You schedule the YouTube live event in YouTube Studio, then schedule or start an FFmpeg process on your Contabo VPS to send local media files to that event. These are separate jobs: a local FFmpeg file list is not a YouTube playlist, and scheduling a YouTube event does not start FFmpeg.
What “YouTube playlist” means in this setup
This guide uses “playlist” to mean a list of local media files that FFmpeg plays in sequence or loops. It does not describe scheduling a playlist of existing YouTube videos. The scheduled YouTube object is a live broadcast; FFmpeg sends the audio-video feed to the associated live stream.
Google’s Live Streaming API treats a liveBroadcast as the event and a liveStream as the incoming feed. A broadcast is a separate YouTube video and is bound to one stream. A stream can be reused for up to three broadcasts. See the YouTube Live Streaming API reference, API overview and guide to broadcasts and streams.
What you need before configuring the VPS
- A Contabo VPS with an operating system you can administer, FFmpeg installed, and enough resources for the chosen workflow. The available sources do not establish a universally sufficient plan. Resource demand depends on whether FFmpeg only copies compatible media or transcodes it, as well as resolution, frame rate, codec and bitrate. Contabo’s API documentation describes compute management, not FFmpeg performance guarantees; consult the FFmpeg documentation for options supported by your installed version.
- Local video files in a format suitable for your stream, a text file listing them, and any audio files you plan to use.
- A YouTube channel enabled for live streaming, a scheduled live broadcast, and the stream key for its associated stream.
- Outbound network access from the VPS to YouTube’s ingest service. Contabo’s panel firewall and the VPS operating system’s firewall are separate. The panel firewall, when assigned, blocks inbound traffic by default but does not restrict outbound traffic; an OS firewall can still block outbound connections. See Contabo’s firewall guide and outbound traffic guidance.
Schedule the live event in YouTube
Using YouTube Studio
- In YouTube Studio, create a live stream and choose the option to schedule it for later. Set the event title, description, visibility and start time.
- Open the event’s stream settings and copy the stream key. Treat it like a password: do not put a real key in a public script, repository or screenshot.
- Confirm which stream is bound to the scheduled broadcast. FFmpeg must send its feed to the ingest address and key for that stream.
- Save the event. YouTube’s event schedule does not launch a process on your VPS, so you must separately arrange for FFmpeg to start in time.
For automated event creation and management, Google documents the Live Streaming API’s broadcast and stream resources, including scheduling and binding. The API route requires API integration; it is not necessary for a one-off event configured in Studio.
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Prepare a local file list for FFmpeg
Upload your media to the VPS, for example into /srv/stream/media/. Create a list file such as /srv/stream/videos.txt. For FFmpeg’s concat demuxer, use this format, replacing the paths with files that exist on your server:
file '/srv/stream/media/video-01.mp4'
file '/srv/stream/media/video-02.mp4'Use absolute paths to avoid ambiguity when a service runs from a different working directory. The concat demuxer expects compatible streams across the files; differences in codecs, stream layout, resolution or timing can cause errors or uneven transitions. Validate the media and test the list before relying on an unattended run. This file list is only an FFmpeg input—it does not create or schedule anything in YouTube.
Send the playlist to YouTube with FFmpeg
The following is a pattern, not a verified Contabo deployment or a universal command. Replace the ingest URL and key with the values for your YouTube stream, and adjust codec and input options to match your media and installed FFmpeg build. Keep the key private; avoid embedding it in a world-readable command history or file.
ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1
-f concat -safe 0 -i /srv/stream/videos.txt
-c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -b:v 4500k -maxrate 4500k -bufsize 9000k
-pix_fmt yuv420p -g 60
-c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100
-f flv "rtmp://YOUR_INGEST_URL/YOUR_STREAM_KEY"Here -re reads the input at its media rate, -stream_loop -1 repeats the concat input indefinitely, and the output options encode H.264 video and AAC audio in an FLV container for an RTMP-style ingest. The bitrate, GOP size, preset and audio settings shown are example values only, not YouTube requirements or a promise that a particular VPS can encode them. Select settings suitable for your stream and verify current YouTube guidance. If your files already have compatible streams, stream copying may reduce CPU use, but only use it when the input codecs and container are accepted by the chosen ingest path. Check the FFmpeg documentation for the version installed on the VPS; the online documentation is regenerated for the newest revision.
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Run the command interactively first. Watch FFmpeg’s output for input errors, encoder errors and connection failures. Then open the scheduled event’s live preview in YouTube Studio and confirm that both picture and sound are arriving before the public start. An FFmpeg process running without an obvious error is not proof that viewers can see a healthy stream.
