To loop an MP4 on YouTube Live through SRS, use FFmpeg to read the file indefinitely and publish it at real-time speed to an SRS RTMP input. Configure SRS separately to relay that stream to the YouTube event’s ingest URL and stream key. The FFmpeg-to-SRS command is only one part of the chain: SRS forwarding settings vary by version, so verify the relay in YouTube Live Control Room before relying on it for a broadcast.
How the three-part stream works
- FFmpeg reads and loops the MP4. The
-stream_loop -1input option repeats the input indefinitely. It belongs before the relevant-iinput declaration. The-reoption sends a file at its real-time rate rather than as fast as the machine can read it. - FFmpeg publishes to SRS. It sends the resulting live-paced stream to the SRS RTMP input, using the host, application, and stream name configured for your server.
- SRS relays to YouTube. SRS must be configured to forward the incoming stream to the YouTube event URL with that event’s stream key. These are destination credentials, not the SRS input address.
The SRS documentation gives this simple FFmpeg publishing example: ffmpeg -re -i ./doc/source.flv -c copy -f flv rtmp://localhost/live/livestream. The file and URL are examples; they are not YouTube credentials. See the SRS RTMP documentation and SRS getting-started documentation for the relevant SRS documentation lines.
1. Prepare the SRS input and YouTube destination
Find the SRS publishing address
Use the RTMP input address for your deployed SRS server, including its application and stream name. In the example command below, rtmp://SRS_HOST/live/STREAM_NAME is a placeholder pattern: replace it with values that match your server. The SRS service must be reachable from the machine running FFmpeg, and the selected application and stream must be accepted by its configuration.
Get the YouTube event URL and key
Get the ingest URL and stream key from YouTube Live Control Room for the event you intend to broadcast. Enter them in SRS’s destination or forwarding configuration—not in the FFmpeg command that publishes to SRS. YouTube explains where to enter these values in its live encoder setup instructions.
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Treat the key as a credential: avoid putting a real key in a public example, screenshot, or command that may be saved in shell history. YouTube recommends RTMPS for the encrypted connection to its ingest endpoint. In its RTMPS guidance, YouTube describes it as “RTMP over a Transport Layer Security (TLS/SSL) connection” that provides encryption.
2. Loop the MP4 and publish it to SRS
Install FFmpeg on the machine that can reach SRS, then run this illustrative starting pattern:
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ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i input.mp4 -c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -tune zerolatency -c:a aac -f flv rtmp://SRS_HOST/live/STREAM_NAME- Replace
input.mp4with the file path and the SRS URL with your deployed input address. -repaces file input in real time, as in SRS’s documented publishing example.-stream_loop -1loops this input indefinitely. Its position before-imatters because it is an input option.-c:v libx264and-c:a aacre-encode to H.264 video and AAC audio, a compatibility-oriented example for FLV/RTMP output.-preset veryfastand-tune zerolatencyare example encoder choices, not universal requirements.-f flvselects the output container used in the SRS example pattern.
This command is a starting point, not a guarantee that every MP4 or SRS deployment will work without adjustment. It re-encodes rather than copying the source streams. Stream copy with -c copy can be suitable only when the source codecs and every part of the path support the resulting stream; it is not a safe assumption for arbitrary MP4 files or YouTube settings.
3. Configure SRS to forward the stream
Configure the SRS relay or forwarding feature for the exact SRS release you run. Set the YouTube event’s current ingest URL and key as the destination, and choose a transport and codecs that the complete FFmpeg-to-SRS-to-YouTube path supports. Do not treat one SRS configuration stanza as valid for every version: the SRS RTMP documentation cited here is version 5.0 and marked archived, while its getting-started documentation is in the v8 line. Consult the documentation for your deployed release and validate its actual stream output.
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YouTube currently recommends RTMPS, while supporting RTMP/RTMPS ingest. RTMPS encrypts the connection to YouTube; use it when your SRS destination path supports it. Confirm the relay can connect using the chosen protocol and that it forwards the expected audio and video codecs. SRS’s RTMP documentation describes RTMP as a compatibility-oriented ingest protocol; it does not establish one universal forwarding configuration for all SRS versions.
4. Check YouTube’s encoder guidance and stream health
YouTube Help’s encoder guidance, checked on 2026-10-03, lists RTMP/RTMPS ingest; H.264, H.265 (HEVC), and AV1 video; up to 60 fps; AAC or MP3 audio; and constant-bitrate (CBR) encoding. YouTube recommends a two-second keyframe interval and says not to exceed four seconds. For stereo audio, its advanced recommendations list 44.1 kHz sampling and 128 Kbps audio bitrate. These are YouTube recommendations, not a guarantee that every SRS build and FFmpeg configuration supports every combination.
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There is no single video bitrate that fits every stream: YouTube’s bitrate guidance varies with resolution, frame rate, and codec. Choose a value from the current YouTube encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions guidance for your output, then check that FFmpeg’s encoding and the SRS relay preserve or produce those settings. YouTube also advises testing representative audio and motion and monitoring stream health.
- Start the FFmpeg publisher and confirm it is sending to the intended SRS input.
- Confirm the SRS relay is forwarding to the current YouTube event destination.
- Open the event in YouTube Live Control Room and wait for its incoming stream and stream-health status.
- Check both picture and sound, including a loop boundary, before treating the workflow as ready for broadcast.
RTMP or RTMPS: what to choose
| Choice | What it means | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| RTMP | Traditional ingest transport; SRS documents it as a compatibility-oriented protocol. | Confirm the SRS-to-YouTube route accepts the destination transport and that the event receives a healthy stream. |
| RTMPS | RTMP over TLS/SSL, providing encryption. YouTube recommends streaming to YouTube Live with RTMPS. | Confirm the deployed SRS relay supports the required secure destination connection and that the codecs survive the full route. |
The practical choice depends on support in your deployed SRS version and the full relay path. Protocol choice does not remove the need to match the event’s stream settings and validate the incoming feed.
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Troubleshooting the loop and relay
- The file ends instead of looping: check that
-stream_loop -1appears before-i input.mp4and applies to the intended input. - The video runs too quickly: for file input sent as a live stream, include
-reso FFmpeg publishes at real-time rate. - FFmpeg cannot publish to SRS: verify the SRS host is reachable, the application and stream name match the server configuration, and SRS is accepting RTMP input.
- SRS receives the stream but YouTube does not: check the event URL and key in the SRS destination configuration, the selected RTMP/RTMPS transport, and the forwarding settings for your exact SRS version.
- YouTube reports stream-health or format issues: compare the actual output’s codec, frame rate, keyframe interval, bitrate, and audio settings with YouTube’s current guidance. Confirm which properties SRS passes through and which it changes.
- Picture or sound fails at the loop point: inspect the MP4’s streams and playback boundary, then test a representative section and the transition in Live Control Room before the scheduled broadcast.
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