You can use a Raspberry Pi to send a pre-recorded video from an external drive to YouTube as a live encoder feed: mount the drive, check the video and audio streams, then have FFmpeg send them to the YouTube stream URL and key. This is different from uploading a video as a normal YouTube video. The command below is illustrative; confirm your media, Raspberry Pi, FFmpeg build, network, and YouTube stream health before relying on it.
What you need before starting
- A Raspberry Pi running Raspberry Pi OS, connected to the network with enough sustained upload capacity for the stream.
- An external hard drive, SSD, or USB stick containing the video file. Raspberry Pi documentation says popular filesystems such as FAT, NTFS, and HFS+ are mounted automatically by default, but Raspberry Pi OS Lite does not implement automounting. Confirm the actual mount path on your system rather than assuming a drive label or path. Raspberry Pi: Using a USB drive
- FFmpeg installed on the Pi, with support for the secure protocol you plan to use. The available protocols depend on the local FFmpeg build; verify RTMPS support before relying on it.
- A YouTube channel able to go live, and a stream configured in YouTube Live Control Room so you can retrieve its server URL and stream key. YouTube: Create a live stream with an encoder
1. Connect and verify the external drive
Connect the drive, then check where Raspberry Pi OS mounted it. On desktop editions, a supported drive may appear under /media/pi/, often with the drive label as the final directory. That is an example, not a guaranteed path. On Raspberry Pi OS Lite, mount the drive yourself; for an unattended setup, configure and verify a predictable mount point that remains valid after a restart.
List likely mount locations and files:
ls /media/pi
ls "/media/pi/DRIVE"
Replace DRIVE with the real directory name. Check that the intended file is readable and use its full path in the FFmpeg command. If the path contains spaces, keep it inside quotation marks.
2. Check the video before choosing how to send it
FFmpeg can either copy the media streams as they are or decode and re-encode them. Stream copy avoids encoding work, but it does not change a codec, resolution, frame rate, bitrate, or keyframe interval. A file that plays locally is not automatically suitable for YouTube ingest.
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Inspect the file
Use FFmpeg’s probe utility, if installed, to inspect stream details:
ffprobe -hide_banner "/media/pi/DRIVE/video.mp4"
Record the video and audio codecs, resolution, frame rate, bitrate, and keyframe interval if available. Compare those properties with YouTube’s encoder guidance. YouTube currently lists H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1 video; AAC or MP3 audio; frame rates up to 60 fps; constant bitrate encoding; and a recommended two-second keyframe interval that should not exceed four seconds. YouTube: Encoder settings for live streaming
Choose stream copy only when the source fits
In FFmpeg, -c:v copy -c:a copy tells it to copy video and audio packets instead of re-encoding them. Use this when the source streams are suitable for the YouTube ingest configuration and FLV output. If YouTube rejects the feed or the source does not meet the requirements, transcode to a compatible format and settings instead. Encoding uses more of the Pi’s resources; performance depends on the model, media, and chosen settings, so verify the actual device can sustain the workload.
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3. Get the YouTube stream URL and protect the key
In YouTube Studio, open Create > Go live and use the Live Control Room to create or select the stream. YouTube provides the server URL and stream key for the encoder handoff. Use the URL shown for your selected stream; YouTube recommends RTMPS. A stream key is credential-like information that lets an encoder send a feed for YouTube to accept, so keep it private. Do not publish it in a public script, repository, screenshot, or article. YouTube: Create a live stream with an encoder
4. Send the file with FFmpeg
This illustrative command reads the file at real-time pace, loops it indefinitely, copies its streams, and sends an FLV feed over RTMPS:
ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1
-i "/media/pi/DRIVE/video.mp4"
-c:v copy -c:a copy
-f flv "rtmps://a.rtmp.youtube.com/live2/STREAM_KEY"
- Replace
/media/pi/DRIVE/video.mp4with the verified path. - Replace
STREAM_KEYwith the private key from YouTube Live Control Room, and confirm the RTMPS URL against the one shown for your stream. -repaces file input in real time, which is appropriate for a live-feed scenario;-stream_loop -1repeats the input indefinitely.-f flvspecifies the output container used for this RTMP(S) publishing example. FFmpeg’s RTMP protocol documentation describes publishing syntax. FFmpeg: RTMP protocol
The command is a starting example, not a verified result for every Pi, FFmpeg build, file, or YouTube stream. FFmpeg’s online documentation is regenerated nightly, and protocol support can vary by local build. FFmpeg command-line documentation
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5. Set an appropriate ingest quality
For H.264, YouTube’s current encoder guidance gives these bitrate figures. Choose a quality your upload connection can sustain reliably; YouTube recommends testing upload speed and testing the stream before going live. These values are YouTube’s published guidance, not a guarantee that a particular Pi or connection can deliver them.
| Output | H.264 minimum bitrate | H.264 recommended bitrate |
|---|---|---|
| 720p at 30 fps | 3 Mbps | 8 Mbps |
| 720p at 60 fps | 3 Mbps | 8 Mbps |
| 1080p at 30 fps | 5 Mbps | 14 Mbps |
| 1080p at 60 fps | 6 Mbps | 17 Mbps |
Those named bitrate figures are for H.264. For a copied source, FFmpeg retains the file’s encoded bitrate and other stream properties; it does not tune them to match a target. If you transcode, set a constant bitrate and suitable keyframe interval consistent with YouTube’s guidance, then check CPU use and stream health while testing. YouTube: Encoder settings for live streaming
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6. Test in YouTube before depending on the stream
- Start the FFmpeg command and check its console output for file, protocol, or connection errors.
- In YouTube Live Control Room, confirm that the incoming preview appears and inspect stream health and any messages.
- Watch and listen to the preview. Test movement and audio similar to what you intend to broadcast, as YouTube Help advises: “Make sure to test before you start your live stream.”
- Confirm that the feed is stable at the selected quality before relying on a longer broadcast. Stop the test if the Pi, drive, or network cannot sustain it.
Copyright and YouTube policy
Only stream video and audio that you have the rights or permission to broadcast. The fact that a file is stored on your own drive does not establish that you may stream it. YouTube’s encoder settings explain technical ingest requirements, not permission to use arbitrary copyrighted material. Also review the policies that apply to your channel and live content before broadcasting.
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Troubleshooting
FFmpeg cannot find the input file
The drive may not have mounted, or its path may differ from the example. List the mount directory, confirm the file name and capitalization, and quote paths containing spaces. On Raspberry Pi OS Lite, mount the drive before running FFmpeg.
YouTube does not receive a feed
Check the stream key and server URL in Live Control Room, make sure the key was not pasted with extra characters, and verify that the local FFmpeg build supports RTMPS. Keep the key private while troubleshooting.
YouTube reports an incompatible stream
Inspect the file’s codecs and stream properties. Stream copy preserves them; it does not convert a codec, fix keyframe spacing, or change resolution. Transcode to settings supported by YouTube if the source is unsuitable.
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The stream buffers or loses health
The connection may not sustain the source bitrate, or the Pi may not keep up if encoding. Test upload capacity, lower the target quality if necessary, and observe YouTube’s stream-health messages. A copied stream’s bitrate is part of the source file; changing it requires re-encoding.
The stream stops after a restart
Check whether the drive remounted at the same path and whether FFmpeg was started again. A stable mount point and a deliberate service or startup configuration are needed for unattended recovery on the Pi; this example command alone does not configure either.
Or let it run in the cloud
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