Build separate Countdown, Program, and Intermission scenes in OBS Studio, then switch between them while OBS continues sending the encoder feed to YouTube. Put a prepared local video in the countdown and intermission scenes; enable looping if you want it to repeat. Scene changes alter what viewers see without ending the broadcast.
What you need
- OBS Studio installed on a computer that can remain on and connected to the internet for the duration of the stream.
- A YouTube encoder-based live stream in YouTube Studio, with its stream URL and stream key.
- A countdown video and an intermission video prepared as local media files. A single looping intermission clip is simplest; use a playlist if you need several clips to play in sequence.
YouTube describes an encoder as software or hardware that converts video into a digital format for streaming. Its documented encoder workflow is to send the feed, wait for the preview in Live Control Room, and select Go live. YouTube Help: Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder.
1. Create or schedule the stream in YouTube Studio
- Open YouTube Studio and go to Live Control Room. Create an encoder-based stream, or schedule one if you want a watch page available ahead of the broadcast.
- Set the title, visibility, and other stream details. Copy the stream URL and stream key shown in the encoder settings.
- Keep the stream key private: it authorizes an encoder to send video to your YouTube stream. If you believe it has been exposed, reset it in Studio and update OBS with the replacement. See YouTube Help: Manage your live stream settings.
First-time live streaming enablement may take up to 24 hours, according to YouTube Help; allow time for that setup before a planned launch. YouTube also offers reusable custom stream keys and auto-start and auto-stop controls. These settings can simplify repeat broadcasts, but they do not schedule OBS scene changes. Check the current behavior for your particular stream rather than assuming a scheduled event or auto-start setting will handle every step.
2. Build the Countdown, Program, and Intermission scenes in OBS
- In OBS, create three scenes and give them recognizable names: Countdown, Program, and Intermission.
- Open Countdown, add a Media Source, and select the countdown video file on your computer. Enable Loop if the clip should repeat while viewers wait. If each activation should begin at the start, enable Restart playback when source becomes active.
- Repeat the Media Source setup in Intermission using your break screen or loop. For a playlist of clips, OBS’s VLC Video source supports playlist looping, but requires VLC installed. Match the VLC and OBS architecture—for example, 64-bit VLC for 64-bit OBS. See the OBS Media Sources guide.
- Build Program with the sources for the show. OBS scenes can combine multiple sources; items higher in the Sources list appear above those lower down. Add a logo, schedule, or text over a background by placing those sources above it. A Browser Source can display a local page or URL, but a local media file avoids depending on an external page during a long-running stream. See OBS Scenes and Sources.
Choose a transition and check the output
OBS provides Fade and Cut transitions. Choose one and set a duration that suits the content; a cut is immediate, while a fade makes the change gradual. Preview each change in OBS’s program output and check the result on the YouTube stream before relying on it. OBS documents scene and transition controls in its Quick Start Guide.
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3. Connect OBS to YouTube and start the broadcast
- In OBS, open Settings and then Stream. Select YouTube if the service is available in the list, or enter the server URL and stream key copied from YouTube Studio.
- Apply the settings and select Start Streaming in OBS. Confirm that YouTube Live Control Room receives the feed and shows a preview.
- For a scheduled stream using YouTube’s documented manual workflow, select Go live in Live Control Room once the preview is ready. Auto-start settings can change this step; verify the actual behavior for your configuration before going live.
YouTube’s encoder instructions are at Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder.
4. Switch scenes without stopping the encoder feed
With OBS still streaming, select Countdown before the program, switch to Program when it begins, and select Intermission during breaks. OBS keeps sending the encoder feed; the scene change replaces the video within that feed. Do not select Stop Streaming when you mean to show a break screen.
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For recurring broadcasts, YouTube documents reusing stream settings. Decide whether your channel needs one continuous watch page or separate event pages: YouTube also describes a pattern in which a 24/7 feed coexists with a separate broadcast. The stream arrangement affects how viewers find the content; it does not create an automatic timetable for your OBS scenes. See Google for Developers: Live Streaming API guides.
Choose the right media setup for breaks
| Setup | Best for | What to configure | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| OBS Media Source with one local video | A single countdown clip or repeating intermission loop | Select the file; enable Loop to repeat it and Restart playback when source becomes active if it should start over on each scene activation. | Simple and independent of an external web page, but it plays the chosen file rather than a sequence of separate clips. |
| OBS VLC Video source with a playlist | A sequence of break clips | Install VLC with the same architecture as OBS, add the playlist, and configure playlist looping as needed. | Supports multiple clips in sequence, but adds a VLC installation dependency. |
Reliability, recordings, and rights
Test before leaving the stream unattended
A continuous broadcast depends on the computer running OBS, its network connection, media playback, and the YouTube ingest session. Test the full sequence—including a scene change, a looping clip, and the YouTube viewer output—before relying on it for an extended period. The setup described here is a practical workflow, not a guarantee of unattended uptime.
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Do not assume a 24/7 stream becomes one complete archive
YouTube Help says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. That does not guarantee one complete replay for an uninterrupted stream lasting longer than 12 hours. If preserving each program matters, check YouTube’s current archive guidance and consider separate broadcasts or a local recording workflow. See YouTube Help: Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder.
Use media you have the right to stream
A countdown or intermission scene is still part of the live broadcast. Use music, footage, logos, and other material you own or are authorized to use on YouTube; a short break clip is not exempt from copyright rules. YouTube may also apply its monetization policies to the overall channel and its programming, so adding original transitions does not by itself resolve questions about reused content. Review the current copyright safety checklist before assembling a playlist.
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Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube does not show an incoming preview | OBS is not sending to the expected ingest URL, or the stream key is wrong. | Compare the OBS server URL and key with the current values in YouTube Studio. If the key was reset, replace it in OBS; then start streaming and check Live Control Room again. |
| The countdown or break clip stops | Looping is disabled, or the source is not set to restart on activation when that is desired. | Open the scene’s Media Source properties and check Loop and Restart playback when source becomes active. |
| A playlist does not appear or play | VLC may be missing or its architecture may not match OBS. | Install the VLC version matching OBS (for example, 64-bit VLC for 64-bit OBS), then verify the VLC Video source and playlist. |
| A scene change ends the broadcast | The encoder may have been stopped rather than the scene switched. | Keep OBS streaming and select the destination scene. A scene switch changes the video; Stop Streaming ends the encoder feed. |
| A scheduled broadcast waits for manual action | The stream’s auto-start settings or scheduled-stream workflow may require a different action. | Check the actual stream settings in YouTube Studio. In YouTube’s documented manual workflow, wait for the preview and select Go live. |
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