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How to Schedule MP4 Files in AWS Elemental MediaLive for YouTube

MediaLive will not rotate through attached MP4 inputs automatically. Learn how to attach static or dynamic files, schedule each switch, connect YouTube Live, and check stream health.
Opened Runtime6 min Written byDocumentaryTube Team
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To schedule prerecorded MP4 files as a YouTube live stream with AWS Elemental MediaLive, attach each file as an input—or configure a reusable dynamic input for files in Amazon S3 or AWS Elemental MediaStore—then create channel schedule actions that switch between them. MediaLive does not rotate through attached inputs automatically: “There is no implicit switching.” You must define the first switch and every later transition in the channel schedule.

Choose how MediaLive will access the MP4 files

The right input model depends on how many files you have and how often the playlist changes. The schedule switches to inputs already attached to the channel; it is not a file-list uploader.

Use one static input per file for a small, stable playlist

Create an MP4 input for each file and attach each input to the channel. This makes each scheduled switch target a distinct input attachment. When configuring an MP4 input, AWS distinguishes standard-class input, which uses two source URLs, from single-class input, which uses one. Choose the class according to your source and resilience design; it does not change how schedule timing works. See AWS’s MP4 input setup.

Use a dynamic input for a changing set of S3 or MediaStore files

For a larger or frequently changing playlist, a dynamic file input can reuse one attachment. AWS documents dynamic MP4 and TS inputs from S3 or MediaStore, not arbitrary public URLs. Configure the input URL with the $urlPath$ variable. For example, an S3 template can be s3ssl://$urlPath$; a schedule action then supplies an object path such as amzn-s3-demo-bucket/my-movie.mp4. The scheduled action still has to identify which file to play. See AWS’s dynamic file input guide.

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Plan the schedule and choose transition timing

Before creating actions, list the playback order, the input attachment each action will target, any dynamic object path, and the intended start rule. The schedule belongs to the channel. Attaching several inputs alone does not make them play in sequence, and MediaLive does not switch back to a default input when a file ends. AWS describes the behavior in Multiple-input channels and the schedule.

Start rule Use it when Important behavior
Immediate A switch should take effect now. For standard two-pipeline channels, MediaLive synchronizes an immediate switch using an internal 10-second offset.
Fixed A clip must begin at a specified UTC wall-clock time. AWS documents creating a fixed input-switch action at least 15 seconds and no more than 14 days ahead. Confirm the current console or API behavior when scheduling.
Follow The next file should start when a referenced file action ends. The action must reference an earlier input-switch action, and the preceding input’s source-end behavior must be set to Continue. Each next file still needs its own schedule action.

A file switch can also specify input clipping with start and stop timecodes. AWS’s input-switch timing documentation describes fixed and follow starts; a schedule action example shows a follow switch referencing an earlier action and a timecode clip range.

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Create the inputs, channel, and schedule actions

  1. Create the inputs. Make one MP4 input for each file in a small fixed set, or configure the dynamic input URL template for S3 or MediaStore objects.
  2. Attach the inputs to the channel. Every static input targeted by an action must be attached. For a dynamic playlist, attach the reusable dynamic input.
  3. Set source-end behavior where needed. For a follow transition, configure the preceding input’s source-end behavior as Continue so the next action can follow its end.
  4. Create the first action as immediate before channel start. AWS recommends making the first switch in a new channel immediate and creating it before starting the channel.
  5. Add an action for every subsequent file. Select the target input attachment and choose fixed timing for a UTC start or follow timing to start after the referenced file action. For a dynamic input, also provide the object path for that action.
  6. Start the channel and monitor playback. You can add or revise future actions while the channel is running, without stopping it. Keep the channel’s attached inputs and its schedule aligned as you extend the playlist.

AWS recommends planning the switch order first and using the schedule as the single place that controls initial ingest order. Review the current MediaLive schedule documentation for the fields available in the console or API you are using.

Send the MediaLive output to YouTube Live

  1. Prepare a YouTube live stream. In YouTube Studio’s Live Control Room, create or select the stream and copy its stream URL and stream key.
  2. Configure the MediaLive output destination. Enter the URL and key from the Control Room in the channel’s output configuration. Prefer the RTMPS URL if the Control Room offers it and your selected configuration supports it. The exact output-group fields depend on your channel, so use the current values displayed by YouTube and MediaLive rather than assuming a universal endpoint.
  3. Protect the key. Treat the stream key as a secret used by the encoder to send the feed and authenticate it for acceptance. Do not expose it in screenshots, logs, examples, or shared configuration.
  4. Verify the live preview and health. Confirm that YouTube receives the signal and check stream health in the Control Room before relying on the scheduled sequence.

YouTube’s encoder setup guidance explains the stream URL and key workflow.

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Match the output encoding to YouTube and the source

Do not assume that the MP4 files’ source encoding automatically determines the right live output profile. Choose the protocol, video and audio codecs, frame rate, resolution, keyframe interval, and bitrate for the MediaLive output using YouTube’s current encoder guidance and the capabilities of your channel. YouTube’s recommendations vary by resolution, frame rate, and codec and can change; consult its current live encoder settings and bitrate table rather than treating a single bitrate as universal.

Test with representative audio and motion before the scheduled run. A clip with quiet imagery or silence may not reveal the same problems as material with movement and a full audio mix. During the event, keep the YouTube stream-health indicator under observation.

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Troubleshoot common playlist failures

  • The channel stays on one file. Multiple attached inputs do not cause automatic rotation. Check that there is a schedule action for each transition and that each action targets the intended attached input.
  • A follow action does not start. Verify that it references a preceding input-switch action and that the preceding input’s source-end behavior is Continue. Also confirm that the preceding action actually reaches its end; an intentional clip stop or a file that does not finish as expected can affect the transition.
  • A dynamic file fails to resolve. Check that the input uses the $urlPath$ variable and that the action supplies the correct S3 or MediaStore object path. Dynamic file inputs documented by AWS are for those storage services, not arbitrary web URLs.
  • A fixed action is rejected or mistimed. Check that its start time is expressed as a UTC wall-clock time and falls within the documented scheduling horizon: at least 15 seconds and no more than 14 days ahead when created. Confirm the current service behavior in the console or API.
  • YouTube receives no usable signal. Recheck the stream URL and key against the selected YouTube live stream, then inspect the MediaLive output configuration and YouTube stream-health details. Do not publish or share the key while troubleshooting.
  • Playback appears but health is poor. Compare the output protocol, codecs, frame rate, keyframe interval, resolution, and bitrate with YouTube’s current table for the chosen ingestion protocol. Test with representative audio and motion, then review health during the run.

Or let it run in the cloud

If your goal is simply to keep prerecorded videos live on YouTube, StreamNeo is a simpler alternative to configuring a MediaLive channel and schedule: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It loops the uploaded videos from the cloud, so nothing has to stay on at home. Video streams as uploaded up to 4K 60fps at one price per slot, with automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly pricing is $9.99 per month.

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