Use OBS’s VLC Video Source to play prerecorded podcast episodes in sequence or loop them on a YouTube live stream. YouTube Studio scheduling handles the upcoming event and viewer reminders; it does not schedule the episodes inside OBS. The documented VLC playlist feature is not a clock scheduler, so episodes that must start at specific times need a separate, carefully tested automation layer.
What OBS and YouTube each schedule
These are two separate jobs. OBS plays media and sends the encoder feed. YouTube Studio creates the live event, its watch page, and the option for viewers to get reminders. Scheduling an event in YouTube does not make OBS start or switch episodes at particular times. See YouTube Help: Manage live stream settings and YouTube Help: Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder.
Set up an OBS playlist for continuous playback
1. Prepare and check the episode files
Keep the prerecorded files in a stable local folder and play each one before adding it to the broadcast. OBS’s Media Sources documentation lists supported media types and explains the VLC Video Source playlist options: OBS Project: Media Sources. If you need a queue of multiple files, use the VLC Video Source playlist rather than assuming several individual Media Sources will act as a timed playlist.
2. Install VLC with the matching architecture
The VLC Video Source requires VLC to be installed. OBS’s documentation notes that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. If the source is missing in OBS, check the VLC installation and architecture first.
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3. Add the playlist to a scene
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In OBS, create or select a scene for the podcast broadcast.
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Add a VLC Video Source to that scene and populate its playlist with the episode files in the intended order.
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Check the source properties before going live. “Loop Playlist” is on by default and “Shuffle Playlist” is off by default in the documented settings. Leave shuffle off for a fixed episode order; enable it only if you want randomized playback. Turn looping off if the queue should play once rather than repeat.
OBS explains how scenes and sources are arranged in its Sources Guide.
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4. Decide what happens when the source is hidden
The VLC source has visibility behavior options, including stopping when not visible and restarting when visible. If your production switches scenes, choose the behavior that fits the show: playback may continue, pause or stop depending on the source settings and workflow. Test scene changes rather than assuming that hiding the OBS window is the same as making the source invisible in the scene.
Schedule the YouTube live event and connect OBS
1. Create the event in YouTube Studio
In YouTube Studio’s Live Control Room, schedule a stream and set its event details and privacy. A scheduled stream can appear as upcoming, and viewers may opt in to reminders. YouTube’s labels and available settings can change, and eligibility or restrictions can vary by channel; use the current Live Control Room instructions in YouTube Help.
2. Configure OBS’s encoder connection
Use the stream URL and stream key provided by YouTube in OBS’s streaming configuration. Treat the stream key as a credential: do not publish it, include it in a screenshot, or share it with anyone who should not be able to send a feed to your channel. YouTube describes encoder connection settings in Manage live stream settings.
3. Start the feed and confirm the event
At the intended time, start streaming from OBS and check the Live Control Room preview and event status. Scheduling the YouTube event alone does not start the encoder feed. Follow YouTube’s guidance to prepare in advance, check the preview and monitor stream quality: YouTube Help: Streaming tips.
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Can OBS start each episode at a particular clock time?
The official OBS VLC documentation establishes playlist playback, loop and shuffle behavior, and visibility options; it does not document a built-in clock scheduler for starting individual files at specified times. A queue can play episodes one after another, but a requirement such as “Episode A at 9 a.m. and Episode B at noon” calls for a separate automation layer, such as a third-party OBS plugin. Plugin behavior can depend on its version and on how scenes and sources are configured.
An OBS forum thread started on January 2, 2023 describes one user’s attempt to schedule VLC files with Advanced Scene Switcher and reports a workaround, along with a case where the source did not pause when hidden. That is anecdotal, version-sensitive experience, not official OBS support or a guaranteed recipe: OBS Project Forums: “vlc-media-source schedule the video files”. Before relying on timed automation, check the current plugin documentation and test the exact OBS version, source behavior and scene transitions you plan to use.
Test before leaving a broadcast unattended
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Check that the playlist order, looping and shuffle settings match the intended show.
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Watch OBS’s audio meters and confirm that the episode audio is reaching the stream mix.
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Make a short recording or test stream, then check picture and sound in the YouTube preview.
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Verify that the scheduled event is reachable with the intended privacy setting and that scene changes do not interrupt playback unexpectedly.
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Monitor the stream’s quality during setup. OBS’s Quick Start Guide recommends checking audio and testing before streaming; YouTube also recommends preparation and monitoring in its streaming tips.
Eligibility, archives and nonstop-stream limits
YouTube says first-time live-streaming enablement can take up to 24 hours; that is an enablement delay, not the time needed to schedule an episode. Channel verification, restrictions and age eligibility can affect access. Check YouTube Help: Get started with live streaming before planning a launch.
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YouTube Help says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. That archive threshold does not guarantee uninterrupted operation for a nonstop stream, nor does it establish that a stream longer than 12 hours will be archived. Plan recordings and continuity separately if preserving the full broadcast matters.
Use only audio and video you have the rights to broadcast, and review YouTube’s current live-stream rules and channel restrictions before using music, clips, or other third-party material. A playlist that plays correctly in OBS does not establish that its contents are permitted on YouTube.
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