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To send an AAC internet radio feed to YouTube Live, use an encoder such as OBS Studio or FFmpeg to receive the station’s audio, pair it with a visual, and transmit the resulting audiovisual stream to YouTube. YouTube recommends RTMPS, and its baseline for stereo audio is AAC or MP3 at 44.1 kHz and 128 kbps. Test the actual station URL and monitor YouTube’s stream health before relying on the relay.
What you need to relay an AAC radio feed
An AAC radio URL supplies audio, not a complete YouTube Live program. Your encoder must be able to open the station’s actual stream, provide video (a still image or looped visual is enough), and send a YouTube-compatible output. The incoming AAC stream and outgoing YouTube audio are separate stages: the encoder may need to decode the source and encode it again in a format and settings suitable for YouTube.
- A radio stream URL that is reachable from the computer or server running the encoder. The station may require particular headers, authentication, or a specific URL format.
- A YouTube Live broadcast and its ingest URL and stream key, obtained from the channel’s current Live Control Room or API configuration.
- An encoder: OBS Studio for a graphical, operator-led setup, or FFmpeg for a command-line pipeline and possible server automation.
- A permitted visual, such as station artwork or a looped video, and rights to retransmit the audio and visual content.
- A stable internet connection with upload capacity for the chosen output settings.
The cited workflow does not verify any particular station URL. Confirm its access requirements with the radio provider and test the precise feed in your chosen encoder; AAC alone does not establish that every URL, transport, or stream type will work unchanged.
Set up the YouTube Live destination
- In YouTube Studio, create or select the broadcast in the Live Control Room.
- Obtain the ingest URL and stream key for that broadcast. Use the exact values provided for the stream; do not substitute a key from an example.
- Keep the stream key private. Anyone who obtains it may be able to send a feed to your channel.
- Choose RTMPS if your encoder supports it. YouTube recommends RTMPS; its developer guidance calls for a valid YouTube endpoint and path, TLS on port 443, and the correct hostname for SNI authentication. Use the supplied URL rather than assembling an endpoint yourself.
YouTube documents RTMP, RTMPS, HLS, and DASH as ingestion options. RTMP is unencrypted; RTMPS is encrypted and is the straightforward default for ordinary streams. HLS and DASH are encrypted and allow additional codec options, but their segmented delivery typically has higher latency. Choose another protocol only when your encoder and delivery requirements call for it.
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Choose OBS Studio or FFmpeg
| Need | Starting point | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Graphical setup and manual operation | OBS Studio | A GUI is convenient for scenes and operator changes. Confirm that the selected source or plugin can open the exact radio URL and stream type. |
| Simple image-plus-audio pipeline or automation | FFmpeg | It can combine a radio input with a still image or looped video and send the output to YouTube. Correct input options depend on the actual station feed. |
| Unattended relay | FFmpeg on a server with process supervision | A supervisor can restart an exited process, but cannot fix an unavailable station feed, invalid key, network outage, or YouTube-side failure. |
These are workflow distinctions, not guarantees that a specific AAC URL will work. If the encoder cannot open the feed, verify the URL and access requirements with the station first, then check that your encoder build supports its input format.
Configure the outgoing video and audio
Audio
For RTMP or RTMPS, YouTube accepts AAC or MP3 audio. For stereo, its current encoder guidance recommends 44.1 kHz sample rate and 128 kbps. Treat these as settings for the outgoing YouTube encode; the bitrate of the station’s incoming AAC feed does not automatically set the encoder’s output bitrate. YouTube’s guidance for 5.1 audio is 48 kHz and 384 kbps; 5.1 over RTMP/RTMPS is supported only for AAC.
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Video and keyframes
The encoder must send video even when the program is radio. Use a still image, looped video, or restrained visualizer that you have permission to use. YouTube lists H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1 for video, at up to 60 frames per second, and recommends constant bitrate encoding. Its recommended keyframe interval is two seconds and should not exceed four seconds.
