To schedule different OBS playlists during a 24/7 YouTube stream, put each content block in its own OBS scene and use Advanced Scene Switcher macros to change scenes at the times you choose. YouTube Studio schedules and manages the broadcast; OBS plays the files and switches between them. The computer running OBS must remain on and connected for this do-it-yourself setup.
Choose a schedule that fits your programming
First decide whether blocks should change at fixed clock times or when a playlist finishes. A clock-based schedule might switch from one documentary collection to another every evening; an end-of-file schedule starts the next set only after the current one finishes. OBS’s VLC Video source can play a playlist, but its loop and shuffle controls do not create a clock-based timetable by themselves.
- Clock-based: Make a separate scene for each block and automate scene changes with date/time conditions.
- Sequential: Arrange files in the desired order in a playlist. Confirm how playback behaves at the end of the list and test it before relying on unattended operation.
Keep video files in stable local folders, and give scenes and sources descriptive, consistent names. OBS documents support for local video files and VLC-based playlists: OBS media sources.
Set up playlists and scenes in OBS
Install VLC for the VLC Video source
OBS’s VLC Video source requires VLC to be installed. Match the architecture: OBS says a 64-bit OBS installation needs 64-bit VLC. If the source is missing, check VLC installation and restart OBS.
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Add a playlist source
- In OBS, select the scene for the first programming block, or create one in the Scenes dock.
- In the Sources dock, select +, choose VLC Video, and create the source.
- In the source properties, add the local video files to the playlist in the order you want. Choose whether the playlist should loop or shuffle.
- Repeat for each content block, using separate scenes where the blocks need different schedules. Add any overlays or audio sources needed for that block.
- Preview each scene and verify that its files play correctly from their saved locations.
For one video that should repeat, OBS’s standard Media Source has a Loop option. A community alternative, Media Playlist Source, describes playlist, folder, and shuffle functions; its listed release requires OBS 31 or later. Confirm compatibility with your installed OBS version before installing it: Media Playlist Source.
Automate clock-time scene changes
Advanced Scene Switcher provides macros with conditions and actions, including date/time conditions and scene actions. For its listed version 1.36.1, the resource specifies OBS 31.1.1 or later. Check the plugin page for the current compatibility details before installing or upgrading: Advanced Scene Switcher.
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- Install a compatible Advanced Scene Switcher release and open its dock or settings in OBS.
- Create a macro for each scheduled boundary. Configure a date/time condition for when the block should begin and an action that switches to its OBS scene.
- Make the schedule unambiguous: decide which scene should be active before the first change, what happens overnight, and whether the schedule repeats daily or varies by date.
- Test each macro at its boundary and run a representative full cycle. Confirm that the intended scene becomes active and its playlist plays as expected.
- Back up the OBS scene collection and plugin settings before upgrades or major schedule edits.
These are the plugin’s documented capabilities, not a guarantee that an unattended setup will remain operational. Test after OBS or plugin updates.
Schedule the YouTube broadcast separately
A scheduled YouTube broadcast is not the same thing as the OBS playlist timetable. YouTube Studio manages the broadcast; OBS sends the encoder feed and supplies the media content. Google’s API documentation likewise treats broadcasts and streams as separate resources that can be bound together. API automation can manage broadcast resources, but it does not set up local OBS playlist playback.
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- In YouTube Studio, open the Live Control Room and create or schedule the broadcast.
- In OBS, configure the YouTube stream URL and stream key for the encoder connection. Keep the key private.
- Start the encoder feed from OBS. For a scheduled encoder stream, YouTube’s workflow is to wait for the preview in Live Control Room, then select Go live.
- If the channel has never streamed live before, allow for YouTube’s stated activation time: enabling live streaming for the first time may take up to 24 hours.
YouTube says, “Scheduling a stream lets you promote your stream.” See Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder. For programmatic broadcast management, consult Google’s liveBroadcasts and liveStreams API documentation.
Plan for session boundaries and failures
Account for YouTube archiving
YouTube Help states that streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. It does not promise the same automatic archiving for a single stream longer than 12 hours. For a 24/7 channel, verify YouTube’s current behavior and decide how to handle successive broadcast sessions or another supported arrangement rather than assuming one uninterrupted session will be archived.
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Test the cases that can interrupt programming
- A playlist ends or a file is missing: Check the source playlist, file paths, and end-of-playback behavior. Test with the actual media before leaving the stream unattended.
- OBS restarts: Confirm the correct scene, source playback, macros, and encoder connection after a restart.
- The network drops: Test reconnection and establish an alert or operator recovery path. Scene-switching automation is not an uptime guarantee.
- A scene change coincides with a session boundary: Test the transition and broadcast handoff together, not only as separate tasks.
- You update OBS or a plugin: Recheck plugin compatibility and rerun the schedule tests before relying on it.
Which scheduling approach should you use?
| Approach | Best for | Schedule behavior | Main caveat |
|---|---|---|---|
| OBS VLC Video playlist in one scene | A fixed ordered or shuffled file set | Plays playlist items; can loop or shuffle | Requires VLC; playlist controls alone do not provide a clock-based timetable. |
| Multiple OBS scenes plus Advanced Scene Switcher | Different blocks at particular times | Macros can use date/time conditions and scene actions | Requires compatible plugin setup and testing of transitions and recovery. |
| Media Playlist Source plugin | Playlist editing through a media-source-style plugin | Its author describes playlist, folder, and shuffle functions | Community plugin; the listed release requires OBS 31 or later, and compatibility can change. |
| YouTube Live Streaming API | Programmatic management of scheduled broadcast resources | Manages broadcast and stream resources | Does not configure local OBS playlist content. |
Choose based on whether your schedule is clock-based or end-of-file, whether playback must be ordered or shuffled, your willingness to install plugins, compatibility with your OBS version, and how you will handle broadcast-session boundaries.
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