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Find the source of the repeat
There are separate places where repetition can originate. Identify what you are observing before changing settings:
- FFmpeg repeats an episode during a local sequence: inspect the concat text file that the command actually reads.
- The same video appears twice when browsing or playing a YouTube playlist: inspect and edit the playlist in YouTube.
- The sequence starts over after a complete pass, or resumes after a disconnection: inspect the full FFmpeg command and any separate loop or restart process. A reconnect can restart a feed without duplicating an entry in the concat file.
These are distinct layers: changing a local file list does not edit a YouTube playlist, and the YouTube stream key does not determine which files FFmpeg plays.
Check the exact FFmpeg concat script
The concat demuxer reads the media paths in its script in order. Check the path supplied to the command’s input option; a similarly named file elsewhere may not be the one FFmpeg is using.
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Inspect entries and order
A simple concat script looks like this:
ffconcat version 1.0
file 'episode-01.mp4'
file 'episode-02.mp4'
file 'episode-03.mp4'- Open the exact text file referenced by the FFmpeg command.
- Compare every
filedirective with the intended episode order. Remove an accidental second entry for any episode that should appear only once. - Check spelling and resolved paths, especially if episode filenames are similar or the files are in different directories.
- Run the sequence again and verify whether the repeated episode is still present.
For automatic concat-format recognition, the first line must be exactly ffconcat version 1.0. Do not put a blank line, extra space, or byte-order mark before it. The header can be omitted when the concat format is explicitly selected. Paths containing spaces or special characters must be quoted or escaped correctly. See the FFmpeg concat demuxer documentation.
Tell a duplicate entry from a timing artifact
The concat demuxer is not a universal fix for any set of media files. FFmpeg states that “All files must have the same streams (same codecs, same time base, etc.).” It uses each file’s duration to set timestamps for the next one; inaccurate duration information can cause timing artifacts. A duration directive can override a stored duration.
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These compatibility and timing problems can make a transition or playback timing look wrong, but they do not establish that an episode was added twice. Confirm the actual script entries before changing encoding settings. If the inputs do not meet the demuxer’s requirements, prepare compatible files or use the concat filter with re-encoding where appropriate. FFmpeg’s concatenating video files FAQ distinguishes these approaches:
| Need | Method | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Join compatible inputs without re-encoding | Concat demuxer | Reads listed files sequentially; the streams must match. |
| Join while re-encoding | Concat filter | FFmpeg’s FAQ recommends this when re-encoding is needed. |
| Join at the container or file level | Concat protocol | A separate method; support depends on the container. |
Remove a duplicate from a YouTube playlist
If the duplicate is in the YouTube-hosted playlist rather than the local FFmpeg sequence, edit that playlist in YouTube. YouTube Help’s playlist editing guidance explains how to remove an entry and change the order. Check the resulting list afterward. This edits the YouTube playlist only; it does not change a local concat script.
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Keep stream connection settings separate
If FFmpeg is sending the podcast feed to YouTube, use the stream URL and key shown in YouTube Live Control Room as described in YouTube’s encoder setup guidance. These settings connect the encoder to the stream destination. They do not choose or reorder the local podcast files, so changing a key is not a fix for a duplicate concat entry.
Troubleshoot by symptom
| Symptom | First check | Fix or interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| The same episode occurs twice in the intended sequence | The exact concat file passed to FFmpeg | Remove the extra file directive and confirm the intended order. |
| A duplicate appears only in YouTube’s playlist | The YouTube playlist entries | Remove the unwanted video entry and check the order in YouTube. |
| Playback jumps, glitches, or has a suspicious transition | Input stream layouts, codecs, time bases, and duration information | Check demuxer compatibility and duration metadata; consider compatible inputs or the concat filter with re-encoding. |
| The stream reconnects or starts from the beginning | The full FFmpeg command and any separate loop or restart process | Determine whether the process is replaying the sequence; do not infer that the local list contains a duplicate. |
| FFmpeg connects to the wrong or unavailable live destination | The stream URL and key from YouTube Live Control Room | Correct the encoder connection separately from the episode list. |
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