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To loop an MP4 on YouTube Live through SRS, use FFmpeg to read the file indefinitely and publish it at real-time speed to your SRS RTMP input. Then configure SRS to relay that input to the YouTube Live event’s ingest URL and stream key. The SRS input address and YouTube destination credentials are separate; the relay configuration depends on your SRS version, so verify the full chain in YouTube Live Control Room before broadcasting.
How the three-part stream works
- FFmpeg: reads the local MP4, loops it, and publishes a live-paced stream to an SRS RTMP application and stream name.
- SRS: accepts the incoming stream and forwards it to YouTube using a destination configured for your deployed SRS version.
- YouTube Live: receives the forwarded stream at the event URL with the event’s stream key, which you obtain from Live Control Room.
The sample URL in the FFmpeg command below points to SRS, not YouTube. Do not put a real YouTube key in that command: YouTube’s URL and key belong in the relay’s destination settings.
Prepare the YouTube Live event
- Create or open the event: In YouTube Live Control Room, create or select the live event you intend to use.
- Get its connection details: Copy the event’s stream URL and stream key from the encoder connection settings. Use these as the SRS relay destination, not as the FFmpeg-to-SRS input address.
- Choose a supported transport: YouTube supports RTMP and RTMPS ingest and recommends RTMPS. YouTube Help describes RTMPS as RTMP over a TLS/SSL connection that provides encryption. Use it if the SRS forwarding path you deploy supports it.
Keep the key private: avoid exposing it in public examples, screenshots, shell history, or logs where practical. Treat it like a credential that lets a sender connect to the event.
Configure FFmpeg to loop and publish the MP4
Install FFmpeg on the machine that can reach your SRS server, then use this illustrative starting command:
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ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i input.mp4 -c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -tune zerolatency -c:a aac -f flv rtmp://SRS_HOST/live/STREAM_NAME- Replace
input.mp4with the file path and replaceSRS_HOST,live, andSTREAM_NAMEwith the host, application, and stream name accepted by your SRS deployment. -stream_loop -1loops the input indefinitely. It is an input option, so place it before-i input.mp4.-rereads the file at its native rate rather than sending it as fast as possible. SRS uses this option in its basic FFmpeg publishing example; retain it when sending a file as a live stream.-c:v libx264and-c:a aacre-encode video and audio to a common RTMP/FLV-oriented combination.-preset veryfastand-tune zerolatencyare example x264 settings, not mandatory YouTube requirements.-f flvselects the output container expected by this RTMP publishing pattern.
This is a pattern, not a tested universal command. An MP4 may contain codecs or stream characteristics that require different handling. Stream copy with -c copy can avoid re-encoding only when the input codecs and the entire path support it; it is not guaranteed to work for arbitrary MP4 files or meet the settings you need at YouTube.
Configure SRS to forward to YouTube
SRS must accept FFmpeg’s publish at the input URL and forward that stream to the YouTube event URL and key. These are two distinct connections: FFmpeg publishes to your SRS host, while SRS sends to YouTube.
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There is no single relay configuration stanza established for every SRS release. The SRS RTMP documentation retrieved for this guide is version 5.0 and marked archived, while the getting-started documentation is in the v8 documentation line. Before changing configuration, consult the documentation for the exact SRS release you deployed and follow its supported forwarding method. Do not copy a version-specific stanza into another release without checking it.
- Confirm that SRS is reachable from the FFmpeg machine and that the configured application and stream name match the command’s RTMP path.
- Configure the deployed SRS version to forward that input to the YouTube event’s current ingest URL and stream key.
- Select RTMPS for the YouTube leg if your SRS version and forwarding configuration support it; otherwise, assess whether the available RTMP path meets your transport needs.
- Start FFmpeg, then inspect SRS logs and stream status for connection or forwarding errors. Avoid logging or sharing the destination key.
- Open the event in YouTube Live Control Room and wait for YouTube to report an incoming signal and healthy stream before starting a public broadcast.
