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For a Linux-based 24/7 YouTube playlist stream, use OBS’s VLC Video Source, add your local video files, and enable Loop Playlist. Set OBS to YouTube’s recommended settings for your chosen codec, resolution, and frame rate—typically CBR with a 2-second keyframe interval for RTMP/RTMPS—and test the full path to YouTube before relying on it. A looping playlist does not by itself guarantee an uninterrupted stream.
Set up a playlist in OBS on Linux
- Install OBS Studio and VLC. OBS requires VLC for the VLC Video Source option; on 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC so their architectures match. If VLC Video Source does not appear, check the VLC installation and architecture.
- In OBS, create or select the scene for the stream. In Sources, click + and choose VLC Video Source.
- Add the local video files to the source’s playlist. Enable Loop Playlist so playback repeats after the final item.
- Play through representative portions of the playlist, including audio and motion, before going live. Container and codec support depends on the installed playback stack and the individual files, so do not assume every file will play correctly without a test.
OBS describes VLC Video Source as similar to Media Source, with playlist support and extended media support through VLC libraries. Its Media Source documentation lists video containers and formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM, and audio formats including MP3, AAC, OGG, and WAV. The list is not a guarantee that every codec or file will play reliably on every Linux setup. OBS media sources documentation.
Check source visibility when changing scenes
OBS documents the VLC source’s default Visibility Behaviour as stopping playback when the source is not visible and restarting it when visible. If you switch scenes during the broadcast, review that setting: a source hidden by a scene change may stop and restart rather than continue playing in the background. OBS media sources documentation.
For a single repeating video
If the stream uses one file rather than a playlist, use OBS’s ordinary Media Source and enable its Loop control. Use VLC Video Source when you need a list of files or its VLC-backed playback support. OBS media sources documentation.
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Configure YouTube’s ingest settings
For standard RTMP-style streaming, YouTube recommends RTMPS for encrypted transport to its servers. Choose settings for the codec, resolution, and frame rate you actually select in OBS; do not mix bitrate recommendations from different codec tables. The figures below are YouTube Help’s recommended H.264 ingestion bitrates, not guarantees about what a particular Linux machine or internet connection can sustain. YouTube’s encoder guidance recommends CBR and a 2-second keyframe interval; the interval should not exceed 4 seconds. For SDR, use Rec. 709. YouTube Help: encoder settings.
| H.264 output | YouTube-recommended bitrate |
|---|---|
| 720p at 30 fps | 4 Mbps |
| 720p at 60 fps | 8 Mbps |
| 1080p at 30 fps | 14 Mbps |
| 1080p at 60 fps | 17 Mbps |
| 1440p at 30 fps | 21 Mbps |
| 1440p at 60 fps | 34 Mbps |
These are YouTube Help recommendations; the page does not display a publication year. YouTube provides separate bitrate tables for H.265 and AV1, so consult the row for the codec you use rather than applying the H.264 values to another codec. Leave upload headroom and check that your connection can sustain the selected bitrate. YouTube Help: encoder settings.
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Keep RTMP/RTMPS and HLS settings separate
HLS is an alternative output mode, not a set of extra settings to copy into an ordinary RTMP/RTMPS stream. YouTube’s HLS guidance requires 1–4 second segments in TS format, a rolling playlist with no more than five outstanding segments, and HTTPS POST/PUT. YouTube lists OBS among encoders that support HLS output. HLS has different requirements and higher latency than the standard RTMP-style setup. YouTube Help: HLS ingestion.
Test the whole stream before leaving it running
- Use representative material from the playlist, including its loudest or most varied audio and scenes with motion.
- Check that the upload connection can sustain the bitrate you selected, with headroom, and test before the intended long-running broadcast.
- Open YouTube Live Control Room and confirm that it receives the expected picture and sound.
- During the stream, monitor YouTube’s stream-health status and messages so you can respond if the incoming stream develops a problem.
YouTube Help says, “Make sure to test before you start your live stream.” Testing and monitoring can reveal problems, but neither OBS’s loop control nor YouTube’s recommendations establish a guaranteed 24/7 uptime figure. YouTube transcodes incoming streams into multiple output formats for viewers; that does not remove the need to send it a stable, correctly configured source stream. YouTube Help: encoder settings; YouTube Help: live stream transcoding.
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Check rights and YouTube’s live-stream rules
Before leaving a playlist live, make sure you have the rights needed to stream every included video and its audio. A file playing locally does not establish permission to broadcast it. Review YouTube’s current copyright guidance and live-stream requirements for your channel and content; the technical encoder settings above do not address whether a particular recording is eligible to stream.
For a documentary channel, check the rights for footage, music, narration, and any third-party clips separately. Keep documentation of permissions or licenses where applicable, and remove or replace material if you cannot establish that you may use it. Copyright compliance is distinct from technical stream health.
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Troubleshoot common playlist-stream problems
| Symptom | What to check |
|---|---|
| VLC Video Source is missing in OBS | Confirm VLC is installed and that its architecture matches OBS; OBS requires VLC for this source option. |
| The playlist stops at the last item | Open the VLC Video Source properties and enable Loop Playlist. |
| Playback stops or restarts after a scene change | Review the source’s Visibility Behaviour. OBS documents a default that stops playback while hidden and restarts it when visible. |
| A video or audio file fails to play as expected | Test the specific file in the source. Supported containers and formats do not guarantee support for every codec or file on the installed playback stack. |
| YouTube receives unstable or unexpected video | Check that the OBS codec, resolution, frame rate, bitrate, and keyframe interval match YouTube’s guidance for the selected ingest mode. Confirm upload capacity and review Live Control Room stream-health messages. |
| HLS segment settings do not fit the stream configuration | Verify whether the encoder is actually using HLS. Its segment and HTTP requirements are separate from standard RTMP/RTMPS settings. |
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