The Tool Desk
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In OBS, play the playlist with a VLC Video source, then place a Text source above it and use Read from file to display the current title. Update that text file when the playlist changes, either manually or through a separate metadata process you have tested. OBS documents the playlist and text-file building blocks, but not a universal automatic connection between playlist metadata and the Text source.
Build the playlist scene in OBS
- Install VLC. OBS’s VLC Video source requires VLC. Match the installation to OBS: if you use 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC. Add a VLC Video source to a scene and supply the media files in the order you want them to play. Enable looping if you want the playlist to repeat. OBS: Media Sources
- Add the title text. Add a Text source to the same scene and move it above the VLC Video source in the Sources list. Enable Read from file and select a text file containing the title. The text source is composited over the playlist because it sits higher in the source order. OBS: Text Sources
- Position and style the title. Resize and position the text in the preview so it remains readable without covering important video content. For a more designed card, add an image source for a background or graphic; a Browser source can display a web-based overlay. OBS: Sources Guide
Choose how the title changes
| Approach | How it works | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Text file | OBS reads the title from a file. Change the file at each track transition, or have a separate metadata process update it. | Simple to maintain and style within OBS; automation depends on the separate process working correctly. |
| Browser overlay | A Browser source displays a local or remote web page in the scene; that page can provide the card layout and data display. | More flexible layout, but relies on the overlay page and its data connection. |
Neither route guarantees automatic detection of the currently playing VLC playlist item. If you automate updates, test the metadata source, timing, and file or overlay refresh behavior through a full playlist before streaming. If you update titles manually, change the text at track transitions and verify the displayed title against the playing item.
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Set YouTube’s 4K60 encoder settings
Create or select a stream in YouTube Live Control Room, then configure OBS as the encoder. YouTube recommends RTMPS ingest, constant bitrate (CBR), and a two-second keyframe interval; the keyframe interval should not exceed four seconds. YouTube lists H.264, H.265 (HEVC), and AV1 video and frame rates up to 60 fps. Follow the current YouTube Live encoder settings for the selected codec and ingest configuration.
| Codec at 2160p/4K, 60 fps | YouTube minimum bitrate | YouTube recommended bitrate |
|---|---|---|
| AV1 or H.265 (HEVC) | 10 Mbps | 35 Mbps |
| H.264 | 14 Mbps | 50 Mbps |
These are YouTube’s current live encoder-setting recommendations, accessed in 2026; they are not a guarantee that your computer or internet connection can sustain a 4K60 stream. Choose a bitrate your upload connection can hold steadily and test the actual scene, including the playlist, overlay, and audio. At 4K, YouTube uses normal latency; its low-latency optimization is not available for these streams.
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Test before going live
- Play enough of the playlist to verify item order, looping, audio, and transitions.
- Check the title on screen at the start and after a title change; confirm it matches the current video or song.
- Watch YouTube’s stream health while testing for bitrate or connection instability.
- Confirm the card remains readable and positioned correctly throughout the scene.
Troubleshooting
The VLC source is missing or will not play media
Confirm VLC is installed and that its architecture matches OBS. With 64-bit OBS, use 64-bit VLC. Reopen or refresh the source after installing VLC.
The title does not appear
Check that the Text source is visible, sits above the VLC Video source, has the correct file selected, and that the file contains the intended title. If you rely on an updater, verify that it writes to the same file OBS reads.
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The title stays on the previous item
OBS’s documented text-file option reads a file; it does not itself establish a link to VLC’s current playlist metadata. Update the file manually at the transition or diagnose the separate metadata process. Test repeated transitions rather than assuming the first update proves the sequence works.
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Check whether the upload connection can sustain the selected bitrate, then lower it if necessary or use a codec with a lower YouTube recommendation if your encoder and workflow support it. Recheck stream health after each change; the published minimum is not a target that guarantees smooth results.
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