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Short answer: You cannot rely on appending a line to a running FFmpeg concat playlist to make the next video join the live stream. FFmpeg’s concat documentation does not promise that a running process will reload edits to its script. If new videos must be added mid-stream, use a queue or controller that hands each next input to FFmpeg while its output session stays active—and test that handoff with your installed FFmpeg build.
Why editing a running concat playlist is not enough
The concat demuxer reads a script of files and presents their packets as if they had been muxed together in sequence. Its documentation does not say that a running process watches the script for changes or reloads it when you append another file line. Treat the list as input prepared before FFmpeg starts; do not assume edits will enter an active stream. FFmpeg concat demuxer documentation
That distinction matters for YouTube ingest: FFmpeg reads inputs and writes its output to a configured URL, such as an RTMP endpoint. The output session and the source playlist are separate things. Keeping the output process alive does not, by itself, provide a live-editable input queue. FFmpeg RTMP protocol documentation
If all videos are known before the stream starts
Prepare a concat script before launching FFmpeg. This is the simplest approach when the sequence is fixed in advance.
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- Check compatibility. For the concat demuxer’s intended use, the files should have matching streams, codecs, and time bases. If their layouts differ, stream-copy concatenation may not work cleanly; normalize or transcode the inputs instead. Inaccurate duration information can also produce timestamp gaps or artifacts. FFmpeg concat demuxer documentation
- Create the list. Put one
filedirective per video in a text file, in the desired playback order. For example:file '/path/to/video-1.mp4' file '/path/to/video-2.mp4' file '/path/to/video-3.mp4' - Start FFmpeg with the list as its input. The basic shape is:
ffmpeg -f concat -safe 0 -i playlist.txt [output options] rtmp://your-configured-output-urlReplace the bracketed section and example URL with the options and destination required by your setup. FFmpeg accepts inputs with
-iand writes to an output URL; this example is a command shape, not a complete YouTube configuration. Consult the documentation for the installed version and your destination’s current ingest settings. FFmpeg command-line documentation
Once the process has started, adding another line to playlist.txt is not a documented way to extend this run. Prepare the full known sequence first, or use a live queue architecture for arrivals during playback.
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If videos arrive after the stream is underway
Use an external playlist manager or controller to select and hand off each subsequent video while the FFmpeg output process remains active. The controller must manage input transitions; FFmpeg continues writing to the same output endpoint. This is an architectural pattern based on FFmpeg’s input/output model, not a built-in concat-script live-reload feature or a guaranteed seamless YouTube handoff.
- Define the handoff behavior. Decide what the controller does when a video ends, when the queue is empty, and when a file cannot be opened. The transition may involve a gap; do not promise uninterrupted playback until you have tested the chosen method.
- Check every incoming file. If stream layouts or codecs differ, the controller or processing path may need to normalize or transcode them. A queue does not remove compatibility requirements.
- Keep output-session ownership clear. The controller should supply the next input without unintentionally terminating the FFmpeg process that writes to the configured output URL.
- Test on the actual setup. Validate the handoff with the installed FFmpeg version and destination, including a failed input and an empty queue. The specific queue implementation determines the behavior; no single command is established here as a proven seamless solution.
FFmpeg’s documentation is regenerated as the project evolves, so check the documentation matching the version installed on the streaming machine. This workflow does not establish current YouTube-specific bitrate limits, reconnect rules, protocol requirements, or session-duration guarantees.
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Which approach fits?
| Decision | Prebuilt concat list | Live queue or controller |
|---|---|---|
| When videos are selected | Before FFmpeg starts | Additional items may arrive during the session |
| Edits after startup | Do not assume the process reloads them | The controller handles subsequent selections |
| Compatibility work | Matching streams, codecs, and time bases are expected for the demuxer’s intended use | The controller still needs to handle differences or normalize/transcode inputs |
| Operational complexity | Lower | Higher: transitions and failure handling must be implemented and tested |
| Output session | FFmpeg writes the prepared sequence to its configured URL | Keep the output process/session alive while changing the supplied input |
Do not confuse an HLS segment playlist with a source-video queue
FFmpeg’s HLS muxer produces media segments and an HLS playlist. Its append_list option concerns carrying forward entries in that output segment playlist and removing #EXT-X-ENDLIST. It does not document adding a new local source video to an FFmpeg input list feeding a YouTube RTMP stream. The two playlists serve different purposes. FFmpeg HLS muxer documentation
Troubleshooting the playlist workflow
- The newly appended video never plays: A running concat demuxer is not documented as monitoring its script. Use a queue/controller for mid-session additions, or prepare the full list before startup.
- Playback has gaps or timestamp artifacts: Check stream, codec, and time-base compatibility, and verify that duration information is accurate. Normalize or transcode inputs that do not match the concat requirements.
- FFmpeg exits during a handoff: Inspect how the controller handles end-of-file and input errors. Keep the output process alive and test failed-file and empty-queue behavior; the exact fix depends on the queue implementation.
- An HLS option does not change RTMP input behavior: Confirm whether you are generating an HLS segment playlist or sending a source sequence to an RTMP destination.
append_listaddresses the former. - A command option behaves differently than expected: Check the documentation corresponding to the FFmpeg version installed on the streaming host.
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