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For a YouTube stream sent through Castr, set the outgoing YouTube feed to YouTube’s current specifications for its codec, resolution, and frame rate. For H.264, that means 17 Mbps at 1080p60, 14 Mbps at 1080p30, or 8 Mbps at either 720p30 or 720p60. Use CBR, a 2-second keyframe interval, and RTMPS where supported. A 24/7 stream also needs upload headroom, monitoring, a recovery plan, and a separate recording strategy if you need an archive: YouTube warns that streams longer than 12 hours may not be captured.
Use separate settings for Castr ingest and YouTube delivery
A Castr setup can involve two separate stream legs: your encoder sends video to Castr, then Castr sends a stream onward to YouTube. Do not combine the settings for those legs into one target. Castr’s LiveAPI guide gives general recommendations for input sent to Castr and says that a third-party destination such as YouTube may have its own requirements. For the YouTube-bound output, use YouTube’s current official encoder specifications.
The YouTube figures below are H.264 ingest recommendations. They are not a guarantee of image quality: choose a resolution and frame rate your source, encoder, and sustained upload connection can reliably support.
| YouTube output format | YouTube recommended H.264 bitrate |
|---|---|
| 720p30 | 8 Mbps |
| 720p60 | 8 Mbps |
| 1080p30 | 14 Mbps |
| 1080p60 | 17 Mbps |
| 1440p30 | 21 Mbps |
| 1440p60 | 34 Mbps |
| 2160p30 (4K) | 42 Mbps |
| 2160p60 (4K) | 50 Mbps |
These are YouTube’s recommended H.264 values; its table also specifies minimum bitrates and separate values for AV1 and H.265/HEVC. Check YouTube’s current live encoder settings if you use another codec. YouTube allows up to 60 fps and lists H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1 as supported video codecs.
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Set the encoder and transport options
- Rate control: CBR, as YouTube recommends for live encoding.
- Keyframes: Set the interval to 2 seconds. YouTube recommends 2 seconds and specifies a maximum of 4 seconds.
- Transport: Use RTMPS if your encoder and workflow support it. YouTube recommends RTMPS, which encrypts the data in transit to and through Google’s servers. RTMP is also listed as supported.
- Audio: YouTube supports AAC or MP3. Its listed stereo AAC setting is 128 Kbps at 44.1 kHz.
- Video codec: YouTube lists H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1. Match the bitrate recommendation to the codec rather than assuming the H.264 table applies to every codec.
Configure the stream sent from your encoder to Castr
Castr’s LiveAPI guide provides general recommendations for the incoming stream, including H.264, CBR, AAC or MP3 audio, 128 Kbps preferred audio, and a 2-second keyframe interval. Use Castr’s resolution-specific ingest ranges for the feed entering Castr, then configure the YouTube-bound output for YouTube’s destination settings.
This distinction matters if Castr transcodes or produces a separate output rendition: the bitrate your encoder sends into Castr is not automatically the bitrate YouTube receives. Castr documents adaptive bitrate and customizable rendition controls, but availability may depend on plan or account state. Confirm the controls available in your Castr account before building a workflow around them.
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- H.264
- H.265 Stream
- 1080p 60fps
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Choose resolution and frame rate for the material and connection
Higher resolution preserves more spatial detail; a higher frame rate can make motion look smoother. Neither is automatically best for every continuous channel. A mostly static scene or a low-motion loop may not benefit as much from 60 fps as rapidly moving footage, while 4K requires much more sustained upload capacity than 720p. Pick a target your source can deliver and your connection can hold continuously, rather than selecting the largest number in the table by default.
Castr’s bitrate article lists 12 Mbps for H.264 1080p60, while YouTube’s current official table recommends 17 Mbps for that format. The available documentation does not explain the difference. For a YouTube ingest target, follow YouTube’s current destination specification.
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Calculate upload capacity with headroom
Bitrate is not the same as a speed-test download result. Measure sustained upload capacity on the connection that will carry the stream, and account for other traffic sharing it. YouTube recommends leaving 20% upload bandwidth headroom and says to include both primary and backup stream bandwidth when calculating capacity. See YouTube’s streaming tips.
For example, a single H.264 1080p60 output at YouTube’s 17 Mbps recommendation needs more than a connection that barely reaches 17 Mbps: you also need the recommended headroom, and any simultaneously active backup feed adds to the total. If the connection fluctuates at the hours the channel runs, size for those conditions rather than a best-case test result.
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Plan a 24/7 stream for monitoring, recovery, and recording
Do not rely on YouTube’s automatic archive for a continuous stream
YouTube says, “If your live stream is less than 12 hours, YouTube can automatically archive it for you.” It also warns, “If your stream exceeds 12 hours, it may not be captured at all.” A continuous 24/7 broadcast therefore should not use YouTube’s automatic archive as its only recording. If you need to preserve the material, arrange an independent local or otherwise separate recording plan.
See YouTube’s archive guidance for the current details.
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Test before relying on the stream
YouTube advises setting up and testing in advance, monitoring stream health, checking that local archive files are growing, and testing backup-encoder failover. Its advice to arrange an encoder at least two hours ahead and start it at least 15 minutes before an event is aimed at event preparation, not a special rule for 24/7 playback. For a continuous channel, use those principles to validate the complete path and recovery procedure before leaving it unattended.
Choose a recovery path
Castr documents two backup approaches: an encoder-level mode in which a second encoder can take over, and a file-level mode in which backup VOD can play if the live input drops. These approaches address different failure points; verify which options are available for your Castr account and test the behavior rather than assuming a backup is active.
For practical monitoring, watch the encoder’s output status, Castr’s incoming feed and YouTube’s stream health. When investigating an interruption, identify whether the failure is at the encoder, network, Castr ingest, or YouTube delivery stage before changing bitrate settings.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot common bitrate and continuity problems
- YouTube reports poor stream health or dropped frames: Check sustained upload capacity, competing network traffic, and whether the encoder is holding the selected CBR target. Reduce the resolution, frame rate, or bitrate to a sustainable official setting if the connection cannot maintain the current output.
- The encoder connects to Castr but YouTube output is unstable: Check the Castr output configuration separately from the encoder-to-Castr input. Confirm the destination codec, resolution, frame rate, bitrate, keyframe interval, and stream-key configuration.
- A stream connects but does not start correctly: Confirm the correct destination stream key is configured and that the encoder is sending a supported codec and transport. Use RTMPS where supported and recheck the destination settings rather than changing unrelated ingest values.
- Video looks soft despite meeting the bitrate target: Check the source resolution and frame rate. A higher bitrate cannot restore detail absent from the uploaded or encoded source.
- The live broadcast ends or the input drops: Check network stability and encoder status, then follow the tested backup or restart procedure. Castr’s documented backup modes may help, depending on availability for the account.
- The archive is missing after a long broadcast: YouTube cautions that a stream exceeding 12 hours may not be captured. Use an independent recording plan for material that must be retained.
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