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To play prerecorded MP4s in a planned sequence through AWS Elemental MediaLive, attach an input for each file—or configure a reusable dynamic input for files in Amazon S3 or AWS Elemental MediaStore—then create MediaLive schedule actions that switch between those inputs. MediaLive does not automatically advance through attached inputs: as AWS puts it, “There is no implicit switching.” Separately, configure the channel’s output with the stream URL and key from YouTube Live Control Room.
Choose how MediaLive will access the MP4 files
MediaLive scheduling controls which attached input is active and when. Choose an input design before building the schedule:
| Playlist situation | Input design | What to plan for |
|---|---|---|
| A small, stable set of files | Create a static MP4 input for each file and attach each input to the channel. | Every schedule switch must target an input attachment already on the channel. |
| Many files, or files that change over time | Use a dynamic MP4 input for objects stored in S3 or MediaStore, and reuse that attachment for successive schedule actions. | Set a URL template containing $urlPath$; provide each object’s path with its schedule switch. Dynamic file inputs are documented for S3 and MediaStore, not arbitrary public URLs. |
For a dynamic MP4 input, an S3 URL template can take the form s3ssl://$urlPath$. A schedule action can then supply an object path such as amzn-s3-demo-bucket/my-movie.mp4. See AWS’s dynamic input documentation and MP4 input setup for the supported configuration details.
When configuring an MP4 input, AWS distinguishes standard-class input, which uses two source URLs, from single-class input, which uses one. Choose according to your input resilience design; this is separate from the choice of schedule timing.
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Attach inputs and plan the action sequence
A schedule belongs to a MediaLive channel. Attaching several inputs does not create a playlist or make the channel rotate among them. For each action, plan its name, target input attachment, timing rule, and—when using a dynamic input—the file path. AWS recommends planning the switch order and using the schedule as the single place that controls initial ingest order. The first switch in a new channel should be immediate and created before the channel starts.
- Create or select the MP4 inputs. For static files, create one input per file; for changing S3 or MediaStore objects, configure the dynamic input and its
$urlPath$template. - Create the MediaLive channel and attach every static input it will switch to, or attach the dynamic input that the actions will reuse.
- Write down the intended action sequence, including which earlier action a follow switch will reference and which object path each dynamic switch needs.
- Create the initial immediate input-switch action and the planned fixed or follow actions before starting the channel.
- Start the channel and verify the first file and downstream YouTube preview before relying on the sequence.
Actions can also be added while a channel is running, allowing an operator to extend or revise the future schedule. Keep the channel’s attached inputs and its schedule in sync.
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Choose fixed, follow, or immediate timing
| Timing mode | Use it when | Important behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed | The next file must start at a specified UTC wall-clock time. | AWS documents a creation horizon of at least 15 seconds and no more than 14 days ahead for fixed input switches. Confirm the current console or API behavior when scheduling your channel. |
| Follow | The next file should start when a prior file action ends. | The action must reference an earlier input-switch action, and the preceding input’s source-end behavior must be set to Continue. Each next file still needs its own schedule action; this is not automatic playlist advance. |
| Immediate | A switch should take effect now. | On standard two-pipeline channels, AWS documents an internal 10-second offset used to synchronize the switch. |
A file switch can include input clipping with start and stop timecodes. That can be useful when a source file contains material outside the segment you intend to play. Consult AWS’s input switch timing and behavior documentation and schedule action documentation for the current action fields and constraints.
A follow action only works as intended if the referenced file action has an end to follow. AWS does not describe a multiple-input channel as returning to a default “main” input, so explicitly schedule each transition you need.
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Configure YouTube as the destination
YouTube destination setup is distinct from the MediaLive input schedule. In YouTube Studio’s Live Control Room, create or select the live stream and obtain its stream URL and stream key. Enter those current values in the MediaLive output configuration. Prefer the RTMPS URL if that is the endpoint offered and selected in the Control Room and supported by your configuration.
- Open YouTube Studio and go to Live Control Room’s encoder setup.
- Create or choose the live stream, then copy its stream URL and stream key.
- In the MediaLive channel output configuration, use the URL and key from that YouTube stream. The exact output-group fields and endpoint depend on your channel configuration; use the values shown for your account rather than a guessed endpoint.
- Keep the stream key private. Do not expose it in screenshots, sample code, logs, or published examples.
- Start the channel and wait for YouTube’s preview and health indicators before treating the broadcast as ready.
YouTube describes the stream key as the value an encoder uses to send the feed and authenticate it for acceptance. Its encoder settings and recommendations cover supported codecs, protocols, frame rates, keyframes, and bitrate guidance. Use the current table for the selected ingestion protocol and output resolution; MP4 source files do not all call for identical live output settings.
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Test and monitor the playlist
Before depending on the schedule, test representative material, including its audio and visual motion. Check for all of the following:
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- Audio is present, at an appropriate level, and remains aligned with the picture.
- Every fixed action is set for the intended UTC time, or every follow action references the correct earlier action.
- Dynamic switches resolve to the intended S3 or MediaStore object path.
- YouTube reports healthy ingest at the chosen resolution and frame rate.
Monitor YouTube stream health during the event, not just during setup. YouTube recommends checking the live preview and health, and selecting bitrate and codec settings appropriate to the ingestion protocol and resolution. Because its encoder recommendations can change, refer to the live YouTube encoder settings table rather than relying on a copied bitrate figure.
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Troubleshoot common schedule and ingest failures
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check or do |
|---|---|---|
| The channel does not move to the next file. | Attaching inputs alone does not switch them, or the next schedule action is missing. | Add an explicit input-switch action for each transition and confirm it targets an attached input. |
| A follow switch does not occur at the expected end. | The action references the wrong prior action, or the preceding input source-end behavior is not Continue. | Verify the referenced action and the source-end behavior, then test the transition with representative files. |
| A dynamic file does not load. | The dynamic URL template or supplied object path is wrong, or the file is outside the supported S3/MediaStore scope. | Check the $urlPath$ template and the exact bucket/object path supplied with the action; verify the object is in S3 or MediaStore and is an MP4. |
| YouTube does not show a preview or reports unhealthy ingest. | The destination URL/key may not match the selected YouTube stream, or the output’s protocol, codec, frame rate, keyframes, or bitrate may not fit YouTube’s current recommendations. | Compare the MediaLive destination values with YouTube Live Control Room, keep the stream key private, and review YouTube’s current encoder table for the chosen protocol and output format. |
| The switch happens at an unexpected time. | A fixed start time may have been interpreted in the wrong time zone, or a follow action may not have the expected end condition. | Enter fixed times as UTC wall-clock times and verify the referenced file action and source-end behavior for follow timing. |
Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is simply to keep prerecorded videos live on a YouTube channel, StreamNeo is a more direct alternative to configuring MediaLive inputs and schedule actions:
- Upload a recording or build a playlist.
- Add your YouTube stream key once.
- Go live; StreamNeo loops the uploaded videos from the cloud.
Your computer and home connection do not need to stay on. StreamNeo sends the upload as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot; it automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly pricing is $9.99 per month. See StreamNeo for service details, or start your free first day.
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