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To change what viewers see without taking a 24/7 YouTube broadcast offline, keep the encoder connected and switch the video source in the encoder—such as OBS. For one clip, use an OBS Media Source; for a rotating playlist, use VLC Video. Do not stop the encoder or end the YouTube stream. If instead you mean starting a separate live video while the existing broadcast continues, that is a different, API-based workflow.
First decide what “keep the stream online” means
YouTube’s encoder feed and its live broadcast are related but distinct: the encoder sends video to YouTube using a stream URL and stream key, and YouTube associates that feed with a broadcast. Changing the video source changes the content sent through the existing feed; it does not require a new stream key or a new broadcast. YouTube describes the stream key as similar to a password and address, so keep it private. See YouTube’s live stream settings guidance.
- Change the content in the existing live video: keep OBS streaming and change the media source or scene that supplies the picture.
- Publish a distinct live video too: YouTube’s Live Streaming API documentation describes binding two broadcasts to the same stream. That creates a second broadcast rather than changing the video on the existing watch page.
Change the video in OBS without stopping the broadcast
Prepare the next clip or playlist
Make sure the media file is available on the computer running OBS and can be played. OBS Media Source supports MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM files. Set up and check the source before making it visible in the live scene; the documentation does not guarantee a gap-free transition for every computer, file, and network.
Keep the existing YouTube connection
Leave OBS configured with the active YouTube service, stream URL, and stream key. In YouTube Live Control Room, confirm the stream is receiving the encoder feed. Do not use a stop-stream control in OBS or YouTube if the same broadcast must stay online: YouTube’s encoder instructions say that stopping content from the encoder ends the stream. See YouTube’s encoder setup and streaming instructions.
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Use a Media Source for one video
- In OBS, add a Media Source to the scene that should show the clip.
- Select the local file and use the source’s Loop property if it should repeat.
- When ready to show it, change the visible source or switch to the scene containing it while OBS continues streaming.
OBS documents the Media Source and its loop property on its Media Sources guide. The guide does not specify a universal live scene-switch sequence, so use the controls in your OBS layout and verify the result in the YouTube Live Control Room.
Use VLC Video for a playlist
- Install VLC. The VLC Video source will not appear in OBS without it; 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC.
- Add a VLC Video source and load the playlist.
- Enable playlist looping if the list should restart after the final item.
- Make the source visible in the active scene or switch to the scene containing it, without stopping the encoder.
OBS documents playlist playback and looping in its Media Sources guide.
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Keep one broadcast live while starting a separate one
If your aim is a separate YouTube live video—for example, an interview alongside a 24/7 channel feed—do not treat it as a source switch. Google’s YouTube Live Streaming API documentation describes binding two broadcast resources to the same stream: the ongoing broadcast remains live while the separate broadcast is made live, and the separate one can later be completed without stopping the encoder. The documentation states, “However, you don’t stop streaming video since the 24/7 broadcast continues.” This is an API workflow, not a verified one-click YouTube Studio procedure. See Google’s YouTube Live Streaming API documentation.
Check settings that can affect the change
- Stream key: You do not need to change it just to show another video. If you reset the key, update OBS with the newly generated one before expecting YouTube to accept the feed.
- Auto-start and auto-stop: YouTube’s settings determine whether streaming can be started or stopped from the encoder. Review them if the stream’s start or stop behavior is unexpected; reused stream settings can copy these controls.
- Metadata: YouTube allows edits in stream settings or while creating or scheduling a stream. Changing metadata is separate from changing the video source.
- Latency: Lower latency can mean more playback buffering. It is not required for switching a source.
These controls are covered in YouTube’s live stream settings guidance.
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Common problems and fixes
- The broadcast went offline: Check whether OBS stopped sending or YouTube’s stream was ended. Reconnect the encoder and confirm the receiving status in Live Control Room; if the broadcast itself has ended, reconnecting alone may not preserve that same live event.
- The new clip does not appear: Confirm the file path is valid on the computer running OBS, the file format is supported, and the source is visible in the active scene.
- The playlist source is missing: Install VLC and ensure its architecture matches OBS—64-bit OBS needs 64-bit VLC.
- The playlist stops at the end: Enable playlist looping in the VLC Video source settings.
- YouTube no longer accepts the encoder feed: Check the configured stream URL and key. If the key was reset, replace the old key in OBS.
- A long stream has no expected archive: YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived; that statement does not promise automatic archiving for a continuous 24/7 stream. Do not rely on the live broadcast as the sole copy of the video.
Rights and operating choices
Before playing prerecorded material publicly, make sure you have the rights needed to use it and that it complies with YouTube’s rules. Neither a source switch nor a continuously running encoder changes your obligations. YouTube’s encoder guidance lists software and standalone hardware encoders; its directory also lists Gyre as a cloud tool for 24/7 prerecorded-video streaming. That listing does not establish that Gyre can change content inside an already-live broadcast. See YouTube’s encoder guidance.
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