For a single prerecorded video going directly to YouTube Live, start with OBS. It can play a local media source in a scene, encode the output, and send it to YouTube. NGINX RTMP is a server and relay layer—not a required OBS component—and is worth adding only when you need self-managed routing or an intermediate ingest point. Neither setup, by itself, guarantees an unattended 24/7 loop.
OBS and NGINX RTMP do different jobs
| Question | OBS-first setup | NGINX RTMP in the pipeline |
|---|---|---|
| What is it? | A desktop application for scenes, sources, encoding, and sending a stream. | Server software for receiving, relaying, or distributing RTMP streams. |
| Best fit | One operator wants to send a local video source directly to YouTube. | A self-managed relay, routing layer, or server-side streaming arrangement is needed. |
| What must be configured? | A scene and source, YouTube destination, output settings, and the computer and network running OBS. | An encoder upstream, NGINX and its RTMP module, server and network configuration, and the onward relay path. |
| Operational trade-off | Fewer components, but the host, source, network, and OBS process still need monitoring and recovery planning. | More control over the relay path, with additional server administration, security, monitoring, and failure points. |
For the direct OBS workflow, see the OBS Studio Overview Guide. The NGINX RTMP module project documents server-side RTMP functionality; it is not a YouTube policy source.
How to loop a prerecorded video on YouTube Live with OBS
The basic path is video file → OBS scene and encoder → YouTube Live. YouTube supplies the live event and stream key; OBS supplies the media source and encoded output. Labels can vary by OBS version, so check the current interface and help pages if a control has moved.
- Create the YouTube live stream. In YouTube Studio, use the encoder workflow to set up the live stream and obtain its stream key. Follow YouTube’s current account requirements and event setup. Keep the key private: anyone with access to it may be able to send video to that stream. See YouTube’s encoder workflow.
- Configure OBS for YouTube. In OBS, open Settings → Stream, select YouTube if you are using its built-in service, and connect or enter the stream key as prompted. Use a custom server only when your chosen ingest arrangement requires it. The OBS overview covers service and custom-server configuration.
- Add the prerecorded video as a source. In the scene’s Sources panel, add a media source, select the file, and enable looping if you want it to repeat when playback reaches the end. Confirm the source is visible in the preview and that any required audio is present. Verify the loop behavior in your installed OBS version rather than assuming that starting the stream also starts or repeats the media correctly.
- Set the output to suit your video and connection. In Settings → Video and Settings → Output, choose resolution, frame rate, encoder, bitrate, and keyframe interval in line with current YouTube recommendations and the computer’s encoding capacity and stable upload bandwidth. YouTube’s settings guidance is at Choose live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions. Avoid copying numbers from an old guide: recommendations and available encoder choices can change. OBS notes that 60 fps can be more demanding than 30 fps; if the computer or connection cannot sustain the chosen output, reduce the load and test again.
- Test before the real broadcast. Start a test stream and check video, audio, source transitions, synchronization, YouTube stream health, and what happens when the media reaches its end. Confirm that the stream key points to the intended event and that the output is stable for the duration you need. OBS recommends testing before the first live stream in its Quick Start Guide.
When to add NGINX RTMP
Put NGINX between an encoder and its destination only when the server layer solves a specific problem—for example, a self-controlled relay or server-side routing requirement. In that design, OBS or another encoder sends a feed to the server, and NGINX handles it according to the server configuration. You remain responsible for deploying and securing the server, configuring the path, monitoring it, and handling failures.
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If you have one video, one operator, and one YouTube destination, NGINX usually adds work without replacing OBS’s need to provide the encoded feed. Treat it as infrastructure, not as a turnkey video-loop controller. The project’s module documentation describes the server component; deployment details depend on the environment.
Starting automatically is not the same as running reliably
OBS documents the --startstreaming launch parameter. It can tell OBS to begin streaming when launched, but it does not establish that a source will loop indefinitely, that every failure will be recovered, or that YouTube will accept any particular continuous-stream pattern. The host operating system must launch the application, and separate supervision or scheduling may be needed to restart it after a failure. OBS’s Launch Parameters guide notes that automated or scheduled Windows launches need the working directory set to the OBS executable folder.
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For unattended operation, test the whole chain: source availability, OBS startup, stream connection, reconnection behavior, and restart behavior after closing or interrupting the application. A relay server also needs its own monitoring and recovery plan. The official YouTube encoder and settings pages explain setup and encoder guidance, but they do not establish a loop-specific maximum duration or a blanket policy ruling for continuous prerecorded streams. Check current YouTube live-stream instructions and encoder settings, and make sure the material you stream complies with YouTube’s current rules, including copyright and reused-content requirements. Do not infer permission for a particular loop from the fact that an encoder can transmit it.
Troubleshooting a prerecorded YouTube stream
- Dropped frames or a disconnection: OBS identifies dropped frames as a sign that the connection is unstable or cannot sustain the selected bitrate; excessive drops can disconnect the stream. Check the selected server and bitrate, use wired networking where possible, and investigate Wi-Fi, router or modem, drivers, VPN or security software, and other parts of the network path. See OBS Stream Connection Troubleshooting.
- Video plays once instead of repeating: Check the media source’s loop setting and observe the transition at the file’s end during a test. Do not assume that a launch parameter or an active YouTube event controls local source playback.
- Picture, sound, or synchronization is wrong: Check the selected source, its audio settings, OBS output settings, and the YouTube preview or stream health. Test the full playback path rather than relying only on OBS’s local preview.
- Encoding overload or unstable output: Reduce resolution or frame rate, choose an encoder the computer can sustain, or lower bitrate if the upload link cannot maintain it. Recheck the relevant current YouTube encoder recommendations after changing settings.
- NGINX relay does not reach YouTube: Check each hop independently: whether the encoder reaches the configured server path, whether NGINX is configured to receive and relay that feed, and whether the onward destination and network path are correct. Adding a server creates another component to diagnose.
- Automation starts, then stops: Check the operating system’s scheduled launch and working directory, the OBS process, source-file availability, and reconnection or restart behavior.
--startstreamingstarts streaming; it is not a process supervisor.
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