If audio and video are out of sync on a Castr-to-YouTube playlist, first find where the mismatch appears: in the uploaded file, Castr’s preview, or the YouTube stream. Check the same visible-and-audible cue near the beginning and later in the program. That separates a source-file problem from a stream-path problem and shows whether the mismatch is fixed or grows over time. Don’t change OBS settings unless OBS is actually sending the stream to Castr.
First identify which Castr workflow you are using
Castr’s pre-recorded feature plays uploaded files from the cloud as either a scheduled premiere or a continuous loop. In that workflow, Castr—not OBS—plays the playlist to destinations such as YouTube. OBS audio-offset controls therefore do not adjust Castr’s cloud playout.
A different setup sends a live feed from OBS or another encoder into Castr. If that is your setup, encoder settings may be relevant; the OBS offset guidance below applies only when OBS is actually in the source path.
- Uploaded playlist in Castr: troubleshoot the uploaded file, Castr preview, and YouTube destination in sequence.
- OBS-fed stream: check the source and preview, then measure and test any OBS sync adjustment.
Check the uploaded file before changing stream settings
Play the exact file uploaded to Castr locally. Use a clear cue that is both visible and audible—a clap, an impact, or a spoken word—and compare its timing at the beginning and at a later point.
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- If the cue is already misaligned locally, correct the file in an editor and export it again before uploading a replacement.
- If the mismatch is about the same throughout, it is a fixed offset.
- If the gap grows as the video plays, it is drift. A single fixed offset is unlikely to correct a timing error that keeps changing.
Castr’s pre-recorded-file troubleshooting guidance recommends AAC audio averaging 128 kbps. It also suggests HandBrake to lower bitrate when an uploaded file fails to reach destinations. These are file compatibility and delivery suggestions, not demonstrated fixes for audio/video timing; re-encoding a misaligned file without correcting its timing may leave the mismatch in place.
Separate Castr preview from the YouTube output
- Test the source in Castr. Turn off the added platforms, start the source, and confirm that it reaches Castr’s preview. Compare the same cue you checked in the local file.
- Test YouTube privately. Castr’s test guidance recommends testing a YouTube destination as an unlisted or private stream. Avoid using a public broadcast to diagnose a problem.
- Let the test run long enough. Check the cue near the start and later in the program. A short opening check can miss drift that accumulates over time.
- Monitor input health. Check Castr Analytics/Input Health during the test and note any instability alongside the timing issue.
Use the results to locate the first point where sync fails:
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- Local file is out of sync: repair and re-export the file, then upload it again.
- Local file is aligned, but Castr preview is not: keep the file and test details; the mismatch appears before the YouTube destination.
- Local file and Castr preview are aligned, but YouTube is not: capture the test time and stream details. The cited Castr guidance does not establish a universal YouTube-side sync control for a Castr cloud playlist.
If OBS is in the stream path, measure before adjusting
Castr’s published OBS example is for an OBS-based live workflow, not a general correction for uploaded cloud playlists. It points users to OBS → Advanced Audio Properties to set a measured audio sync offset, and gives 50–100 ms as an example to try during rehearsal. That range is an example, not a default or guaranteed fix.
- Determine whether audio leads or trails the matching picture.
- In OBS, open Advanced Audio Properties and adjust the relevant audio source’s sync offset in the direction indicated by a measured test.
- Make a small change, then repeat a private or unlisted test and compare the same cue.
- Check both the beginning and a later point. If the mismatch grows, do not assume a fixed offset will solve it.
Castr’s example says to test during rehearsal rather than during the event. Do not apply its example offset to a Castr playlist that OBS does not feed.
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Check stream quality when other symptoms point to instability
If the sync problem comes with buffering, dropped frames, choppy playback, or disconnections, check broader stream health as a separate investigation. Those symptoms can justify examining the source encoder, connection, live health charts, and ingest location; they do not by themselves prove that a stable audio lead or lag is caused by the network.
- Review Castr’s live health charts for audio and video bitrate and frame rate.
- Check source compatibility settings. Castr’s general guidance includes H.264 video and AAC audio.
- For an OBS-based stream, Castr’s general recommendations include CBR, a two-second keyframe interval, and 128 kbps audio. If 1080p causes problems, its guidance suggests reverting to 720p.
- Consider a nearby ingest server when investigating broader quality or connection problems.
These are general compatibility and stream-quality checks, not a guaranteed repair for audio/video sync. Change one relevant setting at a time and repeat the private test so you can tell what affected the result.
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Verify the result and prepare a useful support report
After a file correction or stream-setting change, rerun the private or unlisted YouTube test. Compare the same cue near the beginning and later in the program, and record whether the mismatch is constant or grows.
If the problem persists in a cloud playlist after checking the source file and comparing Castr preview with YouTube, contact Castr support with:
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- whether the source is a Castr cloud playlist or an OBS-fed stream;
- whether the uploaded file plays in sync locally;
- whether Castr preview and the YouTube test are in sync;
- whether the mismatch is fixed or increases over time;
- the test time and any relevant Castr Input Health observations.
Castr’s public materials describe playlist troubleshooting and testing but do not specify a guaranteed automatic correction for sync drift in cloud playlists. A clear comparison across the file, preview, and destination is more useful than changing unrelated settings without isolating the point of failure.
Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is to keep a pre-recorded YouTube channel live continuously, StreamNeo is a separate cloud option: upload your recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. It is for uploaded videos—not a live camera feed—and does not diagnose or repair sync errors in an existing Castr stream. Make sure the video is in sync before uploading.
- Your computer and home connection do not have to stay on.
- Each slot streams your upload at its original quality, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot.
- It automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream.
- The first day is free with no card required.
See StreamNeo for details. The monthly option is $9.99 per month. Start your free StreamNeo day.
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