SRS’s basic example publishes an FFmpeg stream to rtmp://localhost/live/livestream; that is an example SRS input, not a YouTube destination. The example uses -re and -c copy, but stream copy is appropriate only when the media and the complete path are compatible.
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Check YouTube’s encoding requirements
YouTube Help’s encoder guidance, checked on 2026-10-03, lists RTMP/RTMPS ingest; H.264, H.265 (HEVC), and AV1 video; frame rates up to 60 fps; AAC or MP3 audio; and CBR bitrate encoding. It recommends a two-second keyframe interval and says not to exceed four seconds. For stereo audio, it lists 44.1 kHz sampling and 128 Kbps in its recommended advanced settings. These are YouTube recommendations, not a guarantee that every SRS build or FFmpeg configuration supports each combination end to end.
Bitrate depends on resolution, frame rate, and codec; there is no single bitrate that fits every MP4. Choose a value from YouTube’s current bitrate guidance for the output you intend to send, then check the incoming stream’s health in Live Control Room. Test with representative motion and audio rather than assuming a quiet or static segment proves the whole file is healthy.
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If re-encoding with FFmpeg, ensure the keyframe interval and bitrate are appropriate for your chosen output and YouTube’s current recommendations. The sample command above does not specify a bitrate or keyframe interval, so it is a starting point rather than a complete encoding profile. Confirm the actual output and relay behavior before relying on it.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Choose RTMP or RTMPS for the YouTube leg
| Consideration | RTMP | RTMPS |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube ingest | Supported by YouTube. | Supported and recommended by YouTube Help. |
| Transport protection | The reviewed sources do not establish encryption for this option. | YouTube describes it as RTMP over TLS/SSL, providing encryption. |
| What to confirm | Verify the SRS forwarding path and codec compatibility to YouTube. | Verify that your SRS release and forwarding method support the selected RTMPS destination and codecs. |
The practical choice is the most secure transport supported by your deployed relay and the destination, with compatible codecs throughout the chain. SRS’s RTMP documentation presents RTMP as a compatibility-oriented ingest protocol; YouTube’s recommendation favors RTMPS for the YouTube connection.
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Troubleshoot common failures
- FFmpeg says it cannot connect to the RTMP URL: Check network reachability to SRS, the host and port, and whether the SRS application is configured to accept the path in the command. The command’s host, application, and stream name must match your deployment.
- SRS receives a stream but YouTube sees no signal: Check that SRS is forwarding the correct incoming stream to the selected event’s current URL and key. Confirm the relay configuration matches your SRS release and inspect SRS logs for destination connection errors.
- YouTube reports an unhealthy stream: Check the actual video/audio codecs, bitrate mode, keyframe interval, and audio settings against YouTube’s current encoder guidance. Verify the relay does not alter the stream into an unsupported combination.
- The file plays too fast or ends instead of looping: Confirm
-reis present and-stream_loop -1appears before the relevant-iinput declaration. Ensure the FFmpeg process remains running. - Stream copy fails or produces an incompatible output: Do not assume every MP4 can be passed through with
-c copy. Try a compatible re-encode such as the H.264/AAC example, then verify the resulting stream’s health and settings. - The relay worked for one SRS release but not another: Recheck the current documentation and configuration syntax for the deployed version; SRS examples and docs differ across versions.
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Sources and version notes
- FFmpeg documentation describes the input loop option.
- SRS getting-started documentation provides an FFmpeg publishing example; consult the documentation matching your deployed release.
- SRS RTMP documentation is version 5.0 and marked archived.
- YouTube Help: Choose live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions gives encoder guidance.
- YouTube Help: Encrypt your stream using RTMPS explains RTMPS.
- YouTube Help: Set up a live stream with an encoder explains the event URL and stream key workflow.
YouTube’s protocol and encoder guidance can change; the technical recommendations above were checked on 2026-10-03. Recheck YouTube Help and Live Control Room when preparing a later broadcast.
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