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What cron can—and cannot—switch
Cron is a calendar-based command launcher, not a control interface for a running FFmpeg process. FFmpeg’s concat demuxer reads a playlist file as input and plays its files in sequence; the documented interface does not provide a cron-based hot-reload of that already-open input. The predictable approach is to treat each playlist change as a process transition: stop FFmpeg, then start it again with the next list.
This method is suitable when a brief ingest interruption is acceptable. If the encoder must stay continuously connected through a change, that calls for a purpose-built switching pipeline and implementation-specific testing; do not assume concat plus cron provides a gapless transition.
Prepare compatible playlist files
Create one concat list for each scheduled block
Use FFmpeg’s concat demuxer format. A list contains file entries in playback order, for example:
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file '/srv/stream/playlists/morning-1.mp4'
file '/srv/stream/playlists/morning-2.mp4'Save each block as a separate list, such as /srv/stream/playlists/morning.txt and /srv/stream/playlists/evening.txt. Follow FFmpeg’s documented syntax and escaping rules for your paths; filenames containing quotes or other special characters need appropriate handling.
Check the media before scheduling
The concat demuxer expects matching streams across files, including codecs and time bases. Differences can cause playback problems, and inaccurate duration metadata can produce timestamp gaps or artifacts. FFmpeg’s documented duration directive can override a file’s stored duration when needed. Verify the files and run the intended sequence before putting it on a live channel. See the FFmpeg concat demuxer documentation.
Build a wrapper for the transition
The wrapper should identify the current FFmpeg process, request a clean stop, wait for it to exit, and then launch FFmpeg with the next playlist. Use absolute paths for the FFmpeg binary, lists, logs, and any PID or lock file. Cron runs with a limited environment, not the same shell setup as an interactive terminal.
The following is a structural example, not a universal drop-in script. Adapt process supervision, paths, logging, and the way you supply the stream key to your system. Do not put a real key in a publicly readable script or log.
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#!/bin/sh
set -eu
FFMPEG=/usr/bin/ffmpeg
PLAYLIST=/srv/stream/playlists/morning.txt
LOG=/srv/stream/logs/morning.log
# Add process supervision here:
# 1. Identify only the FFmpeg process owned by this job.
# 2. Ask it to stop cleanly and wait for it to exit.
# 3. Start the replacement invocation with "$PLAYLIST".
#
# Supply the YouTube URL and secret stream key using a protected
# configuration mechanism appropriate to your system.
Do not use a broad command such as killall ffmpeg on a machine that may run other FFmpeg jobs. A robust wrapper should target only the process it owns, confirm that it exited, record failures, and prevent a second invocation from starting an overlapping encoder. A lock or equivalent idempotence safeguard is particularly useful if a scheduled time can run twice.
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Configure cron for the playlist boundaries
On Linux Cronie, a user crontab has five time/date fields followed by the command, and the command runs as the crontab owner. Cron checks entries each minute; its default shell is /bin/sh, and HOME and LOGNAME come from that account. Other cron implementations can differ.
After adapting and testing the wrapper, edit the intended user’s crontab with crontab -e. A schematic entry looks like this:
CRON_TZ=Etc/UTC
0 6 * * * /srv/stream/bin/switch-playlist morning >> /srv/stream/logs/cron.log 2>&1
0 18 * * * /srv/stream/bin/switch-playlist evening >> /srv/stream/logs/cron.log 2>&1These example times are illustrative, not a recommended schedule. Replace the timezone and wrapper arguments to match your plan. In Cronie, CRON_TZ sets the schedule timezone, while log timestamps use the cron daemon’s local timezone. Daylight-saving transitions matter: a nonexistent local time may not run, and a repeated local time may run twice. If both the day-of-month and day-of-week fields are restricted, either matching field can trigger the job. Consult the Linux crontab(5) manual for Cronie behavior and verify the details for your own cron implementation.
