If FFmpeg plays the first clip and then stops or fails to continue through your playlist, check where -stream_loop appears. It is an input option: it applies to the input that follows it, not automatically to every -i in the command. For multiple local clips that should play in order and repeat together, put them in a concat-demuxer playlist and loop that playlist as one input.
First, identify how your command is treating the videos
FFmpeg’s -stream_loop option controls looping for an input. -1 means loop indefinitely; 0 means do not loop. Since input options apply to the input they precede, a loop option before the first -i does not also loop later inputs.
For example, a command built from separate inputs may have an option-placement problem if it resembles this:
ffmpeg -stream_loop -1 -i clip-01.mp4 -i clip-02.mp4 ...Here, the loop option is attached to clip-01.mp4, not to clip-02.mp4. If you intend each separate input to loop independently, place -stream_loop -1 before every corresponding -i. But if the goal is to play several clips in sequence and then repeat the whole sequence, use one concat-demuxer input instead.
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Do not assume this is the cause until you inspect the actual command. Output mapping, -shortest, duration limits, and the source files can also affect when a stream ends.
Loop an ordered playlist as one input
1. Create the concat playlist
Make a plain-text file such as playlist.txt, with one file directive for each clip in the order you want them to play:
ffconcat version 1.0
file '/path/to/clip-01.mp4'
file '/path/to/clip-02.mp4'
file '/path/to/clip-03.mp4'The optional signature must be exactly ffconcat version 1.0 at the start of the first line, with no leading whitespace or byte-order mark, for automatic format recognition. Use a file line for every media file. Quote or escape paths with spaces or special characters; confirm that the paths resolve from the directory where you run FFmpeg.
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2. Loop that single playlist input
A continuous RTMP-style output command can be shaped like this:
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ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -f concat -safe 0 -i playlist.txt
-c:v libx264 -c:a aac -f flv 'rtmp://a.rtmp.youtube.com/live2/STREAM_KEY'Replace the example playlist path, codecs, and destination with settings appropriate to your files and YouTube setup. The destination shown is illustrative; verify the ingest endpoint and protocol for your stream. Never publish or share a real stream key, and redact it from command output and support requests.
-re reads the input at its native frame rate (equivalent to -readrate 1), which is generally relevant when sending prerecorded media as a real-time stream. FFmpeg cautions against using it on an actual capture device or live stream because it may cause packet loss.
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3. Confirm FFmpeg sees the intended playlist
Run the command and inspect FFmpeg’s input stream report and playback order. Check that all listed files are found and that the video and audio streams appear as expected. This is a starting template, not a guaranteed command for every FFmpeg version, media collection, or YouTube ingest configuration.
When the concat playlist still fails
Check that the clips are compatible
The concat demuxer expects the files to have matching stream layouts, codecs, and time bases. Compare each clip’s video and audio streams. A file with a missing audio track, a different codec, or a different stream arrangement may not join cleanly with the others. Stream copying does not make incompatible inputs compatible; when necessary, transcode the clips to a common set of stream parameters before concatenating them.
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The concat demuxer adjusts timestamps using each file’s duration. Incorrect duration metadata or a truncated file can lead to timing artifacts or boundary problems. If a file’s reported duration is wrong, the concat script’s duration directive can override it; first verify the correct duration rather than guessing. Also confirm each source file plays through to its end outside the playlist.
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Check output options and input placement
If you keep separate -i inputs, put the loop option before each input that should repeat. Then inspect output -map options, -shortest, and any duration or stop-time options: these can influence when output ends. Without the complete command and source details, it is not possible to identify which setting is responsible.
Do not confuse local file looping with HLS ingestion
The concat approach is for local media files used as an FFmpeg input. If FFmpeg is sending a continuous RTMP-style stream to YouTube, investigate local input looping and output encoding or muxing. If instead your workflow uploads HLS segments directly, the generated media playlist and segment delivery have their own requirements. YouTube’s HLS ingest documentation describes media playlists and segment ordering; those checks do not apply to a continuous RTMP output just because both workflows deliver video to YouTube.
For direct HLS ingestion, inspect the media playlist, segment names and order, sequence numbers, outstanding-segment behavior, and server acknowledgments against YouTube’s current requirements. Do not treat an HLS playlist as interchangeable with an FFmpeg concat script.
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Choose the approach that matches your inputs
| Approach | Best fit | Key checks |
|---|---|---|
Separate -i inputs |
Inputs need independent handling or mapping. | Put -stream_loop -1 before every input that should loop; review mapping and output stop conditions. |
| Concat demuxer as one input | Local clips should play in order and repeat as one sequence. | Use a correctly formatted playlist; check stream compatibility and duration metadata. |
| Stream copy | Source streams are already compatible with the intended output. | It does not normalize mismatched codecs, layouts, or time bases. |
| Re-encoding | Clips need common output parameters for reliable concatenation. | Choose consistent video and audio settings and allow for encoding load. |
| Direct HLS segment upload | The workflow actually sends HLS media segments to YouTube. | Validate HLS playlist and segment requirements; do not apply this branch to RTMP without evidence. |
Troubleshoot a stream that stops after the first file
- Only the first separate input repeats: move or add
-stream_loop -1before each-ithat should loop, or use a concat playlist if the clips are one sequence. - The playlist stops at a missing clip: verify every path, spelling, quoting, and file permission; confirm the playlist is being read from the expected location.
- Playback reaches a clip boundary and errors or glitches: compare stream layouts, codecs, time bases, and duration metadata; transcode to common parameters if needed.
- The command exits despite a loop setting: inspect
-map,-shortest, duration limits, and all input-option positions. A loop option on one input cannot override a separate output stop condition. - HLS delivery fails validation: check the generated media playlist and segment sequence against YouTube’s HLS ingest requirements; first confirm that the workflow is HLS rather than RTMP.
To diagnose a specific command, provide the full command with the stream key redacted, the output of ffmpeg -version, the source file formats, and whether the output is RTMP or HLS. Those details distinguish an option-placement issue from media incompatibility or an ingest-specific problem.
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