To broadcast a Centova Cast station on YouTube Live, connect a compatible live-source application to your Centova station, then send that application’s audio output to YouTube using the stream URL and key from YouTube Studio. You need the connection details for your particular Centova host; YouTube does not receive the station directly from Centova. Prefer RTMPS when your encoder supports it, test the stream, and for a scheduled broadcast click Go live after YouTube shows the preview.
What you need before you start
- Access to the Centova Cast control panel for the station and its live-source connection details.
- A live-source or encoder application that your station host confirms is compatible with the station’s source protocol and settings.
- Access to YouTube Studio to create or schedule a live stream and retrieve its stream URL and key.
- An upload connection capable of sustaining the settings you choose. The required bitrate depends on video resolution, frame rate, and codec.
The workflow has two connections: the application sends audio to Centova as a live source, and the encoder sends the broadcast to YouTube. Centova’s instructions direct users to their hosting provider for compatible applications and station-specific connection parameters; there is no single encoder configuration that can be assumed for every host.
How to connect Centova Cast to YouTube Live
1. Start the Centova station
- In Centova Cast, open Server and select Start. The station server must be running before a live source can connect. See Centova’s Starting The Stream guide.
- If your account uses AutoDJ, it may begin playing uploaded media when the server starts. If you are going to supply audio from a live-source application, check whether AutoDJ needs to be stopped for your server type before connecting.
2. Copy Centova’s live-source connection details
- In the Centova panel, open Quick Links, then Live Source Connections.
- Copy the connection values into the compatible live-source application. Depending on the host and server setup, these include the server address, port, and source password. Use the source password, not the Centova administrator password.
- If you are unsure which application or protocol to use, ask the station’s hosting provider. Centova’s Performing A Live Broadcast guide explains the live-source connection workflow.
For SHOUTcast v1 with AutoDJ, stop AutoDJ before starting the live broadcast. Centova says this is not necessary for SHOUTcast v2 or IceCast. Confirm the server type and configuration for your station rather than applying the SHOUTcast v1 exception to every setup.
3. Create or schedule a YouTube stream
- In YouTube Studio, select Create → Go Live and use the Stream tab, or schedule a broadcast in Manage. Follow YouTube’s create a stream with an encoder instructions.
- In Live Control Room, copy the stream URL and stream key into the encoder’s server and key fields. These are YouTube connection credentials, separate from your Centova host, port, and source password.
- Treat the stream key like a password: do not publish it, share it, or include it in screenshots or public configuration files. If it is exposed, replace it in YouTube Studio and update the encoder.
4. Use RTMPS when the encoder supports it
RTMPS encrypts the connection between the encoder and YouTube. Get the RTMPS URL from Live Control Room and use it only if your encoder supports RTMPS. Google’s RTMPS ingestion guide, last updated 2026-09-14 UTC, specifies the rtmps protocol and port 443, and notes that the hostname is needed for TLS SNI authentication. Do not substitute a guessed URL or port; use YouTube’s displayed ingest details and your encoder’s supported fields. YouTube also provides an RTMPS overview.
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5. Configure, test, and start the broadcast
- Choose video and audio settings supported by the encoder, host, and available upload bandwidth. YouTube’s current encoder settings and bitrates guidance lists RTMP/RTMPS, H.264, H.265 (HEVC), or AV1 video, up to 60 fps, AAC or MP3 audio, and CBR. It recommends a two-second keyframe interval and says not to exceed four seconds.
- Use YouTube’s bitrate table for the selected codec, resolution, and frame rate rather than choosing a bitrate by habit. For example, YouTube lists 14 Mbps for 1080p at 30 fps H.264 and 10 Mbps for 1080p at 30 fps AV1 or H.265. These are YouTube’s published encoder targets, not a guarantee your internet connection or hosting arrangement can sustain them.
- Test before the real broadcast. YouTube recommends checking upload capacity with a speed test and testing audio and representative video movement. For a radio station, verify the station audio is present and intelligible in the YouTube preview; add whatever permitted visual content your broadcast needs.
- Start the encoder and monitor stream health in Live Control Room. If the stream is scheduled, wait until the preview appears, then click Go live; sending encoder data alone may not start the scheduled broadcast for viewers.
