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To run a 24/7 YouTube radio stream, use an encoder to send a repeating playlist to YouTube Live. A YouTube playlist page alone does not create a live broadcast. For a do-it-yourself setup, OBS Studio can play a local playlist through its VLC Video source and loop it; your computer, OBS, VLC, power, and internet connection must stay available. If you do not want a home computer running, StreamNeo can loop uploaded videos from the cloud to YouTube.

Choose how to keep the stream running

Approach What it does What must remain available
StreamNeo cloud playout Plays uploaded videos or a playlist from the cloud and sends the stream to YouTube. The cloud service; your home computer does not need to stay on.
OBS Studio with VLC on a local computer Plays media files in an ordered playlist and sends the encoder feed to YouTube. The computer, OBS, VLC, media files, power, and a stable internet connection.

StreamNeo is the first cloud option to consider here: it keeps a YouTube stream running from the cloud, supports uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps at one flat price per slot, and offers a first day free. It is for prerecorded video, not a camera feed, and streams to YouTube only. See StreamNeo for details.

Prepare your channel and media

  1. Enable YouTube live streaming in advance. YouTube says first-time live-stream enablement may take up to 24 hours, so do not leave activation until the day you plan to launch.
  2. Check your rights. Use recordings you own or have explicit permission to stream and archive in the relevant territories. Giving attribution by itself does not establish permission.
  3. Decide whether you need a replay. YouTube Help says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. That does not guarantee an archive for a 24-hour broadcast; if a complete replay matters, plan shorter sessions and check the current YouTube settings and documentation.
  4. Arrange the playlist. Put the media in the sequence you want. For a fixed running order, leave shuffle off. Check that each file plays and has the intended audio before relying on it for a continuous broadcast.

Set up a repeating playlist in OBS and VLC

  1. Install OBS Studio and VLC. OBS’s VLC Video source requires VLC. Match their architectures: for 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC.
  2. Create a scene. In OBS, add a scene for the radio stream, then add a VLC Video source.
  3. Add the media files in order. In the VLC Video source properties, add the recordings in the sequence you want them to play. Enable Loop Playlist so the source restarts when it reaches the end. Shuffle is a separate setting; leave it off for a fixed order. The OBS documentation describes Loop Playlist as restarting the source when it has run out of media files.
  4. Check the output. Confirm the video appears in the OBS preview and the audio meters respond during playback. Listen to the output and check for unexpected silence, clipping, or gaps before going live.
  5. Run a short test. Use a private or unlisted stream if suitable for your channel, and verify playback from a separate viewer device. OBS recommends testing before a first live broadcast; these steps are setup guidance, not a report of a tested stream.

Connect OBS to YouTube Live

  1. In YouTube Studio, open Create > Go Live and create or schedule a stream. Choose public, private, or unlisted visibility as appropriate.
  2. In the Live Control Room, copy the YouTube stream URL and stream key into OBS’s stream settings. Treat the stream key as a password: do not publish or share it. Existing stream settings may retain a prior key, so check that the key in OBS is the one shown for the intended broadcast.
  3. Start streaming in OBS. Watch for the encoder preview in YouTube’s Live Control Room. Depending on the workflow shown for your scheduled stream, you may need to wait for the preview and click Go Live there.
  4. Confirm the public watch page plays correctly from a separate device or browser. The exact on-screen steps can vary with the current YouTube Studio workflow; follow the controls shown in your account.

Keep a local 24/7 stream dependable

Loop Playlist handles only media playback. It does not restart a failed computer, restore a lost connection, or guarantee that OBS and VLC remain open. For a local setup, plan for the full chain that feeds YouTube:

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  • Keep the computer powered and prevent sleep or automatic shutdown during the broadcast.
  • Keep OBS and VLC running, and make sure the playlist files remain accessible in their original locations.
  • Monitor power, internet, computer, encoder, and playback. Decide who will notice and respond if the preview or stream stops.
  • A correctly sized uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for streaming PC can help with short power interruptions. It does not keep your internet service or cloud services online.
  • Plan a separate recording or archive process if you need a full copy of a stream longer than 12 hours.

Or let it run in the cloud

With StreamNeo, upload the prerecorded video or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It loops the media from the cloud, so no computer or home connection has to stay on. Each slot includes one always-on stream, 10 GB of storage per slot pooled across active slots, 24/7 looping and playlists, automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream, and StreamNeo team support. Your upload streams as made, up to 4K 60fps; there are no quality tiers or re-encoding. The first day is free with no card, one free day per account. UPI and cards are accepted in India; card checkout is available worldwide. The same product is included on every plan; only the billing length changes.

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When HLS matters—and when it does not

You do not need to configure HLS just to loop a playlist in OBS. YouTube documents HLS ingestion for encoders and workflows that specifically use that protocol. Its HLS requirements include HTTPS URLs, 1–4 second TS segments, and a rolling playlist with no more than five outstanding segments; YouTube notes HLS has higher latency than RTMP. These are encoder-ingestion settings, separate from the VLC source’s Loop Playlist option. Use HLS only when your chosen encoder or workflow calls for it, and follow YouTube’s current protocol instructions.

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Troubleshoot common failures

Symptom Likely cause What to check
VLC Video source is missing or will not load media. VLC is not installed or its architecture does not match OBS. Install VLC in the same architecture as OBS, such as 64-bit VLC for 64-bit OBS, then reopen OBS.
The playlist stops after the last file. Loop Playlist is off. Open the VLC Video source properties and enable Loop Playlist.
The stream does not appear in YouTube. Live streaming is not enabled, the key or server URL is wrong, or the scheduled broadcast still needs the Go Live step. Allow up to 24 hours for first-time enablement; verify the stream URL and key in the intended Live Control Room event; check its preview and complete the on-screen Go Live step if required.
Playback works locally but the broadcast stops. The local encoder environment may have lost power, internet, access to media files, or an active OBS/VLC process. Check the computer, connection, source file paths, OBS and VLC, then restore the encoder feed and verify the YouTube preview. Build a monitoring and recovery plan for continuous operation.
A long stream has no complete replay. A single broadcast exceeded the documented under-12-hour automatic-archive scope. Do not rely on an automatic archive for a 24-hour session. Use shorter broadcasts if an automatic replay is needed, and verify current YouTube behavior.

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