Bitrate depends on resolution, frame rate, and codec. For example, YouTube’s current H.264 guidance recommends 4 Mbps for 720p at 30 or 60 fps and 5 Mbps for 1080p at 30 fps; AV1 and H.265 have different recommendations. A static radio visual may not need high resolution, but the feed still needs supported video. Consult YouTube’s current bitrate table for the chosen codec and resolution, and select a rate your upload connection can sustain.
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Encoder protocol
Use the RTMPS URL issued for the broadcast when available. YouTube’s developer guidance specifies the RTMPS protocol, a valid ingest endpoint and path, port 443, and correct host handling for TLS/SNI. Do not expose the stream key in screenshots, public configuration files, or shared commands.
Connect the radio source and start a test
- Add the station URL as an audio input in OBS Studio or as an input to your FFmpeg pipeline. Supply any station-required access details only in the appropriate private configuration. The exact steps and input options depend on the URL and encoder build.
- Add a video source. For a basic radio broadcast, use a still image or a looping visual that fills the output frame and is cleared for use.
- Set the outgoing audio and video formats, bitrate, frame rate, and keyframe interval to values supported by YouTube and your connection.
- Configure the encoder with the broadcast’s exact RTMPS ingest URL and stream key.
- Run a preflight test with the real radio audio and video. Check that the audio is audible, video is present, and the upload connection remains stable.
- Watch YouTube’s stream health indicators during the test and broadcast. The LiveStreams API can report issues such as
noAudioStream,audioCodec, and sample-rate warnings when that API is part of your workflow. - End the test and confirm the broadcast behavior in YouTube Studio before scheduling or relying on a longer relay.
Keep a 24/7 relay running
For a self-managed continuous relay, run the encoder on a machine that stays online and use process supervision or a service restart policy to bring FFmpeg back if it exits. A server is an operational choice, not a YouTube requirement. Restart automation handles only process exits; it does not restore a failed source URL, repair authentication, resolve a network outage, or guarantee that YouTube ingest is available. Check logs and stream health rather than treating an automatic restart as proof that the broadcast recovered.
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Troubleshoot common failures
- YouTube shows no video or no signal: Confirm that the encoder has a video source and is continuously outputting it. An audio-only radio feed does not make the audiovisual stream YouTube expects.
- No audio or silence: Check that the station URL is reachable from the encoder host, any authentication is correct, and the encoder can decode the actual stream. Review YouTube’s health and configuration indicators when available.
- Audio codec or sample-rate warning: For RTMP/RTMPS, set outgoing audio to AAC or MP3. Use 44.1 kHz stereo as the baseline and inspect the reported health issue.
- RTMPS connection failure: Verify the exact issued URL, port 443, TLS support, and hostname/SNI handling. A wrong endpoint, port, or cleartext RTMP attempt can lead to SSL or timeout errors.
- Unstable transmission or dropped frames: Test available upload capacity, reduce resolution or bitrate if the connection cannot sustain the configured output, and watch stream health during a representative test.
- Long-running relay stops: Check whether the FFmpeg process exited, whether the source feed is reachable, and whether the key and network still work. A supervisor may restart an exited process, but it cannot correct those underlying faults.
Check rebroadcast rights before going live
Technical access to a radio feed does not establish permission to retransmit it on YouTube. Confirm that you are authorized to rebroadcast the station’s music, spoken programming, advertisements, and artwork in the relevant territories, and check YouTube’s current platform rules. The permissions required can depend on the content and where it is heard; do not assume the station’s online stream license covers a separate YouTube broadcast.
Or let it run in the cloud
For a pre-recorded radio program you have permission to broadcast, StreamNeo keeps a YouTube channel live from uploaded videos, without leaving a computer or home connection on. The setup is three steps:
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- Upload a recording or build a playlist.
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It does not take a live AAC station URL or broadcast from a camera, so it is an alternative for prepared recordings, not a direct relay of an internet radio feed. Every slot includes 10 GB of storage, pooled across active slots, and the same feature set regardless of billing length. It streams the uploaded material as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot, with automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card; one free day is available per account. The monthly option is $9.99 per month. Start your free day with StreamNeo.
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