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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchTo stream a folder of videos continuously to YouTube from Ubuntu Server, create an ordered FFconcat playlist, then run FFmpeg with real-time pacing, a compatible video and audio output, and the stream URL and key from YouTube Studio’s Live Control Room. This works best when the clips share compatible stream layouts, codecs, and time bases; otherwise, normalize or re-encode them before relying on the playlist.
Before you start
You need an Ubuntu Server with FFmpeg installed, a folder of source videos, enough upload bandwidth, and a YouTube channel eligible to livestream. YouTube’s live-streaming guidance requires a verified channel with no live-streaming restriction in the previous 90 days and sets a minimum age of 16. See YouTube’s getting-started guidance for current eligibility rules.
Use a test stream or an unlisted stream first. This workflow is version- and account-dependent: check the FFmpeg build and protocol support on your server, and use the current ingest URL and stream key shown for your stream in YouTube Studio. It has not been established for every Ubuntu release or FFmpeg build.
Get the YouTube ingest URL and stream key
- Open YouTube Studio and go to the Live Control Room.
- Create or select a stream, then locate its current server URL and stream key in the stream settings.
- Choose the ingest protocol configured for that stream. YouTube recommends RTMPS for typical encoder streams; RTMPS is RTMP over TLS/SSL. Confirm that your FFmpeg build supports the protocol and TLS combination.
YouTube’s encoder setup instructions say, “To start streaming, enter your YouTube Live server URL and stream key into your encoder.” Treat the key like a password: do not put it in a public script, screenshot, shell history, or logs. The key is appended to the server URL in the format YouTube supplies.
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For a scheduled event, starting the encoder and going live may be separate actions: start the encoder, confirm the incoming preview in Live Control Room, and then select Go live when that control is presented.
Check and prepare the video files
The FFmpeg concat demuxer is suited to an ordered playlist when files have compatible streams, codecs, and time bases. It does not automatically make unlike clips compatible. Mixed resolutions, frame rates, codecs, audio layouts, or other stream differences can cause errors, artifacts, or gaps; normalize those files to a consistent profile first, or use a decode/filter/re-encode workflow.
For compatible files, stream-copying avoids another encode generation and its associated quality loss, while decoding and re-encoding can handle more format differences at the cost of CPU and possible quality loss. Neither approach guarantees gapless transitions for every playlist. Incorrect or estimated durations can also cause timestamp artifacts or gaps.
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Create an ordered FFconcat playlist
From the directory containing your media, create a text file named playlist.ffconcat. The first line must be exactly ffconcat version 1.0; add one file directive for each clip in playback order. For example:
ffconcat version 1.0
file 'videos/intro.mp4'
file 'videos/episode-01.mp4'
file 'videos/episode-02.mp4'Use relative paths in the playlist where practical. FFmpeg’s concat demuxer defaults to safe-path checking; under that setting paths must be relative and use a restricted portable character set. Avoid disabling safe-path checks for playlists you do not trust. See the FFmpeg concat demuxer documentation for the script format and compatibility conditions.
The demuxer joins timestamps as files follow one another; playlist order is the order of the file directives. Validate the actual playlist on the installed FFmpeg build, especially at clip boundaries. The documentation for input looping does not promise gapless playback for every multi-file or heterogeneous playlist.
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Choose YouTube-compatible output settings
YouTube’s encoder recommendations include H.264 video, CBR (constant bitrate), AAC or MP3 audio, and a keyframe interval of two seconds (no more than four seconds). Recommended bitrate depends on resolution and frame rate; for H.264, YouTube lists 10 Mbps for 1080p at 30 fps and 12 Mbps for 1080p at 60 fps. These are examples from its settings table, not universal values. Check the current YouTube encoder settings and bitrate table for your chosen output.
Set the output resolution and frame rate deliberately. Sending an output profile that exceeds the source does not restore detail that is absent from the clips. For sources with different frame rates or dimensions, use a consistent output profile and filter/re-encode when needed rather than assuming stream-copy will produce a uniform feed.
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Run FFmpeg and verify the playlist
The command below is a template, not a ready-to-run command: replace the placeholders with your paths, selected output settings, current YouTube URL and protected key. Do not paste a real key into a command that will remain in shell history or appear in logs. A protected secret store or carefully permissioned environment file is safer; ensure the expanded URL is not exposed by command logging.
ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -f concat -safe 1 -i playlist.ffconcat
-map 0:v:0 -map 0:a:0
-c:v libx264 -b:v VIDEO_BITRATE -minrate VIDEO_BITRATE -maxrate VIDEO_BITRATE -bufsize VIDEO_BUFFER
-g KEYFRAME_INTERVAL -keyint_min KEYFRAME_INTERVAL -sc_threshold 0
-c:a aac -b:a AUDIO_BITRATE
-f flv 'YOUTUBE_SERVER_URL/YOUR_STREAM_KEY'This illustrates the main pieces: -re paces stored media in real time, -stream_loop -1 requests infinite input looping, the concat input reads the playlist, -map selects the first video and audio streams, and the FLV muxer sends the encoded output to the RTMP(S) endpoint. The H.264, bitrate, keyframe, and audio options need to match the output profile you selected. Set a two-second keyframe interval in frames for the chosen frame rate (for example, 60 frames at 30 fps); do not copy the placeholder values literally. If a file lacks audio or the playlist’s streams differ, revise the mappings or normalize/re-encode the inputs instead of assuming this template fits.
FFmpeg documents -stream_loop -1 as infinite input looping and supports FLV/RTMP output; see its FFmpeg documentation and concat demuxer documentation. Confirm behavior on your installed build and test transitions with your actual files.
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- Start with an unlisted or otherwise suitable test stream.
- Check that Live Control Room shows an incoming preview with both picture and sound before making a scheduled stream public.
- Watch at least one playlist transition and confirm the feed continues into another loop.
- Monitor the server process, FFmpeg output, and upload connection during operation. Do not expose the stream key when sharing diagnostic logs.
YouTube recommends setting up encoders at least two hours before an event and starting them at least 15 minutes beforehand. Those are event-readiness recommendations, not technical prerequisites for every personal stream.
Common problems and fixes
- Black screen or missing video: confirm the selected input has a video stream, check the
-mapselection, and inspect Live Control Room’s incoming preview. If clips differ in format or stream layout, normalize or re-encode them to a consistent profile. - No sound: check whether every clip has an audio stream and whether the selected audio mapping exists. A playlist with some silent files may need a deliberate audio strategy rather than a fixed
-map 0:a:0assumption. - Playback stops, gaps, or artifacts between clips: verify playlist paths and order, then check stream compatibility and duration metadata. The concat demuxer expects compatible inputs; test transitions and normalize or re-encode unlike clips. Infinite input looping is documented, but gapless playback at every playlist boundary is not guaranteed.
- FFmpeg rejects a path: check that the playlist begins with the exact required header and that paths meet safe-path rules. Use trusted relative paths rather than disabling safety checks indiscriminately.
- YouTube shows no incoming stream or disconnects: check the current server URL and key in Live Control Room, confirm protocol support in the installed FFmpeg build, and review the FFmpeg error output without sharing the key. YouTube recommends RTMPS for ordinary encoder streams.
- Buffering or unstable delivery: verify upload throughput and keep YouTube’s recommended 20% bandwidth headroom above total outgoing bitrate, including any backup feed.
Stop the stream and keep your own archive
Stop the FFmpeg encoder and use the relevant end-stream controls in Live Control Room for your stream type. YouTube says streams shorter than 12 hours are automatically archived after the encoder stops. That archive behavior is not a substitute for keeping source files locally if you need your own copy.
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