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concat demuxer

How to Use FFmpeg’s Concat Demuxer for a Nonstop YouTube Live Stream

Use FFmpeg’s concat demuxer to play compatible local videos in order, loop them continuously and send the output to YouTube Live.

By DocumentaryTube Team 5 min read
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To loop local videos continuously into YouTube Live, put their paths in a concat playlist, then run FFmpeg with -stream_loop -1 and -re before the playlist input. Encode to settings supported by your YouTube ingest, send the output to the current RTMPS address and stream key from Live Control Room, and monitor stream health. The command below is a configuration template—not a guarantee of uninterrupted broadcasting: your computer, upload connection and YouTube ingest must remain available.

Prepare a concat playlist

Create a plain-text file called playlist.txt in FFmpeg’s working directory. Put one file directive per line in the order you want the clips to play:

file 'clip-01.mp4'
file 'clip-02.mp4'
file 'clip-03.mp4'

Paths are relative to the process working directory unless you use absolute paths. Quote or escape paths containing spaces or special characters. You may put ffconcat version 1.0 on the first line for automatic script-type recognition; it must be exact, with no byte-order mark or extra spaces. The command below explicitly selects the concat demuxer with -f concat, so it does not rely on automatic recognition.

Check that the clips are compatible

The concat demuxer virtually reads the files in sequence and shifts timestamps so each starts where the previous one ends. FFmpeg’s official documentation warns: “All files must have the same streams (same codecs, same time base, etc.).” Differences in stream lengths or inaccurate duration information can cause gaps or artifacts at transitions. Check every file before using the list. If a duration is unavailable or inaccurate, the concat format supports a duration directive; do not guess a value.

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Loop the playlist and send it to YouTube

This illustrative template assumes 30 fps H.264 video and stereo AAC audio. Replace the output address and key with the current ingest address and stream name shown for your broadcast in YouTube Live Control Room. Never share or publish a real stream key.

ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 
  -f concat -safe 0 -i playlist.txt 
  -c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -tune zerolatency 
  -b:v 5M -maxrate 5M -bufsize 10M 
  -g 60 -keyint_min 60 -sc_threshold 0 
  -c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100 
  -f flv 'rtmps://YOUR_INGEST_ADDRESS/YOUR_STREAM_KEY'
  • -stream_loop -1 repeats the input indefinitely. It is an input option, so keep it before -i.
  • -re reads file input at its native frame rate (equivalent to -readrate 1) rather than as fast as possible. It also belongs before -i.
  • -f concat selects the concat demuxer. -safe 0 allows paths outside its safe-path subset; use it only with a playlist you control.
  • The template’s GOP length of 60 frames is two seconds at 30 fps. If you change the output frame rate, adjust the keyframe interval accordingly.
  • The bitrate, resolution, frame rate and audio settings are not universal presets. Set them to suit your source, connection and YouTube’s current requirements.

FFmpeg must keep running and the machine must stay powered and connected for this local workflow to continue. A looped input does not protect against a stopped process, a lost upload connection or a YouTube ingest interruption.

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Choose between the concat demuxer and re-encoding

The concat demuxer is suited to compatible clips when you want FFmpeg to read them in sequence without re-encoding. Stream-copying with -c copy can avoid decode-and-encode work and its quality loss, but it cannot apply filters and is not guaranteed to meet the chosen live-ingest requirements. Confirm compatibility before relying on it.

If the clips differ in codecs or parameters, or need normalization or filtering, use a re-encoding workflow such as FFmpeg’s concat filter. Re-encoding gives you control over output resolution, frame rate and audio, at the cost of processing work and another encode. FFmpeg’s FAQ distinguishes the concat demuxer, useful when avoiding re-encoding, from the concat filter for cases that need it.

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Match YouTube Live’s ingest settings

YouTube’s encoder guidance lists H.264, H.265/HEVC or AV1 video; AAC or MP3 audio; constant bitrate (CBR) encoding; and frame rates up to 60 fps. YouTube recommends RTMPS for encrypted ingest. Its current H.264 bitrate table gives these examples:

H.264 output Minimum bitrate Recommended bitrate
1080p30 5 Mbps 14 Mbps
720p30 3 Mbps 8 Mbps

These figures are YouTube Help’s listed settings, accessed in 2026; they are not guarantees of picture quality or audience performance. YouTube recommends a two-second keyframe interval and says not to exceed four seconds. For stereo audio, it recommends 44.1 kHz and 128 Kbps. Check YouTube’s live encoder settings before production, because specifications can change. Choose the table row for your output and make sure your upload connection can sustain the stream bitrate.

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Use YouTube Live Control Room or the applicable API resource to retrieve the current ingest endpoint and stream name for your broadcast. YouTube’s API documents RTMP (including RTMPS), HLS and DASH ingestion types, as well as stream status and health fields; a channel-specific address and key must come from your account, not a generic example.

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Troubleshoot playlist and live-stream problems

  • The playlist will not open: Check the working directory, file paths, quoting and playlist syntax. If relying on automatic recognition, make sure the first line is exactly ffconcat version 1.0; otherwise keep -f concat in the command.
  • Clips have gaps or artifacts at transitions: Check that files have matching streams, codecs and time bases, and verify their durations. Incorrect duration information affects where FFmpeg places the next file’s timestamps. Normalize or re-encode incompatible clips, or use the concat filter when re-encoding is needed.
  • FFmpeg races through the files: Put -re before the playlist input. To repeat the full playlist, put -stream_loop -1 there too.
  • YouTube reports stream-health issues: Check that the output has audio and uses supported codecs, bitrate and frame rate, with an appropriate keyframe interval. YouTube’s health information can flag low or high bitrate, unsupported codecs, frame-rate mismatch and ingestion starvation.
  • It works locally but fails as live ingest: Confirm the output container and codecs fit the selected ingestion protocol, the endpoint and key are current, and the upload connection can sustain the bitrate. Test with representative audio and motion, then monitor stream health during the broadcast.

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