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To keep a 4K 60fps video loop in HDR on YouTube Live, the source must be genuine HDR and the outgoing stream must preserve its color signaling through a 10-bit HEVC (H.265) encode. Match the source’s Rec. 2020 primaries, Rec. 2020 non-constant-luminance matrix, and actual PQ or HLG transfer function; then verify playback on an HDR-capable device. YouTube’s documented OBS setup requires OBS 30.1 or later and a supported hardware HEVC encoder. A loop setting alone does not make footage HDR or guarantee HDR delivery.
What you need for a 4K60 HDR loop
- A genuine HDR source: It should be graded for HDR and carry consistent Rec. 2020 primaries, Rec. 2020 non-constant-luminance matrix, and PQ or HLG transfer metadata.
- An HDR-capable encode: YouTube Live HDR uses 10-bit HEVC/H.265. Its documented OBS configuration specifies a hardware HEVC encoder, Main 10 profile, P010 4:2:0, and Rec. 2100 PQ or HLG.
- Enough sustained upload and encoding capacity: YouTube lists 35 Mbps as the recommended HEVC bitrate for 4K/2160p at 60fps. Your actual computer, GPU, network, source, and OBS version determine whether the setup can sustain it.
- A way to verify playback: Use an HDR-capable display and check YouTube’s playback quality menu for the HDR label. The Live Control Room preview does not show HDR colors.
Do not add HDR tags to SDR video to try to force HDR playback. YouTube warns that incorrect HDR tagging can badly distort the image. Its HDR guidance is available in YouTube’s HDR live-streaming instructions.
How to stream a 4K 60fps video loop to YouTube Live in HDR
1. Inspect the video’s HDR signal
Before opening OBS, check the file’s color metadata and confirm that the video is genuinely HDR, not SDR with HDR labels added. The primaries, matrix, and transfer function need to agree with the source master: Rec. 2020 primaries, Rec. 2020 non-constant-luminance matrix, and either PQ or HLG. Use the transfer function the source actually uses; PQ and HLG are both supported, but they are not interchangeable tags. YouTube recommends HLG in its OBS instructions while also allowing PQ.
If the file has inconsistent or absent HDR metadata, resolve that at the source or mastering stage rather than guessing at OBS output settings. A correct resolution and frame rate cannot compensate for incorrect color signaling.
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2. Add and loop the file in OBS
- In OBS, add a Media Source to the scene.
- Select the video file in a supported container such as MP4, MOV, or MKV.
- Enable the source’s Loop option so playback restarts when the file ends.
- Confirm that the source plays through the intended start and end points. Looping controls playback only; it does not confirm the file is HDR or that the outgoing signal retains HDR metadata.
OBS describes Loop as replaying the file after playback completes in its Media Sources documentation. Check the color path from file to stream separately.
3. Configure OBS for HDR output
Use OBS 30.1 or later and a system whose operating system, GPU, driver, and hardware encoder expose the required HDR settings. YouTube’s documented OBS procedure calls for a hardware HEVC encoder, the Main 10 profile, P010 4:2:0, and a color space of Rec. 2100 PQ or HLG. Choose the transfer function that matches the actual video signal. YouTube states, “Change Color Space to either Rec 2100 PQ or HLG (We recommend HLG).”
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Hardware and driver support varies by model, so the required options may not appear on every computer. YouTube’s HDR-specific steps are in its HDR live-streaming guide.
4. Select the ingest protocol appropriate to the encoder
For the documented OBS software-encoder route, select YouTube RTMPS in OBS. YouTube lists OBS among compatible RTMP encoders for HDR and recommends HEVC over RTMP(S) for HDR. Its general encoder guidance says to consider HLS if an encoder cannot provide the required HDR capabilities over RTMP.
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YouTube’s HDR page separately specifies HLS output for hardware encoders. Do not apply that hardware-encoder requirement to the documented OBS RTMPS procedure. For HLS hardware ingest, follow the encoder’s protocol-specific requirements: YouTube specifies 10-bit HEVC, BT.2020-compatible primaries, matching PQ or HLG transfer characteristics, and a BT.2020 non-constant-luminance matrix. Its HLS ingest documentation additionally calls for M2TS muxing, AAC audio, a closed GOP, and up to 60fps.