Run FFmpeg unattended with systemd
For an unattended process, a systemd service can start FFmpeg and restart it if the process exits. This supervises a process; it does not prevent a server outage, network failure, bad media or a YouTube-side interruption. A public VPS implementation example uses systemd together with watchdog checks, and notes a freeze case where the process appeared active. Use monitoring and verify the actual live output rather than assuming restart supervision guarantees continuity: example VPS implementation notes.
Create a service file such as /etc/systemd/system/youtube-playlist.service. Store the stream key in a restricted configuration or environment file rather than exposing it in a broadly readable unit. The command below shows the service structure; adapt paths and credentials to your setup.
[Unit]
Description=FFmpeg YouTube playlist stream
After=network-online.target
Wants=network-online.target
[Service]
Type=simple
User=stream
WorkingDirectory=/srv/stream
EnvironmentFile=/etc/streamneo-not-used/youtube-stream.env
ExecStart=/usr/bin/ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -f concat -safe 0 -i /srv/stream/videos.txt -c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -b:v 4500k -maxrate 4500k -bufsize 9000k -pix_fmt yuv420p -g 60 -c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100 -f flv rtmp://YOUR_INGEST_URL/YOUR_STREAM_KEY
Restart=always
RestartSec=5
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.targetReplace the example environment-file path and ensure permissions protect any secrets. A safer production arrangement can read the key from a protected file and construct the FFmpeg destination through a wrapper script. Never commit a real stream key. After saving the unit, load and start it:
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sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable --now youtube-playlist.service
sudo systemctl status youtube-playlist.service
sudo journalctl -u youtube-playlist.service -fEnabling the service starts it at boot; it does not align startup with a future YouTube event time. To start at a particular time, use a systemd timer or another scheduler on the VPS to start the service at the desired time, with enough lead time to check the preview. A cron job can also trigger a start script, but it does not create a YouTube broadcast. Test the chosen schedule and confirm the service’s status and logs.
Make the VPS process schedule match the YouTube event
There are two schedules to coordinate: the event’s date and time in YouTube, and the time the VPS launches FFmpeg. Start the process before the public start when you need time to inspect YouTube’s preview. Keep the time zone explicit in both places, and verify the VPS clock and timer configuration. If events recur, Google’s API supports binding a stream to as many as three broadcasts, so an encoder configuration may be reused across a limited number of scheduled events; it does not make those broadcasts start automatically.
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Check outbound access
The Contabo panel firewall concerns inbound traffic and leaves outbound traffic unrestricted when assigned. Your operating-system firewall is another layer. If you use a deny-by-default outbound policy, allow the DNS and network traffic required for the VPS to reach YouTube’s ingest endpoint. Do not assume that a permissive panel rule overrides an OS-level block.
Know what restart policies can and cannot recover
Systemd can restart FFmpeg after a process exits. It cannot repair an inaccessible VPS, restore a broken source file, fix an outbound network block, or guarantee recovery from a YouTube-side failure. Check service logs and YouTube’s live preview after restarts. Add an independent health check if you need to detect a process that remains running but stops delivering usable media.
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Reboot carefully
If the operating system is still accessible, Contabo advises rebooting from inside the OS. A sudden shutdown or restart from the control panel should be a last resort because it can cause problems. See Contabo’s reboot guidance.
Common problems and fixes
- The event is scheduled, but no video arrives: Scheduling does not start FFmpeg. Start or schedule the VPS process separately, and check the systemd status and journal.
- YouTube reports no incoming stream: Check that FFmpeg uses the ingest endpoint and key for the stream bound to the event, that the key was copied correctly, and that outbound DNS and network access are allowed.
- FFmpeg cannot open a file: Confirm the list path, file permissions, exact filenames and absolute paths. Run FFmpeg as the same operating-system user configured in systemd.
- Concat or timestamp errors: Inspect the media files for incompatible stream layouts or damaged files. Test inputs individually and make formats consistent where practical.
- CPU usage is high or the VPS falls behind: Encoding can be demanding. Reduce the encode workload or use compatible input streams without transcoding where appropriate; choose VPS resources based on measured workload rather than a generic plan claim.
- The service says active, but YouTube playback freezes: Check FFmpeg logs and the YouTube preview, not just process status. A supervisor may not detect a stalled feed; add a health check and investigate media, network and ingest conditions.
- The stream key may have been exposed: Replace or reset it in YouTube’s stream settings, update the protected VPS configuration and restart the service.
Content rights and YouTube policy
Technical ability to loop or rebroadcast a file does not grant permission to use it. Stream only material you own or have rights to broadcast, including music and any third-party audio or video. Review the current YouTube rules that apply to your content and live stream; the sources cited here do not determine whether any particular playlist is permitted.
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