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How to Set Up OBS to Replay Gaming Videos on a YouTube Stream

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To replay a recorded gaming video on YouTube Live, add it to an OBS scene as a Media Source, enable Loop if you want it to repeat, then connect OBS to YouTube with the stream URL and key from Live Control Room. You do not need a capture card for a video file already on your computer.

How do I add a video source in OBS?

  1. Choose a scene. Use an existing scene or create one in OBS. A scene combines sources such as your game, camera, graphics and audio. Add or arrange those other elements only if you want them in the broadcast.
  2. Add the recording. In the Sources dock, click the plus button, choose Media Source, and select your local gaming video. OBS documents support for MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF and WebM files. See the OBS Project’s Media Sources guide.
  3. Set how it plays. Enable Loop to play the file again when it ends. Enable Restart playback when source becomes active if you want playback to begin again when the source becomes visible in the current scene. Select Show nothing when playback ends if you do not want the last frame to remain on screen.
  4. Position the clip. In the Sources list, sources higher in the list appear over those below them. Use the eye icon to show or hide a source. Put the video above the game source if it should cover the game; place it below an overlay if the overlay should remain visible. OBS explains layer order and visibility in its Sources Guide.

How do I loop several gaming videos?

For multiple files, add a VLC Video Source and configure its playlist. OBS lists looping and shuffling among the playlist options. VLC must be installed; if you use 64-bit OBS, OBS says to install 64-bit VLC. For one file, a regular Media Source is the simpler option. Check the OBS Media Sources guide for the current source controls.

How do I send the OBS scene to YouTube Live?

  1. In YouTube Studio, open Live Control Room and create or select a stream.
  2. Copy the stream URL and stream key shown for that stream. In OBS, open Settings > Stream and enter the connection details. YouTube describes the stream key as the credential that identifies the feed sent by your encoder; keep it private, as you would a password. See YouTube’s live stream settings guide.
  3. Start the OBS output and wait for the encoder preview in Live Control Room. Confirm the video and audio are correct there before starting the public broadcast.

What OBS and YouTube settings should I use?

There is no single bitrate that suits every resolution, frame rate, connection and stream format. Start with OBS’s Auto-Configuration Wizard for a hardware- and network-aware baseline, then test the actual scene. OBS recommends checking your audio meters and testing with a recording or test stream; see its Quick Start Guide.

  • Connection: YouTube advises testing your upload capacity and leaving room for network variation. Its streaming tips recommend 20% headroom; total stream bitrate should not exceed available upload bandwidth. Details: YouTube streaming tips.
  • Rate control: YouTube’s encoder guidance recommends CBR.
  • Keyframes: YouTube recommends a 2-second keyframe interval and says not to exceed 4 seconds.
  • Frame rate: YouTube’s encoder guidance supports up to 60 fps. Choose resolution, codec and bitrate for the stream format and target quality rather than applying one bitrate to every setup.

Use YouTube’s current encoder settings, bitrates and resolutions for the target quality you choose. A test should include the replay, game sound, microphone and any other audio sources: a video that plays correctly in OBS can still be inaudible or too loud in the outgoing mix.

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Do I need a capture card to stream a recorded gaming video?

No. A file stored on your computer plays through OBS Media Source. A capture card is relevant when you need to bring a live signal from an external console or device into OBS, not when replaying a recording. OBS lists capture cards and other devices as video capture sources in its Sources Guide.

If you are capturing a game as it runs rather than replaying a file, note that OBS Game Capture is Windows-only. On other platforms, OBS points users to options such as Display Capture, Window Capture or macOS Screen Capture, depending on the system.

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Check rights for the footage and soundtrack

Before broadcasting a replay, make sure you have the rights needed for both the game footage and any music or other third-party material in the recording. YouTube’s livestream terms and conditions say that the content provider represents that they have the necessary rights to use live content on Google services, including music licensing rights. Owning or playing a game does not by itself establish that you can livestream every part of its footage or soundtrack; the applicable permissions depend on the content and rights involved.

Troubleshooting OBS gaming-video replays

  • The video does not appear: Confirm the source is visible using its eye icon, is positioned where you expect in the Sources stack, and points to the correct local file. If it is behind an opaque game capture or graphic, move it above that source.
  • The clip stops at the end: Enable Loop in the Media Source properties. If the clip should restart after being hidden and shown again, enable Restart playback when source becomes active.
  • The final frame stays on screen: Enable Show nothing when playback ends. This matters when looping is off or playback otherwise ends.
  • A playlist source is unavailable: Install VLC and make sure its architecture matches OBS. OBS specifies 64-bit VLC for 64-bit OBS.
  • YouTube does not show an incoming preview: Recheck the stream URL and key in OBS’s Settings > Stream against the selected stream in Live Control Room. Treat the key as a credential and replace it if it has been exposed.
  • The stream buffers or drops: Test upload capacity, reduce the chosen output load if needed, and preserve YouTube’s recommended bandwidth headroom. Confirm that total bitrate stays within the connection’s usable upload capacity.
  • The picture works but audio does not: Check OBS audio meters and the audio routing for the Media Source, game and microphone, then verify sound in YouTube’s encoder preview before going live.
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