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To loop a local video indefinitely and publish it to an RTMP endpoint from a Contabo VPS, put -stream_loop -1 before the input’s -i option and use -re to read the file at its native frame rate. A VPS running FFmpeg publishes to a destination; it does not automatically become an RTMP server.
Loop a video and publish it with FFmpeg
This template reads a file in real time, repeats it indefinitely, encodes video as H.264 and audio as AAC, and sends an FLV stream to an RTMP destination:
ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i /path/to/video.mp4
-c:v libx264 -c:a aac -f flv
'rtmp://RTMP_SERVER/APP/STREAM_KEY'Replace /path/to/video.mp4 with the media file’s actual path and replace the URL with the exact publishing address and stream key supplied by your destination service or configured RTMP server. The URL commonly contains a server, application and stream/playpath; its required form depends on the destination. FFmpeg’s documentation uses -re for real-time RTMP publishing and describes RTMPS as RTMP over SSL (FFmpeg protocol documentation).
Why the option order matters
-stream_loop -1 is an input option: it tells FFmpeg to repeat the following input indefinitely. Put it before that input’s -i. The value -1 means infinite looping. -re is also an input option; it reads the file at its native frame rate instead of sending it as fast as the machine can process it. See the FFmpeg command-line documentation.
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Encoding versus stream copy
The example explicitly encodes video with libx264 and audio with aac, then packages the output as FLV. Confirm that the receiving service accepts those codecs and container. If the input streams already match what the destination accepts, -c copy may avoid decoding and re-encoding. That is stream copy, not a universal substitute: compatibility depends on the input and destination formats. FFmpeg documents this distinction in its command-line documentation. No specific media file or endpoint is established here, so compatibility cannot be assumed.
Prepare the Contabo VPS
- Install or use an FFmpeg build available for the VPS operating system. The exact installation command depends on the distribution and package sources; no particular distribution or FFmpeg package version is specified here.
- Upload or copy the video to the VPS and note its full path. Check that the account running FFmpeg can read the file.
- Get the RTMP or RTMPS publishing URL and stream key from the destination. Treat the key as a password: do not publish it in scripts or logs that other users can read.
- Run the command template, substituting the actual file path and complete destination URL. Watch FFmpeg’s output for connection, authentication, input-read, or encoding errors, and confirm reception at the destination.
- If the process must continue after you disconnect from SSH or recover after a restart, run it under a persistent process manager or configure a service with an appropriate restart policy. Choose and verify the setup for your operating system; no specific manager or restart policy is prescribed here.
The FFmpeg documentation is regenerated nightly and describes its newest revision; the FFmpeg package installed on your VPS may differ. Check the version and options available in that installed build before relying on behavior that may vary by version.
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Do you need to open an RTMP port?
It depends on the direction of the connection. If FFmpeg on the VPS publishes outward to a streaming provider or another server, the VPS is the publisher and does not need an inbound RTMP port opened merely to send the stream. Contabo’s documentation says that when its network firewall is activated, “All inbound traffic is blocked from the moment a firewall is activated; the customer decides what is allowed in.” It also says outbound traffic is unrestricted (Contabo Product Documentation: Firewall).
If the VPS itself is meant to receive RTMP connections, FFmpeg alone is not enough: configure and operate an RTMP server separately. Then allow the server’s required inbound protocol and port in the Contabo network firewall, and check the guest operating system’s firewall too. Choose the port based on the RTMP server configuration rather than assuming every setup uses the same one. Contabo documents that its firewall supports TCP, UDP and ICMP rules, with specified sources and ports or ranges (Contabo Product Documentation: Firewall).
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Choose the right publishing approach
| Decision | When it fits | What to account for |
|---|---|---|
| Publish outward to an existing endpoint | You have a destination service or separately hosted ingest server. | Use the exact URL and key from that destination. The VPS sends the stream; it is not the receiving server. |
| Host an RTMP server on the VPS | You need the VPS to accept incoming RTMP connections. | Set up and maintain the RTMP server, allow its inbound traffic through both firewalls, and provide clients with the configured endpoint. |
Transcode with libx264 and aac |
The destination requires those output codecs or the source needs conversion. | FFmpeg must decode and encode the media. The example is a template; no VPS CPU benchmark or performance guarantee is established. |
Use -c copy |
The source streams are already compatible with the destination and output container. | It avoids decode-and-encode work, but may fail when formats are incompatible. Verify against your actual source and endpoint. |
| Use RTMPS instead of RTMP | The destination supports secure RTMP transport. | Use the destination’s supplied secure URL. FFmpeg describes RTMPS as RTMP over SSL; support and exact address depend on the receiving service. |
Troubleshoot common failures
- The video plays only once: confirm that
-stream_loop -1appears before the relevant-i, and that it is attached to the correct input. - The stream races through the file or ends early: use
-rebefore the input to read at its native frame rate, as in the example. - FFmpeg cannot connect: check the endpoint spelling, server, application and stream key against the destination’s instructions. Confirm whether it expects RTMP or RTMPS.
- The destination rejects the stream: verify that it accepts FLV output with H.264 video and AAC audio. If considering
-c copy, verify source and destination compatibility rather than assuming it. - Publishing works until SSH disconnects: run FFmpeg in a persistent process manager or service; a plain interactive shell may end with the session.
- Clients cannot connect to an RTMP server hosted on the VPS: check that the RTMP server is configured and running, then check the required inbound rule in Contabo’s network firewall and the VPS operating system’s firewall.
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