If FFmpeg keeps showing one cartoon, check which input has -stream_loop -1 in front of it. That option loops the next input indefinitely: if the input is one video, that video repeats. To cycle through several cartoons, make a concat-demuxer playlist and loop the playlist input instead.
Without your command, playlist and FFmpeg version, it isn’t possible to identify the exact misconfiguration. The steps below distinguish the common cases and show how to check the stream setup.
Choose the input you actually want to repeat
To repeat one video
FFmpeg documents -stream_loop as an input option, and -1 means infinite looping. Put it immediately before the -i for the video you want to repeat:
ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i cartoon.mp4
-c:v libx264 -c:a aac
-f flv 'rtmps://INGEST_URL/STREAM_KEY'This is a schematic example, not a tested command for your files or machine. Replace the placeholder with the RTMPS ingest URL and stream key from YouTube Live Control Room. Choose encoding settings that suit the desired output and your computer and connection. Do not publish or share a real stream key: YouTube treats it as a password.
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To cycle through several cartoons
Create a playlist file, for example playlist.ffconcat, with one entry per item:
ffconcat version 1.0
file 'cartoon-01.mp4'
file 'cartoon-02.mp4'
file 'cartoon-03.mp4'Then pass the playlist as the input and place the loop option before that input:
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ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -f concat -safe 0 -i playlist.ffconcat
-c:v libx264 -c:a aac
-f flv 'rtmps://INGEST_URL/STREAM_KEY'The concat demuxer reads entries in sequence as though their packets had been joined together, then the loop repeats that playlist. -safe 0 allows paths the demuxer would otherwise reject as unsafe; use it only with a playlist you control.
For this stream-copy-style concatenation, the inputs need compatible streams, codecs and time bases. Inaccurate duration information can produce artifacts at file boundaries. If the sources differ, normalize them or use FFmpeg’s concat filter and re-encode where appropriate rather than assuming the demuxer can join them cleanly. See the FFmpeg documentation for the concat demuxer and the FFmpeg concatenation FAQ.
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Check why the same cartoon keeps returning
- Mark each input. In the complete command, find every
-i. FFmpeg input options apply to the next input, so-stream_loop -1must precede the-ifor the file or playlist you mean to repeat. - Check what that input is. If it points to one cartoon, repeating that cartoon is the expected result. If it points to a playlist, inspect its entries, paths, order and the input actually selected for output.
- Look for an external restart. A shell script, wrapper, service manager or container may restart FFmpeg with the same file after it exits. That is different from FFmpeg looping an input; inspect the restart command and its input.
- Check transitions. If playback breaks or shows artifacts between files, verify stream compatibility and duration/timestamp behavior. Files needing conversion may require the concat filter and re-encoding.
- Use input pacing appropriately. For prerecorded files,
-rereads at the media’s native rate so it can be sent as a live stream. FFmpeg cautions against using it on an actual live input.
Configure YouTube ingest and encoder settings
- In YouTube Live Control Room, use the ingest URL and stream key configured for the broadcast. YouTube explains these settings in its live stream settings guide.
- Prefer RTMPS, which encrypts the feed between your encoder and Google’s servers. See YouTube’s RTMPS guidance.
- Match codec, resolution, frame rate and bitrate to YouTube’s current live encoder settings and bitrate guidance. Its accessed H.264 recommendations list 5 Mbps minimum and 14 Mbps recommended at 1080p30, and 3 Mbps minimum and 8 Mbps recommended at 720p30. These are YouTube recommendations, not guarantees of stream quality; check the current table and ensure your connection can sustain the chosen bitrate.
- For RTMP/RTMPS, YouTube lists H.264, H.265/HEVC and AV1 as supported codecs, frame rates up to 60 fps, and CBR. Its guidance recommends a two-second keyframe frequency, not exceeding four seconds. Test with representative motion and audio, then monitor stream health in Live Control Room.
- After starting FFmpeg, wait for the preview and check stream health. If YouTube reports no incoming signal, verify the URL, key and connection before changing the media loop.
Know what a 24/7 loop does—and does not—guarantee
Looping the input controls media playback; it does not ensure FFmpeg stays running, your network remains available or YouTube keeps receiving the feed. Those are separate operational concerns. Likewise, YouTube’s encoder setup guidance says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. That statement does not establish that one uninterrupted 24/7 broadcast will be saved as a single complete archive; confirm archive behavior for your channel and workflow.
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