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To loop a prerecorded video on YouTube Live from a DigitalOcean Droplet, create a YouTube live event, copy its current RTMPS server URL and stream key, then run FFmpeg with -stream_loop -1 to repeat the file and -re to send it at real-time speed. The Droplet runs the encoder; YouTube still controls when the event starts, how long it remains live, and whether it is archived.
What you need before starting
- A YouTube channel with access to live streaming and a live event created or scheduled in YouTube Studio.
- A Linux DigitalOcean Droplet with FFmpeg installed and enough CPU capacity for your chosen encoding settings. No minimum Droplet size is established here; test the actual workload before relying on it.
- A video file accessible from the Droplet and a network path capable of sustaining the selected output bitrate.
- The event’s current YouTube ingestion URL and stream key. Treat the key as a password: someone who has it may be able to send video to your event.
A Droplet is the virtual machine that runs FFmpeg. You can send the file directly from FFmpeg to YouTube; DigitalOcean’s separate SRS Marketplace image is optional, not a requirement for this workflow. See DigitalOcean’s FFmpeg tutorial, the SRS Marketplace listing, and DigitalOcean’s Droplet limits for their respective details.
Create the YouTube Live event and get its stream details
- In YouTube Studio, select Create → Go Live.
- Use the Stream tab to create a new event, or the Manage tab to schedule one.
- Copy the server URL and stream key shown for that event. Use the values YouTube currently displays rather than a sample endpoint or an assumed permanent URL.
- For a scheduled stream, be prepared to confirm the incoming preview and select Go live in Live Control Room when the event is ready. Sending video from FFmpeg does not necessarily start a scheduled event by itself.
YouTube recommends RTMPS. Its ingestion guidance requires an RTMPS address with the correct hostname, path and key, using port 443; the hostname matters for TLS SNI. Consult the current YouTube encoder settings and YouTube live-stream ingestion protocol guide when setting up the event. FFmpeg describes RTMPS as RTMP over a secure SSL connection in its protocol documentation.
Prepare and check the video
Make sure the media file is on the Droplet or otherwise reachable by FFmpeg. Before committing to a long broadcast, run a short test with representative motion and audio. Confirm that YouTube accepts the incoming feed and that the resulting picture and sound are correct.
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YouTube’s current encoder guidance lists H.264, H.265/HEVC and AV1 video, up to 60 fps, constant bitrate (CBR), and a recommended keyframe interval of 2 seconds that should not exceed 4 seconds. AAC or MP3 audio is supported for RTMP/RTMPS. Choose a bitrate from the current YouTube resolution and frame-rate table, then check that the Droplet can encode at that rate and its outbound connection can sustain it. Requirements can change, so use the current YouTube settings guide rather than treating an example bitrate as universal.
Run FFmpeg with an indefinite input loop
Use -stream_loop -1 before the input it applies to. The -re option reads the file at its native rate so FFmpeg sends it as live media rather than as fast as the server can process it. This illustrative command re-encodes video as H.264 and audio as AAC:
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ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i "/path/to/video.mp4"
-c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -b:v VIDEO_BITRATE -maxrate VIDEO_BITRATE -bufsize BUFFER_SIZE
-g GOP_FRAMES -c:a aac -b:a 128k
-f flv "rtmps://YOUTUBE_INGEST_HOST/YOUTUBE_PATH/STREAM_KEY"- Replace
/path/to/video.mp4with the real path to your file. - Replace
VIDEO_BITRATEandBUFFER_SIZEwith values selected for your target output and YouTube’s current guidance. - Replace
GOP_FRAMESwith the number of frames in a 2-second interval: for example, 60 frames at 30 fps. Choose the value for your actual frame rate; the example is not universal. - Replace the RTMPS host, path and stream key with the exact event details from YouTube. Keep the key private.
- Check that your installed FFmpeg build includes the encoder and RTMPS support required by the command.
This is a command template, not a tested command for every FFmpeg build, input file or Droplet. Re-encoding gives you control over the outgoing format but uses server CPU. If a file already has compatible codecs and timestamps, stream-copying may reduce encoding load, but its compatibility depends on the file and ingest conditions; test it before relying on it. DigitalOcean’s tutorial documents -stream_loop -1 for repeating an input indefinitely; check syntax against the FFmpeg version installed on your server. See the FFmpeg documentation.
Start the stream and monitor it
- Run the command in a terminal session on the Droplet and watch FFmpeg’s output. Check for connection failures, timestamp warnings, encoder overload and unexpected process exit.
- Open the event in YouTube Live Control Room. Confirm that the preview appears and review stream health and encoder warnings.
- If the event is scheduled and the interface requests it, select Go live after checking the preview.
- Observe at least one file boundary.
-stream_loop -1repeats the input, but does not make the transition seamless; the end-to-start cut or audio may be noticeable.
YouTube recommends testing with representative motion and audio and monitoring stream health during the broadcast. Keep the Live Control Room open when practical so you can see warnings and event status.
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Understand what looping does—and what it does not
-stream_loop -1 makes FFmpeg repeat the input; it does not guarantee that the YouTube event stays live indefinitely, that FFmpeg survives a server or network failure, or that YouTube keeps an archive forever. YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. That statement is not a promise of an indefinitely running event or an archive for streams lasting 12 hours or longer. For longer broadcasts, plan how you will stop and restart sessions, and verify current YouTube behavior for your intended runtime in the YouTube live-streaming instructions.
Also check YouTube’s policies before streaming prerecorded material. Having a working encoder does not grant rights to music, gameplay footage or other material in the video, and repeating content does not by itself establish eligibility for monetization. Review YouTube’s channel monetization policies and obtain the rights or permissions needed for the content you broadcast.
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Troubleshoot common problems
- YouTube shows no preview or FFmpeg cannot connect: re-copy the server URL and key for the correct event; check the RTMPS hostname, path and port 443; confirm that the Droplet can reach the endpoint and that the FFmpeg build supports RTMPS.
- The stream connects but YouTube reports poor health: compare resolution, frame rate, bitrate, CBR and keyframe interval with YouTube’s current guide. Check whether the Droplet is CPU-bound or its network path cannot sustain the output.
- The picture or sound is missing or rejected: verify the source file and chosen codecs. Re-encoding to a supported video and audio format can help when source compatibility is uncertain, but it increases CPU use.
- The command exits or stops looping: inspect FFmpeg’s last log lines for file-access errors, timestamp issues or an encoding failure. Confirm the input path is readable and that
-stream_loop -1appears before the corresponding-i. - The loop has a jarring cut: the loop repeats the file; it does not edit the boundary. Adjust the source video and audio if you need a smoother transition, then test the revised file.
- The feed arrives, but the event is not public/live: check the event state in Live Control Room. A scheduled workflow may require you to verify the preview and explicitly start the event.
Or let it run in the cloud
If maintaining a Linux server and FFmpeg process is more work than you want, StreamNeo is a cloud service for keeping a YouTube channel live from uploaded videos. Upload a recording or make a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. It loops the video in the cloud, so nothing has to stay on at home. Any quality up to 4K 60fps streams as uploaded at one price per slot, and StreamNeo automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly is $9.99 per month.
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