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For a YouTube Live playlist that automatically picks up new files added to a local folder, OBS Studio with the community PlayFolder script is the clearest documented match. It scans a selected folder, plays files sequentially, loops back to the first item, and updates its playlist when files are added. It requires an OBS Media Source—not the VLC Source—and should be tested with your own media and live setup before you rely on it.
If you want a continuous stream without leaving a computer running, StreamNeo is a separate cloud option: upload videos, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. It plays uploaded files rather than monitoring a local folder.
Which tool fits an automatically updated folder playlist?
Choose based on where your videos live and how they should reach YouTube. A local watch-folder workflow and a hosted scheduled playout service are not interchangeable: one monitors files on your computer, while the other starts from uploaded media or broadcast playout storage.
| Tool or workflow | File handling and playback | Requirements and YouTube handoff | What to verify |
|---|---|---|---|
| StreamNeo | Upload recordings or build a playlist; 24/7 looping runs in the cloud. It does not monitor a local folder. | YouTube-only service. Add your YouTube stream key once and go live. | Confirm your files and playlist are ready to upload; this is not camera streaming. |
| OBS Studio + PlayFolder | Scans a selected folder, builds a sequential playlist, loops to the first file, and updates the playlist when new files are added. | Community OBS script; requires an OBS Media Source. The resource says not to use VLC Source. YouTube needs an encoder configured with the stream URL and key. | Test folder updates, file formats, script compatibility, and the YouTube preview on your own setup. |
| OBS VLC Video source | Supports a manually configured playlist with loop and shuffle settings; automatic folder rescanning is not documented. | Requires VLC libraries and VLC installed. 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. | Test playback and playlist behavior; do not assume new files will be detected automatically. |
| CasparCG | AMCP can load a clip in the background and start it when the foreground clip ends. Automatic queuing is limited to one clip per layer. | Advanced broadcast playout; YouTube output requires an encoder or additional output setup. | Plan the playout and output chain; the cited documentation does not establish a turnkey YouTube destination. |
| Castr TV Playout | Hosted uploads, schedules, and looping, with plan-dependent file and schedule limits. Local folder monitoring is not established. | Managed hosted playout; direct YouTube destination compatibility is not established by the cited help page. | Verify destination compatibility and current plan limits before choosing it for YouTube. |
The OBS Forums resource page describes PlayFolder as a way to play files continuously from a folder without manually managing a playlist. That is the resource author’s description, not independent reliability or compatibility testing.
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Set up OBS and PlayFolder for a local watch folder
- Prepare a dedicated folder. Put the video files you want considered for playout in one folder. Keep a backup of the source files and test the exact formats you intend to use; the cited resource does not provide a universal format-compatibility guarantee.
- Install OBS Studio and the PlayFolder script. Use the script’s OBS Forums resource page for its current download and setup details. It is a community-contributed script, so check its compatibility notes against your OBS version rather than assuming support for every release.
- Add the required source in OBS. Create an OBS Media Source and configure PlayFolder to use it and the selected folder. Do not substitute the VLC Source: the script resource explicitly specifies Media Source.
- Check the playlist before going live. Confirm that files appear in the expected order, that playback advances, and that reaching the end returns to the first item. Add a test file while the workflow is running and confirm that the playlist updates as expected.
- Configure YouTube Live Control Room. Create or select the YouTube live stream, then copy its stream URL and stream key into the encoder setup used by your workflow. YouTube explains that an encoder converts video into a digital format for streaming; selecting a playlist tool by itself does not establish that it can send output to YouTube.
- Check the preview and make a test run. Before relying on the stream for a scheduled broadcast, verify the YouTube preview, audio, image, file transitions, and behavior after adding files. The available documentation does not establish independent reliability or recovery results for PlayFolder.
Use OBS VLC Video when manual playlist control is enough
OBS’s built-in VLC Video source is an alternative if you are comfortable maintaining the playlist yourself and want its loop or shuffle controls. Add the source, configure its media playlist, and select the playback behavior you need. It is not documented as a watch folder, so new files may require a manual playlist update.
- Install VLC and match its architecture to OBS: 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC.
- Use the VLC Video source rather than assuming that other OBS media sources use the same VLC library workflow.
- Test the playlist and loop or shuffle behavior before sending the encoder output to YouTube.
When CasparCG or hosted playout makes more sense
CasparCG for broadcast-style clip queuing
CasparCG’s AMCP workflow can load a clip into the background and automatically start it after the foreground clip ends, but automatic queuing is limited to one clip per layer. Nebula’s CasparCG deployment documentation describes schedule-aware media transfer and transcoding to playout storage. These are advanced broadcast workflows, not evidence of a consumer-ready YouTube connection; plan the encoder or other output setup separately.
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Castr TV Playout for managed schedules
Castr’s help page, dated July 13, 2026, describes uploaded media, schedules, loops, and plan-dependent limits. It lists one playout across the plans shown, maximum file counts of 5 on Starter, 10 on Standard, 30 on Premium and Ultra, and 50 on Events; maximum file sizes from 500 MB on Starter through 10 GB on Ultra and Events; and maximum file durations from 30 minutes on Starter to 240 minutes on Ultra and Events. Loop mode is listed for Premium, Ultra, and Events, with maximum advance loop periods of 15 days, 30 days, and 30 days respectively. The page says the listed Trial, Starter, and Standard plans do not support Loop mode and have the Castr logo baked into output. These limits can change, so check Castr’s current plan details. The cited page does not verify local folder monitoring or a direct YouTube destination.
Or let it run in the cloud
StreamNeo is for uploaded videos and playlists, not a local watch folder or a live camera. Upload your recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. The stream then loops from StreamNeo’s cloud, so nothing at home has to stay on. Each slot supports the uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps at one flat price, with no re-encode or quality tiers, and StreamNeo automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card required. Monthly pricing is $9.99 per month.
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Check the YouTube handoff, rights, and content before launch
A playlist tool manages playback; YouTube receives an encoder’s output through the stream URL and key configured in YouTube Live Control Room. Confirm that your chosen tool can output to a compatible encoder or stream endpoint before building the rest of the workflow around it.
- Use video and audio you have the rights to stream. A playlist repeating copyrighted material does not make it permissible.
- Review YouTube’s current live-streaming and monetization policies, including any rules relevant to reused content, before you plan a channel around repeated recordings.
- Test the exact files, folder updates, transitions, stream-key configuration, and YouTube preview before a public or scheduled broadcast.
Troubleshoot common playlist playout problems
New files do not appear in the playlist
First confirm the files were added to the folder PlayFolder is watching and that the OBS Media Source is configured as required. Check the script’s compatibility and setup details. If using the VLC Video source, update the playlist manually; automatic folder rescanning is not documented for it.
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PlayFolder does not play or advance clips
Verify that the source is an OBS Media Source, not VLC Source, and test with a known-good file. Check the script resource for setup or compatibility guidance, then test the complete sequence—including return to the first item—before going live.
YouTube does not receive the stream
Confirm that the encoder has the correct YouTube stream URL and stream key from Live Control Room, and that the selected playout workflow can send output to that encoder or endpoint. Check YouTube’s preview before starting a broadcast.
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A scheduled or managed playout lacks a required option
For Castr, check the current plan’s file, duration, and loop limits, and confirm direct YouTube output rather than assuming it. For CasparCG, account for the one-auto-queued-clip-per-layer limit and the separate output setup.
Quick Recap
Free planning tools
- Upload-time calculator for estimating upload time.
- Cloud vs PC cost calculator for comparing operating approaches.
- Copyright safety checklist for reviewing a playlist before streaming.
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