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To change the video without ending your YouTube broadcast, keep the encoder connected and change the media it sends. In OBS, switch to a prepared scene or use a VLC Video playlist. Do not click End Stream for an ordinary content change. The session can remain live, although a scene or file transition is not guaranteed to be free of a brief video or audio gap.
What stays live when you change a video
The video and audio viewers see come from the encoder—such as OBS—not from a universal media-replacement control in YouTube Studio. YouTube’s setup instructions have you enter its server URL and stream key in the encoder, then start sending content. To switch what viewers see, change the encoder’s output while keeping its connection active. YouTube’s encoder instructions describe stopping the encoder feed as part of ending a stream.
The live event and incoming feed are related but distinct. Google describes a broadcast as a YouTube video event and a stream as the audio-video transmission. Its Live Streaming API guide explains that a broadcast is a distinct YouTube video and gives an example in which a 24/7 broadcast remains live while another broadcast starts and completes on the same stream. For an ordinary change of kirtan recording, however, you generally want to keep the existing event and feed running rather than create another event.
Change videos manually with OBS scenes
Scenes are the simplest option when an operator wants to choose each change—for example, moving from one kirtan recording or visual to another at a planned time. Prepare the scenes before going live, and leave OBS streaming while you switch the active scene.
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- Prepare a scene for each video or content block. In OBS, create a scene and add the relevant media as a source. Repeat for each item you may want to switch to. OBS’s Sources Guide explains how sources are added to scenes and shown or hidden.
- Check picture and sound in every scene. Confirm the intended file is visible and that the right audio source is present and audible. A scene can look correct while its audio is missing, muted, or coming from an unintended source.
- Use Studio Mode to preview if you want a check before viewers see it. In OBS, enable Studio Mode, prepare the next scene in Preview, then transition it to Program. OBS documents Cut and Fade transitions and a configurable transition duration in its overview guide.
- Switch scenes without stopping the stream. Click the target scene or configure an OBS hotkey for it. OBS supports hotkeys for switching to a specific scene. Keep the OBS streaming session running; do not use OBS’s stop-streaming control or YouTube’s End Stream control for a routine media switch.
- Monitor the live output and audio mixer. Check the Program output and listen during the transition. Rehearse scene changes before relying on them in a long-running broadcast; documentation does not promise that every transition will be gap-free.
For a physical button, a Stream Deck is optional: YouTube’s encoder page describes it as a programmable USB controller whose keys or dials can trigger shortcuts. OBS hotkeys work without one.
Use an OBS VLC playlist for an ordered rotation
If the stream should move through a prepared group of local recordings rather than require a manual choice for each change, use OBS’s VLC Video source. OBS documents playlist ordering, looping, shuffling, visibility behavior, and audio-track selection in its Media Sources guide.
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- Install VLC. The OBS VLC Video source depends on VLC being installed. OBS specifies 64-bit VLC for 64-bit OBS.
- Add a VLC Video source to an OBS scene. Open the scene’s Sources area, add a VLC Video source, and add the local media files to its playlist.
- Choose playlist behavior. Set the file order you want. Loop Playlist is on by default and Shuffle Playlist is off by default, according to OBS’s documentation; adjust them if the rotation should behave differently. Review audio-track selection as well.
- Test the playlist before relying on it live. Confirm each file plays with the intended picture and sound, and that the VLC source remains visible in the active scene. The cited OBS documentation does not establish that live playlist edits are safe or behave identically in every version, so prepare and test changes ahead of time.
A playlist advances through its configured media; a scene switch lets an operator select a particular item or setup. Neither method carries an official guarantee of a zero-gap viewer experience.
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A media change is not the same as ending the YouTube event. Keep the encoder connected for the change. When the broadcast really is over, follow YouTube’s ending workflow: stop sending content from the encoder and, for a scheduled stream, use End Stream as directed by YouTube Help.
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YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. It does not promise that a stream longer than that will be archived as one complete replay. For a 24/7 channel, plan separately for any recording or archive you need instead of assuming the full live session will be available as a VOD.
Check access, rights, and event setup
- Live-stream eligibility: YouTube’s current getting-started guidance covers eligibility and available streaming methods. Check YouTube’s live-streaming requirements for the channel and method you intend to use.
- Stream key: Use the key associated with the intended YouTube stream in the encoder. Treat it as a credential; do not publish or share it. If the encoder is sending to the wrong event or feed, verify the selected event and configured key before changing scenes.
- Copyright and permissions: Make sure the channel has permission to livestream and archive every recording, performance, and visual. Kirtan recordings and accompanying footage may involve rights held by performers, labels, temples, or other parties. A technical setup does not grant those rights.
- Archive expectations: A continuous broadcast does not guarantee a complete replay for a session beyond YouTube’s stated under-12-hour automatic-archive window.
Troubleshoot a video change that does not work
| What you see | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| The old video remains on air after selecting a scene. | The intended scene was selected in Preview rather than transitioned to Program, or the source is not visible in the active scene. | In Studio Mode, transition Preview to Program. Otherwise, check the active scene and source visibility. |
| The new picture appears, but the kirtan audio is silent or wrong. | The new scene or VLC source has a missing, muted, or unintended audio source or track. | Check the source’s audio settings and OBS audio mixer while monitoring the output. |
| A VLC playlist will not load or play. | VLC may not be installed, or its architecture may not match OBS. | Install VLC; OBS specifies 64-bit VLC for 64-bit OBS. Reopen or recreate the source and test the playlist before using it live. |
| The playlist repeats or shuffles unexpectedly. | Loop Playlist or Shuffle Playlist is set differently from the intended behavior. | Review the VLC Video source’s playlist settings. OBS documents Loop Playlist as on by default and Shuffle Playlist as off by default. |
| The YouTube event ends or disconnects during a change. | The encoder may have been stopped, or an ending control may have been used instead of changing its media output. | For a routine change, keep OBS streaming and switch its scene or playlist content. If the feed has already ended, check YouTube Studio and the encoder before starting again; restarting may create a new live session. |
| Viewers report a brief pause or audio break. | A transition or media handoff can produce a gap; the documented controls do not guarantee uninterrupted frames or sound. | Rehearse the exact change, verify audio continuity, and choose a transition that suits the content. Do not promise viewers a buffer-free switch. |
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