To make FFmpeg retry an internet radio source when its HTTP connection drops or unexpectedly reaches EOF, put the reconnect options before the source’s -i:
ffmpeg
-reconnect 1
-reconnect_at_eof 1
-reconnect_streamed 1
-reconnect_delay_max 30
-i "$RADIO_URL"
...output options...
"$YOUTUBE_RTMP_URL/$YOUTUBE_STREAM_KEY"This is a starting pattern, not a tested station-specific command. These flags control FFmpeg’s HTTP input behavior; they do not restart FFmpeg if it exits or guarantee recovery of the radio station, your network, or the separate YouTube publishing connection.
What the reconnect options do
FFmpeg’s HTTP protocol options apply to the input URL immediately following them. Place them before the -i for the radio source, not just before the YouTube output. The options and their version-sensitive behavior are documented in the FFmpeg Protocols Documentation.
-reconnect 1asks FFmpeg to reconnect after a disconnect before EOF.-reconnect_at_eof 1treats EOF as an error and reconnects. This is useful for a live or endless source that should continue but sometimes closes unexpectedly.-reconnect_streamed 1permits reconnect attempts for streamed, non-seekable input. Many radio streams are continuous rather than seekable files.-reconnect_delay_max 30sets a maximum reconnect delay, in seconds. Choose a bound that fits your tolerance for interruption; a delay does not make an unavailable station recover.
The value 30 is an example, not a universal default or recommendation. FFmpeg also documents retry-count and total-delay controls, but option availability can vary by version and build. Check the local installation with ffmpeg -h protocol=http before relying on a flag.
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Add retries for specific network or HTTP failures
Only expand the retry policy to match failures you see in logs. Retrying the wrong response can waste time without fixing the cause.
-reconnect_on_network_error 1requests retries for TCP/TLS errors during connection establishment. Use it when that is the observed failure and the installed build supports it.-reconnect_on_http_error 503,5xxselects HTTP statuses that should trigger retries; FFmpeg accepts explicit codes and classes such as4xxor5xx. A broad client-error retry policy is usually unhelpful: authentication, access, or malformed-request errors generally need a corrected URL, credential, or request.-respect_retry_after 1tells FFmpeg to honor a server’sRetry-Afterheader when present, rather than relying only on exponential backoff. This can matter for responses such as 429 or 503.
Confirm support and exact behavior in the HTTP protocol help for your installed FFmpeg version. Do not assume retry counts or delay limits are identical across builds.
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Build the complete radio-to-YouTube command
- Check the local options. Run
ffmpeg -h protocol=httpand confirm the reconnect flags you plan to use are available. - Put source options before its input. Replace
$RADIO_URLwith the station’s HTTP stream URL. Keep the reconnect flags immediately before-i "$RADIO_URL"so they configure that input. - Provide the output treatment. Add the required audio and, if the YouTube workflow requires it, video options before the output URL. An audio-led stream with a still image needs a video input or filter and an acceptable video stream; reconnecting the radio audio does not create or repair that visual component.
- Set the destination for the specific event. Replace the output placeholder with the ingest address and stream key shown in YouTube Studio for that live event. YouTube describes the stream key as the information that tells an encoder where to send the feed and lets YouTube accept it; keep it private. See Manage live stream settings.
- Test the full path. Check the YouTube preview and stream-health messages before relying on the setup. YouTube’s live encoder settings guide recommends testing and monitoring stream health.
The exact output command depends on the station’s format, any redirects or authentication, your still image or other visual treatment, and the event’s settings. No station, codec, playlist, or image is specified here, so the pattern above should not be treated as a verified end-to-end command.
Keep YouTube’s output settings separate from input reconnects
Reconnect options address reading the source, not configuring YouTube’s ingest. YouTube’s current encoder guidance lists RTMP/RTMPS ingestion; H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1 video codecs; frame rates up to 60 fps; CBR; and AAC or MP3 audio. It recommends RTMPS, a two-second keyframe interval, and not exceeding four seconds. Select settings for your chosen video treatment and event rather than assuming the input flags determine them. See YouTube’s encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions.
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For bandwidth, YouTube advises leaving 20% headroom above the stream’s total sent bitrate and notes that connectivity disruptions can break a stream. See Streaming tips.
Diagnose which part stopped working
Reconnect flags are not an all-purpose restart mechanism. Identify the failing layer before changing the retry policy.
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| Symptom or failure layer | What to check | What the reconnect flags can do |
|---|---|---|
| Radio HTTP input disconnects before EOF | FFmpeg logs, station availability, URL, and HTTP response | -reconnect 1 requests a retry after a pre-EOF disconnect. |
| Radio input reports unexpected EOF | Whether the station is expected to be continuous and whether EOF coincides with a station interruption | -reconnect_at_eof 1 treats EOF as an error; streamed sources may also need -reconnect_streamed 1. |
| Connection establishment fails | TCP/TLS errors and whether the station or network is reachable | -reconnect_on_network_error 1 may retry these errors if supported by the installed build. |
| HTTP response repeats | Status code and whether the URL, access, or credentials are valid | -reconnect_on_http_error can target selected statuses; retries cannot correct a bad request or access problem. |
| FFmpeg process exits | Exit status and process logs | Input reconnect options cannot revive a stopped process. A process supervisor or service manager is a separate way to relaunch it. |
| YouTube preview or ingest fails while input continues | Output address and key, encoder settings, preview, and YouTube stream-health messages | Input reconnect options do not recover the publishing connection. |
| Connection becomes unstable under load | Available outbound bandwidth versus total bitrate | Reconnects may not overcome a persistently constrained or disrupted network; leave the bandwidth margin YouTube advises. |
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