You can use OBS Studio on a Windows mini PC to play prerecorded video into a YouTube Live event: use OBS’s Media Source for one looping file, or a VLC Video source for a playlist. But scheduling the YouTube event does not make the PC start itself, reopen OBS after a crash, or recover after a reboot. The playlist and encoder are documented; unattended Windows startup and recovery need to be tested on your particular machine.
What this setup does—and what “unattended” requires
OBS is the computer-side encoder. It plays local media and sends a live video feed to YouTube using the stream URL and stream key from YouTube Studio. OBS documents looping a single file and playing a playlist through VLC Video. YouTube’s guidance covers creating the event, sending the feed, and checking stream health.
That is not the same as a fully self-recovering appliance. A scheduled event does not prove that Windows will boot, sign in, launch OBS, or restore the stream after a power loss or software failure. The official setup guidance cited here does not specify Windows startup automation, sleep settings, or an OBS relaunch procedure. Rehearse those parts on the target mini PC instead of assuming they work.
Check YouTube eligibility before the planned run
- Your channel must be verified and have no live-streaming restrictions in the preceding 90 days.
- First-time live-stream enablement can take up to 24 hours. Enable and verify access well before the broadcast.
- Decide whether the event should be public, private, or unlisted. A scheduled stream may appear as upcoming in subscribers’ feeds, where viewers can select “Notify me.”
See YouTube’s encoder setup guide and live stream settings guide.
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Prepare OBS and the video source
For one prerecorded video
- Install OBS Studio on the mini PC and create or select the scene you intend to stream.
- Add a Media Source to the scene and select the local video file.
- Enable the source’s Loop option if the file should repeat continuously.
- Check the scene’s audio and picture in the OBS preview. Keep the scene containing the source active during the stream.
For a multi-video playlist
- Install VLC. OBS’s VLC Video source requires VLC to be installed; if OBS is 64-bit, use 64-bit VLC.
- In OBS, add a VLC Video source and populate its playlist with the local files in the desired order.
- Leave Loop Playlist enabled to repeat the list. OBS documents this option as enabled by default. Set shuffle off for a fixed sequence or on for randomized playback.
- Review the source’s visibility behavior. Depending on its setting, VLC Video can stop and restart, pause and unpause, or always play when its scene is hidden. Confirm the selected behavior suits your scene transitions.
- Play the entire list in a rehearsal. Check that each file loads, the order is right, and both video and audio behave as intended.
OBS describes VLC Video as allowing a playlist of items, unlike Media Source. Its documented source behavior does not establish uninterrupted playback through every damaged file, codec issue, or computer restart. See OBS Media Sources documentation.
Create the YouTube event and connect OBS
- In YouTube Studio, create or schedule a live stream using an encoder. Set the event’s visibility and schedule intentionally.
- Copy the stream URL and stream key shown for the event. In OBS, open the stream settings and enter those values as the server and key, following the labels shown in your OBS version.
- Keep the stream key private. YouTube describes it as like the password and address for the stream; do not show it in screenshots or public instructions.
- Review YouTube’s Auto-start and Auto-stop choices if they appear. They concern starting or stopping the stream from the encoder. They do not start Windows or reopen OBS after a restart. Reusing stream settings also copies these choices.
- Start the encoder and check the Live Control Room preview before the event begins.
YouTube’s encoder instructions explain the stream URL and key. Treat the key as a credential: anyone who obtains it may be able to send a feed to the stream.
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Choose settings the mini PC and connection can sustain
YouTube recommends RTMPS and says to choose a resolution, frame rate, and bitrate suited to the connection. Its encoder guidance lists H.264, H.265, or AV1 video and AAC or MP3 audio for RTMP/RTMPS. Those options do not guarantee that a particular mini PC can encode every combination; capability depends on its hardware and software.
- Pick a resolution and frame rate the mini PC can encode reliably for the full run.
- Set bitrate in line with YouTube’s guidance and the stability and upload capacity of the connection, not just its best-case speed.
- Use a supported video and audio codec, and verify the actual output in a test stream.
- Check audio levels and listen for interruptions; a picture that looks correct can still have silent or distorted audio.
For current setting ranges and recommendations, consult YouTube’s encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions guide. No minimum CPU, RAM, GPU, or mini-PC model can be established from the cited guidance, so do not treat a generic specification as proof that a machine will sustain your chosen settings.
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Rehearse the full unattended workflow
Run a test on the actual mini PC, using the intended playlist, scene, audio, event visibility, encoder settings, network, and expected duration. YouTube recommends testing with audio and movement similar to the real stream and checking stream health and messages.
- Confirm the full playlist repeats or advances as intended, including its final item.
- Check the Live Control Room preview and stream-health messages, then inspect the received picture and sound.
- Test the Windows startup, sign-in, OBS launch, and recovery steps you plan to rely on. The cited YouTube and OBS pages do not validate particular Windows automation or recovery settings.
- Decide how someone will notice a stopped stream and intervene. YouTube recommends continuous monitoring; an unattended run has more operational risk when nobody is watching.
YouTube’s operational advice is to set up the encoder at least two hours in advance, start it at least 15 minutes before the scheduled event, check the Live Control Room preview before clicking Start Streaming, continuously monitor audio and video quality, and stop the encoder after the event has stopped on YouTube. These recommendations are in YouTube live streaming tips for computers.
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Plan around stream length and archives
YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. The cited guidance does not establish that a stream lasting 12 hours or longer will be saved as one complete archive, so do not rely on that outcome for an around-the-clock broadcast. If a complete recording matters, plan a separate local recording or another verified preservation method and test it before the event.
Common problems and what to check
- The VLC Video source is missing: install VLC; for 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC as well. Restart OBS and check the source list again.
- The playlist stops when you expect it to repeat: confirm Loop Playlist is enabled and that the source is active. Review its visibility behavior if the scene is hidden.
- YouTube receives no feed: check the OBS stream URL and key against the correct YouTube event, then confirm OBS is actually sending. Keep the key private while troubleshooting.
- The event is not live at the scheduled time: verify that the encoder is running and sending a valid feed. A scheduled event alone does not launch OBS or Windows.
- The stream fails after a reboot or crash: treat this as a Windows/OBS recovery issue, not a playlist setting. Test your startup and relaunch plan on the mini PC; the cited official pages do not provide a verified recovery recipe.
- Video stutters or stream health degrades: review connection stability, bitrate, resolution, frame rate, and the mini PC’s ability to encode that combination. Use YouTube’s current encoder settings guidance and repeat the test.
Or let it run in the cloud
If you do not want a Windows mini PC to carry the stream, StreamNeo is a cloud service for keeping a YouTube channel live from uploaded videos. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It plays the uploaded videos—not a live camera feed—and your computer and home connection do not have to stay on. It offers automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream.
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