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For a prerecorded video, the safest FFmpeg approach is to preserve its aspect ratio, choose deliberately whether to pad or crop when the source does not match your output canvas, and set bitrate, frame rate, and keyframes to YouTube’s current encoder guidance. Use -stream_loop -1 to repeat an input, but treat that as file-looping—not a guarantee that a 24/7 broadcast will remain healthy. Test the complete setup and monitor both FFmpeg and YouTube Live before relying on it.
Choose an output size before resizing
Start with the canvas you want viewers to receive, such as 1920×1080 for 1080p. Then compare that canvas with the video’s actual display aspect ratio. Do not force a source into the target dimensions by stretching it: that distorts people, objects, and text.
Keep the whole picture with padding
When the source and canvas have different aspect ratios, fitting the entire picture preserves all of it but leaves unused space. You can fill that space with black bars or another deliberate background. This is usually the appropriate choice when cropping would remove important content, such as lyrics, subtitles, or material near the edges.
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Fill the canvas by cropping
Filling a 16:9 canvas from a wider or taller source means cropping some of the image. Choose this when the edges are expendable and a full-frame presentation matters more than retaining every part of the source. Check the crop against the entire video, not just its opening frame; important subjects or text may move.
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Use the source size when upscaling adds no value
A larger output canvas does not restore detail that is absent from the file. Choose an output resolution that suits the source and the presentation, rather than increasing dimensions solely to label the stream with a higher resolution. YouTube transcodes incoming live streams into viewer formats, so encoder output is an ingest feed, not a guarantee that viewers receive the same resolution.
Set bitrate, keyframes, frame rate, and audio for YouTube
YouTube’s current encoder guidance lists RTMP and RTMPS, recommends RTMPS, supports H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1 video, and supports frame rates up to 60 fps. It recommends constant bitrate (CBR) encoding and a two-second keyframe frequency, with a maximum interval of four seconds. The page lists AAC or MP3 audio; for stereo it lists 44.1 kHz and 128 Kbps. For SDR, it lists Rec. 709 and 8-bit.
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Use a bitrate for the chosen codec, resolution, and frame rate
Resolution is not bitrate. YouTube’s current table recommends 10 Mbps for H.264 at 1080p30 and 4 Mbps for H.264 at 240p–720p30; these are ingestion recommendations for those specific settings, not guarantees of picture quality or substitutes for stable upload capacity. Use the current YouTube table for other combinations rather than extrapolating from those figures. Leave enough stable upload capacity for the outgoing stream; an unstable or insufficient connection can undermine delivery regardless of the chosen resolution.
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Keep the source frame rate when it is suitable and supported, or choose a deliberate output rate no higher than 60 fps. Converting frame rate can change motion cadence, and the right choice depends on the source and workflow. Test representative movement for judder or other visible issues before going live.
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Set keyframes and audio deliberately
Use a two-second keyframe interval as YouTube recommends; do not exceed four seconds. Confirm the source has the audio you intend to broadcast. If it does not, decide whether to add a suitable audio input or produce a file with an appropriate track rather than assuming FFmpeg will create one. Check that the resulting stream has audible, correctly routed audio.
Resize in FFmpeg without silently distorting the video
FFmpeg’s -s option sets frame size and, as an output option, inserts a scale filter at the end of the corresponding filter graph. The FFmpeg documentation recommends using the scale filter directly when the filter’s position in the graph matters. The exact filter expression depends on source dimensions and aspect ratio, target canvas, padding versus cropping, pixel format, and whether deinterlacing or frame-rate conversion is required.
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There is no single filter string that is best for every file. Before adapting a scaling filter or command, check its options against the FFmpeg version installed on your host. Inspect the actual output dimensions and play the output to verify framing, motion, and audio. The command and filter behavior also depend on the input media and the rest of the encoding pipeline.
Loop a prerecorded file with FFmpeg
The -stream_loop -1 input option is used to repeat an input indefinitely. A loop option only repeats media; it does not ensure that encoding keeps pace, the network remains connected, or YouTube continues to report a healthy live stream.
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- Prepare the input. Check its displayed aspect ratio, frame rate, video and audio streams, and whether it is interlaced. Decide on the output canvas and whether mismatched proportions should be padded or cropped.
- Configure the output. Use a suitable scaling approach without stretching, select an available encoder and codec, and apply YouTube’s guidance for bitrate mode and keyframe interval. Confirm that audio is mapped as intended.
- Set the loop on the input. Place
-stream_loop -1with the input options for the prerecorded file. Confirm the option’s syntax and behavior with your installed FFmpeg version. - Send to YouTube over RTMPS where available. Use the stream key for the intended YouTube Live broadcast and protect it as a credential. Do not publish it in scripts, logs, screenshots, or shared configuration.
- Rehearse and inspect. Run the intended file, audio, resolution, frame rate, and encoder settings. Check FFmpeg logs and reported encoding speed, verify YouTube Live receives data and reports stream health, and watch for errors as the file reaches its loop point.
This is a workflow, not a verified end-to-end command: no particular scaling, mapping, encoder, or long-run command has been tested here. Confirm syntax and filter options against your installed version, then validate output with representative media before deployment.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Keep a 24/7 stream healthy after the loop starts
A successful first connection is not proof of continuous operation. A community post about FFmpeg 4.4 described high CPU utilization and a lost YouTube live indicator during an attempt to loop video; it is one user’s report, not proof that looping causes that behavior or that it will recur on current versions. A separate FFmpeg-user reply from 2020 suggested checking the YouTube Live console and considering frame rate and keyframe settings. That is community advice, not current YouTube policy.
During a rehearsal, check that FFmpeg’s reported encoding speed keeps pace with playback and review its logs for errors or interruptions. In YouTube Live, confirm that data is arriving and inspect stream-health messages. Test representative motion and audio, including the transition from the end of the file back to its beginning. Plan how you will notice and recover from a stopped process or lost connection; these sources do not establish a complete watchdog design or guarantee uptime.
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- The picture looks stretched: the output dimensions were forced without preserving the source aspect ratio. Use a proportional fit and decide whether to pad or crop the remaining area.
- The stream has bars or loses content at the edges: that is the trade-off between fitting the whole image and filling the canvas. Review the source-to-canvas comparison and select the presentation that keeps the intended content visible.
- YouTube reports stream-health or ingest problems: check the live console messages, confirm bitrate and keyframe settings against the current YouTube guidance for the chosen codec and frame rate, and verify the outgoing connection is stable.
- Encoding falls behind or the host is heavily loaded: inspect FFmpeg’s reported speed and logs during representative motion. The encoder, output settings, and host’s available compute all affect whether it can keep up; reduce the workload or use an available hardware encoder if appropriate, then rehearse again.
- The live indicator disappears during a long run: check whether FFmpeg is still running and sending data, inspect its logs, and verify YouTube’s live console status. Looping the file alone does not restart a failed encoder or restore a disconnected broadcast.
- Audio is absent or wrong: inspect the input’s audio streams and confirm the intended audio track is included in the output. Test playback and listen to the live feed rather than assuming a video file contains usable audio.
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