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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →To stream an SDR source to YouTube Live at 1920×1080 and 60 fps with FFmpeg, use an H.264 encoder, AAC stereo audio, RTMPS, a two-second keyframe interval, and a bitrate your connection can sustain. This command is a starting template for a video file; replace INPUT and STREAM_KEY with your source and the private key from YouTube Live Control Room.
FFmpeg command for a 1080p60 YouTube Live stream
ffmpeg -re -i INPUT
-map 0:v:0 -map 0:a:0?
-vf "scale=1920:1080,fps=60,format=yuv420p"
-c:v libx264 -preset veryfast
-b:v 17M -maxrate 17M -bufsize 34M
-g 120 -keyint_min 120 -sc_threshold 0
-pix_fmt yuv420p
-c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100 -ac 2
-f flv "rtmps://a.rtmp.youtube.com/live2/STREAM_KEY"This example is for a file input with video and optional audio. Replace INPUT with the file path and STREAM_KEY with the key shown in YouTube Live Control Room. Keep the key private: anyone who obtains it may be able to broadcast to your channel. YouTube’s [live encoder settings] recommend RTMPS for ingest.
The command assumes your FFmpeg build includes libx264. Check the encoders available in your installation before relying on it. The general FFmpeg command structure and RTMP output options are documented in the [FFmpeg documentation] and [FFmpeg protocol documentation]. This is an illustrative template, not a tested command for every input, build, or computer.
What to change for your source
File, camera, screen, or network input
-re -i INPUT reads a file at its native rate rather than sending it as fast as possible. It is appropriate for file playback; live cameras, desktop capture, and incoming network streams have different input options and may not need -re. Consult the capture method and FFmpeg build you use, and replace the input portion without changing the output settings unless your source requires it.
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The optional audio map, -map 0:a:0?, includes the first audio stream if one exists. If the input has no audio, the question mark lets FFmpeg continue without that stream. If it has several audio tracks, select the one you intend to send rather than assuming the first is correct.
Scaling and frame rate
scale=1920:1080,fps=60 forces the output to 1920×1080 at 60 frames per second. If the source has a different shape, that exact scale can stretch or distort it. Choose scaling or cropping that suits the source’s aspect ratio; setting 1080p60 does not guarantee a good-looking conversion from lower-resolution or lower-frame-rate material.
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Encoder and preset
-c:v libx264 selects H.264 encoding through x264, and -preset veryfast trades some compression efficiency for lower encoding complexity. The suitable preset depends on the CPU, source, and available encoder; check that the machine can sustain the chosen output without dropped frames. The template does not establish that this preset is best for every system.
Bitrate, keyframes, audio, and picture format
Video bitrate and rate control
YouTube’s live encoder settings list H.264 1080p60 at 6 Mbps minimum and 17 Mbps recommended; these are ingest recommendations, not guarantees of quality or delivery. The example uses -b:v 17M -maxrate 17M as a CBR-style target. Use a lower sustainable bitrate if your upload or encoder cannot hold 17 Mbps steadily. YouTube recommends choosing settings suited to the connection and checking stream health.
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-bufsize 34M is a practical VBV starting value in this example, not a separately specified YouTube requirement. YouTube’s same table lists AV1/H.265 1080p60 at 4 Mbps minimum and 12 Mbps recommended; those figures apply to those codecs, not this H.264 command.
Keyframe interval
YouTube recommends a two-second keyframe interval and says not to exceed four seconds. At 60 fps, two seconds is 120 frames, so the command sets -g 120 -keyint_min 120; -sc_threshold 0 disables scene-cut keyframes so the GOP cadence stays consistent. FFmpeg documents GOP and keyframe options in its [codec documentation].
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Audio
The template encodes stereo audio as AAC at 128 kbps and 44.1 kHz. YouTube recommends AAC or MP3 for RTMP/RTMPS, with 128 kbps and a 44.1 kHz sample rate for stereo. If your source is mono or has no audio, revise the mapping and audio options to match rather than assuming this stereo setup is appropriate.
SDR format and color
format=yuv420p and -pix_fmt yuv420p set a commonly compatible 8-bit pixel format for this H.264 SDR template. YouTube recommends progressive scan, square pixels, Rec. 709 color, and 8-bit SDR. The pixel-format setting alone does not guarantee correct color metadata or preserve the source’s appearance; inspect the result, particularly when the input has unusual color characteristics. HDR is a separate configuration: YouTube recommends H.265 over RTMP(S) for HDR, so do not treat this SDR command as an HDR recipe.
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Set the YouTube destination and start safely
- Get the stream key. Open YouTube Live Control Room and copy the stream URL/key for the broadcast. Treat the key like a password; do not paste a real key into public scripts, screenshots, or logs.
- Set the output destination. Replace the example destination’s
STREAM_KEYwith the key and use the RTMPS ingest URL YouTube provides. If YouTube shows a different server URL for your stream, use the URL in Control Room. - Check upload capacity. Run an upload speed test and leave practical headroom above the encoded stream’s sustained bitrate. A connection that only briefly reaches the target is not a reliable basis for a continuous broadcast.
- Test representative content. Before the event, test with comparable movement and audio. Confirm YouTube detects the expected resolution and frame rate, and watch its stream-health messages.
- Monitor the live session. Check for encoder overload, unstable upload, or stream-health warnings. YouTube transcodes live streams into playback formats for viewers, so the ingest resolution is not the only resolution available at playback.
Common problems and fixes
- FFmpeg reports an unknown encoder. The installed build may not include
libx264. Check the available encoders and use an encoder supported by that build, adjusting its rate-control options accordingly. - YouTube does not receive the stream. Confirm the stream key and RTMPS destination copied from Live Control Room, and check that the key has not been revoked or replaced. Do not expose the key while troubleshooting.
- Stream health reports bitrate or connection issues. Reduce the video target to a rate the upload can sustain, retain headroom, and test again. YouTube’s 17 Mbps figure is its recommended H.264 1080p60 bitrate, not a requirement to use when the network cannot maintain it.
- The image is stretched or looks soft. The explicit scale forces 1920×1080. Adjust scaling or cropping for the source aspect ratio, and remember that upscaling does not create detail that is absent from the input.
- No audio is heard. Verify the input actually contains the selected audio stream, review the optional audio mapping, and confirm the source’s channels and sample rate. A file without an audio stream will not gain sound from AAC settings.
- Playback buffers for viewers. Latency is the delay from capture and encoding to viewer playback; lower latency settings may increase buffering. The FFmpeg command alone cannot promise a fixed end-to-end delay. Review YouTube’s stream configuration and health indicators.
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Quick Recap
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