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To loop a local playlist indefinitely, put FFmpeg’s input option -stream_loop -1 before the playlist’s -i option. Add -re before the same input to read local files at normal speed for a live broadcast. The loop repeats the input; it does not keep FFmpeg, the network connection, or a YouTube event running if one of them stops.
Build a playlist and loop it
For a local concat-demuxer playlist, create a text file such as playlist.txt with one entry per line:
file '/absolute/path/clip-01.mp4'
file '/absolute/path/clip-02.mp4'
file '/absolute/path/clip-03.mp4'Use paths that the account running FFmpeg can read. The following command is an illustrative starting point, not a tested universal recipe. Replace the output URL and key with the values from YouTube Live Control Room, and choose encoding settings for your video:
ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -f concat -safe 0 -i playlist.txt
-c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -b:v 5M -maxrate 5M -bufsize 10M
-g 60 -c:a aac -b:a 128k -f flv 'rtmps://YOUR_YOUTUBE_INGEST_URL/YOUR_STREAM_KEY'FFmpeg’s -stream_loop is an input option: -1 means loop indefinitely, and the option must precede the -i for the input it should repeat. See the FFmpeg command-line documentation.
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What the input options do
-stream_loop -1repeats the playlist. It is the loop control.-rereads local media at its native rate, pacing output for real-time streaming rather than sending the files as quickly as they can be read. It does not create the loop. FFmpeg cautions against using it with actual capture devices or live inputs, where it can cause packet loss; see the FFmpeg documentation.-f concatselects the concat demuxer, while-safe 0relaxes its path restrictions. Use-safe 0only when the playlist and its entries are trusted.
Check playlist compatibility before streaming
The concat demuxer expects playlist files to have matching streams, including compatible codecs and time bases. Differences in resolution, aspect ratio, codec, or audio-stream layout can cause errors or a disrupted transition. Do not assume the demuxer will adapt a heterogeneous playlist just because the input is looped.
- Check each file’s video and audio streams and make the playlist consistent where possible.
- If files have materially different stream properties, normalize them to a common format before concatenating. This is practical guidance, not a guarantee that every set of files will work.
- For path and stream-matching details, consult the FFmpeg concat demuxer documentation. An FFmpeg-user discussion also describes the same-stream constraint and normalization approach: FFmpeg-user mailing list.
Choose YouTube output settings for the actual video
The example command uses H.264 video, AAC audio, and an RTMPS output, but its bitrate and GOP setting are examples—not settings that suit every resolution or frame rate. YouTube’s current encoder guidance lists H.264, H.265, or AV1 video up to 60 fps, AAC or MP3 audio, and constant bitrate encoding. Its bitrate recommendations vary by codec, resolution, and frame rate, so consult the current YouTube live encoder settings rather than copying a bitrate blindly.
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- YouTube recommends a 2-second keyframe interval and says not to exceed 4 seconds. The example’s
-g 60corresponds to a 2-second GOP only at 30 frames per second; adjust it to match the actual frame rate. - As one reference point, YouTube’s settings page accessed in 2026 lists 5 Mbps minimum and 14 Mbps recommended for H.264 at 1080p/30 fps. Those are YouTube ingest recommendations, not independent measurements or guarantees.
- YouTube recommends RTMPS for encrypted transport. Verify the protocol, codec, bitrate, frame rate, audio, and keyframe interval against its current guidance.
Connect FFmpeg to YouTube and verify the broadcast
- In YouTube Live Control Room, create or choose the stream and copy its stream URL and stream key. YouTube’s encoder setup instructions explain how to enter those values in an encoder.
- Replace the example output address with YouTube’s URL and key. Treat the stream key like a password: anyone who has it may be able to send video to your stream. If you reset it, update the FFmpeg configuration too.
- Start FFmpeg and check the Live Control Room preview and stream health before relying on the broadcast. Test with representative movement and audio, and monitor the health indicators during the event.
A repeating FFmpeg input is not an unlimited YouTube archive. YouTube’s encoder setup guidance says streams shorter than 12 hours are automatically archived; that platform behavior is separate from the local input loop.
Troubleshoot the common failure points
- The playlist stops after one pass: Make sure
-stream_loop -1appears before the playlist’s-i. It applies to the next input, not retroactively to an input already opened. - The playlist races through the files: For local files intended for real-time output, add
-rebefore-i. It paces reading; it does not enable looping. - FFmpeg fails at a clip boundary: Check that the files have compatible stream layouts, codecs, and time bases. Normalize inconsistent files before relying on the concat demuxer.
- YouTube reports an ingest or format problem: Compare the output protocol, codec, bitrate, frame rate, audio codec, CBR behavior, and keyframe interval with YouTube’s current encoder settings for the chosen resolution and frame rate.
- The broadcast ends even though the input loops: The loop only controls FFmpeg’s input. A process crash, network interruption, YouTube event control, or archive behavior can still interrupt or end the broadcast.
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