The Tool Desk
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What this method does
FFmpeg’s concat demuxer reads a text script and presents the listed media files one after another as a single input. The script controls the sequence; it does not create a YouTube playlist object. With -re and -stream_loop -1, FFmpeg paces file playback in real time and repeats the input indefinitely. See the FFmpeg concat demuxer documentation and FFmpeg command-line documentation.
This is a local-computer workflow: the machine running FFmpeg and its internet connection must remain available while it sends the feed. The example below is a template, not a tested, universal command. Check your installed FFmpeg version, input files, and the ingest details shown for your YouTube stream.
1. Create an ordered playlist file
In the folder containing your media, create a UTF-8 plain-text file named playlist.txt. Put this exact header on its first line, then list the files in the order you want them played:
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ffconcat version 1.0
file 'clip-01.mp4'
file 'clip-02.mp4'
file 'clip-03.mp4'The header must be the first line for automatic concat-format recognition. Paths are interpreted relative to the process working directory, so either run FFmpeg from the media folder or write paths that are correct from wherever you launch it. For subfolders, use appropriate relative paths, or absolute paths if necessary.
- Keep the default safe-path check when using suitable relative paths. The concat demuxer’s default
safe=1rejects paths it considers unsafe. - Use
-safe 0only when required, such as for absolute paths, and only when you trust the playlist contents: it permits arbitrary file names. - Quote or escape spaces and special characters according to the concat script’s syntax; shell quoting rules and concat-file quoting rules are not the same.
- If the directory changes, regenerate or edit the list before a broadcast. A running concat script does not automatically discover newly added files.
Details of paths, safe mode, script syntax, and file sequencing are in the FFmpeg concat demuxer documentation.
2. Check that the media files are compatible
Concat demuxing joins files; it does not make unrelated media formats compatible. FFmpeg requires the files to have matching streams, including codecs and time bases. Differences in dimensions, frame rates, audio layout, or stream structure can also make transitions problematic. The project documentation states: “All files must have the same streams (same codecs, same time base, etc.).”
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Probe the files with FFmpeg tools before going live. If their stream properties do not match, transcode them beforehand to a consistent set of video and audio parameters. Re-encoding uses CPU or GPU capacity and may change quality, but it is the safer general approach for mixed sources. Stream copying can reduce processing load when files are already compatible; matching file extensions alone does not guarantee seamless transitions.
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The concat demuxer uses each file’s duration to position the next one. Incorrect or unavailable duration metadata can cause artifacts. If you know a file’s duration accurately, a duration directive in the concat script can override its stored duration; do not guess at that value.
3. Get YouTube Live’s ingest details
- In YouTube Studio, open Live Control Room and create or schedule an encoder stream.
- Open the stream’s settings and copy the stream URL and stream key. The URL is the destination; the key identifies and authorizes your broadcast.
- Keep the key private. Do not publish it in a script, screenshot, or public log. If you expose or reset it, retrieve the active key again from YouTube Studio.
- Use the exact ingest URL form displayed for the stream. YouTube recommends RTMPS for encryption where available; follow the URL provided by Live Control Room.
For a scheduled broadcast, YouTube’s encoder setup flow includes a preview before you click Go live. Consult YouTube’s encoder setup instructions.
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4. Choose output settings and run FFmpeg
For compatible H.264/AAC MP4 files and an RTMP endpoint, this command shows the general pattern. It re-encodes video and audio to a consistent output, paces playback in real time, and loops the concat input without end:
ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -f concat -safe 0 -i playlist.txt
-c:v libx264 -pix_fmt yuv420p -preset veryfast -b:v 5M -maxrate 5M -bufsize 10M
-r 30 -g 60 -c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100
-f flv "$YOUTUBE_RTMP_URL/$YOUTUBE_STREAM_KEY"Here, -re and -stream_loop -1 are input options; -f concat selects the concat demuxer; -i playlist.txt supplies the ordered script; and -f flv selects the output format used in this RTMP implementation pattern. The destination shown joins environment variables for the URL and key. Set them securely in your shell rather than placing a real stream key in a shared script. Verify the precise destination format against the URL YouTube displays.
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Set bitrate, frame rate, and keyframes for the stream
YouTube’s current RTMP/RTMPS encoder guidance lists H.264, H.265, and AV1 video, frame rates up to 60 fps, AAC or MP3 audio, and constant bitrate (CBR). It recommends a keyframe frequency of two seconds and says not to exceed four seconds. For SDR, it also specifies progressive scan, square pixels, and Rec. 709; its advanced guidance recommends stereo AAC at 128 Kbps. These choices must match the actual output you configure in FFmpeg.
The following are YouTube’s H.264 bitrate figures on its encoder settings page, accessed 2026-10-03. Recommended bitrates are recommendations, not minimums:
| Output | YouTube recommended H.264 bitrate | YouTube listed minimum |
|---|---|---|
| 720p30 | 8 Mbps | 3 Mbps |
| 1080p30 | 14 Mbps | 5 Mbps |
| 1080p60 | 17 Mbps | 6 Mbps |
For a 30 fps output, -g 60 in the example requests a 60-frame GOP, equivalent to two seconds at that frame rate. If you change the frame rate, recalculate the GOP to preserve the intended keyframe interval. The example’s 5M bitrate is not a universal recommendation; choose a resolution and bitrate that fit your content and stable upload capacity. YouTube recommends testing ahead of time and checking that the connection can sustain the selected bitrate. Its full guidance is at YouTube encoder settings.
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5. Start, monitor, and end the broadcast
- Start FFmpeg and watch its output for input, encoding, or connection errors.
- In Live Control Room, confirm YouTube receives the feed and inspect the preview and stream health. Check picture, sound, and upload stability before promoting a scheduled broadcast.
- When the scheduled stream’s preview is ready, click Go live in Live Control Room.
- To finish, stop the FFmpeg encoder and use Live Control Room’s End Stream workflow where applicable.
YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. Do not assume an indefinitely looping FFmpeg input produces an indefinitely archived broadcast: the platform’s archive condition is separate from the source loop. See YouTube’s encoder setup instructions.
Common problems and fixes
- Concat errors or missing files: Check each listed path against the process working directory, confirm quoting and escaping, and use
-safe 0only if the chosen paths require it and the playlist is trusted. - Visual or audio glitches at file boundaries: Compare stream counts, codecs, time bases, dimensions, frame rates, audio layout, and duration metadata. Normalize incompatible files or correct a duration only when its accurate value is known.
- YouTube shows no preview: Recheck the active stream’s exact ingest URL and key, confirm FFmpeg is sending a format YouTube accepts, and verify that the key has not been reset.
- Dropped frames or unhealthy stream: Lower resolution or bitrate to fit measured, sustained upload capacity; use YouTube’s codec-specific guidance and test before the real broadcast.
- The feed ends after the listed files: Confirm
-stream_loop -1is present as an input option and that FFmpeg has not exited with an error. - The broadcast is not archived as expected: YouTube documents automatic archiving for streams under 12 hours; an infinite local loop does not override that condition.
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