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Loop a finite playlist input
FFmpeg normally finishes when a finite input reaches end of file (EOF). To replay that input continuously, put -stream_loop -1 before its input option, -i:
ffmpeg -stream_loop -1 -re -i playlist.txt
-c:v libx264 -c:a aac -f flv "$YOUTUBE_INGEST_URL"This is an illustrative command pattern, not a tested command for every workflow. Replace playlist.txt with the input your setup actually uses. Choose the appropriate output format, codecs, stream mappings and private YouTube ingest URL for your setup. FFmpeg documents -stream_loop as an input option: zero means no loop, and -1 means infinite loop (FFmpeg documentation).
Put the option before the input it affects
Because -stream_loop is an input option, its placement matters: use it before the relevant -i. If multiple inputs each need to repeat independently, put the option before each corresponding -i. Check your FFmpeg build’s help or documentation if it does not recognize the option or behaves unexpectedly with a particular input format.
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First identify what “playlist” means in your command
The right fix depends on whether the input is finite media or a changing network playlist. These cases should not be treated as interchangeable.
Finite file or concat-style playlist
If the input reaches the same natural end each time, and you want its contents to replay, use -stream_loop -1 before that input’s -i. This is the ordinary end-of-input case.
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Live HLS URL as an input
A live HLS playlist is expected to refresh as new segments become available. If FFmpeg stops reading it, check whether the playlist is still being updated and whether segment requests are succeeding. The HLS demuxer has controls for playlist reload behavior and segment retries; those address refresh or retrieval problems, not replay of a finite playlist. See the FFmpeg formats documentation for HLS demuxer options.
HLS output being sent to YouTube
If FFmpeg is publishing HLS to YouTube, investigate the publishing format and playlist structure rather than assuming the input needs looping. YouTube’s HLS ingestion guidance says its ingest accepts media playlists and ignores master playlists, and sets requirements for sequence numbers and outstanding segments. Those are ingestion constraints; they are not a way to replay finite source media.
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Why reconnect and HLS output flags may not solve it
reconnect_at_eof is not input looping
FFmpeg’s reconnect_at_eof option treats EOF like an error and reconnects, which can help with network sources intended to continue. It is not equivalent to replaying finite local media. If a local playlist ends normally and should start over, use input looping instead. See the FFmpeg protocols documentation.
omit_endlist does not replay source media
The HLS output flag omit_endlist suppresses the #EXT-X-ENDLIST marker in an output playlist. It does not loop the input, so it is not the general fix for a finite source reaching EOF. See the FFmpeg formats documentation.
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Diagnose the stoppage in order
- Identify the input. Check the command’s
-iarguments: is the source a local file, a concat-style playlist, a live HLS URL or another network source? - Check how it stops. If FFmpeg exits cleanly at the same media duration, that points to natural completion. If it stops irregularly or logs network, HTTP or segment errors, investigate transport or playlist refresh instead.
- For finite media, loop the correct input. Add
-stream_loop -1before the-ifor the input that should repeat. Verify the option is available in your FFmpeg build and suitable for that input format. - For live HLS, check updates and retrieval. Confirm the playlist continues to change and that its referenced segments can be fetched; investigate reload and retry behavior rather than blindly looping a live source.
- If publishing HLS to YouTube, check ingest compliance. Confirm that the workflow is actually using HLS and follow YouTube’s current media-playlist requirements.
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