To stream a radio station to YouTube from a Mac mini, capture the station’s audio in OBS Studio, add an authorized still image or other visual, and send the feed to YouTube Live with the server URL and stream key from YouTube Studio. With OBS Studio 30 or later on macOS 13 Ventura or later, OBS can capture desktop audio or audio from a selected app directly. Test the full stream before broadcasting, and confirm the station has permission to make its programming available on YouTube.
Before you set up the stream
Confirm the station’s rights
Technical access to a radio stream does not establish permission to rebroadcast it. Ask the station or relevant rights holders whether the licenses and agreements cover making the planned programming available on YouTube, including the intended territory and duration. Rights depend on the station, repertoire, contracts, territory, and platform rules; operating a station does not by itself confirm YouTube simulcast rights.
Identify where the audio comes from
- Station playing on the Mac: Capture audio from the browser or other application playing the station.
- External receiver, mixer, or console: Feed its audio output into a suitable Mac audio input or interface, then capture that input in OBS. The exact connection depends on the equipment; not every setup needs an extra interface.
Check your macOS release and OBS version before choosing the capture method. The native OBS method below requires macOS 13 Ventura or later and OBS Studio 30 or later.
Create a YouTube Live stream
- Open YouTube Studio and select Create > Go live.
- In Live Control Room, use the Stream tab to create a stream or schedule one. Set the title, visibility, and other metadata you need.
- Copy the server URL and stream key shown in Live Control Room. If available, use the RTMPS URL: YouTube describes RTMPS as RTMP over TLS/SSL. Its default URL view may show RTMP, so reveal the RTMPS address if you want to use it.
- Keep the stream key private. It is a credential that allows an encoder to send video to your channel; reset it if it is compromised.
YouTube says the first live stream requires a verified channel and no live-streaming restriction during the previous 90 days. Check channel eligibility before planning a broadcast.
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Capture the station audio in OBS
For audio playing on the Mac
- Open the station player or application and start playback.
- In OBS, select the scene you will use and add a macOS Audio Capture source.
- Choose desktop audio capture to capture all desktop audio, or choose the station application if you only want that app’s audio.
- Watch the OBS audio mixer while the station plays. The meter should respond. If it does not, do not assume YouTube will receive audio: check the selected app or capture mode and test again.
OBS documents this native capture source for OBS Studio 30 and later on macOS 13 Ventura and later. Older macOS versions may require additional audio-routing software and a manual multi-output-device setup; the steps depend on the specific macOS release and routing tool, so use instructions that match your system rather than assuming this method applies.
For an external audio input
- Connect the receiver, mixer, or console to the Mac’s audio input or an appropriate audio interface.
- In OBS, add an Audio Input Capture source to the scene and select the correct input device.
- Play the station feed and check that the OBS mixer meter responds.
macOS may require permission to use audio input. On macOS Ventura or later, open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone, enable access for OBS, then restart OBS after changing the permission.
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Avoid capturing the same device both as a global audio device and as an active source in the scene unless you have checked the routing: OBS warns that duplicate capture can cause echo.
Add a visual and set streaming quality
YouTube Live is an audio-and-video stream, even when the program is a radio station. In OBS, add a still image, approved station logo, or show art, and include useful station-identification text if appropriate. Confirm you are authorized to use the visual as well as the audio.
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For RTMP or RTMPS, YouTube documents H.264 video, AAC or MP3 audio, constant bitrate encoding, and a recommended two-second keyframe interval that should not exceed four seconds. For stereo audio, its recommendations are 44.1 kHz and 128 kbps. Use the YouTube settings guidance for your chosen resolution rather than guessing a video bitrate: even a static image is sent as video, and the right setting depends on resolution and stable upload capacity.
- Choose a modest resolution and frame rate for a mostly static scene, while keeping the video settings compatible with YouTube’s current guidance.
- Set the keyframe interval to two seconds; do not exceed four seconds.
- Use constant bitrate encoding and an audio codec supported by YouTube’s RTMP/RTMPS guidance.
- Check that your available upload capacity can sustain the selected settings, then confirm stream health in Live Control Room during a test.
Enter the destination and run a test
- In OBS, open Settings > Stream, choose the service or custom server option appropriate to your OBS version, and enter the YouTube server URL and stream key from Live Control Room.
- Start an unlisted or private test. Wait for the incoming preview in Live Control Room.
- Check the preview and listen on a separate device. Confirm the station audio is audible, the image is legible, and there is no echo or duplicate audio.
- Check stream health and stability before using the setup for a real broadcast. YouTube recommends testing and monitoring audio and video quality during the event.
For a scheduled broadcast, start sending from OBS, wait for the Live Control Room preview, then select Go live. Starting the encoder feed does not, by itself, complete that documented scheduled-stream step.
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Go live, monitor, and finish
During the broadcast, keep an eye on the OBS audio meter and YouTube’s stream preview and health indicators. If the station feed stops, the image disappears, or the connection becomes unstable, address the source or encoder issue before continuing to rely on the stream.
When the broadcast is over, stop the encoder and end the live stream in YouTube Studio as directed by the interface. YouTube says streams shorter than 12 hours are automatically archived; verify the archive is available if you need it.
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Troubleshooting common problems
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| OBS mixer shows no audio | Wrong capture source or mode, unsupported OS/OBS combination, or missing input permission | Confirm the station is playing; check the selected app or device; verify the OBS and macOS versions; for external input, check Microphone permission and restart OBS after changing it. |
| Echo or doubled audio | The same device may be captured as both a global device and a scene source | Review OBS global audio devices and scene sources, then disable the duplicate capture. |
| YouTube does not show an incoming preview | Incorrect server URL or stream key, encoder not sending, or stream setup mismatch | Compare the URL and key with Live Control Room and confirm OBS is actively streaming. Reset the key if it may have been exposed. |
| Preview appears but audio is missing | OBS is sending video without the intended audio source or the wrong input is selected | Check the OBS mixer while the station plays, confirm the correct source is active, and listen to the preview from another device. |
| Stream health is poor or unstable | Selected video settings may exceed stable outbound capacity, or the connection may be fluctuating | Use YouTube’s current settings guidance for the selected resolution, lower the video demand if needed, and test again while monitoring stream health. |
Or let it run in the cloud
If you want a YouTube channel to keep looping uploaded radio recordings without leaving the Mac mini on, StreamNeo is a cloud option. Upload your recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It plays uploaded videos rather than broadcasting a live microphone or station feed.
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- Automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream.
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