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To loop one classroom video in OBS, add a Media Source and enable Loop. To rotate through multiple videos, add a VLC Video source, build a playlist, and enable Loop Playlist. Either setup can feed YouTube Live, but looping a source does not guarantee a 24/7 broadcast: the computer, power, internet connection, OBS, and YouTube ingest must all remain available.

Choose the right OBS source

Need OBS source Key controls Dependency
Repeat one local video Media Source Enable Loop; set restart and visibility behavior for your scene setup. No VLC dependency. OBS lists local video formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM.
Repeat a sequence of files VLC Video Create a playlist, enable Loop Playlist, and choose whether to shuffle. VLC must be installed. For 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC.

For a single clip, Media Source is the simpler choice; VLC Video is useful when the lesson needs several files in rotation. OBS documents both source types and their controls in its Media Sources guide.

Loop one video with Media Source

  1. Add the source: In OBS, select the scene for the classroom stream. In the Sources dock, select + and choose Media Source. Name the source, then select OK.
  2. Load the clip: In the source properties, choose the local media file. OBS supports common formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM; supported audio formats include MP3, AAC, OGG, and WAV.
  3. Enable repeat: Check Loop so playback starts again when the file reaches its end.
  4. Set scene behavior: Decide whether to enable Restart playback when source becomes active, Show nothing when playback ends, and Close file when inactive. These affect what happens when the source is shown, hidden, or reaches the end; closing an inactive file can mean a delay while it reloads after a scene change.
  5. Fit and test the image: Select the source in the preview and adjust its size and position for the classroom layout. Play through the end of the clip once to confirm it loops and that picture and sound behave as expected.

Loop a playlist with VLC Video

  1. Install the matching VLC version: Install VLC before configuring the source. If you use 64-bit OBS, OBS says to install 64-bit VLC. Restart OBS if the source is not available after installation.
  2. Add VLC Video: In the desired scene’s Sources dock, select +, choose VLC Video, name it, and select OK.
  3. Build the playlist: In the source properties, add the video files in the order you want them to play.
  4. Set playlist playback: Enable Loop Playlist to repeat the sequence. Enable shuffle only if you want the order randomized rather than followed as listed.
  5. Choose hidden-source behavior: OBS documents stop-when-hidden and restart-when-visible as the default behavior for VLC Video. Review the source’s visibility settings if scenes will change, then test hiding and showing the source so the result matches the lesson schedule.

OBS’s Sources Guide explains how sources contribute to a scene. Check the playlist transitions and audio before connecting the broadcast.

Connect OBS to YouTube Live

  1. Check channel eligibility: YouTube’s current live-stream help says a channel must be verified and must not have had live-streaming restrictions in the prior 90 days; it also states that a livestreamer must be at least 16. YouTube policies can change, so confirm the current requirements in Get started with live streaming.
  2. Create or open the live stream: In YouTube Studio’s Live Control Room, create or select the stream and locate its stream URL and stream key. Follow YouTube’s encoder setup instructions.
  3. Configure OBS: Open Settings in OBS and go to Stream. Choose YouTube as the service, then enter the stream details using the method YouTube provides. If YouTube gives you a stream URL and key, use the matching server and key fields in OBS.
  4. Protect the key: Treat the stream key like a password; do not show it in a recording, screenshot, or classroom screen share. If it is exposed, reset it in YouTube Live Control Room and update OBS with the replacement.
  5. Start with a supervised test: Start streaming from OBS, check the preview in Live Control Room, and confirm the stream is accessible to the intended audience before relying on it for class.

Test the stream and plan for interruptions

A looping source only controls media playback. It does not keep the computer powered on, preserve the network connection, restart OBS after a crash, or guarantee that YouTube remains available. YouTube warns that connectivity disruptions can break a stream.

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  • Check upload capacity: YouTube recommends available upload bandwidth above the stream’s bitrate with headroom. Check the connection at the location and time you plan to broadcast; other network use can reduce what is available.
  • Rehearse the full path: Test OBS playback, sound, the YouTube preview, and audience accessibility before class. Monitor audio and video during the stream rather than assuming the preview alone catches every problem.
  • Decide who responds: For a classroom broadcast, have a person or documented procedure ready to check power, the network, OBS, and YouTube if the stream stops. A wired Ethernet connection may help avoid some wireless variability, but it cannot itself ensure uninterrupted service.
  • Plan replays separately: YouTube’s encoder guidance says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. That statement does not establish that one uninterrupted 24/7 stream will produce a complete archive. If a replay matters, test the exact workflow and check YouTube’s current guidance.

Troubleshoot common problems

Symptom Likely cause What to check
The video does not repeat. Loop is off, or the wrong source type or file was selected. For one file, open Media Source properties and enable Loop. For a playlist, check Loop Playlist in VLC Video properties.
VLC Video is missing from the source menu. VLC is not installed, or its architecture does not match the 64-bit OBS requirement. Install VLC; for 64-bit OBS, use 64-bit VLC. Reopen OBS and check the source menu again.
Playback stops or starts over after a scene change. Source visibility behavior or restart settings are affecting playback. Review Media Source’s restart and inactive-file controls, or VLC Video’s stop-when-hidden/restart-when-visible behavior. Test the actual scene switches.
YouTube does not receive the OBS stream. Stream details may be missing or incorrect, or the channel may not be eligible to livestream. Check the selected YouTube service, server/stream URL and key, and current eligibility in Live Control Room. Reset an exposed key.
The stream disconnects or the preview breaks up. Upload bandwidth may be insufficient or unstable; a local computer, power, or service interruption can also stop delivery. Check that available upload bandwidth exceeds the stream bitrate with headroom. Inspect the network and OBS, then follow the supervised recovery plan.
A 24/7 stream does not yield the expected full replay. The cited YouTube encoder guidance only confirms automatic archiving for streams under 12 hours. Do not assume a single all-day broadcast will archive completely; test the workflow and consult current YouTube guidance.
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