RadioDJ schedules and plays your station’s audio, OBS captures that audio, adds a visual scene and encodes the broadcast, and YouTube Live receives and publishes it. To make the setup work, route RadioDJ’s playback into an audio source OBS can hear, connect OBS to a YouTube broadcast, and verify the sound and preview before going public. A 24/7 stream also requires rights for the music and compliance with YouTube’s live-stream and monetization policies.
How the RadioDJ–OBS–YouTube setup works
The three programs have different jobs. RadioDJ is the playout and scheduling system; it is not the YouTube encoder. OBS is the encoder and visual-production layer. YouTube Live receives the encoded stream and controls its publication, visibility and archive.
- RadioDJ: Organizes music and other audio into a library, rotations, playlists and scheduled events, then plays them on the Windows computer.
- OBS Studio: Captures the RadioDJ signal, combines it with a scene such as a station logo or program graphic, and sends the broadcast to YouTube.
- YouTube Live: Provides the stream URL and stream key, shows the incoming preview, and supplies the controls for publishing or ending the broadcast.
The central practical issue is audio routing: OBS must receive the sound RadioDJ is playing. There is no single routing device or menu path established for every Windows setup, so check the audio devices available on your own computer rather than assuming a particular configuration.
What you need before setup
- A Windows PC that meets the current requirements for the RadioDJ release you plan to install. RadioDJ’s feature information, last updated 7 February 2025, lists Windows 10 and Windows 11 as supported; other versions may work but are unsupported. It lists a 1 GHz CPU, 8 GB RAM, a Windows-supported sound card, and MariaDB or MySQL database support. These are publisher-stated requirements, not a performance guarantee.
- For RadioDJ v2 and later, RadioDJ identifies .NET Framework 4.8 and highly recommends MariaDB. Verify the requirements for the release you download, since software requirements can change.
- An OBS audio input that can receive RadioDJ’s playback. Your existing sound-card or audio-device arrangement may already expose it. If not, an optional audio interface or another audio-routing arrangement may help; neither is required for every setup.
- A YouTube channel with live streaming enabled, plus access to YouTube Studio’s Live Control Room.
- Permission to stream every recording and to make any archive YouTube creates. Rights depend on the works, territories and uses involved.
RadioDJ’s feature page lists support for MP3, WAV, WMA, FLAC and AC3; Auto DJ rotations, custom jingles, scheduling, manual or automatic playlist advance, and up to six sound cards. Check RadioDJ’s current requirements and documentation before installation.
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Set up RadioDJ’s station programming
- Install RadioDJ on a supported Windows system. Follow the current release’s installation and database requirements. Do not treat the listed minimum CPU and memory as a guarantee that a particular library, number of scheduled events or audio-routing configuration will run smoothly.
- Organize the audio library. Import the recordings you are entitled to use and arrange them into useful categories or rotations. Keep track of which works are cleared for live transmission and any archive use.
- Build the schedule. Configure rotations and scheduled events for the programming you want the station to play. Use RadioDJ’s manual or automatic playlist advance as appropriate to the schedule, and add jingles only where they fit the station’s programming.
- Start playback and confirm the output. Before configuring a public broadcast, verify that RadioDJ is playing the intended program through the Windows audio device you plan to route to OBS.
Get RadioDJ audio into OBS
How do I get RadioDJ audio into OBS? Select an OBS audio source that receives RadioDJ’s output, then confirm the signal on OBS’s audio meters and listen through the monitoring or output path. The exact device name and routing depend on the PC’s audio setup; the RadioDJ feature information and YouTube’s general encoder instructions do not prescribe a universal RadioDJ-to-OBS recipe.
- Identify the playback device. With RadioDJ playing, check which Windows audio device carries the station audio. Use the device selection available in your OBS configuration that captures that signal.
- Watch OBS’s meters. The intended source should show activity when RadioDJ plays. If it does not, the selected OBS source is not receiving the RadioDJ signal, or the playback is routed elsewhere.
- Listen to the monitored or recorded output. Meters show signal level but do not prove the audio sounds right. Listen for silence, distortion, an unexpectedly low level or duplicated sound.
- Prevent duplicate capture. If the same RadioDJ audio reaches OBS through two active sources, the result can sound doubled or echo. Keep the intended feed and disable an unintended second capture.
- Consider additional routing hardware only if needed. First check the computer’s current audio devices. An optional audio interface or other routing hardware may help when the built-in arrangement does not expose the signal cleanly, but no particular product or setup is prescribed.
Build a simple OBS scene and connect YouTube
- Create a radio-first scene. A station logo or program graphic can supply the visual while RadioDJ supplies the sound. Add a camera or presenter only if the program calls for one.
- Check the scene’s audio source. Confirm that the scene includes the intended RadioDJ feed and that OBS is not also capturing a second copy.
- Enable live streaming for the channel. YouTube’s encoder workflow says first-time live-stream enablement may take up to 24 hours. Allow for that delay before a planned launch.
- Create or schedule a broadcast in YouTube Studio’s Live Control Room. Choose the visibility and other broadcast settings you want. Copy the stream URL and stream key shown for the broadcast into OBS, or use OBS’s YouTube account integration to connect the account and manage broadcasts.
- Protect the stream key. Treat it like a password. Do not publish it or share it with people who should not be able to send a stream to your channel. If it is exposed, use YouTube’s controls to replace or reset it.
- Start OBS and inspect YouTube’s incoming preview. Check that the picture and audio arrive as intended in Live Control Room. Depending on the broadcast settings, you may need a separate Go Live action in YouTube; follow the controls shown for that specific broadcast rather than assuming that starting OBS automatically makes it public.
