Use FFmpeg’s concat demuxer to read an ordered text playlist, then put -stream_loop -1 before the playlist input to repeat it indefinitely. Send the resulting feed to the RTMPS ingest URL and stream key for your YouTube Live event. The command below is a pattern, not a tested recipe: it assumes the files are compatible, and a genuinely nonstop stream also needs sufficient outbound bandwidth, process supervision, and a recovery plan.
How do I loop an FFmpeg concat playlist forever?
Create a plain-text playlist with the exact first-line marker and one file directive for each video, in the order you want them to play. For example, save this as playlist.ffconcat beside the clips:
ffconcat version 1.0
file 'clip-01.mp4'
file 'clip-02.mp4'
file 'clip-03.mp4'The marker must be the first line, spelled exactly, for automatic format recognition. The command below also specifies the concat demuxer explicitly. The playlist paths are interpreted in relation to the process’s working directory unless you use paths that identify the files elsewhere.
Run FFmpeg with the loop option before the input it applies to:
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ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -f concat -safe 0 -i playlist.ffconcat
-c copy -f flv 'rtmps://<youtube-ingest-endpoint>/<stream-key>'-stream_loop -1 requests infinite looping of that input. -re reads the files at their native rate rather than sending them as fast as possible. -c copy copies the audio and video streams instead of re-encoding them. -f flv selects the output container used in this command pattern. Replace the endpoint and key with the exact values shown for your YouTube event; the placeholders are not literal settings. FFmpeg options are order-sensitive: keep input options such as -stream_loop before the -i for the input they control. See the FFmpeg documentation and concat demuxer documentation.
-safe 0 allows paths that the concat demuxer’s default safety rules may reject. Use it only with a playlist and paths you trust; do not point an untrusted playlist at arbitrary files. Paths containing spaces or special characters need correct escaping or quoting. Test the command with the FFmpeg build installed on your server and with your actual media before relying on it for a public stream.
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Will the concat playlist play without gaps or errors?
Not necessarily. The concat demuxer joins files sequentially; it does not make different media formats compatible. FFmpeg requires the files to have the same streams, codecs, and time bases. As its documentation puts it, “All files must have the same streams (same codecs, same time base, etc.).” The demuxer adjusts timestamps so each file begins after the preceding one, but it does so globally. If the streams’ durations do not align, gaps can occur. Incorrect duration metadata can also cause artifacts.
When stream copy is appropriate
Use -c copy when the clips’ stream layouts, codecs, time bases, and relevant media properties are already compatible with one another and with the chosen output. Stream copy avoids the CPU work of encoding, but it does not reconcile incompatible inputs or smooth transitions between them.
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When to normalize or re-encode
If the playlist contains files with mismatched codecs, time bases, stream layouts, or unreliable duration metadata, prepare normalized files before streaming, or design an appropriate re-encoding and filtering workflow. The exact conversion settings depend on the source files and target stream; do not assume that adding -c copy will fix a mismatch. The concat demuxer supports a duration directive to override stored duration information, but use it only when you have a reliable duration for the file.
How do I stream prerecorded videos continuously to YouTube Live?
- In YouTube Studio’s Live Control Room, create or select the live event and obtain its stream URL and stream key. Follow YouTube’s live stream settings guidance.
- Use the event’s exact ingest URL and key in the FFmpeg output configuration. The example uses RTMPS; YouTube recommends RTMPS to encrypt the encoder-to-YouTube connection. Treat the key like a password: do not publish it or commit it to an openly accessible configuration file. See YouTube’s RTMPS guidance.
- Check YouTube’s current encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions for the codec, resolution, and frame rate you intend to send. Its guidance lists RTMP/RTMPS and H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1 video options; AAC or MP3 audio; CBR; frame rates up to 60 fps; and a recommended two-second keyframe interval, not exceeding four seconds.
- Choose the bitrate from YouTube’s applicable current table row for your codec, resolution, and frame rate; one bitrate is not universal. YouTube recommends 20% upload-bandwidth headroom above the stream bitrate. Its guidance also says, “The total bitrate you’re streaming cannot exceed the amount of upload bandwidth available.”
- Run a private or unlisted test with representative video motion and audio. Check the Live Control Room preview and stream-health alerts before relying on the setup for a public event.
These are encoder and ingest settings, not a guarantee that any particular source file or FFmpeg build will work unchanged. Check your installed build, output compatibility, audio, and actual stream health during a test.
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Can I run FFmpeg nonstop on a Hetzner server?
You can use a Hetzner-hosted server for this workflow if the specific server, location, and configuration can read the media and sustain the required outbound traffic. No particular Hetzner plan or region is established here as suitable: verify current provider specifications, availability, network terms, and costs for your intended location and workload. A plan’s headline network speed alone does not confirm sustained usable upload capacity.
- Measure or otherwise confirm actual outbound capacity for the selected host, then allow the 20% upload-bandwidth headroom YouTube recommends.
- With compatible inputs and stream copy, FFmpeg avoids video re-encoding work. The server still needs to read the files reliably and send the stream continuously.
- Supervise the FFmpeg process so it can be restarted after an exit or failure. Alert on process exit, encoder disconnects, low disk space, and YouTube stream-health warnings. These are continuity practices, not a tested Hetzner-specific configuration.
- Plan around YouTube’s archive limit: streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. Do not assume an uninterrupted archive for a stream longer than that; consider event duration and archive needs separately.
What should I check when the stream stops or has problems?
- FFmpeg rejects the playlist or a path: confirm the marker is exactly
ffconcat version 1.0on the first line, the file paths are correct, and special characters are escaped properly. Use-safe 0only for trusted playlist contents and paths. - Clips fail at a boundary or show artifacts: check that every file has the same streams, codecs, and time bases, and review duration metadata. Normalize incompatible files; use a duration override only when you know the correct duration.
- The feed does not loop: make sure
-stream_loop -1appears before the playlist’s-i. It is an input option and applies to the input it precedes. - YouTube does not receive the stream: verify the event’s exact ingest URL and stream key, confirm the key has not been exposed or changed, and check that the encoder output matches YouTube’s current settings. Test with a private or unlisted event before going public.
- Connection drops or stream health degrades: check the server’s actual outbound capacity, retain YouTube’s recommended bandwidth headroom, and inspect YouTube’s stream-health alerts. Configure process supervision and alerts so an FFmpeg exit or disconnect is noticed and recovery can begin.
- The live archive is incomplete or absent: check whether the event exceeded 12 hours. YouTube’s automatic-archive guidance applies to streams under 12 hours; longer sessions need a separate archive plan.
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Copyright and channel suitability
A working loop command does not establish that the videos are authorized for a YouTube broadcast or that a channel complies with YouTube’s policies. Confirm that you have the necessary rights to stream every video and its audio, and review YouTube’s current rules before scheduling a continuous broadcast. A long-running prerecorded feed is a technical format, not a substitute for rights or policy compliance.
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