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You can send an Indian radio station’s audio feed to YouTube Live with Liquidsoap, but you must supply video as well as audio. A common approach is to combine the radio source with a still station image, encode the result as an audio/video stream, and send it to YouTube using the ingest URL and stream key shown in YouTube Live Control Room. Check your installed Liquidsoap and FFmpeg versions before adapting any example configuration.
What you need before configuring Liquidsoap
- An existing radio audio source that Liquidsoap can read, such as a playlist or a feed connected to your broadcast chain.
- A video source. For a simple radio simulcast, this can be a still image you have permission to use.
- An installed Liquidsoap build with the output operator and encoder configuration you intend to use, plus an FFmpeg build with the required codecs.
- A YouTube channel able to start a live stream, and the ingest URL and stream key shown for that stream in YouTube Studio’s Live Control Room.
- Permission for the YouTube transmission of the music, recordings, lyrics, performances, and visuals involved. A terrestrial radio licence does not automatically establish that a separate YouTube simulcast is covered.
Liquidsoap documents YouTube-specific RTMP and HLS outputs. Its versioned reference documents a YouTube RTMP default endpoint, while YouTube also documents RTMPS, which carries RTMP over TLS/SSL. Use the actual ingest URL YouTube supplies and a transport supported by your installed Liquidsoap configuration; do not assume an older example URL is the right endpoint for your stream.
Configure the radio source, video, and encoder
1. Connect the audio source
Build or connect the source that represents your station’s audio in Liquidsoap. The example below uses a playlist as a simple stand-in. Replace it with the source appropriate to your existing radio setup.
2. Add a video source and mux it with the radio audio
Radio audio alone is not a complete audio/video stream for this workflow. Add a still image or another video source, then combine it with the radio source using Liquidsoap’s video muxing support. Confirm that you have rights to use the image or moving visuals on YouTube.
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3. Verify the encoder against your installation and YouTube setup
The Liquidsoap book’s worked example uses FFmpeg with H.264 video and MP3 audio. The following is the shape of that example, not a guaranteed drop-in configuration or a universal current YouTube prescription:
radio = playlist("~/Music")
video = single("image.jpg")
radio = source.mux.video(video=video, radio)
ykey = string.trim(file.contents("youtube-key"))
url = "rtmp://a.rtmp.youtube.com/live2/#{ykey}"
enc = %ffmpeg(format="flv",
%video(codec="libx264", pixel_format="yuv420p", b="300k"),
%audio(codec="libmp3lame", samplerate=44100, b="160k"))
output.url(fallible=true, url=url, enc, radio)Before running or adapting it, check the syntax against your installed Liquidsoap version, confirm that your FFmpeg build provides the named codecs, and check the current stream setup in YouTube Live Control Room. The example’s URL and encoder values should not be treated as current settings for every account. Liquidsoap’s YouTube-specific output operators may be clearer than assembling a generic output.url call in a particular version; consult the reference for the version you have installed.
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Get YouTube’s ingest details and protect the stream key
- Open YouTube Studio and go to the Live Control Room for the stream you intend to run.
- Copy the ingest URL and stream key provided for that stream. Use the endpoint YouTube shows rather than assuming an old example’s URL is applicable.
- Choose RTMP or RTMPS according to the supplied endpoint and what your Liquidsoap installation supports. YouTube documents RTMPS on port 443 as RTMP carried over TLS/SSL.
- Keep the stream key out of public source code, screenshots, and logs. The Liquidsoap book’s example reads it from a separate file at runtime; an equivalent secret store is also suitable. Restrict access to the file or secret store.
- Configure the appropriate Liquidsoap YouTube RTMP output, or its HLS output if you have deliberately selected and configured that ingest method. Start the output and monitor the stream in YouTube Studio.
If a key is exposed, treat it as compromised: replace or reset it in YouTube Studio and update the secret used by Liquidsoap before restarting the stream.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsChoose a visual and transport that fit the station
| Choice | When it fits | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Still image | A station logo or cover image is enough and you want a simple visual source. | You have permission to use the image on YouTube, and Liquidsoap can read it as the video source. |
| Moving video | You have suitable visuals and want the stream to show more than a still. | You have rights to the video and can configure a compatible source and encoder. |
| RTMP | Your YouTube ingest details and Liquidsoap setup support the supplied RTMP endpoint. | The actual ingest URL, key, and installed output configuration match. |
| RTMPS | YouTube supplies an RTMPS endpoint and your Liquidsoap installation supports the transport. | The endpoint and port match YouTube’s supplied details; YouTube documents RTMPS on port 443. |
Liquidsoap also documents a YouTube HLS output. HLS is an alternative output path, not a reason to reuse RTMP settings; use the matching configuration and the ingest details provided for the method you selected.
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Clear rights for an Indian radio simulcast
Before taking an Indian station live on YouTube, confirm that the rights you hold cover this particular online transmission. India’s Copyright Act addresses copyright in musical works and sound recordings and defines broadcast broadly to include communication to the public by wire or wireless means. Chapter VIII of the Copyright Rules sets out notice and royalty provisions associated with the statutory broadcast-licensing section, including separate notices for radio and television broadcasts. Those provisions alone do not settle whether a given terrestrial-radio licence or statutory broadcast route covers that station’s YouTube simulcast.
Confirm the relevant permissions for the recordings, compositions, lyrics, performers, territory, and online platform use with the rightsholders or qualified Indian counsel. Having permission under local law and passing YouTube’s platform checks are separate matters. YouTube warns that a live stream can be terminated for a copyright or Community Guidelines strike; if a stream stops, check YouTube Studio for strike information.
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Troubleshoot a Liquidsoap-to-YouTube stream
| Symptom | Likely area to check | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube does not receive a complete stream | The output contains radio audio but no video source, or the mux is not configured as intended. | Confirm that Liquidsoap is reading the visual source and muxing it with the radio source before encoding. |
| Liquidsoap reports an output, operator, or syntax error | The example may not match the installed Liquidsoap version. | Check the versioned reference for your installed build and its YouTube-specific output operators; adapt the configuration rather than assuming the illustrative example is drop-in. |
| The encoder cannot start | The installed FFmpeg build may not provide a codec named in the configuration. | Verify the available FFmpeg codecs and choose an encoder configuration supported by both your build and the current YouTube stream setup. |
| Connection fails or YouTube rejects ingest | The URL, key, or transport may not match the stream’s current ingest details, or the selected transport may not be supported locally. | Recheck the URL and key in Live Control Room and confirm Liquidsoap supports the supplied RTMP or RTMPS endpoint. |
| The stream stops after going live | Check for an ingest interruption or a YouTube enforcement action. | Review Liquidsoap’s output status and YouTube Studio’s stream and strike information; correct the relevant configuration or rights issue before restarting. |
Run it yourself or let it run in the cloud
A Liquidsoap setup needs a machine or host that runs the process and can reach the chosen ingest endpoint. If you operate that infrastructure yourself, keep the process, network connection, source, and credentials available for the period you want the stream live.
Or let it run in the cloud
For a YouTube stream made from uploaded videos rather than a live microphone or camera feed, StreamNeo is a cloud alternative: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It loops the uploaded video from the cloud, so nothing has to stay on at home. Each slot streams the upload at its original quality up to 4K 60fps for one flat price per slot, includes automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream, and has a first day free with no card. Monthly: $9.99 per month. UPI and cards are available in India; card checkout is available worldwide. StreamNeo streams to YouTube and plays uploaded videos; it is not a live-camera input or a replacement for a Liquidsoap radio feed.
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