Short answer: vMix documents ways to sequence files and switch between inputs, but its documentation does not confirm that an unreadable or failed video automatically advances a playlist or fires an OnCompletion trigger. You can prepare a backup input or playlist and test the exact failure on your installed vMix version; do not treat it as automatic failover until that test confirms it.
Choose the right vMix playback feature
Use List when you want one input to contain a sequence of video or audio files. Use PlayList when you want vMix to sequence separate inputs. They solve different organization and switching needs; neither feature’s documented normal playback behavior, by itself, confirms what happens when a file fails to open or decode.
| Option | What it sequences | Relevant behavior |
|---|---|---|
| List | Files inside one input | Auto Next is enabled by default for ordinary progression; Loop returns playback to the beginning at the end. Disabled entries can be skipped, and the list can be exported as M3U. These are not documented guarantees that an unreadable file will be skipped. vMix List documentation. |
| PlayList | Separate inputs | Can automate switching tasks or play videos sequentially. Manual Mode waits for the operator to click Next; the next item uses its configured transition. Items can have their own starting position, duration, transition, and transition time. PlayLists belong to the active preset. vMix PlayList documentation. |
Prepare a primary path and a fallback
- Decide whether the primary sequence is a List or a PlayList. Keep files in one List if you want a single input to manage them. Use a PlayList if the sequence should switch between separate inputs.
- Make the fallback distinct and easy to identify. Put known-good backup material in a separate input or backup playlist, label it clearly, and configure the intended transition. This gives an operator a clear source to route to, but does not establish that vMix will select it automatically after a file error.
- Check media before the show. Confirm files are available from the machine and storage location used for the production, and play them through the intended inputs. Rehearse the backup route and transition in the actual preset.
- Keep a manual route available when an operator can intervene. PlayList Manual Mode and its Next command provide controlled progression. Test those controls with the project and media you will use on air.
What OnCompletion can—and cannot—be assumed to do
vMix documents OnCompletion for video, list, photos, and PowerPoint inputs when they reach the end, assuming Loop is off. The trigger documentation does not say that failure to open or decode a media file counts as completion. Therefore, do not use an OnCompletion trigger as a failed-file detector unless you have verified that behavior in your own setup. See the vMix Triggers documentation.
If you test OnCompletion, first confirm that Loop is disabled and that the trigger fires at a normal end of playback. Then separately test the failure case. A successful end-of-file test does not establish that an open or decode error will fire the same trigger.
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Test the actual failure before relying on automation
- Save a copy of the production preset and test with nonessential media.
- Reproduce the kind of failure you are concerned about—for example, make a test file unavailable or use a known-invalid test file.
- Observe whether the installed vMix release stops, advances, switches inputs, or fires a trigger. Record what happens with the specific file type and storage setup.
- Repeat the test after changing relevant playlist, trigger, or automation settings. Do not infer failure handling from normal end-of-file playback.
- If automatic detection is essential, confirm that an external monitor or custom automation can observe a reliable signal for that specific failure before connecting it to a switch command.
Why scripting and the API are not automatically a solution
vMix’s Web API can execute shortcut functions and expose vMix state, and its Web Scripting feature can run sequences of API-style functions with Sleep pauses. The documentation reviewed does not establish that a media-open or decoding failure produces an identifiable API state, API error, or event that can safely trigger a backup switch. An HTTP 500 response is documented for API errors, but that does not prove a failed media file will produce such a response. Consult the vMix Web API documentation and vMix Web Scripting documentation, and verify the particular signal before building automation around it.
Limits of built-in playlist automation
vMix describes List and PlayList as basic ways to play videos consecutively and loop them. Its knowledge base separately notes that vMix does not provide time-of-day scheduling for 24/7 television programming. Basic sequencing and looping should not be presented as guaranteed unattended recovery from an invalid or unavailable media file. See vMix’s video playback knowledge-base article.
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If the goal is to keep prerecorded content live on YouTube without leaving a production computer running, StreamNeo is a separate option—not a vMix failover feature. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. StreamNeo loops the uploaded videos from the cloud, so nothing has to stay on at home. It streams the uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps at one flat price per slot, automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream, and the first day is free with no card. Monthly pricing is $9.99 per month. UPI and cards are available in India; cards are accepted worldwide. Learn more at StreamNeo, or start your free first day.
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