For a straightforward prerecorded-video loop on YouTube Live, use OBS: add the video as a Media Source, enable its Loop property, and stream the scene to YouTube. MediaMTX is a media server for receiving, routing, and forwarding streams; use it when you need that extra routing layer, not as a like-for-like replacement for OBS’s documented file-loop control.
OBS or MediaMTX: which fits your workflow?
| Workflow detail | OBS directly to YouTube | MediaMTX in the path |
|---|---|---|
| Main role | Plays and composes the local video source, then streams the scene. | Receives, routes, or forwards a stream as a media server or proxy. |
| Where looping is documented | The Media Source has a Loop property that repeats playback after completion. | The reviewed documentation describes routing and forwarding, not an equivalent local-file loop control. |
| What you need | OBS, a local video file, and YouTube connection settings. | MediaMTX plus a publishing client or stream source, and a YouTube forwarding configuration. |
| Best fit | A simple broadcast from one machine using a prerecorded file. | A workflow that needs stream routing, protocol conversion, or forwarding separated from the production client. |
This is a comparison of documented workflows, not a claim that MediaMTX can never be combined with file playback. OBS can publish to MediaMTX, and it can also read a stream from MediaMTX. MediaMTX describes itself as a media server and router; its role is different from OBS’s built-in local-file playback.
Loop a prerecorded video in OBS and send it to YouTube
- Add the file: In OBS, select a scene, then use the Sources panel’s + button and choose Media Source. Create a new source, give it a recognizable name, and select the prerecorded file in its properties.
- Enable repeat playback: Turn on Loop in the Media Source properties. OBS defines this setting as playing the file again after playback completes. The documented supported extensions include MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM. See the OBS Media Sources guide.
- Check the scene’s picture and sound: Start playback in OBS and confirm the video fits the canvas as intended and that the audio meter responds if the program needs sound. Listen through the end and beginning of the file: OBS documents repeat behavior, but does not promise a seamless visual or audio transition at the loop boundary.
- Connect OBS to YouTube: In YouTube’s live setup, obtain the current Stream URL and stream key, then enter them in OBS’s stream settings. Keep the key private; do not share a screenshot or configuration containing it. Interface labels can vary, so use the current values shown in your YouTube account rather than copying an endpoint from an old example.
- Test before relying on the broadcast: Start the stream and check YouTube’s live preview or status, then verify that both picture and audio arrive and that the file repeats as expected. A local preview confirms playback in OBS; YouTube’s preview confirms the stream reached the platform.
When MediaMTX belongs in the workflow
MediaMTX is useful when a stream must pass through a server—for example, to route or forward it, separate a publishing client from the destination, or work across protocols. Its documentation shows OBS publishing to MediaMTX via RTMP or WHIP, and OBS reading a MediaMTX stream via RTSP. Those capabilities add a server role; they are not needed just to turn on OBS’s local-file loop.
Forward a stream from MediaMTX to YouTube
MediaMTX documents forwarding a path to YouTube over RTMPS. Its example has a destination URL and stream key, but the documentation explicitly cautions that the example ingest address may no longer be current. In your own setup, retrieve the Stream URL and key from YouTube’s live interface and use those current values when configuring the forwarding destination. Do not publish the key.
#1 Best Overall
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MediaMTX warns that YouTube requires both a video and an audio track and silently rejects video-only streams. Check the forwarded stream for both tracks before troubleshooting other parts of the route. See MediaMTX’s forwarding guide, along with its guides to publishing streams and reading with OBS Studio.
Troubleshooting playback and connection problems
- The video plays once and stops: Open the Media Source properties and confirm Loop is enabled. The setting controls repeat after playback completes.
- The stream reaches YouTube without sound, or is rejected: Check that the OBS scene or forwarded stream includes an audio track. MediaMTX’s YouTube forwarding documentation specifically warns that video-only streams are silently rejected.
- OBS plays correctly, but YouTube does not show the stream: Confirm you entered the current Stream URL and stream key from YouTube’s live setup, and check YouTube’s live status or preview. An old ingest URL copied from an example may be stale.
- The loop has a visible or audible seam: Inspect the actual file’s ending and beginning and test it in the same setup you plan to use. The OBS documentation confirms repeat behavior, not gapless transitions.
- You need a routing layer but OBS cannot read the server stream: Check the MediaMTX path, protocol, and connection details against the server configuration. MediaMTX’s OBS reading workflow uses RTSP; publishing from OBS to MediaMTX is a different direction and can use RTMP or WHIP.
Copyright and YouTube live eligibility
Only stream recordings you have the rights and permissions to broadcast. A video being prerecorded or looped does not remove copyright obligations. YouTube’s live setup and policies determine whether a particular channel or broadcast can go live; check the current requirements in your account and YouTube’s official guidance before scheduling a long-running stream. The technical steps above do not establish that a video is eligible for monetization or exempt from reused-content rules.
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Or let it run in the cloud
If you want a YouTube channel to keep playing uploaded videos without leaving a home computer on, StreamNeo runs the loop in the cloud. Upload the recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It plays uploaded videos rather than broadcasting a camera.
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The monthly option is $9.99 per month. Plans include one always-on stream, 10 GB storage per slot pooled across active slots, 24/7 looping and playlists, and team support; the same product is available on each plan, with billing length changing. Start your free StreamNeo day.
Quick Recap
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