To restart FFmpeg when it exits, run it under a process supervisor such as systemd. If FFmpeg stays alive but its network output fails, use FFmpeg’s output-side FIFO recovery instead; if the input source disconnects, use reconnect options appropriate to that input protocol. These are different failure modes, and no single setting reliably fixes all three.
First identify what stopped working
Before changing flags, check whether FFmpeg exited, is still running with a stalled output, or has lost its input. The right recovery mechanism depends on where the failure occurred.
| Observed failure | Recovery layer to consider | Important boundary |
|---|---|---|
| FFmpeg process exited | An operating-system process supervisor, such as systemd on Linux | It can relaunch an exited process, but cannot fix a bad command, invalid credentials, or an unavailable host. |
| FFmpeg remains running, but output has a transient network error | FFmpeg’s FIFO pseudo-muxer recovery options | This is output-side recovery; retry behavior depends on the error and options. |
| The input source disconnected | Protocol-specific input reconnection, or a timeout that lets the process exit so a supervisor can restart it | HTTP and RTSP examples do not apply automatically to other input protocols. |
FFmpeg’s format documentation describes FIFO output recovery, while FFmpeg-user discussions illustrate HTTP reconnect settings and an RTSP timeout followed by a systemd restart. Those mailing-list examples are individual configurations, not guarantees for another source, build, or service.
Check the FFmpeg version and actual failure
Verify the local build
Record the installed FFmpeg version and consult its local command and format documentation before copying options. The FFmpeg documentation page explains that the online documentation is regenerated from the newest revision; an older installed build may not support every current option.
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Use logs and process status
Look at the FFmpeg log and your service manager’s status output. Establish whether the process exited, is alive but unable to write to the destination, or has lost its input. Note the first relevant error and its time; repeated later messages may only be consequences of the original failure.
Restart an exited FFmpeg process with systemd
On a Linux host that uses systemd, configure FFmpeg as a service and set a restart policy. A FFmpeg-user mailing-list post dated January 6, 2025, describes one user’s arrangement using Restart=always and RestartSec=5, with an input timeout intended to make FFmpeg exit when an RTSP source is unreachable. This is an example reported by one user, not a universally tested service unit. Adapt it to your operating system, systemd version, input, and destination rather than treating it as a copy-paste recipe.
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In your service configuration, the key policy concept is to restart after the process exits and to wait before trying again. A delay helps avoid a tight restart loop if a camera, network, or configuration problem persists. Ensure the command itself can terminate when its input is irrecoverable; otherwise a supervisor may see a process that remains alive but is no longer producing the intended stream.
Keep the destination URL and stream key in protected configuration, not in a public script, shared log, or source repository. Use the receiving platform’s current ingest instructions: the platform and ingest protocol for this church stream are not specified here.
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Recover a failed output while FFmpeg stays alive
FFmpeg’s FIFO pseudo-muxer has output-side recovery options including attempt_recovery, recovery_wait_time, and max_recovery_attempts. Its documentation notes that some error classes are not retried by default; recover_any_error can broaden which errors are retried. Consult the documentation for the local FFmpeg build and configure the options for the actual output protocol.
FIFO recovery is not a universal “reconnect” switch. It targets output failures while the FFmpeg process is running. It does not restore a disconnected input, repair incorrect stream credentials, or restart a process that has already exited. Avoid unlimited or rapid retries without considering resource use, logs, and what happens when an error is permanent.
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Handle input disconnections by protocol
Input reconnect behavior varies by protocol and build. A January 31, 2025, FFmpeg-user discussion concerns reconnect settings for an HTTP input; it should not be generalized to RTSP, a capture device, or another source. For an RTSP source, the January 6, 2025, mailing-list example instead describes a timeout followed by an external systemd restart.
Check the documentation for the exact input protocol and the locally installed version. Decide whether the input should reconnect within FFmpeg or whether a timeout should make FFmpeg exit so the supervisor can relaunch it. Do not assume that output FIFO recovery will repair an input disconnect.
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Validate recovery without risking the live service
- Choose a safe test window. Avoid experimenting during a service the congregation depends on; use a test destination or planned maintenance period.
- Test input and output separately. Interrupt the source connection, then separately simulate an output interruption where practical. These exercise different recovery layers.
- Check the result at both ends. Confirm the process or service returns as expected and verify that the viewer-facing destination resumes, rather than relying only on a “running” process status.
- Review logs and credentials. Look for repeated failures or a restart loop, and confirm that logs and saved configuration do not expose the stream key.
- Confirm the permanent-error behavior. A missing device, invalid destination, or bad credential may not clear through retries. Make sure the logs make that failure visible and that someone can correct its cause.
This is a recommended validation procedure, not a claim that a particular configuration has been tested for your church.
If the church serves HLS itself
If your own server publishes HLS, rather than sending a stream to a platform’s ingest endpoint, FFmpeg’s segment muxer can generate an M3U8 playlist. The FFmpeg format documentation describes the segment muxer and the live playlist-list flag. Segment boundaries depend on keyframes; the documentation says the muxer works best with a single constant-frame-rate video and cautions that splits may not land accurately at intended times unless keyframes align. This local HLS workflow does not establish that any particular platform accepts HLS ingest.
Common recovery problems
- The service keeps restarting. The underlying input, output, host, or command problem may still be present. Use a restart delay, inspect the first failure in the logs, and fix the cause rather than shortening the delay.
- The service says active, but viewers see no stream. A running FFmpeg process does not prove that input and output are healthy. Check the log and destination; use the recovery layer matching the failed side.
- FIFO does not recover the failure. The error may not be retried under the selected options, or the failure may be on the input side. Consult the local FIFO documentation and identify the failing connection.
- A copied reconnect option is rejected or ignored. It may not exist in your installed build or may apply to a different protocol. Check local documentation and confirm the exact input type.
- Restarting does not restore the stream. A supervisor can relaunch a process, but cannot resolve permanent causes such as invalid credentials, a missing source device, a bad destination, or a failed host.
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