The protocol itself does not create HDR. Codec, bit depth, primaries, matrix, and transfer function must all be correct. For the OBS procedure, keep Manual Resolution unchecked, as YouTube instructs.
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5. Set resolution, frame rate, bitrate, and keyframes
Set the output to 4K/2160p at 60fps. For HEVC, YouTube’s current guidance lists 10 Mbps minimum and 35 Mbps recommended at that resolution and frame rate. HDR requires HEVC; the H.264 recommendation of 50 Mbps is a comparison, not the HDR path. YouTube’s encoder values and settings are on its live encoder settings page.
- Rate control: CBR.
- Keyframe interval: 2 seconds. YouTube says not to exceed 4 seconds.
- Video bitrate: Target 35 Mbps for 4K60 HEVC; YouTube lists 10 Mbps as the minimum.
- Upload capacity: Leave headroom beyond the video bitrate for audio and network variation, and monitor YouTube’s stream health rather than assuming a speed-test result guarantees a stable broadcast.
6. Test privately or unlisted before going public
Run the actual loop as a private or unlisted test. Check that the file restarts as intended, that its appearance does not shift at the loop boundary, and that the encoder sustains 4K60 without dropped frames. Watch YouTube’s stream-health indicators during the test. These checks are especially useful because a system’s sustained performance cannot be determined without testing the actual file, hardware, software, and connection.
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7. Verify HDR in playback
Do not use the Live Control Room preview to judge HDR color; it does not display HDR colors. On an HDR-capable playback device, open the YouTube playback quality menu and look for the HDR label. Also check the stream on an SDR device or playback path to confirm it remains acceptable for viewers without HDR support. YouTube supplies SDR to unsupported devices, so not every viewer will see HDR.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why a YouTube Live stream may show SDR instead of HDR
- The source is SDR or has incorrect tags: Confirm that it was genuinely graded in HDR and that its metadata matches its signal. Do not relabel SDR as HDR.
- The encoder is not using the HDR path: Check for HEVC/H.265, 10-bit Main 10, and P010 4:2:0 output. YouTube’s general settings page says AV1 is not supported for HDR.
- The output color settings do not match the source: Verify Rec. 2020 primaries and non-constant-luminance matrix, plus the correct PQ or HLG transfer function.
- You are judging from the wrong preview: The Live Control Room preview does not display HDR color. Verify on an HDR-capable playback device and look for the HDR label in the quality menu.
- The viewer’s device does not support HDR playback: YouTube provides SDR on unsupported devices. Check on a compatible display and device before concluding that ingestion failed.
- HDR settings are unavailable in OBS: Check OBS version, operating-system and GPU support, drivers, and hardware encoder availability. YouTube’s documented OBS minimum is version 30.1, and its setup calls for hardware HEVC encoding.
- The stream stutters or drops frames: Check sustained encoder performance and upstream capacity, then test the real loop and monitor stream health. A nominal bitrate setting does not establish that the computer and connection can maintain it.
- Colors look washed out, oversaturated, or shifted: Investigate a mismatch in color space or an SDR source incorrectly tagged as HDR. Incorrect HDR signaling can distort appearance.
Or let it run in the cloud
If you want the YouTube loop to keep running without leaving a computer on, StreamNeo is a cloud service for looping uploaded videos on YouTube. Upload the recording, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. It plays uploaded videos, not a live camera feed.
- Nothing has to stay on at home: the loop runs from the cloud.
- One flat price per slot for any uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps, with no re-encode or quality tiers.
- Automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream.
- The first day is free with no card; one free day per account.
- Monthly: $9.99 per month.
StreamNeo sends to YouTube only. Its cloud loop does not replace the HDR verification steps above: confirm that your source is genuine HDR and check YouTube playback on an HDR-capable device. Start your free StreamNeo day.
Cost and hardware considerations
The HDR workflow does not inherently require buying streaming software or a dedicated encoder if your current setup supports the specified OBS configuration and can sustain the stream. If it lacks a suitable hardware HEVC Main 10 encoder, verify exact GPU and driver support before considering an upgrade; support is model-specific. Test the actual configuration before investing in hardware, since platform requirements alone cannot establish the performance of an unspecified computer or connection.
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