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For the YouTube-facing connection, use RTMP or, preferably, RTMPS when YouTube offers it for your stream. YouTube’s encoder guidance documents RTMP/RTMPS ingest and recommends RTMPS for encrypted delivery. Restreamer’s published SRT latency figure applies to its own publication path; it does not establish that YouTube accepts SRT directly. You can still use SRT on a separate leg, such as from a source into Restreamer, when that part of your workflow supports it.
What SRT and RTMP mean in a Restreamer-to-YouTube workflow
Think of a 24/7 broadcast as a chain of connections, not a single protocol choice. Your source sends media to Restreamer, and Restreamer publishes it onward to YouTube. Each leg can have different protocol options.
- RTMP is the protocol YouTube documents for encoder ingest. RTMPS is RTMP delivered over TLS/SSL, adding encryption; YouTube recommends it. See YouTube’s encoder guidance.
- SRT may be useful on a leg where both endpoints support it—for example, a source sending into Restreamer. Restreamer documents an SRT listener, but the reviewed YouTube encoder guidance does not list SRT as a general ingest option.
Restreamer’s documentation does not establish that its current YouTube Publication Service can send SRT directly to YouTube. That is not proof that no private, beta, or future configuration exists; it means the safe supported choice is the protocol and destination YouTube actually displays for your stream. Check the current Restreamer version and YouTube Live Control Room before relying on another option.
How the options compare
| Decision point | SRT | RTMP/RTMPS |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube-facing compatibility | The reviewed YouTube encoder guidance does not document SRT ingest; do not assume it will connect directly. | YouTube documents RTMP/RTMPS ingest and recommends RTMPS for encryption. YouTube Help. |
| Restreamer’s stated publication latency | Under one second, according to Restreamer documentation; this is not an end-to-end measurement or guarantee. Restreamer documentation. | 1–2 seconds, according to Restreamer documentation; this is not an end-to-end measurement or guarantee. Restreamer documentation. |
| Restreamer server defaults | UDP, default port 6000; Docker must map the port as UDP. Optional token and passphrase settings are documented. Restreamer documentation. | Restreamer documents internal defaults of 1935 for RTMP and 1936 for RTMPS, with an optional token. These are Restreamer defaults, not substitutes for YouTube’s destination URL and key. Restreamer documentation. |
| Best fit | An SRT-capable source-to-Restreamer or other compatible leg. | The YouTube-facing leg when that is what the current YouTube stream configuration offers; prefer RTMPS when available and supported. |
Restreamer also lists HLS publication latency as a minimum of 10–30 seconds, depending on configured latency. These vendor figures describe Restreamer’s documented publication behavior, not the delay a viewer will necessarily experience on YouTube.
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Configure Restreamer to publish to YouTube
- Create or schedule the YouTube event. In YouTube Live Control Room, open the stream’s settings and retrieve its server URL and stream key. YouTube describes the key as the address and credential that let an encoder send its feed. Treat it like a password; do not share it publicly. See YouTube encoder setup.
- Add a YouTube Publication Service in Restreamer. Enter the destination details provided by YouTube, save the valid stream ID/key, and start the publication. Restreamer’s YouTube publishing documentation describes this workflow. Follow the URL and protocol displayed for the current YouTube stream; do not substitute Restreamer’s own listening ports for YouTube’s destination.
- Choose RTMPS if the configured destination supports it. YouTube says RTMPS encrypts data using TLS/SSL. If the encoder reports a connection error, check that the server URL uses the expected protocol and that you copied the complete URL and port from Live Control Room.
- Set output resolution and bitrate for the stream. YouTube’s current encoder guidance, accessed in 2026, recommends the following example rates. Guidance can change, so check the current table when configuring a new broadcast.
| Output | H.264 recommended bitrate | AV1/H.265 recommended bitrate |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p at 30 fps | 5 Mbps | 10 Mbps |
| 1080p at 60 fps | 6 Mbps | 12 Mbps |
These are YouTube’s recommendations, not a promise that any connection or encoder will sustain them. Choose a rate your outbound connection can maintain, and test content with similar motion and audio before relying on it for an always-on program.
If an SRT source feeds Restreamer
Use SRT on this leg only if the source and Restreamer are both configured for it. Restreamer documents its SRT listener as UDP, with port 6000 as the default. In Docker, the port mapping must explicitly use /udp; mapping it as TCP will not expose the SRT listener correctly. Consult the current Restreamer SRT and Quick Start documentation for the syntax and configuration applicable to your installation.
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- Use the optional token and passphrase controls where appropriate for your deployment.
- Allow the configured UDP port through the host firewall and any network firewall between the source and Restreamer.
- Keep this separate from the YouTube publication settings: an SRT source entering Restreamer does not mean the outgoing YouTube leg should use SRT.
Bandwidth and reliability for a continuous broadcast
Leave upload headroom
YouTube recommends reserving 20% upload bandwidth headroom. Base your calculation on actual outbound capacity, not the advertised download speed. If you use primary and backup encoders, account for the aggregate upload demand of both streams plus that headroom. YouTube’s live streaming guidance also recommends testing in advance, monitoring stream health, and checking backup-encoder failover.
Plan for failures at every link
Restreamer documents process reconnect controls, and its Quick Start includes Docker restart behavior. Those can help recover from some process interruptions, but do not guarantee uninterrupted end-to-end delivery: the source, host, power, network, Restreamer, or YouTube ingest can fail. Test the complete path, monitor stream health while live, and verify the backup procedure instead of assuming that a reconnect setting covers every failure.
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Will YouTube archive an indefinite 24/7 stream?
Do not treat one continuous YouTube live event as a dependable archive for an indefinite run. YouTube says streams under 12 hours can be automatically archived, while a stream longer than 12 hours may not be captured at all. The 12-hour threshold is from Google/YouTube Help; it is not a guarantee that every shorter stream will be saved.
If retaining the full program matters, keep a local recording or divide the broadcast into managed event intervals and confirm archive behavior for your actual setup. An always-on live channel and a complete replay archive are separate operational goals.
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Common connection problems and what to check
- YouTube does not connect when Restreamer is set to SRT: verify the protocol YouTube displays in Live Control Room and use its RTMP/RTMPS destination for the YouTube-facing publication. SRT may remain appropriate for a separate compatible input leg.
- RTMPS connection fails: confirm the URL uses the expected
rtmpsscheme, and copy the full server URL and port from YouTube rather than using Restreamer’s internal default port. - The SRT source cannot reach Restreamer: check that the listener is enabled on the expected UDP port, that firewalls permit it, and that Docker maps it with
/udp. Verify token or passphrase values at both ends if enabled. - The stream starts but becomes unstable: check sustained upload capacity, reduce bitrate or output demands if necessary, preserve YouTube’s recommended headroom, and inspect stream health. Test under representative motion and audio before depending on the feed.
- The process stops after a host or network interruption: check Restreamer’s reconnect and process restart configuration, then test the recovery path. Also check power, source availability, and internet connectivity; a process restart cannot repair every upstream failure.
- The live program is missing from archives: check whether the event exceeded 12 hours. Keep a local copy or use planned event intervals if a complete replay is important.
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