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OBS

OBS YouTube Stream Black Screen Between Playlist Videos: How to Fix It

Find where a black interval starts, check OBS Media Source or VLC Video settings, and separate playlist problems from encoder or connection issues.

By VGSources Team 3 min read
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First, find out where the black screen starts: watch OBS’s preview during the transition and compare it with a short local recording and YouTube playback. If OBS also goes black, check the media source, playlist, and scene visibility. If OBS and the recording look normal but YouTube does not, investigate the encoder and connection instead.

Locate where the blackout begins

  1. Watch OBS at the transition. Note whether the preview goes black as one video ends and the next begins.
  2. Record a short local test. Include a playlist boundary, then review the recording alongside OBS’s output.
  3. Compare with YouTube. Check the Live Control Room preview or delivered stream. If OBS and the recording also show the gap, start with source playback and visibility. If they look healthy but YouTube does not, follow the encoder and network checks below. A mismatch alone does not prove a particular cause; use the comparisons to narrow the investigation. OBS Media Sources; YouTube stream troubleshooting.

Check the OBS source against what you are playing

One file that should repeat

For a single local video, use OBS’s Media Source and enable Loop if it should repeat. Media Source also has a Show nothing when playback ends setting, enabled by default, that hides the source when its file finishes. Check it if a clip ends on black or disappears, but do not assume changing it will fix every gap between separate playlist items: OBS does not document it as a universal transition fix.

OBS lists formats including MP4, MOV, MKV, MP3, AAC, and WAV for Media Source. Confirm the file is supported and the intended source is visible in the active scene. OBS Media Sources.

Several local files in a playlist

OBS documents VLC Video as the source for a playlist. If VLC Video is unavailable, install VLC; OBS specifies that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. Check that the playlist contains the intended files in the right order, then inspect Loop Playlist if the list should repeat.

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Also inspect VLC Video’s Visibility Behaviour. Depending on the selected option, playback can continue, pause, or stop when the source is hidden. The documented default is to stop when not visible and restart when visible. If your video is in a scene that becomes hidden during a transition, this setting can matter. Test your actual scene and playlist rather than assuming one setting suits every setup. OBS Media Sources.

If OBS looks right but YouTube goes black

When OBS output and the local recording look healthy, check the stream’s delivery path rather than changing playlist settings at random. YouTube recommends inspecting the stream in the encoder and in a local archive, reviewing encoder errors and CPU load, and testing outbound internet connectivity when the encoder picture looks healthy. YouTube stream troubleshooting.

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  • Encoder view also shows the problem: investigate the OBS output and encoder status.
  • Encoder view and archive are healthy, but YouTube is not: review dashboard errors and CPU load, then test outbound connectivity.
  • Only one viewer reports black video: their local playback or network may be involved. Reports from viewers on different connections can point toward an encoder issue; reports alone do not establish the cause.

Test a real playlist boundary before broadcasting

Run a test long enough to reach an actual handoff between playlist items. Watch OBS output and YouTube’s Live Control Room preview, and review the local recording afterward. YouTube advises checking the Live Control Room preview before starting, monitoring audio and video quality during an event, and testing a live stream. Neither OBS’s source documentation nor YouTube’s guidance promises a gapless transition for every setup, so verify your own configuration. YouTube stream troubleshooting; OBS Media Sources.

Quick configuration comparison

Setup Best fit Check
Media Source One local clip, including a file meant to repeat Loop, “Show nothing when playback ends,” and source visibility. OBS.
VLC Video A playlist of multiple local files VLC installed and matching OBS bitness; playlist contents and order; Loop Playlist; Visibility Behaviour. OBS.
Encoder and network checks OBS output and local archive look healthy, but YouTube playback does not Encoder view, dashboard errors, CPU load, outbound internet. YouTube.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

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