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To stream from an FFmpeg server on AWS Lightsail, create a Linux instance in Asia Pacific (Mumbai, ap-south-1), connect over SSH, install an FFmpeg build that supports your chosen codec and RTMPS, then publish to the server URL and stream key shown in YouTube Live Control Room. Test the stream and check YouTube’s stream-health feedback before relying on it. The steps below cover the setup and the decisions that affect reliability, security, and cost.

1. Create a Lightsail instance in Mumbai

  1. In the AWS Lightsail console, choose Create instance.
  2. Select Asia Pacific (Mumbai) (ap-south-1) as the region, then choose Linux and an operating-system-only image such as Ubuntu.
  3. Choose a plan based on what FFmpeg will do and how long you intend to stream. If it only copies a compatible source stream, its CPU needs differ from a workload that decodes and re-encodes video. There is no universal plan size established for every input and output; test the actual workload before committing to an event.
  4. Name the instance and create it. Connect using Lightsail’s browser-based SSH or an SSH client.

AWS lists Mumbai as a Lightsail region. AWS recommends choosing a region near users for latency, but Mumbai is not necessarily optimal for every stream origin or audience. See Lightsail regions and Availability Zones.

2. Decide whether to use a static IP

Lightsail’s default public IPv4 address can change after you stop and start an instance. If you want a stable address for administration or DNS, create a static IPv4 address in the same region and attach it to the instance. AWS says an attached static IP has no charge; check current pricing if you detach it. The FFmpeg publishing workflow itself does not require a fixed public address, because FFmpeg initiates an outbound connection to YouTube. See Create a static IP and attach it to an instance.

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3. Install FFmpeg and check its capabilities

Install FFmpeg using the package manager and repositories for the operating-system image you chose. Package names, available versions, and build features vary, so follow the instructions for that specific image rather than using a command intended for a different Linux distribution.

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  • Check that the installed build supports the video and audio codecs you plan to use.
  • Check that it supports the output protocol you intend to use, preferably RTMPS when available.
  • Confirm whether your workflow can copy the source streams or must transcode them. Transcoding uses CPU; stream copy avoids encoding work when the source already meets YouTube’s requirements.

The appropriate package command and Lightsail plan depend on the selected image and workload; there is no single package command or plan size that applies to every instance.

4. Get YouTube’s ingest URL and protect the stream key

  1. Open YouTube Live Control Room and create or select the stream you intend to use.
  2. Copy the server URL and stream key displayed for that stream into your FFmpeg publishing configuration.
  3. Prefer the RTMPS endpoint when your FFmpeg build supports it. YouTube Help recommends RTMPS, a secure extension to RTMP that carries the connection over TLS/SSL. Read YouTube’s encoder settings for live streaming.
  4. Keep the stream key private. Treat it like a password: do not include it in public repositories, screenshots, articles, shell transcripts, or logs. If it is exposed, reset it in Live Control Room and update the FFmpeg configuration.

Use the endpoint and key shown in your own Live Control Room rather than copying a key or endpoint from someone else’s setup.

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5. Choose encoder settings for the actual stream

Match the output to YouTube’s current recommendations for the target resolution, frame rate, and codec. YouTube’s encoder guidance covers RTMP/RTMPS, H.264, H.265 (HEVC), and AV1, supports up to 60 fps, and recommends constant bitrate. It recommends a two-second keyframe interval, which should not exceed four seconds.

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H.264 target YouTube-recommended video bitrate
1080p at 30 fps 10 Mbps
720p at 30 fps 6 Mbps

These are YouTube ingestion recommendations, not guarantees that a particular Lightsail plan can encode or deliver the stream. YouTube lists other recommendations for different resolutions and frame rates, so consult the full encoder settings page for your chosen output instead of extrapolating from these examples. The same guidance specifies audio options and advanced settings.

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For a first test, select a target the source and instance can sustain. If FFmpeg transcodes, monitor CPU use as well as stream health; if it copies streams, verify that the source’s codecs, resolution, frame rate, and bitrate are suitable for the intended YouTube stream.

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6. Test bandwidth and monitor stream health

YouTube recommends that available upload bandwidth exceed the stream’s total bitrate by 20%. Include audio in the total, leave room for protocol overhead, and test with representative audio and movement rather than an unusually simple or static source. YouTube also advises creators to monitor stream health and messages while live. See YouTube’s encoder settings and streaming guidance.

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  1. Start a test stream before the event or continuous run.
  2. Use the intended resolution, frame rate, audio, and representative video content.
  3. Check YouTube Live Control Room’s stream-health feedback for warnings or errors.
  4. Adjust the output or investigate the server and network if the stream is unstable, then test again.

For a rough outbound-data estimate, multiply the total bitrate in megabits per second by the number of seconds streamed, then divide by eight to estimate megabytes. Include audio and overhead, and convert to the billing unit AWS uses. This is a planning estimate, not an AWS quote.

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7. Keep inbound access narrow

The Lightsail instance firewall controls incoming connections to the public IP. IPv4 and IPv6 firewall rules are separate, while outbound traffic is allowed by those firewalls. FFmpeg’s connection to YouTube is outbound, so you do not need to open an inbound RTMP port for this publishing workflow. Restrict SSH to trusted administrator addresses where practical. Only add an inbound media rule if the server is separately receiving a stream from another encoder. See Lightsail firewall and port-mapping documentation.

8. Check Mumbai data transfer before choosing a plan

A continuous stream can send substantial outbound data. AWS states that Lightsail instance plans in Mumbai have half the data-transfer allowance of plans in most other regions, and excess outbound transfer may be billed. Allowances and pricing depend on the selected plan and can change, so check the current Mumbai plan terms before choosing. This regional difference is documented in Amazon Lightsail FAQs; no specific current plan allowance or price is assumed here.

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