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If Restreamer audio reaches YouTube but the picture is black, troubleshoot video as a separate signal path: first check whether the source has moving video, then whether Restreamer’s local player shows it, and finally whether YouTube receives it. Audio working does not confirm that video is arriving or decodable. Without your Restreamer version, source type, local preview, logs, and YouTube stream-health message, there is no single fix to assume.
Locate where the video disappears
Restreamer’s troubleshooting guidance divides the path into video input, player streaming, and publication. Check each checkpoint rather than changing settings at random. The available source types include network feeds, internal RTMP, USB, and others, so the right source check depends on your setup.
- Write down the current setup. Record the Restreamer version, source type and URL or device, any upstream encoder such as OBS, video and audio codec settings, destination protocol, and whether the Restreamer player shows moving video. Save or note the current configuration before changing it.
- Test the source and a virtual source separately. Use Restreamer’s documented test transmission. If the test shows video but your production source does not, investigate that original camera or incoming RTMP, SRT, HLS, or RTSP feed, its selected profile, codec, and connection. If neither shows video locally, continue to Restreamer’s processing and player path.
- Compare local playback with YouTube. If the Restreamer player shows video but YouTube does not, verify the selected YouTube event and destination, then inspect YouTube Live’s stream-health status and messages. This comparison points toward publication or ingestion rather than proving the precise cause.
Datarhei’s current troubleshooting page recommends checking whether the issue also occurs with a test transmission, then reviewing process details and logs. If you need help, provide a process report and include the version, source, settings, local-player result, YouTube message, and a time-stamped example.
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Use the test result to choose the next check
| What you observe | Next check |
|---|---|
| Production source is black locally; virtual test has video | Check the original source, selected profile, source codec, and connection. |
| Both production and virtual sources are black locally | Inspect Restreamer process details, video processing, and the player-streaming stage. |
| Restreamer player shows video; YouTube is black | Check the destination and RTMP publishing configuration, plus YouTube Live stream-health messages. |
| OBS feeds Restreamer | Check OBS output and color settings; use OBS Analyzer to look for settings, connection, or stream-health issues. |
Check video codec and encoding mode
Datarhei’s older encoding guide, describing Restreamer 0.4.0-era behavior, says the default video codec is copy: the source is passed through unmodified. It describes choosing H.264 to force video encoding. That can be a useful controlled compatibility test if the incoming codec may not suit the destination, but confirm your Restreamer version and source codec before applying legacy guidance.
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Encoding can consume significant CPU. If you test H.264 encoding, watch resource use and logs; do not assume transcoding is cost-free or that it is necessarily the cause. A black picture can originate earlier in the source path or later in publication.
Verify YouTube and encoder settings for your path
YouTube’s current live encoder guidance lists RTMP/RTMPS ingestion and H.264, H.265, and AV1 video codecs. It supports up to 60 fps, recommends CBR, and recommends a two-second keyframe interval with a four-second maximum. Its bitrate recommendations vary by codec, resolution, and frame rate, so consult the current bitrate table for the exact mode you are sending rather than applying one figure to every stream. YouTube also recommends testing with movement and checking stream health during the event.
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If OBS sends to Restreamer, Restream’s setup guide recommends CBR, a two-second keyframe interval, Main profile, NV12 color format, and 709 color space for that connection path. These are Restream recommendations for OBS-to-Restream, not universal datarhei Restreamer requirements. OBS Analyzer can help identify settings, connection, and stream-health issues.
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Datarhei’s older YouTube-specific Restreamer guide recommends H.264 for its RTMP workflow and is marked deprecated for 0.6.x. Treat it as version-specific guidance, distinct from YouTube’s current codec requirements and datarhei’s current troubleshooting instructions.
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Common troubleshooting mistakes
- Assuming working audio proves the video path is healthy: Audio and video are separate components; verify moving video at each checkpoint.
- Changing several settings at once: Save the existing setup and test one change at a time so you can tell which stage or setting affects the picture.
- Forcing encoding without checking version or resources: The cited
copydefault and H.264 procedure come from an older version-specific guide. Confirm applicability and monitor CPU use. - Using a bitrate number without matching the video mode: Select YouTube’s current recommendation for the actual codec, resolution, and frame rate.
- Buying hardware before isolating the stage: The setup is unknown, and the documented first checks are a virtual-source test and logs. A hardware purchase is not established as a general remedy.
Or let it run in the cloud
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