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To run a 24/7 Gurbani stream from Ubuntu, prepare media you have permission to use, publish it to YouTube Live with FFmpeg over RTMPS, and supervise the FFmpeg process with systemd. The machine, network connection, source media, and YouTube stream key must remain available; a restart policy can relaunch FFmpeg after a process failure, but it cannot prevent every interruption.
What you need before you start
- An Ubuntu machine with a reliable internet connection and enough upload capacity for your chosen stream bitrate. It must stay powered on and connected for a local setup to keep streaming.
- A prepared video file, or a tested combination of audio and video sources, that FFmpeg can read continuously.
- A YouTube channel with Live Control Room access and a stream key. YouTube’s activation and account requirements can vary; check the channel’s Live Control Room rather than assuming a new channel can stream immediately.
- Permission to use every recording, arrangement, performance, and visual in the stream. Owning a recording or having permission for one version does not necessarily establish rights to every underlying composition or other asset.
This guide uses one local file containing both audio and video. If your source is audio-only, separate audio and video files, or a playlist, adapt and test the input before installing it as a service.
Install FFmpeg and check your Ubuntu release
Identify the release
Check your Ubuntu release before installing or relying on a package version:
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apt-cache policy ffmpegFFmpeg is available from Ubuntu’s package archive. The Ubuntu Packages listing for Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (noble) showed version 7:6.1.1-3ubuntu5 in universe; package versions and repository state vary by release and updates. Do not assume that version applies to another Ubuntu release.
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Install and verify
sudo apt update
sudo apt install ffmpeg
ffmpeg -versionIf installation fails, check that the repositories configured for your release include the package and that package lists updated successfully. If an encoder or protocol option used below is unavailable, inspect the installed build:
ffmpeg -hide_banner -encoders
ffmpeg -hide_banner -protocolsThe package’s build configuration also appears near the start of ffmpeg -version. Use the documentation or local manual matching the installed release; older Ubuntu manpages may describe a different FFmpeg build.
Prepare and test the Gurbani source
Check the media file
Keep the source in a stable location, for example /srv/gurbani/stream.mp4, and confirm that the Ubuntu account which will run FFmpeg can read it. Test the file locally before sending it to YouTube:
ffprobe -hide_banner /srv/gurbani/stream.mp4
ffplay /srv/gurbani/stream.mp4Listen for silence, clipping, abrupt cuts, and gaps; check that picture and sound stay in sync. If you are using a playlist or separate inputs, test that exact input arrangement first. Do not assume a file that plays once locally will loop without errors.
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Choose output quality from the source and connection
Use YouTube’s published encoder recommendations as a starting point, not as a guarantee that a particular connection will be stable. For H.264, YouTube lists these figures:
| Output profile | Minimum bitrate | Recommended bitrate |
|---|---|---|
| 720p30 | 3 Mbps | 6 Mbps |
| 1080p30 | 5 Mbps | 10 Mbps |
Allow upload headroom for network variation; the listed minimum is not a robust 24/7 target. Choose a resolution the source can genuinely support, and test upload capacity at the time and location where the stream will run. YouTube’s encoder settings also list RTMP/RTMPS; H.264, H.265/HEVC, or AV1; up to 60 fps; constant bitrate (CBR); a recommended two-second keyframe interval with a four-second maximum; and AAC or MP3 audio. The example below uses H.264, AAC, CBR, and a two-second keyframe interval.
Create the YouTube stream and protect its key
- Open YouTube Live Control Room and create or select the scheduled live stream.
- Find the current stream URL and stream key shown by YouTube. Prefer the RTMPS ingest URL when available; YouTube describes RTMPS as its secure streaming option.
- Keep the key private. Do not paste a real key into a public script, repository, screenshot, or support post. If a key is exposed, replace or reset it in Live Control Room before relying on the stream.
