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What you need before you start
- FFmpeg installed on a computer that can access the video files and reach your live destination.
- A playlist of videos you have the rights to use and that comply with the destination’s current content and live-stream rules.
- The destination’s current ingest URL, protocol requirements, and private stream key or other credentials.
- Enough host, network, and power reliability for the duration you intend to stream. FFmpeg’s loop option repeats media; it does not provide host uptime or a universal restart and reconnection system.
FFmpeg supports publishing live output using RTMP-family protocols, but the exact endpoint, accepted codecs, encoding settings, and credential format depend on the destination. Keep the stream key private. FFmpeg documents RTMP and RTMPS behavior in its protocol documentation.
Prepare a concat playlist
Create a plain-text file named playlist.ffconcat in the folder containing your study videos. If using the automatic format recognition for the concat script, the first line must be exactly ffconcat version 1.0. Add one file directive for each clip, in the order you want it played:
ffconcat version 1.0
file 'study-video-01.mp4'
file 'study-video-02.mp4'
file 'study-video-03.mp4'Paths are interpreted relative to the working directory unless you use full paths. Names with spaces or special characters need valid quoting or escaping; consult FFmpeg’s formats documentation for concat script syntax and safety rules. The concat demuxer reads the listed files and demuxes them in sequence as though their packets had been muxed together.
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Check that the clips are compatible
The concat demuxer is most convenient when every file has the same streams, codecs, and time bases. If your clips differ—for example, one has no audio, or their video and audio stream layouts or codec parameters vary—the demuxer may fail or produce unwanted transitions. FFmpeg adjusts timestamps across inputs, but differing stream lengths can create gaps; inaccurate duration metadata can also cause artifacts. A duration directive can override a bad or unavailable duration when appropriate.
- Use the concat demuxer when the inputs meet its matching-stream requirements and you want to avoid re-encoding.
- Use the concat filter when you need to re-encode to normalize different inputs or apply filtering. FFmpeg’s FAQ recommends the filter when re-encoding is needed.
- Do not confuse the concat protocol with the concat demuxer. The protocol is a separate file-level approach with narrower container suitability.
See the FFmpeg FAQ for the distinctions and the concat demuxer documentation for its requirements. Re-encoding can make mismatched inputs more consistent, but it uses compute and may reduce quality; stream copy avoids that encode step only when the media and destination are compatible.
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Loop the playlist and publish it
For a starting point using RTMP or RTMPS with H.264 video and AAC audio, substitute the actual ingest address supplied by your destination:
ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -f concat -safe 0 -i playlist.ffconcat
-c:v libx264 -c:a aac -f flv "rtmps://INGEST_HOST/APP/STREAM_KEY"This is an illustrative command, not a universal preset or tested configuration. FFmpeg documents -stream_loop -1 as infinite input looping; put it before the relevant -i. The concat input options belong before that input as shown. -re reads the input at its native rate for real-time output, and -f flv selects the FLV output format commonly used with RTMP-family publishing. Actual encoder flags, bitrate, resolution, profile, URL shape, and protocol acceptance depend on your FFmpeg build and destination. Refer to FFmpeg’s command-line documentation and protocol documentation.
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Do not paste a real stream key into a public command, screenshot, or log. Use the endpoint and key shown in the destination’s current live-stream settings; the placeholder address above is not a real ingest URL.
Test before leaving it unattended
- Start with a short private or unlisted test, if the destination offers that option.
- Confirm the destination receives the stream and that the video and audio play.
- Watch several playlist transitions to check that clips advance in the intended order and that audio remains present.
- Check the host’s CPU and network behavior during encoding and publishing, then verify that the connection remains stable for the test period.
- Only then decide how you will monitor and recover the process, host, and network. FFmpeg’s media loop alone does not supervise the process or guarantee reconnection after a failure.
If the destination is YouTube
Use the ingest protocol and settings YouTube currently provides for your stream. An RTMP/FLV command is not interchangeable with YouTube’s HLS setup. YouTube’s HLS setup guidance specifies TS segments, segment durations from 1 to 4 seconds, HTTPS POST/PUT, and a rolling playlist with no more than five outstanding segments. YouTube notes that HLS has higher latency than RTMP because it sends segments rather than one continuous stream.
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Confirm YouTube’s current live-stream eligibility and content policies before broadcasting a pre-recorded playlist. The technical ability to send a looping stream does not establish that a particular channel, playlist, or 24/7 broadcast is permitted. Check rights for the music, footage, images, and any other material; also consider YouTube’s current copyright and reused-content rules. Do not assume a stream will remain available or monetizable simply because FFmpeg is sending it.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot common failures
- FFmpeg cannot open a listed file: check the working directory, filename, path quoting, and file permissions. Try a full path if relative paths are ambiguous.
- The playlist fails at a transition: compare the clips’ stream layouts, codecs, and time bases. Normalize incompatible files with a re-encoding workflow using the concat filter.
- There is a gap or timestamp artifact: investigate inconsistent stream lengths and incorrect duration metadata; the concat demuxer’s timestamp adjustment cannot make mismatched files identical.
- The destination rejects the output: confirm the current ingest URL, stream key, protocol, container, and accepted encoding settings. Do not assume the example endpoint or flags match your account.
- The stream stops after a disconnect or host problem: looping only repeats the input while FFmpeg is running. Diagnose the process, host, power, and network separately and provide appropriate monitoring and recovery for your setup.
- HLS output is rejected or delayed: verify the destination’s HLS-specific segment format, duration, HTTPS method, and playlist rules rather than reusing an RTMP command.
Or let it run in the cloud
If you want a YouTube stream to continue without keeping your own computer on, StreamNeo runs uploaded videos from the cloud. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It loops uploaded videos, with automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream. Every slot streams the upload as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot; the first day is free with no card. Monthly: $9.99 per month.
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