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To restart an FFmpeg stream after the process exits on a Hetzner server, run FFmpeg under a Linux service manager such as systemd and configure it to restart after failure. FFmpeg’s reconnect options and output recovery can help with certain network interruptions while FFmpeg is still running; they do not relaunch an exited process.
The right fix depends on what stopped working: the input connection, the output connection to YouTube, or the FFmpeg process itself. The systemd example below is general Linux guidance, not a Hetzner-verified recipe. Test it with your server’s operating system, installed FFmpeg build, stream settings, and actual input before relying on it.
Choose the recovery mechanism for the failure
| What happened | Recovery layer | What it can address |
|---|---|---|
| FFmpeg exited | Operating-system service manager, such as systemd | Starts a new FFmpeg process after failure. |
| FFmpeg is running, but a supported input connection dropped | FFmpeg input/protocol options | Can reconnect for applicable protocols and failures. Support and behavior depend on the input and FFmpeg build. |
| FFmpeg is running, but a temporary output/network failure occurred | FFmpeg output/muxer behavior | The FIFO muxer documents output recovery options; confirm their suitability with your protocol and build. |
These mechanisms are complementary, not interchangeable. FFmpeg documents reconnect as reconnecting automatically when disconnected before end-of-file for supported protocols; the option is not a universal restart switch. Its FIFO muxer also documents recovery attempts if output fails. A supervisor is still needed to launch FFmpeg again if the process terminates.
Set up systemd to relaunch FFmpeg
Put the exact FFmpeg command you intend to run in a wrapper script, then configure a system service to run it and restart it on failure. Paths, user and group names, input options, and output arguments must match your server. The example is a starting point, not a complete, provider-specific Hetzner configuration.
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1. Protect the stream key and command
- Use the current stream URL and key shown in YouTube Live Control Room. YouTube offers an RTMPS URL; use it where supported by your FFmpeg build.
- Treat the stream key like a password. Avoid placing it in world-readable files, shell history, or logs. Restrict access to the wrapper or configuration that contains it, or use an appropriate secrets mechanism.
- Keep the input path and command arguments in a script owned by the service account or administrator, with permissions that prevent unauthorized reading or modification.
- Check the installed FFmpeg build’s supported options with its local help output, such as
ffmpeg -h, and validate protocol-specific options for the chosen input.
2. Create a wrapper script
Save your production FFmpeg invocation in a script, for example at /usr/local/bin/youtube-ffmpeg.sh. Use the actual input, encoding settings, current YouTube RTMPS URL, and stream key; do not copy a placeholder command into production. Make the script executable and ensure the service user can read it and access the input files.
3. Create a service unit
Create a systemd unit such as /etc/systemd/system/youtube-ffmpeg.service. Set the user, working directory, script path, restart policy, and retry delay to suit your system. For example, the key policy is Restart=on-failure with a delay such as RestartSec=5; add suitable systemd rate limiting so a broken command does not create an uncontrolled crash loop. Exact directives and defaults can vary with the operating-system and systemd versions.
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4. Load, start, and inspect the service
- Reload systemd’s unit definitions after creating or changing the service.
- Enable and start the service if it should run automatically after server boot.
- Check the service’s active state and logs. Confirm that the expected FFmpeg command is running and that errors are not being hidden by the wrapper.
- Check YouTube Live Control Room for the incoming preview, then verify playback and audio/video on a noncritical event.
Do not assume a restarted encoder will create the intended YouTube event lifecycle. YouTube’s auto-start and auto-stop settings determine whether the encoder can start or stop a stream; review them for the specific event, especially when reusing stream settings.
Test the restart and YouTube event behavior
Before depending on unattended operation, test a controlled failure with a noncritical stream. YouTube recommends testing failover and checking preview, accessibility, local archive, and stream audio/video.
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- Start the service and confirm that FFmpeg is sending to the correct YouTube stream URL and key.
- Stop or terminate the FFmpeg process deliberately, then confirm that systemd starts a replacement process after the configured delay.
- Check the service logs and YouTube Live Control Room preview. Confirm the stream is accessible and that audio and video are present.
- If transient network loss is part of your risk scenario, test that separately; a process-exit test does not verify input reconnect or output recovery.
- Confirm the event’s auto-start and auto-stop settings behave as intended. Avoid testing on an event where stopping or ending it could disrupt a real broadcast.
Troubleshoot by symptom
| Symptom | Likely area | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| FFmpeg has exited and does not return | Service supervision | Check that systemd loaded the correct unit, the service command and permissions are valid, and the restart policy applies to the exit. Inspect service logs and rate limits. Hetzner-specific systemd instructions are not established here. |
| FFmpeg remains running, but its input drops | Input and protocol behavior | Check whether the input protocol supports the reconnect options you configured. FFmpeg documents reconnect behavior for supported protocols, including HTTP; do not assume identical support for every input. |
| FFmpeg remains running, but YouTube output fails temporarily | Network and output muxer | Check FFmpeg’s output errors and whether FIFO muxer recovery options apply to the output protocol and installed build. Test the actual stream rather than assuming process supervision will repair an in-process output failure. |
| FFmpeg reconnects, but YouTube does not show the expected live event | YouTube event configuration | Verify the stream URL and key in Live Control Room, then check auto-start and auto-stop settings for that event. Test with a noncritical stream. |
| The service repeatedly restarts without producing a usable stream | Underlying configuration or resource failure | Investigate invalid credentials, unavailable input media, incompatible output settings, exhausted server resources, or an event that has ended. A restart loop cannot correct these causes; use logs to identify the failing layer. |
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