YouTube’s interface labels can change. Copy the current ingest details from the channel’s own Live Control Room rather than reusing an example URL or key from a guide. Treat the stream key like a password: anyone who obtains it may be able to send video to the stream.
Run a first FFmpeg test interactively
First test with placeholders replaced by the RTMPS base URL and key from Live Control Room. Do not include angle brackets in the actual values. This example loops one file, encodes it as 720p30 H.264 at YouTube’s 6 Mbps recommendation, encodes stereo AAC audio, and publishes in FLV format:
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ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i /srv/gurbani/stream.mp4
-vf "scale=-2:720,fps=30,format=yuv420p"
-c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -tune zerolatency
-b:v 6M -minrate 6M -maxrate 6M -bufsize 12M
-g 60 -keyint_min 60 -sc_threshold 0
-c:a aac -b:a 160k -ar 44100 -ac 2
-f flv "/" At 30 frames per second, a 60-frame GOP sets a two-second keyframe interval. Check that the source and installed FFmpeg build support the selected encoder and options. The scaling filter preserves aspect ratio and makes the width an even number; it does not restore detail absent from a lower-resolution source.
If you need 1080p30 and the source supports it, change the filter to scale=-2:1080,fps=30,format=yuv420p and use YouTube’s listed 10 Mbps H.264 recommendation consistently for -b:v, -minrate, and -maxrate; set -bufsize to 20M. Test that profile on the actual connection before leaving it unattended. If the source is already in the desired format, re-encoding still gives predictable output but uses CPU; stream copying may reduce CPU use, yet it cannot apply the same scaling, frame-rate, or encoding controls and depends on source compatibility.
For a separate audio file and video file, the input mapping and looping strategy must match those sources. Do not simply reuse the single-file command: test the intended inputs, synchronization, and repeat behavior first. FFmpeg protocol and option details depend on the installed build; if a command option fails, check that system’s local FFmpeg documentation and protocol list.
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- Confirm FFmpeg reports that it is reading the intended file and sending output without recurring errors.
- Check the YouTube preview and stream-health panel for incoming video, audio, and warnings.
- Listen to the preview and confirm that representative movement and audio are present, continuous, and in sync.
- Test a planned stop and restart, and observe whether YouTube receives the stream again. Do not assume restarting the process means the broadcast has no interruption.
- Verify the key has not appeared in terminal captures, logs, shell history, or files accessible to other users.
YouTube recommends testing before a live event, using representative audio and movement, and monitoring stream health and messages. Do not leave a newly assembled command running unattended until this test succeeds.
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Keep the stream running with systemd
Store credentials in a restricted environment file
Create a root-owned environment file outside your public project directory. Replace the example values with the current YouTube URL and key, without surrounding them in angle brackets:
sudo install -o root -g root -m 600 /dev/null /etc/gurbani-stream.env
sudoedit /etc/gurbani-stream.envPut these two lines in the file:
STREAM_URL=rtmps://YOUR_CURRENT_INGEST_URL
STREAM_KEY=YOUR_PRIVATE_STREAM_KEYUse the exact URL form YouTube displays for the selected stream; if it already includes a path component, do not accidentally duplicate it. The service below appends the key after a slash, so the values must correspond to that format. Keep the file readable only by root. Avoid placing the key in the unit file itself, where it is easier to expose through copied configuration.
Create a service unit
Create /etc/systemd/system/gurbani-stream.service:
sudoedit /etc/systemd/system/gurbani-stream.serviceUse this unit, adjusting the file path and FFmpeg binary path if your setup differs:
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[Unit]
Description=Gurbani YouTube live stream
Wants=network-online.target
After=network-online.target
[Service]
Type=simple
EnvironmentFile=/etc/gurbani-stream.env
ExecStart=/bin/sh -c 'exec /usr/bin/ffmpeg -nostdin -re -stream_loop -1 -i /srv/gurbani/stream.mp4 -vf scale=-2:720,fps=30,format=yuv420p -c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -tune zerolatency -b:v 6M -minrate 6M -maxrate 6M -bufsize 12M -g 60 -keyint_min 60 -sc_threshold 0 -c:a aac -b:a 160k -ar 44100 -ac 2 -f flv "$STREAM_URL/$STREAM_KEY"'
Restart=always
RestartSec=10
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.targetThis unit uses the same 720p30 H.264 profile as the interactive test and starts FFmpeg without interactive input. Confirm the binary location with command -v ffmpeg. The shell expands the environment variables at process start; the key remains outside the unit file. Test the service with your actual URL format and credentials before enabling it at boot.