6. End the broadcast and check the archive
Stop the encoder when the broadcast is finished; for scheduled-stream instructions, YouTube also says to select End Stream. YouTube states that streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. If an archive matters, confirm it appears in YouTube Studio after the broadcast rather than assuming an interrupted or unusually long stream was saved as expected.
Settings that most often determine whether it works
| Setting or detail | What to use or check |
|---|---|
| Centova source address and port | Copy from Quick Links → Live Source Connections for this station; do not assume another station’s values apply. |
| Centova password | Use the live-source password, not the Centova account administrator password. |
| YouTube destination | Use the stream URL and key shown in Live Control Room in the encoder’s server and key fields. |
| Transport | Use RTMPS if supported, with the actual YouTube RTMPS URL and the required port and hostname handling. |
| Video codec | YouTube lists H.264, H.265 (HEVC), or AV1; availability also depends on encoder support. |
| Frame rate and keyframes | YouTube lists up to 60 fps; it recommends a 2-second keyframe interval and a maximum of 4 seconds. |
| Audio codec | YouTube lists AAC or MP3. Confirm that the encoder is receiving the station audio, not an unintended local input. |
| Bitrate | Set CBR and select the target from YouTube’s table for the chosen codec, resolution, and frame rate; verify upload headroom with a speed test. |
Troubleshoot connection and broadcast failures
The encoder cannot connect to Centova
- Wrong host or port: Recheck Quick Links → Live Source Connections and enter the station’s actual address and port.
- Wrong password: Use the source password, not the administrator password.
- Another source is already connected: A competing live source or AutoDJ may already occupy a SHOUTcast connection. Stop the conflicting source or AutoDJ as appropriate for the server configuration.
- Loopback address entered: Do not use
localhostor127.0.0.1for a remotely hosted station. Use the server address supplied by the host. - Firewall blocks the stream port: Check that the network running the encoder permits access to the station’s stream port.
- SHOUTcast v1 source-port mismatch: Centova notes that the source port is the stream port plus one for SHOUTcast v1; its example is stream port 8000 and source port 8001. Verify the applicable values in your panel.
Centova’s live source troubleshooting checklist covers these common connection checks.
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YouTube shows no incoming stream or a bad preview
- Confirm that the encoder is using the YouTube stream URL and key, not Centova’s source details.
- Check that the encoder is actually receiving station audio and that its audio input or routing is correct.
- Compare the configured resolution, frame rate, codec, and bitrate with the encoder’s capabilities and YouTube’s current recommendations.
- Check Live Control Room’s stream health and reduce the selected quality or bitrate if the upload connection cannot sustain it.
- For a scheduled broadcast, wait for the preview and select Go live in Live Control Room.
RTMPS reports an SSL error or times out
- Verify that the destination URL uses the
rtmpsprotocol and is copied from Live Control Room. - Confirm the encoder supports RTMPS and is configured for port 443.
- Use the correct hostname so TLS SNI authentication can work; do not replace the hostname with an IP address unless the encoder’s documented configuration preserves the required hostname.
Copyright and what viewers see
Having permission to play audio on a Centova station does not by itself establish that you have the rights needed to retransmit it on YouTube. Before broadcasting, make sure you have the necessary rights for the music, recordings, and any visuals in the YouTube stream, and review YouTube’s applicable copyright rules. A live relay is still a YouTube broadcast, so test content should also be content you are authorized to use. You can use StreamNeo’s copyright safety checklist as a planning aid; it does not grant rights or guarantee a platform outcome.
There is no universal encoder product required by the workflow documented here. Choose one that your Centova provider confirms is compatible with the station’s source settings and that can send the resulting program to YouTube. Compare source-protocol compatibility, RTMPS support, audio routing, monitoring, operating-system support, and cost.
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Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is to keep a YouTube channel live around the clock with uploaded recordings, rather than relay live audio from a Centova station, StreamNeo is a separate cloud option: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It loops uploaded videos from the cloud, so nothing has to stay on at home. Every slot streams the uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps at one flat price per slot, with no re-encode or quality tiers; it can automatically recover if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly service is $9.99 per month. It is for uploaded videos on YouTube, not a live microphone or direct Centova-audio relay. Learn more at StreamNeo, or start the free first day.
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