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Short answer: vMix documents ways to sequence media and switch between inputs, but its documentation does not confirm that a video file failing to open or decode will automatically trigger a switch to a backup. Set up a known-good fallback and test the exact failure on your vMix version before relying on unattended failover.
Choose the right vMix feature for your setup
vMix has two different tools that can help organize playback. A List holds video and audio files within one input. PlayList sequences separate inputs and can automate switching between them.
| Feature | What it sequences | Relevant behavior |
|---|---|---|
| List | Files within one input | Auto Next is enabled by default for normal progression. Loop returns playback to the beginning; disabled entries can be skipped. The current list can be exported as an M3U file. These behaviors do not establish that an unreadable file will be detected and skipped. vMix List documentation |
| PlayList | Separate inputs | Can automate switching or play videos sequentially. Manual Mode waits for an operator to click Next. Items can have individual start positions, durations, transitions and transition times. PlayLists belong to the active preset. vMix PlayList documentation |
Use a List if your main need is to arrange files inside one input. Use PlayList if the production needs to move among separate inputs—for example, a primary content input and a distinct, known-good fallback input.
Set up a fallback path
- Prepare and label the content. Name the primary and backup inputs clearly, and confirm that the backup media is available and plays in the project. Keeping the fallback separate gives the operator an identifiable source to select if the primary stops.
- Choose how to sequence the inputs. Add the relevant inputs to a PlayList and set each item’s starting position, duration and transition as needed. Choose Manual Mode if an operator should control progression with Next; otherwise, configure the intended automatic sequence. The documented Next command advances to the next item using that item’s transition. vMix PlayList documentation
- Check normal playback before the broadcast. Verify the media files and the route to the backup under the same project and storage conditions you expect to use live.
- Rehearse the failure, not just the normal end. In a safe test, reproduce the relevant failure with a test file or test copy—for example, make that test media unavailable. Observe whether the installed vMix release stops, advances, or produces any trigger or state change. Do not infer failure behavior from a successful end-of-file test.
- Keep an operator recovery route. Rehearse selecting the backup input or using PlayList Manual Mode and Next. Manual progression is a documented control, but it still needs to be tested in the actual project.
What OnCompletion does—and does not establish
vMix documents OnCompletion for video or List input reaching the end when Loop is off. Its trigger guide describes event-driven tasks, limits trigger delay to 30 seconds, and recommends PlayList or scripting for long-running operations. It does not say that a file-open or decoding failure counts as completion. vMix trigger documentation
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Therefore, an OnCompletion action may be relevant to a clip that plays through to its end, but it should not be treated as a documented failed-file detector. Test normal completion and an actual open/decode failure separately, with Loop disabled for the completion test.
Can the API or scripting detect the failed file?
The vMix Web API can execute shortcut functions and expose vMix state; its documentation says API errors return HTTP 500. Web Scripting can run sequences of API-style functions with Sleep pauses. The documentation does not establish that a failed media file produces an API error, identifiable state change, or event suitable for switching inputs. vMix Web API documentation vMix Web Scripting documentation
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If automatic detection is essential, first verify that your proposed monitor or custom automation can observe a dependable signal for the specific failure. Only then connect that signal to a switch command. Do not assume that an HTTP 500 or an ordinary API state response means the video failed.
Important limits for unattended and 24/7 playback
vMix’s knowledge base describes List and PlayList as basic ways to play videos consecutively and loop them. It separately says vMix does not provide time-of-day scheduling for 24/7 television programming. Neither point confirms automatic recovery from an invalid or unavailable media file. vMix knowledge base: Playing videos in a loop
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For a documentary channel or other continuous programme, distinguish three needs: normal clip sequencing, scheduled programming, and recovery from media failure. The built-in sequencing features address the first; the cited documentation does not establish the second as time-of-day scheduling or the third as automatic failover. Validate each requirement independently.
Troubleshooting the fallback plan
- A clip reaches its end but the next action does not happen: Check that Loop is disabled if you are relying on OnCompletion, confirm the trigger is associated with the intended input, and test the action with ordinary end-of-file playback.
- A file fails to open but the playlist does not advance: That outcome is not contradicted by the documented normal-playback features. Confirm the exact behavior with a controlled failure test; do not assume Auto Next or OnCompletion covers it.
- The next item plays, but it is not the backup: Review the PlayList order, item settings and transition. If an operator must choose the fallback, make sure the backup input is easy to identify and rehearse the manual selection.
- A script or monitor does not switch inputs: Check whether it can actually observe a failure signal in this setup before troubleshooting the switch command. The documented API and scripting features do not themselves verify media-failure detection.
- A test works but the live setup behaves differently: Repeat the test using the same vMix release, preset, file, storage path and access conditions intended for production. Treat results as specific to that setup.
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