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livestreaming

How to Loop a Folder of Radio Shows Into a Continuous YouTube Livestream

Set up an OBS VLC Video Source playlist to play radio shows in sequence and loop them on YouTube Live, with setup, testing, rights, and troubleshooting steps.

By DocumentaryTube Team 6 min read
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To play several radio shows in sequence and repeat them on YouTube, add the files to an OBS Studio VLC Video Source, turn on Loop Playlist, then send the OBS scene to YouTube through Live Control Room using its stream key and server URL. Test the complete playlist and check the YouTube preview before making the stream public. This local-computer method depends on OBS, the files, power, and a reliable upload connection staying available; it is not a guarantee of unattended, uninterrupted streaming.

Choose the right OBS source

For a folder of multiple shows, use OBS’s VLC Video Source: it supports a playlist and can restart playback after the last item. OBS’s ordinary Media Source has a Loop setting for repeating one file, but that is not the same as a multi-file playlist. VLC must be installed for VLC Video Source to appear in OBS. See the OBS Project’s Media Sources documentation.

Decide whether the shows should always play in the same sequence or in a different order. Leave shuffle off for a predictable sequence; turn it on only if randomized playback is what you want.

Prepare the radio-show files

  1. Put the shows in the intended order. Name or arrange them so it is easy to confirm the playlist sequence before adding them to OBS.
  2. Play each file locally. Check that the audio is present and that each file starts and plays as expected. OBS lists common video formats including MP4, MOV, MKV, and WebM, and audio formats including MP3, AAC, OGG, and WAV. Supported file types do not guarantee that every codec or file combination will work.
  3. Confirm the rights to every recording and composition. Having a copy of a show, or permission to play it privately, does not necessarily give you the rights to rebroadcast it on YouTube.

Build a looping playlist in OBS

  1. Install VLC if it is not already installed, then open OBS Studio.
  2. Create or select a scene for the radio stream.
  3. In the scene’s Sources panel, add a VLC Video Source. If it is not available, check that VLC is installed and reopen OBS.
  4. Add the show files to the source’s playlist in the intended order. Keep shuffle off for a fixed sequence.
  5. Enable Loop Playlist. OBS documents this option as on by default; it restarts playback after the source runs out of media. Verify its setting rather than assuming it is enabled.
  6. Check the scene and audio. Start playback and confirm the source is visible as intended and that the audio meter in OBS responds. If the source is audio-only, use a suitable visual element in the scene if you want the YouTube stream to have a picture.

OBS’s Sources Guide explains how sources are added to a scene. The playlist and loop behavior are specific to the VLC Video Source.

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Connect OBS to YouTube Live

  1. Open YouTube Studio → Create → Go live to reach Live Control Room. Create a stream or select the one you intend to use.
  2. In Live Control Room, copy the stream key and server URL shown for the stream. A stream key lets an encoder send its feed to YouTube, so treat it as sensitive account information: do not publish it or share it with anyone who should not be able to broadcast to your channel.
  3. In OBS, open Settings → Stream, choose the YouTube service, and enter or connect the stream details using the key and URL from Live Control Room. The exact connection options can vary with the OBS version and YouTube integration.
  4. Apply the settings, return to the scene, and start streaming from OBS when ready. Check the Live Control Room preview and stream health before starting or scheduling a public broadcast.

YouTube’s encoder setup guide explains creating a stream and connecting an encoder. YouTube says channels need verification and must not have a live-stream restriction in the previous 90 days; first-time live-stream activation can take up to 24 hours, so set it up ahead of time. See Get started with live streaming.

Set quality and test before going public

Choose settings your computer and upload connection can sustain, then test with the same kind of audio and movement as the intended broadcast. YouTube recommends checking upload bitrate, testing the encoder, reviewing the preview, and monitoring audio and video quality during the stream. A setting that works briefly in a test is not proof that the connection will remain stable indefinitely.

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  • Encoder: YouTube’s general guidance lists RTMP/RTMPS transport, H.264, H.265, or AV1 video, and AAC or MP3 audio. It recommends RTMPS for encrypted transport.
  • Rate control: Use constant bitrate (CBR), as YouTube recommends for encoder settings.
  • Keyframes: Set a two-second keyframe interval; YouTube says not to exceed four seconds.
  • Resolution and bitrate: Choose them according to YouTube’s current encoder guidance and the upload capacity you can sustain. Do not treat platform settings as a guarantee that a particular computer or connection can handle them.

These are YouTube’s general encoder recommendations, not a computer-specific preset. Consult its live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions and live streaming tips, then test the actual setup.

Check copyright and YouTube rules

Before broadcasting, make sure you have the necessary rights for every show, recording, and musical composition in the playlist, including any relevant rights for the territories where the stream is available. YouTube’s livestream terms make the creator responsible for necessary rights to exploit live content on Google services, including music licensing rights from artists, record labels, publishers, and other royalty participants, and for applicable legal, licensing, registration, or notification requirements. The terms do not establish whether you have rights to any particular program; verify those rights for your own catalog. Read YouTube’s livestream terms and conditions.

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A loop setting does not grant rebroadcast rights. YouTube also requires live streams to follow its Community Guidelines, and channel verification and the absence of an active live-stream restriction are prerequisites for streaming. Do not assume that a documentary or radio show is reusable just because it is publicly available online.

Troubleshoot common problems

  • VLC Video Source is missing: VLC may not be installed. Install it and reopen OBS; then check the Sources add menu again.
  • The playlist stops after the last show: Open the VLC Video Source properties and verify that Loop Playlist is enabled.
  • Only one show repeats: Check that you added the files to a VLC Video Source playlist. The regular Media Source’s Loop setting repeats a single file.
  • Shows play in an unexpected order: Review the playlist order and make sure shuffle is off if you need a fixed sequence.
  • There is no sound in the stream: Play the source in OBS and check whether its audio meter moves. Then confirm that the correct audio is included in the OBS output and inspect the Live Control Room preview.
  • YouTube does not receive a feed: Confirm OBS is configured with the current server URL and stream key from the intended Live Control Room stream. Check OBS’s connection and the YouTube preview before going public.
  • The stream buffers or looks or sounds poor: Check stream health and upload capacity. Lower the chosen quality if the connection cannot sustain it, and test again while monitoring audio and video.
  • Live streaming is unavailable: Check channel verification and whether a live-stream restriction applies. If this is the first activation, allow up to 24 hours for it to become available.

OBS and YouTube’s documentation describe playlist looping and recommended testing, but do not promise uninterrupted 24-hour-or-longer operation or explain automatic recovery for this specific local setup. Plan to monitor the stream and test how your own computer, files, and network behave.

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