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To stream a prerecorded gaming video to YouTube Live from an Ubuntu VPS, install FFmpeg with APT, upload and inspect the video, then run FFmpeg with live input pacing and YouTube’s current server URL and stream key. Installation is only the first step: YouTube account eligibility, encoder settings, VPS capacity, and possible timestamp problems when looping all affect whether a rerun works.
Before you begin
- An Ubuntu VPS with sudo access and APT configured.
- A prerecorded gaming video stored on your computer, ready to upload to the VPS.
- A YouTube channel eligible for live streaming, plus a stream created or selected in YouTube Studio’s Live Control Room.
- Enough VPS CPU and outbound network capacity for the resolution, frame rate, and bitrate you choose.
YouTube says live streaming requires a verified channel with no live-streaming restrictions in the previous 90 days, and its current requirements page states a minimum age of 16. Check eligibility and confirm the Live Control Room accepts your stream before treating a command failure as an Ubuntu problem: YouTube live-streaming requirements.
Install and verify FFmpeg
Ubuntu packages FFmpeg through APT. On the VPS, run:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install ffmpeg
ffmpeg -versionThe last command prints the installed build’s version and configuration. The package version depends on the Ubuntu release and configured repositories; do not assume every VPS has the same build. Ubuntu documents APT package operations in its server package-management guide, and maintains release-specific FFmpeg package documentation for Ubuntu 24.04 (Noble).
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Upload and inspect the gaming video
Copy the file to the VPS
Use your preferred secure file-transfer method, such as SCP, and note the full path on the server. For example, if you upload the file to /home/ubuntu/, the path might be /home/ubuntu/gameplay.mp4. Replace that example with the actual path and filename; paths and capitalization must match exactly.
Check the media streams
Before going live, inspect the file’s streams and properties with:
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ffprobe -hide_banner /home/ubuntu/gameplay.mp4Confirm the file opens and note its video and audio codecs, dimensions, and frame rate. If the file has no audio stream, remove the audio output options from the example command below rather than assuming FFmpeg can encode audio that is not present. If the file is damaged or uses an unsupported configuration, resolve that before troubleshooting YouTube ingest.
Get the YouTube destination and protect the stream key
In YouTube Studio, open the Live Control Room and create or choose the stream you intend to use. Copy the current server URL and stream key shown for that stream. YouTube’s setup instructions say: “To start streaming, enter your YouTube Live server URL and stream key into your encoder.” See YouTube’s encoder setup instructions.
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Treat the stream key like a password: it routes your encoder’s feed to your stream. Do not publish it in an article, screenshot, public script, or shared terminal history. Keep it in a private configuration or environment variable where practical, and rotate it in YouTube Studio if it is exposed. Use the exact destination YouTube supplies; generic RTMP examples may not match the current ingest URL or stream configuration.
Choose settings that fit YouTube and your VPS
YouTube’s encoder guidance supports H.264, H.265/HEVC, or AV1 video, AAC or MP3 audio, constant bitrate (CBR), and frame rates up to 60 fps. It recommends a two-second keyframe frequency and says the interval should not exceed four seconds. Its bitrate table varies by codec, resolution, and frame rate; for H.264 it lists these recommended video bitrates:
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| H.264 output | YouTube recommended video bitrate |
|---|---|
| 720p at 30 fps | 8 Mbps |
| 1080p at 30 fps | 14 Mbps |
| 1080p at 60 fps | 17 Mbps |
These are YouTube’s recommendations, not a guarantee that a particular VPS can encode and send the stream reliably. Pick an output resolution and frame rate the VPS can sustain, then allow outbound network headroom above the stream bitrate. YouTube recommends RTMPS for secure ingest, a speed test, and a test with similar audio and motion while monitoring stream health. Check its current live encoder settings before streaming, because recommendations can change and settings depend on codec, resolution, and frame rate.
Run FFmpeg and send the video to YouTube Live
This illustrative command reads the file in real time, encodes H.264 video and AAC audio, and sends an FLV output to an RTMP-style destination:
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ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i /home/ubuntu/gameplay.mp4
-c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -b:v 4500k -maxrate 4500k -bufsize 9000k
-pix_fmt yuv420p -g 60 -c:a aac -b:a 128k
-f flv 'rtmps://YOUTUBE_INGEST_URL/STREAM_KEY'This is a template, not a universal preset. The example bitrate and keyframe setting are not a match for every resolution, frame rate, file, FFmpeg build, or YouTube recommendation. Substitute the actual video path and the exact server URL and key from Live Control Room, and adjust codec, output resolution, frame rate, bitrate, and keyframe interval to suit YouTube’s current guidance and the VPS. Do not leave placeholder credentials in a command you run.
The -re option paces input approximately in real time; the output muxer and destination protocol must also match the ingest setup. Ubuntu’s FFmpeg manual illustrates real-time input pacing and FLV output to an RTMP destination, while noting that RTMP destinations have server and application/path components: Ubuntu FFmpeg manual. Follow YouTube’s provided URL rather than constructing one from a generic example.
Looping a video: test timestamps before relying on a rerun
The command uses -stream_loop -1 to request infinite input looping, but do not assume every file and installed FFmpeg build will repeat cleanly. FFmpeg’s loop-filter documentation says looping does not change source timestamps and warns that it can generate non-monotonic timestamps. That can interfere with encoding or ingest at a loop boundary. The cited Ubuntu loop-filter manual is from the Bionic-era documentation, so verify behavior with your installed build and exact media file: Ubuntu FFmpeg filters manual.
- Test the exact command and file before depending on an unattended rerun.
- Watch FFmpeg’s output around the point where the video repeats for timestamp warnings or encoder errors.
- Check YouTube Live Control Room’s stream health to distinguish a timestamp or encoding problem from a destination or network failure.
- If timestamps fail at the boundary, investigate timestamp handling for the installed FFmpeg version and file rather than assuming a loop option alone fixes it.
Keep the DIY stream running on a VPS
After FFmpeg connects, leave the process running and monitor both its logs and YouTube’s stream health. A VPS avoids needing your home computer to stay on, but it does not remove the need to maintain the process, have adequate VPS resources and network capacity, or respond to a failed stream. Test the loop, audio, and output quality under conditions like the actual stream before relying on it.
Common problems and fixes
| Symptom | What to check | Practical next step |
|---|---|---|
ffmpeg: command not found |
Whether installation completed and the command is available in the shell. | Run sudo apt update, install with sudo apt install ffmpeg, then verify with ffmpeg -version. |
| YouTube does not receive the feed | Channel eligibility, the selected Live Control Room stream, and the exact server URL and stream key. | Confirm the account meets YouTube’s live requirements; copy the current destination and key again, keeping the key private. |
| Connection drops or stream health degrades | Outbound bandwidth headroom, network stability, and whether the VPS can sustain the selected encoding settings. | Run a speed test, reduce output demands if needed, and test while monitoring Live Control Room stream health. |
| FFmpeg reports timestamp errors when the video repeats | Warnings at the loop boundary and the behavior of the installed FFmpeg build with that file. | Test the exact input and command; investigate timestamp handling instead of assuming looping rewrites timestamps. |
| Video arrives but audio is missing or wrong | The input’s audio stream and the audio codec/output options. | Inspect the file with ffprobe; remove audio encoding options if the source has no audio, or correct the source/encoding setup. |
Or let it run in the cloud
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