To send a prerecorded video to YouTube Live through MediaMTX, run FFmpeg to loop and publish the file to a MediaMTX path, then configure MediaMTX to forward that path to the RTMPS URL and stream key shown in your YouTube Live settings. These are separate steps: FFmpeg feeds MediaMTX; MediaMTX sends the feed to YouTube.
The commands below make a file play in real time and loop, but they do not by themselves provide a complete unattended 24/7 service. A process supervisor, restart and reconnect handling, and a plan for network or host failure need separate configuration.
How the stream is connected
MediaMTX is a live media server and proxy that can accept a real-time publishing feed and forward it to another destination. The path for this setup is:
Video file → FFmpeg → MediaMTX path → YouTube Live
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FFmpeg reads the file and publishes it to a named MediaMTX path. MediaMTX then forwards that path to YouTube. MediaMTX documents RTSP as its recommended method for FFmpeg publishing, and also shows an RTMP alternative. See the MediaMTX introduction and its FFmpeg publishing guide.
Before you start
- A running MediaMTX server reachable by the machine running FFmpeg.
- FFmpeg installed on the publishing machine, with permission to read your video file.
- A YouTube channel with access to YouTube Live and a stream key.
- A source file with both video and audio tracks. MediaMTX warns that YouTube requires both; a video-only stream can be silently rejected. The stream-copy commands below do not create missing audio.
- Rights to stream the video and audio. A working technical setup does not establish that you have permission to broadcast the content.
Configure YouTube’s destination
- Open the channel’s YouTube Live settings and find the current stream URL and stream key. Use the RTMPS endpoint provided there rather than relying on an address copied from an old example.
- In MediaMTX’s configuration, set the path you will publish to and its forwarding destination. MediaMTX documents the forwarding value as a destination URL, followed by
#, followed by the stream key. Its example isrtmps://a.rtmp.youtube.com/live2#streamKey; treat that hostname as an example only and verify the current endpoint in your account. - Keep the real stream key private. Do not put it in a public configuration example, screenshot, shell history, or source control. Anyone who obtains it may be able to broadcast to your channel.
MediaMTX says to use rtmps:// for encrypted transport. YouTube also recommends RTMPS, describing it as a secure extension of RTMP. See MediaMTX’s YouTube forwarding instructions and YouTube’s RTMPS guidance. Configuration syntax can vary by MediaMTX version, so follow the current configuration reference for the version you run: MediaMTX configuration.
Publish a looping file from FFmpeg
Recommended: publish to MediaMTX over RTSP
Run this on the machine that can reach MediaMTX. Replace file.mp4 with your input file’s path. If FFmpeg is on a different machine from MediaMTX, replace localhost with the server’s reachable hostname or address.
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ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i file.mp4 -c copy -f rtsp rtsp://localhost:8554/mystreamThe -re option reads the file at its native playback rate; -stream_loop -1 asks FFmpeg to repeat it indefinitely; and -c copy copies the input audio and video streams instead of re-encoding them. The output is published to the MediaMTX path named mystream. This is the real-time looping pattern in the MediaMTX FFmpeg guide.
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If your deployment uses RTMP, the MediaMTX guide also shows:
ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i file.mp4 -c copy -f flv rtmp://localhost:1935/mystreamChoose the method supported by your deployment and the existing infrastructure you need to troubleshoot. The cited guidance does not establish a general performance advantage for either option; MediaMTX recommends RTSP for FFmpeg publishing.
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Check YouTube’s video and audio requirements
Stream copy preserves the input streams. It does not make an unsupported codec compatible, add an audio track, or guarantee that YouTube will accept a particular file. Inspect the source before going live and confirm that it contains both tracks.
YouTube’s live encoder guidance lists RTMP/RTMPS as protocols; H.264, H.265/HEVC and AV1 as video codecs; frame rates up to 60 fps; and AAC or MP3 audio. It recommends constant bitrate (CBR), a two-second keyframe interval, and says not to exceed four seconds. For stereo audio, it recommends a 44.1 kHz sample rate and 128 Kbps. Bitrate depends on the chosen resolution and frame rate: consult YouTube’s current table for your intended output instead of applying one bitrate to every stream. See YouTube’s live encoder settings.
The sample FFmpeg commands use -c copy, so they do not set or change resolution, frame rate, bitrate, codecs, or keyframe interval. If the file does not meet the needs of your YouTube broadcast, you will need a separately planned transcoding setup rather than assuming stream copy will adapt it.
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Start the feed and verify it
- Start MediaMTX with the forwarding configuration in place.
- Run the FFmpeg command and check its output for connection or publishing errors.
- Open the corresponding YouTube Live control room and wait for the incoming stream preview or status. Confirm that both video and audio arrive before starting the public broadcast.
- After a controlled test, confirm that the video loops as expected and that YouTube receives the feed from MediaMTX.
A successful initial connection is not proof of continuous unattended operation. The loop option repeats the source while the FFmpeg process is running; it does not keep that process alive after a crash or restart it after a disconnection.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Plan for continuous operation
“24/7” here describes the intended continuous broadcast, not an uptime guarantee from these commands. The documented FFmpeg and MediaMTX examples do not constitute a complete process supervisor, reconnect strategy, storage policy, or failure-recovery design.
For an unattended deployment, plan and test these separately:
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- Process supervision: decide how FFmpeg and MediaMTX start at boot and what restarts them if they exit. The examples above do not configure a supervisor.
- Reconnection: determine what happens if YouTube or the network drops the connection, and test recovery rather than assuming the existing process will reconnect correctly.
- Host and network outages: consider how a power loss, server failure, or internet interruption affects the feed and how you will detect and recover from it.
- Source-file handling: keep the file accessible for the full run and account for available storage and any changes to the media.
- Monitoring: decide how you will notice a missing feed, rejected stream, or loss of audio and video.
Do not describe the minimal loop command as an automatic-recovery or uptime solution: those behaviors require additional configuration and validation in your own environment.
Troubleshoot common failures
- FFmpeg cannot connect to MediaMTX: verify that MediaMTX is running, the publishing protocol and port match your setup, the server address is reachable from FFmpeg, and the path is correct.
- MediaMTX receives the feed but YouTube does not: confirm that the forwarding path is configured, the RTMPS address is current, and the stream key is correct. Check MediaMTX and YouTube status messages for the specific failure.
- YouTube receives video but rejects or lacks audio: inspect the source file’s tracks. YouTube requires both audio and video;
-c copycannot supply a missing track. - The stream stops when FFmpeg exits:
-stream_loop -1loops only while FFmpeg is running. Configure and test process supervision and recovery separately. - The picture or sound is not accepted or plays incorrectly: compare the actual source codecs, resolution, frame rate, keyframe interval, and audio setup with YouTube’s current encoder requirements. The copy command does not convert them.
- The stream key may have been exposed: treat it as compromised and replace it using the controls in your YouTube Live settings.
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