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To run a prerecorded retail display as a YouTube Live stream, add an OBS VLC Video source, load your clips into its playlist, and enable Loop Playlist. Then connect OBS to an encoder stream in YouTube Studio. This repeats the playlist while the encoder and computer remain running; it is not a guarantee of uninterrupted 24/7 operation.
Choose the OBS source that fits your display
| Need | Media Source | VLC Video |
|---|---|---|
| Content | One local media file | A playlist of media files |
| Repeat control | Loop | Loop Playlist |
| Dependency | Built into OBS | VLC must be installed; match VLC’s 64-bit edition to 64-bit OBS |
| Best fit | A single repeating promotional clip | An ordered or shuffled retail-display playlist |
OBS describes VLC Video as supporting playlists, unlike Media Source, which handles one file. For a display made up of multiple clips, VLC Video is the relevant choice. OBS Project: Media Sources (page dated January 11, 2022).
Prepare the playlist and install VLC
- Collect the clips. Put the video files in a local folder the streaming computer can access. Decide the order, check that the clips make sense when repeated, and review their audio levels.
- Check supported media. OBS lists common video formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM, and audio formats including MP3, AAC, OGG, and WAV. If a file does not play as expected, verify its format and test it in OBS before going live. OBS Project: Media Sources.
- Install VLC if needed. OBS’s VLC Video source uses VLC libraries and requires VLC to be installed. If OBS is 64-bit, OBS specifies 64-bit VLC.
Add and configure the VLC Video source
- Open OBS and select the scene that will carry the retail display.
- In the Sources panel, select +, choose VLC Video, and create or select the source.
- In the source properties, add the display clips to its playlist. Arrange them in the intended order.
- Confirm Loop Playlist is enabled. OBS documents this as on by default, but check the setting rather than relying on the default.
- Turn shuffle off if the display needs a predictable sequence. Confirm the source is visible in the scene and remains visible during the stream.
- Fit the source to the OBS canvas. Inspect the preview for cropped edges, readable product details and text, and clip-to-clip transitions.
These controls configure repetition and source visibility. They do not restart OBS, restore a dropped network connection, or guarantee that a stream continues after YouTube ends it.
Connect OBS to YouTube Live
- In YouTube Studio, open Go Live and create or select an encoder stream in the Live Control Room.
- Copy the stream URL and stream key shown for that stream into OBS’s stream settings. YouTube’s encoder setup instructions explain that the URL and key tell the encoder where to send the feed and allow YouTube to accept it: YouTube Help: Set up your encoder for live streaming.
- Treat the stream key like a password. Do not show it in the display, share it publicly, or leave it exposed in a recording or screenshot.
- Start the encoder and check the Live Control Room preview before making the display public.
Test the stream and check encoder settings
Test with representative audio and movement, not just a static preview. YouTube recommends testing before a live stream, checking the Live Control Room preview, and monitoring stream health and messages. Its encoder guidance lists RTMP/RTMPS, H.264, and CBR; it recommends a two-second keyframe interval and says not to exceed four seconds. Choose a bitrate appropriate to the output and to the reliable upload bandwidth available at the store. The cited guidance does not establish a bitrate for every resolution, network, or retail location, so verify the current recommendations in YouTube’s encoder settings and test the actual connection.
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- Watch the stream preview for framing, legibility, unexpected black frames, and audio problems.
- Check stream health and messages in the Live Control Room while the test is running.
- Confirm the playlist advances and returns to its first clip as expected.
- Use only content you have the rights to stream. YouTube’s copyright and other live-stream rules apply to prerecorded display material as well as live camera footage.
What “nonstop” means in this setup
With Loop Playlist enabled, OBS can repeat the listed media while the source, encoder, computer, and network continue operating. That is different from a managed 24/7 guarantee: the consulted OBS and YouTube instructions do not specify a hardware requirement or promise unattended operation for 24 hours or longer, nor do they document a guaranteed restart procedure that preserves an uninterrupted public stream.
YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. That archive rule is not evidence that an OBS playlist will remain live indefinitely, and it should not be treated as a continuity plan. See YouTube Help: Archive live streams. Plan who will monitor the computer, network, playlist, and stream health, and decide how the operator will respond if OBS stops or YouTube ends the stream.
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Troubleshoot common setup problems
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| VLC Video is missing from the source menu or does not work | VLC is not installed, or its architecture does not match OBS | Install VLC; for 64-bit OBS, use 64-bit VLC, then reopen OBS and check the source menu. |
| The playlist stops after one pass | Loop Playlist is off | Open the VLC Video source properties and enable Loop Playlist. |
| Clips play in an unexpected order | Shuffle is enabled or the playlist order is wrong | Disable shuffle for a fixed sequence and reorder the playlist. |
| The source is not visible on stream | The source is hidden or not present in the active scene | Check source visibility and confirm the correct scene is active in OBS. |
| YouTube does not receive the feed | The URL or key may be missing or incorrect, or the connection may be unhealthy | Compare OBS’s stream settings with the URL and key for the selected YouTube encoder stream, then inspect Live Control Room status and messages. |
| The public display has unreadable text or clipped content | The media framing does not suit the OBS canvas | Review the source fit and preview at the intended output dimensions before going public. |
Or let it run in the cloud
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