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To send a Liquidsoap radio stream to YouTube Live, combine your audio source with a video source, encode the result with FFmpeg, then send it to the stream URL and key shown in YouTube Live Control Room. A still image is the simplest visual. Use the current RTMPS URL when your Liquidsoap/FFmpeg setup supports it; YouTube recommends encrypted RTMPS ingest.

What you need before configuring Liquidsoap

  • A working Liquidsoap installation with FFmpeg output support. Exact syntax and protocol support can vary by build.
  • A Liquidsoap audio source, such as a playlist or your existing radio source.
  • A still image or video file to provide the visual component.
  • A YouTube Live stream URL and stream key from Live Control Room. Treat the key like a password.

YouTube’s encoder workflow uses the stream URL and key supplied in Live Control Room; do not rely on an endpoint copied from an old configuration. YouTube currently supports RTMP and RTMPS ingest and recommends RTMPS for its encryption. YouTube: Create a live stream with an encoder · YouTube: Stream using RTMPS

Build a Liquidsoap-to-YouTube configuration

The following is the configuration pattern shown in the official Liquidsoap book. It is an illustrative example, not a verified drop-in configuration for every Liquidsoap or FFmpeg build. Replace the source paths, confirm your installed syntax, and use the ingest URL provided for your stream.

radio = playlist("~/Music")
video = single("image.jpg")
radio = source.mux.video(video=video, radio)
ykey = string.trim(file.contents("youtube-key"))
url = "rtmp://a.rtmp.youtube.com/live2/#{ykey}"
enc = %ffmpeg(format="flv",
  %video(codec="libx264", pixel_format="yuv420p",
    b="300k", preset="superfast", r=25, g=50),
  %audio(codec="libmp3lame", samplerate=44100, b="160k"))
output.url(fallible=true, url=url, enc, radio)

The book’s example combines the radio source and image with source.mux.video, then sends an FLV stream containing H.264 video and MP3 audio through output.url. The youtube-key file keeps the secret out of the script; string.trim removes surrounding whitespace or newline characters that could cause authentication to fail. Liquidsoap book

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The URL in that example is RTMP, not a universal endpoint. To use encrypted ingest, copy the RTMPS URL from Live Control Room and configure it in a way supported by your installed Liquidsoap/FFmpeg output. Compatibility is build-dependent; if you cannot establish RTMPS, check your encoder’s protocol support rather than assuming the URL can simply be substituted.

Choose the visual and encoder settings

Still image or video

A still image is the lightest visual option for a radio-style stream. The Liquidsoap book also describes using a video file instead. A moving visual can make the stream more engaging, but it adds video encoding and bandwidth demand; ensure the video source behaves as intended for the full broadcast.

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Audio format and sample rate

The book’s sample uses MP3 at 44.1 kHz. YouTube’s current encoder guidance lists MP3 or AAC and recommends 44.1 kHz for stereo audio. Keep the encoder’s actual output consistent with the settings you intend to send. YouTube encoder settings

Video bitrate, frame rate, and keyframes

The book labels its 300 kbps video bitrate deliberately low and suggests increasing it to around 2,000 kbps on a fast connection for better quality. These are example values to tune, not a universal YouTube preset. If you use the sample’s 25 fps frame rate, its g=50 corresponds to a two-second GOP; YouTube recommends a two-second keyframe interval and says not to exceed four seconds. Check the actual output and monitor stream health rather than assuming a configuration value guarantees the encoded result.

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Raise the video bitrate only as far as your available upload capacity and visual content justify. A static image generally needs less video data than motion. Test with representative audio and motion before relying on the stream for a scheduled broadcast.

Send the stream and make it live

  1. Create or select the stream. In YouTube Studio, open Live Control Room and create or select the stream. Copy its current stream URL and key from the stream settings. Keep the key private; YouTube allows you to reset it in Live Control Room. Create a live stream with an encoder · Manage your live stream settings
  2. Prepare the key file. Save the key by itself in youtube-key, readable by the account running Liquidsoap but not exposed in a public script, repository, or logs. The sample trims extra whitespace when it reads the file.
  3. Set the source and video. Point the playlist or radio source at your audio, choose a still image or video source, and mux the visual into the audio source as shown in the configuration pattern.
  4. Set the output URL and encoder. Configure FLV output and supported audio/video codecs. Use the exact current endpoint and key for the selected YouTube stream. Prefer its RTMPS URL when your output supports RTMPS.
  5. Start Liquidsoap and check the preview. Confirm that audio and video appear in Live Control Room, then inspect stream health. For a scheduled stream, the encoder preview may appear before viewers can watch; click Go live when the stream setup requires it.
  6. End the broadcast deliberately. Stop the encoder and end the stream in YouTube as appropriate. YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived; do not assume that rule applies to longer streams. YouTube encoder setup

Keep the stream compliant and reliable

Having permission to play audio on a radio stream does not automatically establish that you may broadcast or archive it on YouTube. Check rights for the music, recordings, artwork, and any video you include, and review YouTube’s rules before scheduling a continuous stream. YouTube may interrupt a stream or restrict content; a technically healthy encoder cannot resolve a rights issue.

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For reliability, test the full chain—including the audio source, visual source, network connection, encoder output, and YouTube preview—before announcing a stream. The documented setup describes sending a stream; it does not make a home computer, connection, or Liquidsoap process failure-proof.

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Troubleshooting common Liquidsoap-to-YouTube problems

  • YouTube does not receive a stream: Re-copy the URL and key from the selected stream’s Live Control Room settings. Check that the output protocol matches the endpoint and that Liquidsoap is actually running the output.
  • RTMPS connection fails with a certificate or timeout error: Confirm you copied the RTMPS URL and that the installed encoder supports the required protocol. YouTube’s RTMPS guide discusses trying port 443 where needed. YouTube RTMPS guidance
  • Authentication fails after changing settings: Check that the key file contains the current key without extra spaces or a stale value. If the key may have been exposed, reset it in Live Control Room and replace the saved key.
  • The stream arrives but video quality is poor: Inspect the encoded bitrate, frame rate, and source. The Liquidsoap book’s 300 kbps value is intentionally low; increase it carefully if bandwidth permits, then test and monitor YouTube stream health.
  • The encoder preview is visible but the scheduled broadcast is not public: Wait for the preview and use Go live if required by the selected stream settings.
  • Audio plays but there is no picture: Verify that the video source path is valid and that the muxed source is the one passed to output.url. Confirm that the encoder is producing H.264 video in a format YouTube accepts.

Or let it run in the cloud

If your goal is a 24/7 YouTube stream of uploaded recordings rather than a live Liquidsoap radio source, StreamNeo is a separate cloud option: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It plays uploaded video rather than broadcasting from a camera or taking a live Liquidsoap feed.

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