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Connect the external SSD to the computer running OBS, then use OBS’s Media Source to repeat one podcast episode or VLC Video to play a playlist of episodes. Enable the relevant loop setting and verify the files play before going live. These settings repeat media; they do not ensure that a computer-based stream will stay online unattended.
Choose the right OBS source
| What you want to play | OBS source | Setting | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| One episode repeatedly | Media Source | Select the local file and enable Loop. | Built into OBS; this workflow selects one file at a time. |
| Several episodes in sequence | VLC Video | Add the files to a playlist, leave Shuffle Playlist off for a fixed order, and enable Loop Playlist if the sequence should repeat. | VLC must be installed. 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. |
OBS documents both sources and their playback controls in its Media Sources guide. Its documented audio extensions include MP3, AAC, OGG, and WAV; video extensions include MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM. A listed extension alone does not guarantee that every codec or file will work on every system.
Set up playback from the external SSD
- Connect and mount the SSD. Use the computer that will run OBS. Open the episode files from that drive on that computer to confirm they are accessible. The SSD is simply the files’ local storage location, not a special OBS feature.
- Open your OBS scene and add a source. Choose Media Source for one episode or VLC Video for a playlist. OBS’s guide describes adding local media files to scenes; consult its current guide for the source controls.
- Select the episode or build the playlist. For a playlist, add the files in the order you want them played. Keep shuffle off when episode order matters.
- Set looping. For a single episode, turn on Loop in Media Source. For a playlist, use Loop Playlist if you want the sequence to start over when it reaches the end. OBS documents Loop Playlist as on by default and Shuffle Playlist as off by default; check the controls rather than assuming their current state.
- Check the scene and audio before broadcasting. Play the chosen media through the intended OBS source and make sure the visible scene and sound are appropriate. Then start the YouTube live broadcast using your usual YouTube and OBS workflow.
Confirm the rights before going live
Make sure you have the rights to every element in the episode and stream, including audio, music, video, artwork, and other included material. YouTube says it scans all live streams for third-party content. A match may cause a placeholder, interruption, or termination. A license does not necessarily prevent interruption: for matched licensed material, the rights holder may need to add your channel to its Content ID allowlist. See YouTube’s guidance on copyright issues with live streams.
What looping does—and does not—do
The loop controls govern whether OBS repeats a file or playlist. They are not an uptime guarantee or a resilience procedure for a continuous broadcast. With the local method, the files must remain accessible to the computer running OBS, and media looping alone cannot ensure that the live stream stays connected.
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