured above.
FFmpeg options are order-sensitive and generally apply to the next input or output. Keep input options such as -re, -stream_loop, and the concat input format before -i playlist.txt.
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Choose stream copy or transcoding
| Approach | What it does | When it fits | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
Stream copy (-c copy) |
Passes the existing audio and video streams through without re-encoding. | Use only when the input streams are compatible across all playlist files and suitable for the RTMP/FLV output and downstream server or player. | Uses less encoding work, but offers no conversion to fix incompatible streams or output requirements. |
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FFmpeg’s concat demuxer requires the files to have the same streams, including codecs and time base. A command using -c copy is therefore not a universal shortcut: inspect the inputs and confirm the output is supported before switching from transcoding.
Fix compatibility and timestamp problems
- Concat errors or a broken transition: compare the files’ stream layouts, codecs, and time bases. Normalize or transcode files that differ before putting them in the same concat list.
- Artifacts or incorrect timestamps around a file boundary: the concat demuxer’s duration estimates can affect timestamp adjustment. Add a
durationdirective for a file when its stored duration is missing or inaccurate. - “Unsafe file name” or path rejection: rewrite the playlist with safe relative paths, or use
-safe 0only for a trusted playlist. - Encoder not found: check the installed FFmpeg build’s available encoders and choose an encoder it supports; the example’s codec names are not guaranteed to be available.
- Cannot connect or publish: confirm Nginx is listening on port 1935, the configured application name matches the URL’s
/live/component, and the publisher is permitted by the access rules. For the sample localhost-only policy, FFmpeg must run on the same host. - Playback is too fast: check that
-reprecedes the playlist input. It paces file reading in real time.
The nginx-rtmp-module README demonstrates the same general file-to-live-server pattern: publish an FLV output from FFmpeg to an RTMP application. Its module supports RTMP, HLS, and MPEG-DASH live streaming; those are server capabilities, not destinations automatically configured by the sample above.
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Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is to keep a YouTube channel live with uploaded videos, StreamNeo is a managed alternative to maintaining this FFmpeg-and-Nginx setup. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. StreamNeo loops the uploaded videos from the cloud, so nothing has to stay on at home. Each slot streams the upload as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot; it automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card required, one free day per account. Monthly service is $9.99 per month. StreamNeo plays uploaded videos to YouTube; it does not stream from a camera.
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