Use OBS Studio on the Windows mini PC: add your promo video as a looping Media Source, connect OBS to YouTube Live with the stream URL and key from YouTube Studio, then preview the feed before selecting Go live. For several promos, use OBS’s VLC Video source and enable Loop Playlist. Test the exact PC and internet connection before the promotion; “mini PC” alone does not tell you whether a system can sustain your chosen stream settings.
Before you set up the stream
Make sure the channel can go live
YouTube requires a verified channel with no live-streaming restrictions in the preceding 90 days. Enabling live streaming for the first time may take up to 24 hours, so check channel readiness well before the promotion. For a software encoder such as OBS, use YouTube’s encoder workflow in Live Control Room. YouTube’s encoder setup guide explains how to create or schedule the stream and connect an encoder.
Check the computer and connection
OBS lists Windows 10 or Windows 11 and a DirectX 10.1-compatible GPU among its basic requirements, but meeting them does not guarantee that a computer can stream reliably. The workload depends on the encoder, resolution, frame rate, and OBS scene. OBS supports hardware encoding options such as Intel Quick Sync on supported Intel graphics; hardware encoding can move encoding work from the CPU to a specialized component. Check the hardware and encoder in the particular Windows mini PC you are considering, then test that system with the intended scene and output settings. There is no universal minimum mini PC specification established for this workload. OBS system requirements and OBS hardware encoding describe the relevant requirements and options.
If you are shopping, compare a Windows mini PC for OBS streaming by its supported encoder and its ability to sustain your planned resolution and frame rate in your actual scene—not by its size or product category. No particular model is established as suitable without testing.
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Build a repeating promo in OBS
Loop one video file
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Install and open OBS Studio, then create or select the scene you will use for the promotion.
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In the scene’s Sources panel, select + and add a Media Source. Give it a recognizable name.
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In the Media Source properties, select the local promo file and enable Loop. OBS supports common video formats including MP4, MOV, MKV, and WebM.
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Check that the video fits the scene canvas and that its audio is intentional. Preview the scene and let the file reach its end to confirm that playback starts again.
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Loop multiple promo files
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Install VLC if it is not already installed. OBS requires VLC for its VLC Video source; 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC.
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In the scene’s Sources panel, select + and add VLC Video.
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Add the promo files to the source playlist in the order you want them to play, then enable Loop Playlist.
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Preview the full sequence, including the transition from the last file back to the first. Confirm each file’s framing and audio before sending it to YouTube.
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OBS documents the Media Source, VLC Video source, and their playback options in its media sources guide.
Create the YouTube stream and connect OBS
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In YouTube Studio, open Live Control Room and create or schedule a stream. Use the encoder workflow for OBS.
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Copy the stream URL and stream key shown in Live Control Room. YouTube describes the key as password-like: do not share it publicly. If it is compromised, a channel owner or manager can reset it.
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In OBS, open Settings > Stream, choose YouTube as the service, and enter the stream URL and key. YouTube recommends RTMPS where supported; copy the RTMPS URL from Live Control Room and use it if your OBS setup supports that transport.
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Apply the settings and start streaming from OBS. For a scheduled broadcast, wait for the feed to appear in the Live Control Room preview, check it, and then select Go live when you are ready.
Choose settings your connection and PC can sustain
Set resolution and frame rate to match the promo and the tested capacity of the computer and upload connection. YouTube recommends testing upload capacity and choosing settings that can be sent reliably. For H.264 at 1080p30, YouTube’s published recommendation is 14 Mbps. Its settings guidance lists CBR and recommends a two-second keyframe interval, with a maximum of four seconds. These are YouTube recommendations, not evidence that a particular mini PC or connection can sustain them. YouTube’s encoder settings guidance has the current recommendations.
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Use the actual output resolution and frame rate planned for the event; avoid choosing a target your upload or encoder cannot maintain.
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Use CBR and a two-second keyframe interval as YouTube recommends for the cited H.264 1080p30 settings; do not exceed four seconds.
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Run a representative test with the promo’s motion and audio. A static title card may not reveal the same encoding or playback issues as the full video.
Preflight, launch, and monitor the promotion
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YouTube recommends setting up the encoder at least two hours before an event and starting it at least 15 minutes beforehand. Use that time to confirm the stream connects and the preview is correct.
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Check the YouTube preview and watch page. Verify that the picture is framed correctly, audio is audible and appropriate, the promo loops as intended, and the stream-health messages show no issue requiring attention.
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Monitor audio, video, and stream health throughout the promotion. Keep the mini PC and its network connection available for the entire broadcast, and avoid relying on an untested scene or output change during the event. See YouTube’s live-streaming tips.
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When the promotion is finished, end the YouTube event and stop streaming in OBS. YouTube’s encoder guidance says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived.
Copyright and promotion checks
The streaming setup does not establish that you have permission to use every video clip, image, music track, or other asset in a retail promo. Confirm you have the necessary rights for the material you broadcast, and review requirements that apply to the promotion and the places where it is shown. Those questions depend on the assets and jurisdictions involved.
Common problems and fixes
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Live streaming is unavailable: verify the channel and check whether it meets YouTube’s verification and restriction requirements. If this is the channel’s first live stream, enablement may take up to 24 hours.
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The video stops instead of repeating: reopen the Media Source properties and confirm Loop is enabled. For a multi-file source, confirm Loop Playlist is enabled on the VLC Video source.
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VLC Video is missing or fails: install VLC and match its architecture to OBS. In particular, 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC.
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OBS connects but YouTube does not receive the feed: check that the stream URL and key were copied from the correct Live Control Room stream and entered in OBS. Treat the key as a credential; reset it in YouTube if it may have been exposed.
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The preview buffers or stream health reports trouble: test upload capacity and reduce the output demands to a combination the connection and encoder can sustain. YouTube’s 14 Mbps recommendation applies to H.264 at 1080p30; it is not a guarantee for your connection.
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The stream is silent, cropped, or has the wrong promo: inspect the OBS scene, source selection, canvas fit, and audio before going live. Test with representative content and confirm the Live Control Room preview rather than relying only on the OBS preview.
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Or let it run in the cloud
If the goal is an always-on YouTube loop without leaving a mini PC running at the store or home, StreamNeo runs uploaded videos from the cloud. Upload the promo, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. Nothing has to stay on at home; it plays the uploaded video rather than broadcasting from a camera. It supports the uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps at one flat price per slot, with no re-encode or quality tiers, and automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly pricing is $9.99 per month. Start your free first day with StreamNeo.
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