You can send an internet radio station to YouTube Live by having FFmpeg combine the station’s audio URL with a still image, then encode and send the result to YouTube’s ingest server. The command below is an illustrative starting point, not a tested recipe: the radio server’s format, your FFmpeg build, network conditions, and YouTube credentials can require changes.
What you need before you start
- An internet radio URL that FFmpeg can access, plus any required authentication details. The exact endpoint and audio codec depend on the station.
- A still image you have permission to use, such as a station graphic.
- FFmpeg installed with compatible video and audio encoders. The example uses
libx264and AAC; available encoders vary by build. - A YouTube channel with access to Live Control Room, where you can create or select a live stream and retrieve its ingest URL and stream key.
- Permission to relay the station and its underlying recordings to YouTube in the intended territory. Technical setup does not establish rebroadcast rights; check the station’s terms and the relevant rights before going live.
Create a YouTube live stream and protect its key
- In YouTube Studio, choose Create → Go Live, then create or select a stream in Live Control Room.
- Copy the stream URL and stream key displayed there. The key is a credential: do not publish it, put it in a public script, or expose it in logs.
- For encrypted ingest, YouTube recommends RTMPS. Use the lock icon in Live Control Room to reveal the RTMPS URL. Do not assume the ordinary RTMP endpoint is the one to use; the endpoint and slash/key format must match the values YouTube shows for your stream. See YouTube Help: Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder and Encrypt your stream using RTMPS.
Check the radio URL and prepare the image
Confirm that the URL is a direct stream FFmpeg can read, rather than a station web page or player page. Determine whether it requires authentication and, if possible, identify the incoming audio codec. No particular station endpoint is specified here, so its accessibility and format cannot be verified in advance. A stream that already uses a compatible audio codec may be remuxed in some workflows; the example below transcodes to AAC for a straightforward baseline.
Choose an image you are allowed to broadcast. The command repeats it as the video input while taking audio from the radio URL. Confirm that your installed FFmpeg version supports the loop behavior used here and the selected encoders.
Run an illustrative FFmpeg command
ffmpeg -re -loop 1 -i cover.jpg -i 'RADIO_STREAM_URL'
-map 0:v:0 -map 1:a:0
-c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -tune stillimage
-r 30 -g 60 -b:v 2500k -maxrate 3000k -bufsize 6000k -pix_fmt yuv420p
-c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100 -ac 2
-f flv 'rtmps://INGEST_URL/STREAM_KEY'Replace cover.jpg with the image path, RADIO_STREAM_URL with the accessible station URL, and the final destination with the exact RTMPS endpoint and key format shown in Live Control Room. Keep the key private. This template was not run or tested; adjust it for the actual radio input, FFmpeg build, and account endpoint.
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-rereads the input at its natural rate rather than sending it as fast as possible.-loop 1makes the still image a repeated video input in commonly used FFmpeg builds. Check the behavior and still-image timing with your installed version.-map 0:v:0 -map 1:a:0explicitly selects video from the first input (the image) and audio from the second (the radio stream). If the station input exposes a different stream layout, these mappings may need adjustment.- The video and audio codec, frame rate, keyframe interval, bitrate, and pixel format are example output settings, not universal requirements. The command assumes the build includes
libx264and AAC encoding. If either is unavailable, select a supported encoder that YouTube accepts.
Choose settings and ingest format
YouTube Help lists H.264, H.265, or AV1 video and AAC or MP3 audio for live encoding, recommends constant bitrate (CBR), supports frame rates up to 60 fps, and recommends a 2-second keyframe interval not exceeding 4 seconds. Its guidance page, accessed in 2026, gives the following figures for 720p at 30 fps and audio:
| Setting | YouTube guidance | What the example uses |
|---|---|---|
| Video codec | H.264, H.265, or AV1 | H.264 via libx264 |
| 720p30 video bitrate | 3 Mbps recommended; 2 Mbps minimum and 6 Mbps maximum | 2,500 Kbps target, with a 3,000 Kbps maximum rate |
| Audio codec | AAC or MP3 | AAC |
| Stereo audio | 128 Kbps recommended at 44.1 kHz | 128 Kbps, 44.1 kHz, two channels |
| Keyframe interval | 2 seconds recommended; no more than 4 seconds | -g 60 at 30 fps, or 2 seconds |
| Bitrate control | CBR recommended | The example sets a target bitrate and maximum rate; verify behavior for the installed encoder and tune it to YouTube’s guidance. |
These figures come from YouTube Help, “Choose live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions”; the page does not state a publication year. The command is not a guarantee that a given connection or FFmpeg build will sustain the output. YouTube advises testing with audio and video movement similar to the intended stream and checking stream health.
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For a basic still-image radio stream, RTMPS is the straightforward recommended ingest choice. YouTube documents HLS as an alternative for HDR or codecs unsupported by RTMP, with higher latency due to segmented delivery; that is generally a different need from this simple static-image setup. See YouTube Help on RTMPS and YouTube Help: Set up an HLS stream.
Preview, start, and stop the broadcast
- Start FFmpeg with the edited command and wait for the stream to appear in Live Control Room.
- Check the preview for a stable image and audible station audio. Review the stream health messages before starting the public broadcast.
- Test under conditions resembling the actual show. YouTube Help says: “Tests should include audio and movement in the video similar to what you’ll be doing in the stream.” For this format, confirm the radio audio remains present and the image stays visible.
- When finished, stop FFmpeg and end the stream in Live Control Room. YouTube’s encoder help page says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived; that does not mean one session can run indefinitely.
Troubleshoot common problems
- No preview in Live Control Room: Check that FFmpeg is still running, the destination URL and key match Live Control Room exactly, and the key has not been exposed or replaced. For RTMPS, retrieve the endpoint using the lock icon rather than guessing it.
- Radio audio is missing: Verify that the URL is a directly accessible audio stream, authentication works, and the input exposes an audio stream at the mapping position used by
-map 1:a:0. Station endpoints can differ; adjust the input options or map after checking the actual stream. - Image or video fails: Check the image path and format, confirm your FFmpeg version supports
-loop 1, and verify that the build has the selected video encoder. - Encoder not found or unsupported: An FFmpeg build may lack
libx264or AAC encoding. Choose an encoder available in that build and compatible with YouTube’s listed codecs. - Unstable stream or poor health: Confirm upload capacity is stable for the selected output bitrate, then test at the intended resolution and bitrate before the broadcast. YouTube recommends running a speed test and conducting a test stream.
- Stream ends unexpectedly: The process depends on the radio source, FFmpeg, and the upload connection continuing to work. The command is not a 24/7 restart configuration; monitor it and plan how to handle source, process, or network interruptions.
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