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Start it, enable it at boot, and inspect logs
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl start gurbani-stream.service
sudo systemctl status gurbani-stream.service
sudo journalctl -u gurbani-stream.service -fOnce the stream works as a service, enable automatic startup after a reboot:
sudo systemctl enable gurbani-stream.serviceTo stop it deliberately, run sudo systemctl stop gurbani-stream.service. The Restart=always policy asks systemd to relaunch the process after it exits, including after an intentional stop only once a later start action occurs; systemd does not continuously restart a unit that an administrator has explicitly stopped. Confirm the behavior on the installed Ubuntu version and test one actual process failure before depending on it.
Systemd can restart a failed FFmpeg process, but it cannot fix invalid media, a revoked key, a failed network, a full disk, or a YouTube-side interruption. Inspect both the journal and YouTube’s stream-health panel, and make sure repeated restarts do not conceal a persistent error.
Troubleshoot common failures
FFmpeg exits immediately or cannot open the input
- Likely cause: A path typo, unsupported or damaged file, or insufficient file permissions for the service.
- Fix: Run
ffprobeon the exact path, play the file locally, and check its permissions. The service runs as root by default unless you configure a different user; if you do, grant that account the required read access.
YouTube receives no video or reports a connection problem
- Likely cause: An incorrect ingest URL or key, blocked outbound connection, unsupported protocol in the FFmpeg build, or an incorrect URL/key join.
- Fix: Copy current credentials from Live Control Room, verify the URL form and key separator, check
ffmpeg -protocols, and review the service journal. Reset an exposed or suspected-compromised key.
Stream health is unstable or YouTube reports dropped frames
- Likely cause: Insufficient or variable upload capacity, CPU saturation during encoding, or a source/output profile that is too demanding for the host.
- Fix: Test the connection and CPU while streaming. Try 720p30 before 1080p30 if the source and channel format permit; leave upload headroom rather than targeting the published minimum. A different encoder may be available, but check the machine and FFmpeg build before assuming hardware encoding is supported.
The stream stops after a period or does not recover cleanly
- Likely cause: FFmpeg or the host lost its connection, YouTube ended or interrupted ingest, or the process restarted but could not reconnect with the current media or credentials.
- Fix: Check
systemctl status,journalctl, and YouTube stream health. Test a full failure/recovery cycle. A supervisor reduces manual recovery work; it does not guarantee uninterrupted availability.
Audio is silent, distorted, or out of sync
- Likely cause: The source has unexpected audio streams, poor source levels, or an input timing problem.
- Fix: Inspect streams with
ffprobe, listen to the local source and YouTube preview, and adjust input mapping or encoding only after identifying the actual audio stream. Test the full loop for gaps and synchronization drift.
Copyright, reused material, and channel responsibility
FFmpeg only sends media; it does not grant rights to broadcast it. Verify rights for the particular Gurbani recording, performance, arrangement, lyrics or composition, and video assets you use. Traditional or devotional subject matter alone does not establish that a specific recording or arrangement is free to stream.
Copyright permission and YouTube’s channel monetization or reused-content decisions are separate questions. The technical setup cannot establish whether a channel or a particular broadcast meets YouTube’s current policies. Check YouTube’s current rules and the channel’s own notices before streaming; do not assume that looping a recording makes it original or policy-compliant.
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