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To stream a prerecorded video to YouTube Live from a Contabo VPS, run FFmpeg on the VPS, use -re to send the file at real-time speed, and publish the feed to the ingest URL and stream key shown in YouTube Live Control Room. The same method can loop a video. Choose encoder settings your source and VPS can sustain, test the feed in YouTube before relying on it, and keep the stream key private.

What you need before you start

  • A YouTube channel with live streaming enabled. YouTube says the channel must be verified and must not have had a live-streaming restriction in the past 90 days. See YouTube’s encoder setup instructions.
  • A Contabo VPS that can read the video file and sustain the required outbound bitrate. Do not assume a particular plan is suitable: check its current traffic and plan terms, and measure sustained upload capacity.
  • FFmpeg installed on the VPS, the source file accessible there, and the stream URL and key from YouTube Live Control Room.

This is an encoder feed, not a video upload. FFmpeg reads the file and sends a live, real-time feed to YouTube’s ingest endpoint. YouTube recommends RTMPS, a secure extension of RTMP; use the exact endpoint displayed in Live Control Room. Its currently documented video ingest codecs are H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1, and supported audio codecs are AAC and MP3. See YouTube’s encoder settings and bitrate table.

Choose settings for YouTube and your VPS

Match the output to a format in YouTube’s current codec-specific bitrate table rather than treating one bitrate as right for every resolution and frame rate. For H.264, YouTube’s examples include:

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Output format Recommended video bitrate
1080p at 30 fps 14 Mbps
1080p at 60 fps 17 Mbps
720p at 30 fps 8 Mbps
720p at 60 fps 8 Mbps

These are YouTube recommendations for H.264, not universal requirements; consult its current table for other codec, frame-rate, and resolution combinations. YouTube recommends constant bitrate (CBR), a keyframe interval of two seconds, and no more than four seconds between keyframes. It supports up to 60 fps. Ensure the stream’s total bitrate does not exceed the VPS’s available upload bandwidth; YouTube advises leaving 20% headroom. See YouTube’s bandwidth and streaming tips.

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The example command below uses 30 fps and a 4,500 kbps video rate, which is not one of the H.264 examples in the table. Treat it as a template only: select a rate for your chosen output and verify that the VPS can sustain it with headroom. If FFmpeg must transcode, account for CPU capacity too. If the source already matches the chosen output format, copying its streams may avoid transcoding, but inspect the media first and confirm the resulting feed is accepted by YouTube.

Set up YouTube Live and protect the stream key

  1. Open YouTube Live Control Room and create or select a stream. Set its privacy and scheduling options as needed.
  2. Copy the encoder stream URL and stream key shown for that stream. Use the exact URL YouTube provides; do not assume a particular host or path.
  3. Treat the stream key like a password. Do not include a real key in a public script, screenshot, article, or shell history. If it is exposed, reset it in YouTube Studio and update the encoder. See YouTube’s stream-key guidance.

Install FFmpeg and prepare the video on the VPS

Install an FFmpeg build using the package source supported by your VPS operating system, then upload the source video or make it accessible to the server. Package commands vary by operating system, so use the instructions for the OS installed on your VPS. Before streaming, inspect the file’s resolution, frame rate, video and audio codecs, and audio tracks. Decide whether to copy compatible streams or transcode them to a YouTube-supported format and bitrate.

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FFmpeg’s options apply to the next input or output, so keep options in the right order. In the template below, -re paces the file input at native speed (equivalent to -readrate 1); -stream_loop -1 repeats the input indefinitely. The encoder options specify H.264 video, CBR-oriented rate controls, a 30 fps output, a 60-frame GOP (two seconds at 30 fps), and AAC audio.

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Start a test stream with FFmpeg

Run a test before scheduling an important broadcast. Replace the file path and endpoint placeholders, and change the bitrate, frame rate, GOP, and codecs to match the chosen YouTube settings and source. Never paste a real key into a public command transcript or a world-readable script.

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ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i /path/video.mp4 
  -c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -b:v 4500k -maxrate 4500k -bufsize 9000k 
  -r 30 -g 60 -c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100 
  -f flv 'rtmps://INGEST_HOST/APP/STREAM_KEY'

This is an illustrative starting point, not a command tested against a particular file, FFmpeg build, or Contabo VPS. Replace the URL with the exact endpoint shown in Live Control Room and insert the key privately. FFmpeg documents its command-line behavior at ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg.html and RTMP/RTMPS output at ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-protocols.html. RTMPS uses RTMP over a secure SSL connection.

  1. Start FFmpeg and check that it continues reading and sending the file rather than exiting with an error.
  2. Wait for the feed to appear in Live Control Room’s preview. Check both picture and audio, then review the stream-health indicators.
  3. If the event is scheduled for manual start, start it in Live Control Room after the preview is ready. YouTube recommends setting up in advance and monitoring the live feed; see its streaming tips.
  4. When finished, end the YouTube event and stop FFmpeg. YouTube says streams shorter than 12 hours are automatically archived; do not assume the same archiving behavior for longer streams. See YouTube’s encoder instructions.

Choose a Contabo VPS carefully

No particular Contabo plan can be recommended from the available plan evidence here. Before choosing one, verify the current plan’s sustained outbound capacity, included traffic and overage terms, network reliability and location, and CPU resources if you will transcode. Compare measured VPS upload capacity against your stream’s total bitrate while preserving YouTube’s recommended 20% headroom. A plan’s advertised connection speed alone does not establish that it can sustain the required bitrate for the whole broadcast.

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Troubleshoot common failures

  • No preview in Live Control Room: Confirm the event is selected, the exact ingest URL and key are used, and FFmpeg is still running. Check for connection or authentication errors in FFmpeg output. If the key may have been exposed or is rejected, reset it in YouTube Studio and update the encoder.
  • Video stutters or stream health is poor: The VPS may not sustain the configured total bitrate. Measure outbound capacity, reduce the resolution or bitrate to a supported combination, and keep 20% upload headroom.
  • FFmpeg exits or CPU use is excessive: Transcoding may exceed the VPS’s available CPU, or the input may not be readable or compatible. Check the file path and FFmpeg error output; if possible, use compatible source codecs without transcoding, or choose a VPS with adequate CPU.
  • Audio is missing or wrong: Confirm the source has the intended audio track and that the selected output audio codec is AAC or MP3. Check the Live Control Room preview before going live to viewers.
  • Stream does not loop: Confirm -stream_loop -1 appears before the input it applies to. FFmpeg option order matters.
  • Feed disconnects during a long broadcast: Check VPS network stability and whether the encoder process is still running; YouTube’s stream-health indicators can help identify an ingest problem. The command shown does not configure a process supervisor or automatic restart.

Copyright and YouTube policy checks

Having a file does not by itself establish that you have the rights to broadcast its video and audio. Check licenses and permissions before streaming, and review YouTube’s current live-stream eligibility and content rules. Replaying prerecorded material as a live feed does not remove copyright obligations. If you plan recurring or continuous broadcasts, consider whether the channel’s overall content meets YouTube’s monetization policies, including rules on reused content; a technically valid stream does not guarantee monetization. Use YouTube’s current policy pages for decisions specific to your content and channel.

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Or let it run in the cloud

If you want a YouTube channel to stay live from uploaded videos without maintaining an FFmpeg process on a VPS, StreamNeo is a cloud service for looping uploaded videos and playlists. Upload a recording, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. No computer or home connection has to stay on. Each slot streams the uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps at one flat price, with automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card required; one free day is available per account. Monthly billing is $9.99 per month. The service is for YouTube streams of uploaded videos, not camera broadcasts. Start your free day on StreamNeo.

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