You can stream a radio station’s audio from a Mac mini to YouTube Live with OBS Studio: capture the station audio, add an authorized image, and send OBS’s video and audio to YouTube using the stream URL and key from Live Control Room. The steps depend on where the audio comes from and which macOS and OBS versions you use. Before broadcasting, confirm that the station’s rights cover the planned YouTube simulcast.
Before you set up the stream
Confirm the station has permission
Ask the station or relevant rights holders to confirm that its licenses and agreements allow the planned programming to be made available on YouTube, in the intended territory and for the intended duration. Owning or operating a radio station does not by itself establish that its music and other programming are cleared for a YouTube simulcast. Rights depend on the repertoire, agreements, territory, and current platform rules; this guide cannot determine whether a particular station is cleared.
Also confirm that you may use the station logo, artwork, and any other visual you plan to show. YouTube’s copyright rules apply to the content in the broadcast, not just the image on screen.
Identify where the audio comes from
- Station player or app: The station plays on the Mac mini, and OBS captures the Mac’s desktop audio or audio from the selected application.
- External mixer, receiver, or console: The station’s output enters the Mac through an audio input device or interface. You will select that device in OBS and may need to grant microphone access in macOS.
Check the Mac’s macOS version and OBS version before following the capture steps. OBS’s built-in macOS Audio Capture source is available in OBS Studio 30 and later on macOS 13 Ventura and later. Older combinations may require separate audio-routing software; the exact setup depends on the software and macOS release.
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Create the YouTube Live stream
- In YouTube Studio, select Create > Go live. In Live Control Room, open the Stream tab to create a stream or schedule one. Set the title, visibility, and other metadata you need.
- For the first live stream on a channel, YouTube requires a verified channel with no live-streaming restriction in the preceding 90 days. Check the channel’s eligibility before planning a broadcast: YouTube’s live-streaming eligibility and setup guidance.
- In Live Control Room, copy the server URL and stream key. Use the RTMPS URL if your encoder supports it. YouTube describes RTMPS as RTMP over TLS/SSL; its interface may initially show an RTMP URL, so reveal and copy the RTMPS address when available: YouTube encoder setup instructions.
- Keep the stream key private. It acts like a credential that lets an encoder send a feed to your stream. If it is exposed, reset it in YouTube Studio rather than continuing to use a compromised key: YouTube encoder setup instructions.
Capture the radio audio in OBS
For a station playing on the Mac
- Open the station player or application and start playback.
- In OBS, create or select a scene. Add a source and choose macOS Audio Capture. With OBS Studio 30 or later on macOS 13 Ventura or later, choose whether to capture desktop audio or a selected application, then select the station player if using application capture. See the OBS macOS audio capture guide for version-specific details.
- Watch the OBS audio mixer while the station plays. Its meter should respond. If it does not, check the selected capture mode and application, confirm the player is producing audio, and verify that the scene contains the intended source before going live.
For audio entering through an interface
- Connect the mixer, receiver, or other source to the Mac through the appropriate audio input device.
- In OBS, add an Audio Input Capture source to the scene and choose the correct input device. Play audio through the connected source and check that the mixer meter moves.
- If macOS blocks input, open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone and enable access for OBS. Restart OBS after changing permission. Apple’s instructions are here: Control access to the microphone on Mac.
Avoid capturing the same device both as a global OBS audio device and as an active source in the scene unless you have checked the routing. Duplicate paths can create echo. OBS documents this issue in its macOS audio capture guide.
If the Mac or OBS is older
The native capture steps above are for OBS Studio 30 and later on macOS 13 or later. OBS’s guide describes additional audio-routing software and manual multi-output-device setup for older systems, but the correct procedure varies by macOS release and routing tool. Follow the guide for your exact versions and verify the OBS meter before relying on the setup; do not assume that audio playing through the Mac is automatically reaching OBS.
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Add a visual and set OBS output
YouTube Live receives an audio-and-video feed, even when the program is radio. Add a simple scene with a station-approved logo, show art, or static image, plus useful station identification if appropriate. Confirm that you have permission to use those visual assets.
For YouTube RTMP/RTMPS ingest, YouTube documents H.264 video, AAC or MP3 audio, constant bitrate encoding, and a recommended two-second keyframe interval that should not exceed four seconds. For stereo audio, its recommended settings are 44.1 kHz and 128 kbps. Check the current YouTube encoder settings guidance when configuring OBS, since resolution and video bitrate should suit the selected output and available upload bandwidth.
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Choose a modest resolution and frame rate for a mostly static radio image rather than treating the broadcast like a motion-heavy video. Do not guess a video bitrate based only on the audio source: use YouTube’s settings guidance and the Mac’s measured, stable upload capacity. YouTube recommends testing settings and watching stream health in Live Control Room.
Test, start, and monitor the broadcast
- Run an unlisted or private test first. Confirm that the station audio is audible in the Live Control Room preview and on a separate playback device, the image is legible, and the OBS audio meter responds.
- Listen for silence, clipping, or echo. If the sound is duplicated, inspect global audio devices and scene sources for the same input being captured twice.
- Start streaming from OBS and wait for YouTube to show the incoming preview. For a scheduled stream, select Go live in Live Control Room when the preview is ready.
- During the broadcast, monitor audio, video, and stream health in Live Control Room. YouTube recommends checking the preview before going live and monitoring quality throughout the event.
- When finished, stop the stream using the controls in the encoder and Live Control Room as appropriate. YouTube says streams shorter than 12 hours are automatically archived; verify that the archive is available if you need it.
See YouTube’s encoder workflow and encoder settings guidance for the current interface and recommendations.
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Fix common problems
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| OBS audio meter does not move | The wrong capture mode or input is selected, the station is not playing, or the macOS/OBS version does not support the chosen native capture path. | Check playback, selected application or device, and version compatibility. If using an interface, confirm macOS microphone access and restart OBS after changing it. |
| YouTube preview has no audio | The intended source is not active in the scene, the source is muted, or audio is routed to a different device. | Check the OBS mixer meter and mute state, then monitor the YouTube preview and a separate playback device before the real broadcast. |
| There is an echo or doubled audio | The same device may be captured as both a global audio device and a scene source. | Review OBS audio routing and disable the duplicate path, then test again. |
| YouTube does not receive the encoder feed | The server URL or stream key may be incorrect, or the encoder is not sending the configured stream. | Copy the current URL and key from Live Control Room into OBS, check that RTMPS is selected if supported, and verify the encoder is streaming. Reset the key if it may have been exposed. |
| The stream is unstable or reports poor health | The selected output may exceed the stable upload capacity, or network conditions may be fluctuating. | Use YouTube’s encoder settings guidance to choose a suitable resolution and bitrate, test the actual connection, and monitor stream health. Reduce output demands if the connection cannot sustain them. |
| Audio input is unavailable on macOS | OBS may not have permission to access the microphone or input device. | Enable OBS under System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone, then restart the app. |
Or let it run in the cloud
The OBS method above sends a live encoder feed from the Mac mini. If you want an uploaded recording or playlist to keep a YouTube channel live without leaving the Mac running, StreamNeo is a cloud service for looping uploaded videos on YouTube: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. It plays uploaded videos rather than broadcasting a live microphone or camera.
Nothing has to stay on at home. Each slot streams what you uploaded, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot; StreamNeo automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly billing is $9.99 per month. For a live radio feed from a mixer or station player, OBS remains the relevant method; StreamNeo is for uploaded recordings and playlists.
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