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To stream a RadioDJ playlist to YouTube around the clock, run RadioDJ’s AutoDJ on a Windows PC and use a separate encoder to send that PC’s audio to YouTube Live. RadioDJ’s reviewed documentation describes automated playlist playout, but does not document a native YouTube Live output. You will need a Windows computer that can remain on and connected, audio routing the encoder can capture, a YouTube stream key, and music rights that cover the broadcast.
What you need before you start
- A Windows PC: RadioDJ lists Windows 10 and Windows 11 as supported. Its feature page gives baseline requirements of a 1 GHz CPU and 8 GB RAM, and lists .NET Framework 4.8 for RadioDJ v2+. The RadioDJ home page separately says .NET Framework 4.7 or later for v2, so check the requirement for the specific version you install. RadioDJ’s feature list was last updated February 7, 2025; the home page is also an official reference.
- Your music library and a rotation plan: Have audio files ready and decide how you want tracks grouped and rotated.
- A separate streaming encoder: The encoder captures the computer’s audio output and sends it to YouTube. RadioDJ’s reviewed pages do not prescribe a particular encoder or universal audio-capture configuration.
- YouTube Live access: You will need the server URL and stream key shown for your stream in YouTube Studio.
- Broadcast rights: Make sure you are entitled to stream every track, including any recordings or other third-party material in the playlist.
Set up RadioDJ for unattended playlist playback
- Install RadioDJ on the Windows PC and add your audio library.
- Organize tracks into categories, subcategories, or genres that suit your station. Configure the rotation rules so AutoDJ has a defined pool and order for selecting music.
- Set any rules you need to avoid repeating a track, artist, or album within a chosen interval. RadioDJ’s feature list describes those rotation controls, scheduled events, and playlist advancement.
- Enable AutoDJ and verify that it generates and advances the playlist as expected. RadioDJ’s FAQ explains that AutoDJ builds the playlist from the rotation rules you configure. The FAQ also distinguishes automated mode, which plays files through the playlist, from assisted mode, which stops after each file. Use automated mode for continuous unattended playback. See the feature list and RadioDJ FAQ.
Route RadioDJ audio through a separate encoder
RadioDJ plays through a Windows-supported sound device; the encoder must capture the output carrying that playback. The practical setup is RadioDJ for playout plus a separate encoder for the YouTube transmission. The reviewed RadioDJ documentation does not specify a particular encoder or Windows audio-routing method for YouTube, so the exact device choice depends on your encoder and PC configuration.
- Set RadioDJ to play through the Windows audio device you intend the encoder to capture.
- In the encoder, select the corresponding audio input or capture source. Follow that encoder’s documentation for the exact device selection; do not assume the same virtual or hardware device name applies to every Windows setup.
- Play a test track in RadioDJ. Confirm that the encoder’s audio meter moves and that its preview contains the expected sound. If either is missing, fix the audio route before connecting or starting the broadcast.
Connect the encoder to YouTube Live
- In YouTube Studio, open Live Control Room and create or select the stream you intend to use.
- Copy the YouTube server URL and stream key into the encoder’s streaming settings. YouTube’s encoder instructions describe this URL-and-key workflow and the Live Control Room process.
- Keep the stream key private. It authorizes an encoder to send content to your channel; do not publish it or include it in screenshots or shared setup notes.
- Start the encoder, then check the YouTube preview and stream status before making the broadcast public or announcing it. Confirm that both the picture and audio behave as intended; a radio playlist still needs an appropriate live-video feed through the encoder.
- For a public program with an advance watch page and reminders, YouTube also describes scheduling a stream in Live Control Room. See its encoder setup guide.
Plan around YouTube’s archive limit
YouTube states that streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. A continuous 24-hour broadcast should therefore not be treated as one video that YouTube is guaranteed to save automatically. If you need an archive, schedule separate sessions shorter than 12 hours and check the current behavior and resulting videos in YouTube Studio. This archive limit is separate from whether AutoDJ can keep RadioDJ playing continuously. YouTube’s encoder instructions cover the stated archive behavior.
Clear music rights and understand Content ID interruptions
Only include music and recordings for which you have the necessary rights to stream on YouTube. YouTube scans live streams for third-party content; a match can replace the live video with a placeholder or interrupt or terminate the stream. YouTube also cautions that licensed third-party content may still be interrupted if the rights holder has not added your channel to its Content ID allowlist. Owning a copy of a track or having a general license does not, by itself, establish that the stream will avoid a Content ID interruption. Review YouTube’s copyright guidance and arrange any needed permissions or allowlisting with the rights holder before broadcasting.
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Choose where the station runs
You can run RadioDJ and the encoder on an existing Windows PC or dedicate a separate Windows host to the station. The first option avoids buying hardware if your current computer meets RadioDJ’s requirements and can stay online. A dedicated host separates the station from your everyday work, but still needs a dependable power and internet connection and a plan for restarts. The available product documentation establishes RadioDJ’s operating-system and baseline PC requirements; it does not benchmark encoder load or establish a recommended PC model. YouTube’s API documentation describes continuous live-feed scenarios and distinguishes a broadcast (a distinct video) from a stream (the transmission settings and content feed), but those API concepts are not configuration steps required for this basic encoder setup: YouTube Live API guide.
Troubleshoot common failures
The encoder meter is not moving
RadioDJ may be playing to a different Windows audio device from the one the encoder captures. Check the playback device in RadioDJ and the selected input or capture source in the encoder, then test again. The exact routing fix depends on the Windows and encoder configuration.
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YouTube is not receiving the stream
Recheck that the encoder has the server URL and stream key for the stream selected in Live Control Room. Check the encoder’s connection status and YouTube’s preview before trying to go live. If the key has been exposed, replace it in YouTube Studio and update the encoder with the new key.
The playlist stops advancing
Confirm that RadioDJ is in automated rather than assisted mode, that AutoDJ is enabled, and that the configured rotation rules have eligible tracks. RadioDJ’s FAQ describes how AutoDJ generates a playlist from those rules.
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The live stream is interrupted after music begins
A third-party-content match may have triggered YouTube’s live-stream protections. Check YouTube’s stream status and copyright information, then resolve rights or Content ID allowlisting with the relevant rights holder. Do not assume that restarting the encoder resolves the underlying rights issue. See YouTube’s copyright guidance.
A 24-hour session does not appear as one archived video
YouTube’s stated automatic archive behavior applies to streams under 12 hours, not a single 24-hour session. If you need saved sessions, plan shorter broadcasts and verify the resulting archives in YouTube Studio. See YouTube’s encoder instructions.
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Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is a continuous YouTube stream of uploaded recordings rather than RadioDJ’s live PC audio output, StreamNeo is a cloud option: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It loops uploaded videos from the cloud, so nothing has to stay on at home. StreamNeo streams to YouTube only; it does not broadcast from a camera.
- One flat price per slot for any uploaded quality, up to 4K 60fps, with no re-encode or quality tiers.
- Automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream.
- The first day is free, with no card required; one free day per account.
- Each slot includes one always-on stream, 10 GB of storage per slot pooled across active slots, 24/7 looping and playlists, automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream, and support from the StreamNeo team. The product is the same on every plan; only the billing length changes.
- Billing options are daily, weekly, monthly, six months, or yearly; cancel any time. UPI and cards are available in India, and card checkout is available worldwide. For five or more slots, contact support.
The monthly option is $9.99 per month. Start the free day at StreamNeo registration.
Quick Recap
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