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To keep prerecorded videos live on YouTube around the clock with Castr, create a Pre-Recorded Stream, add your MP4 files, select Loop, connect YouTube as a destination, turn that destination on, and start the stream. Castr plays the files from its cloud, so your computer does not need to remain on. Check your plan’s current limits before building a playlist: loop access, storage, file count, duration, concurrency, and destinations can depend on the subscription.
Before you start
- Prepare your videos. Castr’s prerecorded upload guide specifies MP4 for this workflow. You can upload files from your computer or select recordings already in Castr’s video-hosting library. Storage and media limits depend on your subscription. See Castr’s setup guide.
- Check YouTube livestream access. YouTube says the channel must be verified and must not have had a live-streaming restriction in the previous 90 days. Review YouTube’s live-streaming requirements.
- Clear the rights to every element. You are responsible for having the necessary rights to broadcast the video worldwide, including applicable music rights. Prerecording does not exempt a stream from YouTube’s rules. Read YouTube’s livestream terms.
- Choose the right format for your programming. A repeating video or playlist fits the prerecorded Loop workflow. If you need a timetable with different programs or live inserts, Castr describes a separate TV Playout workflow; check its output and plan constraints before choosing it. Castr TV Playout details.
How to create a repeating Castr stream
- In the Castr dashboard, open Pre-Recorded Streams, select New Pre-Recorded Stream, and name the stream.
- Add video by uploading MP4 files or selecting recordings already hosted in Castr. Add multiple videos if your plan allows it, then drag them into the order you want. Castr’s interface shows the playlist’s total duration.
- Choose Loop for continuous playback. Castr’s scheduling guide calls this Infinite Loop; when enabled, it starts the stream immediately and loops it to selected platforms. Use Date & Time when you want a one-time future start instead. If scheduling, check the time zone on the device you use: Castr’s scheduler uses that device’s time zone. Castr scheduling modes.
- Add YouTube as a destination using the connection method Castr presents, then make sure the YouTube destination toggle is on.
- Start the stream and check that the YouTube destination is live. Castr sends the prerecorded playback as a standard live broadcast from its cloud; a local encoder or computer does not have to keep running. Castr’s step-by-step setup.
Loop or TV Playout: which Castr workflow fits?
| Your need | Castr workflow | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Repeat one video or a short playlist continuously | Prerecorded Loop | Confirm that looping and your desired playlist fit your current plan. |
| Run a channel timetable with different programs or live inserts | TV Playout routed into a Castr livestream | Confirm the plan’s scheduling and output constraints, including resolution and frame rate. |
Castr’s prerecorded-stream materials describe plan-dependent limits for loop availability, playlist capacity, file count and duration, storage, concurrent streams, and destinations. Its materials list infinite loop as available on Premium and higher for the described prerecorded-stream offering, but packaging can change. Verify the current plan matrix in your Castr account or confirm with Castr before paying; do not assume a limit from an older plan description still applies. Castr prerecorded-stream details.
For a timetable-based channel, Castr describes a separate sequence: create a destination livestream, create a playout with its output configuration, load media, build the timetable, and set the schedule. The output inherits the livestream’s player and destinations. Check the current plan and output constraints for this route as well. Castr TV Playout.
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YouTube rules, archives, and monetization
Livestream eligibility and copyright
A channel needs to meet YouTube’s livestream eligibility requirements before Castr can deliver a broadcast to it. You also need the necessary rights for the full program, including music. A license to use a song in an ordinary video does not automatically establish that you can use it in a livestream; confirm the scope of your rights for the intended broadcast. YouTube live-stream access and livestream terms.
#1 Best Overall
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- 【Wide Compatibility USB Capture Card】 Easily streams to Facebook, Youtube or Twitch. With the connection, this HDMI to USB C/3.0 video capture devices can be working on several Operating Systems and various software: Windows 7/ 8/ 10, Mac OS or above, Linux, Android, Laptop, Xbox One, PS3/PS4/PS5, Camera, DVDs, Set Top Box, Webcame, DSLR, Switch/Switch 2, TV BOX, HDTV, Potplayer/VLC, ZOOM, OBS Studio etc.
