Run FFmpeg under systemd as a foreground process, then let systemd start it at boot and restart it after an unexpected exit. The exact FFmpeg command depends on your source, codecs, output protocol and destination; there is no universal bhajan-stream command. The example below assumes a local audio file and an RTMP-style destination, so adapt and test it before relying on it.
Before creating the service
First make the FFmpeg command work interactively under the same Ubuntu account that will run the service. That exposes problems with file permissions, paths, credentials, codecs and destination settings before systemd adds another layer.
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Check the installed build with
ffmpeg -version. If an option in an example is unsupported, consult the help for your installed build rather than assuming current online documentation applies. FFmpeg notes that its online documentation is regenerated nightly and describes the newest revision, which may differ from an older Ubuntu package. See the FFmpeg command-line documentation. -
Test the source and destination with the command you plan to use, substituting the real paths and destination details. Confirm that the destination is receiving media, not merely that FFmpeg remains running.
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Decide whether the input is a local file, playlist, capture device or network stream, and whether the output protocol and destination accept the chosen codecs and container. These choices determine the command and any protocol-specific recovery settings.
Create a systemd service for a local file
This illustrative unit assumes a local file, AAC audio transcoding and an RTMP-style output. It is a template, not a tested universal configuration. Replace paths and the destination with values appropriate to your setup; do not use the placeholder destination literally.
[Unit]
Description=FFmpeg bhajan stream
Wants=network-online.target
After=network-online.target
[Service]
Type=simple
User=stream
WorkingDirectory=/srv/bhajan
ExecStart=/usr/bin/ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i /srv/bhajan/source-file -c:a aac -b:a 128k -f flv rtmp://STREAM-DESTINATION/APP/STREAM-KEY
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=5
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.targetAdapt the input and encoding
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-rereads a file at its native rate rather than as fast as possible.-stream_loop -1requests repeated looping of the input. Confirm the behavior for your input and installed FFmpeg build. -
-c:a aac -b:a 128ktranscodes the audio to AAC at the specified bitrate. This is only an example setting; the destination’s requirements and your source determine what is appropriate.Recommended: Crashes or Glitches? A Free Driver Scan Usually Finds the Culprit →Recommended: PC Feels Slow? A Free Scan Shows What's Dragging Windows Down →Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy. -
If the media is already encoded suitably, stream-copy may avoid transcoding, but only when the destination accepts the existing codecs and container parameters. FFmpeg treats streamcopy and transcoding as distinct processing paths; see the command-line documentation.
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For a playlist, capture device or network input, replace the input and related options accordingly. Do not assume the local-file loop command handles a live input or every playlist format.
Keep FFmpeg in the foreground
Use the FFmpeg command directly in ExecStart=. Do not append & or place shell redirection or pipes there: Ubuntu Jammy’s systemd.service manual says those shell constructs are not supported in ExecStart=. systemd can collect output in its journal; use an explicitly configured wrapper if you need shell features. The Jammy manual corresponds to systemd 249.11-0ubuntu3.22; see Ubuntu’s systemd.service manual.
Protect the stream key
Do not put credentials in a unit file readable by everyone or expose them in logs. Restrict access to the service configuration and run the process as a dedicated account with only the file and system access it needs. The appropriate secret-handling method depends on the destination and local setup.
Enable, inspect and stop the service
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Save the unit as
/etc/systemd/system/bhajan-stream.service, adjusting the paths, account and command first. -
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Enable the service at boot and start it now:
sudo systemctl enable --now bhajan-stream.service. -
Inspect its state and recent output:
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Stop it when needed:
sudo systemctl stop bhajan-stream.service. To change the unit, edit it, runsudo systemctl daemon-reload, then restart the service.
After starting, verify at the destination that audio is actually arriving. A running process alone does not establish that the remote stream is healthy.
Choose restart and reconnection behavior deliberately
Restart=on-failure is a reasonable starting policy for a long-running FFmpeg process: systemd can restart it after an unclean exit. RestartSec=5 adds a delay before restart; adjust it to suit the setup rather than allowing rapid repeated attempts. Restarting is subject to systemd unit start-rate limits, so repeated failures can leave the unit stopped until you inspect its state and rate-limit behavior. These semantics are documented in the Ubuntu Jammy systemd.service manual.
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Systemd responds to process exits and timeouts; it does not inherently know that a process is still running while its output has stalled. FFmpeg’s recovery options are protocol-specific. Its HTTP reconnect options apply to HTTP input handling, while the FIFO muxer documentation gives an example of RTMP output recovery. They address different failure cases, so choose based on which side of which connection is failing rather than adding them indiscriminately. See the FFmpeg protocol documentation and FFmpeg all-components documentation.
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The service fails immediately: inspect
systemctl status bhajan-stream.serviceandjournalctl -u bhajan-stream.service -f. Check the executable path, option support in the installed FFmpeg version, file paths, account permissions and destination configuration. -
It works in a terminal but not as a service: compare the interactive and service accounts, working directory and permissions. Use absolute paths and ensure the service account can read the source and access any required credentials.
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It restarts repeatedly: read the journal for the original FFmpeg error, then fix that cause. A restart policy cannot correct a bad path, rejected stream key, unsupported codec or inaccessible input. Repeated start failures may also encounter systemd’s rate limits.
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The process stays active but the destination stops receiving media: systemd may not restart a process that has not exited. Check FFmpeg’s output and the network path, then select a recovery mechanism suited to the actual input or output protocol.
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A reconnect option is rejected or has no effect: verify the option against the installed FFmpeg build and confirm it applies to the protocol and direction in question. HTTP input reconnection and RTMP output recovery are not interchangeable.
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The destination rejects the stream: verify its required protocol, codecs, container and credentials. The example’s RTMP-style URL and AAC settings are assumptions, not requirements shared by every destination.
Test recovery before leaving it unattended
Do a controlled check: stop and start the service, observe its journal, and verify that the destination resumes receiving media. Then test an expected failure mode if you can do so safely. Confirm both process recovery and actual media delivery; a successful systemd restart alone does not prove that the remote stream recovered.
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