Choose encoder settings without guessing
YouTube identifies OBS as a no-charge, open-source software encoder and directs operators to enter the YouTube Live server URL and stream key in the encoder. Its general encoder setup guidance does not establish one bitrate or resolution that is best for every radio stream. Choose settings for the actual visual content, available upload connection and current YouTube guidance; do not assume a universal preset is required for a logo-and-audio broadcast.
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If the broadcast uses RTMPS, Google’s technical documentation describes RTMP carried over SSL/TLS, with an rtmps protocol URL, a valid YouTube ingestion endpoint and application path, port 443, and correct hostname/SNI handling. For most operators, the safer approach is to copy the stream URL displayed by YouTube or use OBS’s YouTube integration, rather than constructing an endpoint manually.
Check music rights before broadcasting
YouTube’s livestream terms require the operator to have the necessary rights for the live content, including music licensing rights from artists, record labels, publishers and other royalty participants, for use on Google services worldwide. The applicable permissions depend on the specific recordings and compositions, territories, live transmission and intended archive use.
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YouTube scans live streams for third-party content. If it detects a match, it may replace the stream with a placeholder and warn the operator; if the material remains, YouTube may interrupt or terminate the stream. YouTube also advises that a rights owner add a licensed channel to its Content ID allowlist. A license alone may not prevent interruption if the channel is not allowlisted.
- Verify that permissions cover the specific works and territories in which you intend to broadcast.
- Check whether the permissions cover live transmission and any archived playback, not just possession or private listening.
- Ask the relevant rights owner about Content ID allowlisting where applicable.
- Do not assume that owning a recording, using a consumer music subscription, crediting the artist or holding one generic license clears every right.
The platform’s detection and interruption rules are separate from whether you believe you have permission. Confirm rights for your repertoire and territories with the relevant rights holders or qualified local advice before a public test.
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Can you run it continuously and monetize it?
RadioDJ scheduling and OBS can automate playout and encoding, but a continuous technical setup still depends on the PC, audio routing, OBS and connection continuing to work. Monitor the broadcast and have a recovery plan for interruptions. YouTube says streams shorter than 12 hours are automatically archived; do not plan a single uninterrupted stream beyond that documented boundary without checking YouTube’s latest guidance and planning an appropriate restart and archive workflow.
YouTube says live streams may be monetized for channels in the YouTube Partner Program, but its channel monetization policy applies to live streams and says repetitive or mass-produced content may be ineligible. An automated playlist is not a guarantee of monetization. Eligibility and ad serving are determined by YouTube under its current policies, so consider whether the programming offers sufficiently original and varied value to viewers.
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Troubleshoot common failures
| Symptom | Likely issue | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| OBS meters stay silent while RadioDJ plays | The selected OBS source is not receiving the device that carries RadioDJ playback. | Confirm RadioDJ’s active Windows playback device, then select an OBS source that receives that signal. Recheck the meters while audio is playing. |
| YouTube preview has no sound | The wrong OBS source may be active, the source may be silent, or the signal may not be reaching the broadcast mix. | Check the OBS meters, listen to the monitored or recorded output, and confirm the intended source is included in the scene. |
| Audio sounds doubled or echoed | OBS may be capturing the same RadioDJ output through two active sources. | Identify which sources carry the duplicate signal and leave only the intended capture active. |
| YouTube does not accept the encoder connection | The stream URL or key may be wrong, or an RTMPS connection may be using an unsuitable endpoint or port. | Copy the URL and key again from the specific YouTube broadcast, or use OBS’s YouTube integration. If configuring RTMPS manually, verify the protocol, endpoint, application path, port 443 and hostname/SNI handling. |
| OBS is streaming, but the scheduled broadcast is not public | Starting the encoder may not complete YouTube’s separate publication step for that broadcast. | Check Live Control Room’s incoming preview and use the publication controls shown for the selected broadcast. |
| A live stream is interrupted after music is detected | YouTube may have matched third-party content; a licensed channel may also need a rights-owner allowlist entry. | Review YouTube’s notice, confirm the rights for the works and territories, and ask the relevant rights owner about Content ID allowlisting. Do not assume a license prevents platform interruption by itself. |
| The station stops before the planned archive or restart | The stream may have reached YouTube’s documented 12-hour archive boundary or another interruption may have occurred. | Check YouTube’s latest live-stream guidance and plan monitoring, restart controls and archive handling rather than relying on one uninterrupted broadcast. |
| First-time live setup is not immediately available | YouTube says enabling live streaming for the first time may take up to 24 hours. | Enable it ahead of the intended broadcast and wait for channel access to become available. |
Or let it run in the cloud
RadioDJ and OBS are a do-it-yourself route that keeps the playout and encoder on your own computer. If the goal is a YouTube channel that keeps uploaded recordings playing without leaving a home PC running, StreamNeo is a different option: it streams uploaded videos from the cloud to YouTube, rather than taking a live audio feed from RadioDJ or a camera.
- Upload a recording or build a playlist.
- Add your YouTube stream key once.
- Go live; StreamNeo loops the uploaded videos from the cloud.
Nothing has to stay on at home. Each slot includes one always-on stream, 10 GB of storage per slot pooled across active slots, playlists and 24/7 looping, and automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream. Uploaded video is sent as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot without quality tiers. The first day is free with no card, one free day per account. Monthly is $9.99 per month. See StreamNeo for details, or start the free day.
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