- 【Package Content & Note】 1x HD Audio Capture Card , 1x USB 3.0 to USB C Adapter (A-side 3.0, B-side 2.0), 1x user manual. Please note that you need to restart the OBS Studio software after the audio setup is complete, otherwise it will result in no sound output. When using an adapter, if the device is recognized as USB 2.0, try using the other side with the USB-C port. Simply flip the capture card and reconnect it to be recognized as USB 3.0
Do not rely on YouTube for a complete replay
YouTube says a stream under 12 hours can be automatically archived, while a stream over 12 hours may not be captured at all. An always-on broadcast will pass that threshold, so keep the original video files or create a separate archive rather than assuming YouTube will preserve a complete replay. This is a YouTube archive limitation, not a Castr loop setting. YouTube’s archive guidance.
A live loop does not guarantee YPP approval or earnings
YouTube applies its monetization policies to livestreams. It evaluates whether channel content is original and authentic; repetitive or mass-produced material can be ineligible, and reused-content review is separate from copyright claims. YouTube may review the channel as a whole, so owning or licensing the videos does not by itself guarantee YouTube Partner Program approval. YouTube channel monetization policies.
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- 【Plug and Play】No driver or external power supply required, true PnP. Once plugged in, the device is identified automatically as a webcam. Detect input and adjust output automatically. Won't occupy CPU, optional audio capture. No freeze with correct setting.
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YouTube’s YPP overview lists headline eligibility routes of 1,000 subscribers plus either 4,000 qualified public watch hours in the previous 12 months or 10 million qualified Shorts views in the previous 90 days. Other requirements apply, including regional availability and policy compliance; some viewing categories do not count toward the watch-hour threshold. Check YouTube’s current requirements for your location and account. YPP overview and eligibility.
For eligible monetized live streams, YouTube identifies ads, Super Chat and Super Stickers, and channel memberships as possible revenue mechanisms. Ad slots are not guaranteed to receive ads, and Castr does not control YouTube’s ad serving. YouTube live-stream monetization.
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- 【What You Get】Includes: HDMI Capture Card, USB 3.0 to USB-C Adapter, User Manual. Tips: Make sure your tablet’s OTG function is enabled before connecting. Test your HDMI device with a monitor first to confirm video and audio output, then connect to the Video Capture Card for recording.
Troubleshooting
- The stream does not start. Check that you selected Loop rather than a future Date & Time schedule, that YouTube is added as a destination, and that its toggle is on. Also confirm the channel meets YouTube’s livestream access requirements.
- A scheduled start happens at the wrong time. Castr’s scheduler uses the device’s time zone. Check the time zone setting on the device used to schedule the stream, then correct the schedule.
- You cannot add a file or playlist. Confirm the upload is an MP4 and check your plan’s current storage, media-count, file-duration, and playlist limits. If a recording is already in Castr’s video-hosting library, select it there instead of uploading it again.
- Loop is unavailable or a stream cannot run alongside another. Loop access and concurrent prerecorded-stream capacity depend on Castr’s plan. Check the current plan matrix or ask Castr to confirm the limit for your account.
- The stream is live but the replay is incomplete or missing. A broadcast longer than 12 hours may not be archived by YouTube. Keep your source files or make a separate recording.
- The channel is live but monetization is limited or unavailable. Livestream delivery does not establish YPP eligibility. Review YouTube’s channel-level originality, reused-content, and eligibility rules; a copyright claim and a reused-content decision are separate matters.
Or let it run in the cloud
If you want a simpler YouTube-only route, StreamNeo is a cloud service for keeping a YouTube channel live from uploaded videos: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. Nothing has to stay on at home. Each slot streams the upload as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot; StreamNeo automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly is $9.99 per month. Learn about StreamNeo or start your free day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I loop more than one video in a Castr prerecorded stream?
Yes, if your plan permits multiple files and the playlist fits its current limits. Add the files and arrange them in the desired order before selecting Loop.
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Will a Castr loop stream from my camera?
No. This workflow plays uploaded videos or recordings already hosted in Castr; it is not a live camera feed.
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