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Use OBS Media Source to loop one product-demo video; use VLC Video when you want several clips to play as a playlist. Both are sources you add to an OBS scene, and neither replaces configuring OBS as the encoder for YouTube Live.
Which OBS source should you use?
| Need | Choose | Loop behavior | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Repeat one local video file | Media Source | Enable Loop; it is off by default. | The simpler option for a single demo clip. |
| Play multiple local files in sequence or shuffle | VLC Video | Loop Playlist is on by default in OBS documentation. | Requires VLC installed; for 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC. |
OBS documents these source settings in its Media Sources guide (dated January 11, 2022). The guide does not name a current OBS release, so check the labels in your installed version if they differ.
How do I loop one video in OBS?
- Choose a scene. In OBS, select the scene that should show the demo, or create one. Scenes contain the sources that make up the stream layout; see the OBS Sources Guide.
- Add a Media Source. In the Sources panel, choose the add control and select Media Source. Give it a recognizable name and select the local video file in its properties.
- Turn on Loop. Enable Loop so the file starts again when playback ends. This setting defaults off.
- Choose activation behavior. Restart playback when source becomes active defaults on. If the source becomes hidden and visible again, this determines whether it starts over. Close file when inactive defaults off; leave it off if you want the file to remain open while the source is inactive.
- Place the demo in the scene. Resize and position the source in the preview. Check source order and overlays so labels or graphics do not cover important product details.
How do I loop a playlist in OBS?
- Install VLC. OBS’s VLC Video source depends on the VLC installation. OBS specifies that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC.
- Add a VLC Video source. In the selected scene’s Sources panel, add VLC Video. If it is unavailable, confirm VLC is installed and its bitness matches OBS.
- Add the demo files. Add the local videos to the source playlist in the order you want. With Shuffle Playlist off (the default), OBS preserves that order.
- Set playlist looping. Leave Loop Playlist on to restart the list after its last item; OBS’s documentation says this is on by default. Turn on shuffle only if you want playback order randomized.
- Review visibility behavior. The VLC Video source defaults to stopping when it is not visible and restarting when it becomes visible. Account for that if you switch scenes or hide the source during a live stream.
- Arrange the scene. Position and size the playlist source and review overlays, just as you would for a single clip.
Looping a source is not the same as going live
Media Source and VLC Video control playback inside OBS. You still need to configure OBS as the encoder in YouTube Live and connect it to the correct stream setup separately. In YouTube Live Control Room, follow the current encoder instructions and check that the preview shows the intended scene before starting the broadcast.
YouTube says Live Control Room detects encoder settings and transcodes live streams into output formats for viewers on different devices and networks. Its encoder guidance recommends testing with representative audio and video before the event, checking that the upload connection can sustain the selected quality, and monitoring stream health while live. See YouTube’s live encoder settings.
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Relevant YouTube encoder settings
The following are YouTube recommendations, not universal minimum requirements. YouTube’s help page was accessed October 3, 2026; choose settings that your actual upload connection can sustain.
- 1080p at 60 fps, H.264: YouTube recommends 17 Mbps and lists 6 Mbps as the minimum bitrate.
- 1080p at 30 fps, H.264: YouTube recommends 14 Mbps and lists 5 Mbps as the minimum bitrate.
- Keyframes: YouTube recommends a 2-second frequency, with a maximum of 4 seconds.
- Audio over RTMP/RTMPS: AAC or MP3; YouTube recommends 128 Kbps for stereo audio.
These figures apply to the named resolution, frame rate, codec, and audio context. They are not a reason to choose a bitrate your connection cannot reliably upload.
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Check eligibility and rights before streaming a demo
YouTube’s live-stream overview says a channel must be verified, must not have had live-streaming restrictions in the past 90 days, and the streamer must be at least 16 years old. Live content must follow YouTube’s Community Guidelines and Terms of Service; YouTube may restrict live streaming. Review the current YouTube live-streaming overview because eligibility and policy details can change.
Make sure you have permission to use everything in the demo, including music, voice-over, product footage, and any third-party material. A video file playing successfully in OBS does not establish that it is cleared for a public live stream. Check the channel’s rights and platform obligations before broadcasting.
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Test the loop and stream before launch
- Play through a full clip—or enough of the playlist to confirm the intended order—and verify that it restarts as expected.
- Listen for audio levels, silence, clipping, or unexpected gaps at clip boundaries.
- Check that the scene crop, text, and overlays leave the product visible at the intended output resolution.
- Run a YouTube encoder test with representative video and audio, then check stream health messages during the event.
- If you switch scenes, test what happens when the media source becomes hidden and visible again.
Troubleshooting common problems
The Media Source stops after one playback
Open the source properties and enable Loop. Media Source looping defaults off.
The VLC Video source does not appear
Install VLC, then restart or reopen OBS and check the source menu again. Match the installation to OBS: 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC.
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The playlist ends instead of starting over
Open the VLC Video source properties and check Loop Playlist. OBS documentation says it defaults on, but confirm the setting in your installed version.
Clips play in an unexpected order
Check the playlist order and turn off Shuffle Playlist if you need a fixed sequence. Shuffle defaults off in the OBS documentation.
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The video restarts or stops after a scene change
Review the source’s visibility settings. Media Source’s restart-when-active option defaults on, while VLC Video defaults to stopping when hidden and restarting when visible. Adjust scene behavior and test the transition before going live.
YouTube reports stream-health issues
Check the encoder’s bitrate, keyframe interval, audio settings, and the stability of the upload connection. Use YouTube’s recommendations as a guide, test before the event, and reduce quality if the connection cannot sustain the selected settings.
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