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1. Check the VPS before installing
This walkthrough uses Ubuntu and its APT package manager. Ubuntu’s package archive lists FFmpeg for Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and 24.04 LTS, but the package version varies by release and architecture. Check the server’s release and use the version reported locally after installation rather than assuming every VPS has the same build. Ubuntu recommends installing through the package manager instead of manually downloading a package: Ubuntu package information for FFmpeg.
Before choosing a VPS for continuous streaming, check its operating system support, CPU capacity if you will transcode, storage for the source video, sustained outbound bandwidth, network route to YouTube ingestion, and terms for continuous streaming. The hosting location alone does not establish that a provider permits this use or that its connection will sustain your chosen stream settings.
2. Install FFmpeg on Ubuntu
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Refresh the package index:
sudo apt update -
Install FFmpeg:
sudo apt install ffmpeg -
Confirm that it runs and note the installed version:
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ffmpeg -version
If APT cannot find the package, confirm the server is running a supported Ubuntu release and that its package sources are available. The package version depends on the release and architecture; use the version shown by the command above for the actual VPS.
3. Prepare the video and choose output settings
Put the prerecorded video on the VPS and note its full path, for example /path/to/video.mp4. A loop does not make an incompatible file compatible automatically: input codecs, stream selection, FFmpeg build, CPU capacity, and output settings can all affect whether the command works or keeps up in real time.
YouTube currently lists RTMP/RTMPS ingestion; H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1 video; AAC or MP3 audio; CBR bitrate encoding; and frame rates up to 60 fps. It recommends a 2-second keyframe interval and says not to exceed 4 seconds. For H.264 at 720p30, its recommended bitrate is 5 Mbps; recommended bitrate varies with resolution and frame rate. These are YouTube’s platform recommendations, not a guarantee that a particular VPS has sufficient sustained upload capacity. See YouTube’s encoder settings and live-streaming guidance.
The example below sets 30 fps, a 2-second GOP, H.264 video, and AAC audio. Its 4,500 kbps video bitrate is an illustrative starting value, not YouTube’s 720p30 recommendation. Adjust frame rate, bitrate, and keyframe interval to suit the chosen output and what the VPS can sustain. For an output at 30 fps, -g 60 corresponds to 60 frames, or 2 seconds. The FFmpeg documentation explains its input/output and codec handling model: FFmpeg documentation.
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4. Get the YouTube RTMPS destination and stream key
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Open YouTube Studio’s Live Control Room and create or select the live stream you intend to use.
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Copy the stream URL and stream key shown for that stream. YouTube may show the ordinary RTMP URL by default; use the lock control to reveal the RTMPS URL.
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Keep the stream key private. Treat it like a credential: do not put it in a public script, screenshot, or repository.
YouTube recommends RTMPS, its secure extension to RTMP. For SSL connection errors, check that the destination uses rtmps; YouTube’s guidance also recommends trying port 443 when its SSL-error instructions apply. See YouTube’s RTMPS and encoder guidance.
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5. Start an infinitely repeating file stream
Replace the input path and destination placeholders with the actual values. Keep the RTMPS URL and stream key private, including when saving or sharing a command.
ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i "/path/to/video.mp4"
-c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -b:v 4500k -maxrate 4500k -bufsize 9000k
-pix_fmt yuv420p -g 60 -r 30
-c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100
-f flv "RTMPS_STREAM_URL/STREAM_KEY"
-rereads the input at its native rate rather than sending the file as fast as possible.-stream_loop -1repeats the input indefinitely.-c:v libx264and-c:a aacencode video and audio as H.264 and AAC. The VPS’s FFmpeg build must support the selected encoder.-b:v,-maxrate, and-bufsizeset the example video bitrate, rate ceiling, and buffer size; they do not create more network capacity.-pix_fmt yuv420pselects a commonly used pixel format, while-g 60 -r 30sets a 60-frame GOP at 30 fps.-f flvselects the output container used for this RTMP-family workflow.
This is a command pattern, not a tested guarantee for every file or VPS. If your source already has suitable codecs, a different stream mapping or encoding choice may be appropriate. Confirm FFmpeg’s output and YouTube’s stream status rather than assuming the process is healthy just because it remains open.
6. Test the broadcast and check stream health
Before depending on the loop, test with audio and movement similar to the planned stream. Watch the Live Control Room’s stream health and messages during the test. A running FFmpeg process alone does not prove YouTube is receiving a healthy or public broadcast. YouTube’s encoder guidance covers stream health monitoring and test practices: YouTube Help.
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7. Troubleshoot common failures
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ffmpeg: command not found: confirm the APT installation completed, then runffmpeg -version. If the package was not found, check the Ubuntu release and package sources. -
Input file cannot be opened: verify the full path, spelling, file existence, and that the account running FFmpeg can read the file.
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Unknown encoder or codec error: the installed FFmpeg build may not include the encoder or codec required by the command, or the input may need different mapping or settings. Check the local build and adjust the encoding approach.
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YouTube does not connect or reports an SSL error: verify that you copied the correct URL and key, use the RTMPS URL, and apply YouTube’s port 443 guidance if its SSL error instructions fit the failure.
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Stream health warns of instability: lower the selected bitrate or output settings to fit the VPS’s sustained upload capacity, and check the VPS’s network and CPU load. Re-test while monitoring YouTube’s messages.
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FFmpeg stays open but no healthy live feed appears: check the URL/key destination, FFmpeg error output, stream health, and whether the selected settings match the account and input. Do not treat an open process as proof of successful ingestion.
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