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Connect FFmpeg to a YouTube broadcast
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In YouTube Studio, create or schedule a live stream and obtain the stream URL and stream key. YouTube’s encoder guidance says: “To start streaming, enter your YouTube Live server URL and stream key into your encoder.” Treat the key as a secret credential; anyone who can use it may be able to send a feed to your stream.
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Configure each FFmpeg invocation to send the selected concat list to the supplied ingest URL and key. Keep credentials out of public examples, source repositories, and logs. YouTube’s encoder setup guide explains the Studio and encoder workflow.
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Start the encoder and check the Live Control Room preview and stream health. Stopping FFmpeg ends the content being sent. YouTube’s scheduled broadcast feature helps schedule and promote the event; it does not choose or schedule the local playlist in your script.
YouTube’s current live encoder settings guidance lists RTMP and RTMPS ingest, H.264, H.265, and AV1 video options, AAC or MP3 audio, constant bitrate (CBR), and frame rates up to 60 fps. It recommends a two-second keyframe interval, not exceeding four seconds. Choose a bitrate from YouTube’s table for your actual codec, resolution, and frame rate rather than treating one number as universal. YouTube recommends RTMPS; its RTMPS guidance describes it as RTMP over TLS/SSL.
Test the schedule and watch the handoff
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Run each list through the exact FFmpeg command you intend to schedule. Check audio, motion, codec compatibility, and output timestamps.
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Test the wrapper’s stop-and-start sequence on the target machine. Confirm that the old process exits, the new one starts with the right playlist, and a failed launch is visible in a log or alert.
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Test a real YouTube stream using representative audio and motion. Check the preview and stream health in Live Control Room, as YouTube recommends.
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Observe what viewers see at the boundary. A restart may interrupt ingest or require coordination with the active broadcast. The cited setup guidance does not establish that every restart preserves one continuous viewer experience or archive, so verify the behavior for your event.
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Check the schedule across timezone and daylight-saving changes, and ensure a repeated job cannot create overlapping FFmpeg processes.
YouTube’s encoder setup page says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. Do not assume that archive guidance applies in the same way to a longer continuous broadcast.
Choose a transition design that fits the broadcast
| Approach | Continuity at the boundary | Operational trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Cron stops and relaunches FFmpeg for each block | May interrupt ingest; test the effect on the active YouTube event. | Straightforward to schedule and reason about, but needs process supervision, duplicate-run protection, and recovery handling. |
| Purpose-built continuous switching pipeline | Can be designed to keep an encoder session connected, but continuity is not guaranteed by cron or concat alone. | Requires a specific implementation, more design work, and testing of switching and recovery behavior. |
Decide whether each boundary may cause a temporary ingest interruption, whether it must remain part of the same YouTube broadcast, and what should happen if a scheduled job is missed or repeated. The answers determine whether a simple restart wrapper is enough or a continuously connected architecture is necessary.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot common failures
The job works in a terminal but not from cron
Cron’s environment and default shell differ from an interactive session. Use absolute paths, set required environment variables explicitly, and redirect output to a log you can inspect. Confirm the crontab belongs to the account that has access to the media, configuration, and log directories.
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The wrong playlist starts, or two encoders overlap
Check the wrapper’s arguments and playlist paths, then inspect its logs and process tracking. Add a lock or other single-instance safeguard, and target only the FFmpeg process started by this job rather than stopping unrelated FFmpeg tasks.
Playback breaks or develops timestamp artifacts
Check that files in the concat list have matching streams, codecs, and time bases. Review their duration metadata and use the concat demuxer’s documented duration directive if an override is appropriate. Re-test the complete list before streaming.
YouTube does not receive a healthy feed
Verify the stream URL and key in the protected configuration, confirm the encoder is using supported codecs and CBR, and compare the bitrate and keyframe interval with YouTube’s current settings guidance. Check the Live Control Room preview and stream health rather than assuming a successful FFmpeg launch means YouTube is receiving a valid stream.
A scheduled switch is skipped or happens twice
Check the configured timezone, cron implementation, daemon timezone, and daylight-saving behavior. Make the wrapper safe to rerun and log whether it selected, stopped, and started the intended block.
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