Castr can loop pre-recorded video to YouTube continuously, but its published recorded-video settings recommend 1080p and do not establish that the scheduler outputs 4K. YouTube accepts 4K live feeds, but that alone does not confirm that Castr's prerecorded workflow sends a 3840×2160 signal.
If 4K is essential, ask Castr whether its scheduler preserves 2160p or downscales the uploaded file, then verify the result in a test stream. If Full HD is suitable, Castr's published settings give you a documented starting point for a looped channel.
What Castr documents about continuous prerecorded streams
Castr's recorded-video feature supports uploading video, choosing a scheduling mode and sending the stream to connected platforms. Its scheduling documentation describes Infinite Loop: the uploaded video is sent to added destinations repeatedly, continuously, 24 hours a day. That is the documented basis for using the feature to loop a video as a 24/7 live stream. It is separate from whether the stream is 4K.
The setup guide describes MP4 uploads and playlists that can contain more than one video. You can reorder items and toggle individual videos on or off. A playlist can therefore be used for a repeated sequence rather than one clip, but check the current account limits for file count and media size before preparing a large set. Castr says those limits depend on subscription; verify the current details for your account rather than assuming that a feature's availability means every plan has the same allowance.
The other documented scheduling choice is Date & Time, which sets a future start instead of repeating continuously. The distinction is useful if you need a scheduled event, not an always-on loop. Confirm that the mode you want is available under your current plan and that the channel's intended sequence behaves as expected before relying on it overnight.
| Scheduling choice | What it is for | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Infinite Loop | Repeats the uploaded video or playlist continuously on added platforms | Confirm loop access and applicable file or media limits for your account |
| Date & Time | Starts a stream at a selected future time | Confirm the scheduled start and destination before the event |
The practical setup sequence is straightforward: upload the MP4, arrange the playlist if needed, choose the schedule, connect YouTube and start the stream. Castr's guide to starting a pre-recorded stream covers the workflow. Treat it as setup guidance, not proof of a particular output resolution.
Connecting the stream to YouTube
Castr documents two ways to connect YouTube: an API connection to YouTube Events or a manual connection using YouTube's streaming server and stream key. The API route connects through your YouTube account and is suited to managing the destination as an event. With a manual key, you enter the stream details yourself; Castr says you need to edit stream descriptions in YouTube's dashboard when using that method. Choose based on how you want to manage the event, not on an assumption that one route improves resolution.
A stream key is sensitive: treat it like a password and do not put it in public notes or screenshots. If another person helps configure the channel, use the channel's permissions rather than sharing account credentials. For an always-on prayer or bhajan playlist, it can help to test the destination on the channel well before the intended launch, so you can check event visibility, title and stream health without changing them during the live run. The church prayer playlist walkthrough discusses the broader planning needs of a continuous devotional channel.
Castr's YouTube connection instructions explain its API and manual approaches. YouTube also distinguishes stream setup from encoder settings in its live streaming guidance. Follow the current instructions in both places, because connection success establishes that the destination is configured, not that 2160p is being transmitted.
What the documentation says about resolution
The important gap is between documented looping and documented resolution. Castr's recorded-video settings page recommends a Full HD source and gives encoding settings for that workflow. It does not confirm that the prerecorded scheduler outputs 3840×2160 when a 4K file is uploaded. The available information therefore supports a qualified answer: continuous looping to YouTube is documented; continuous 4K output through this specific scheduler is not confirmed.
That distinction matters because “4K” can refer to the file you upload, the signal sent to YouTube, or the format a viewer can select during playback. A 4K source file does not by itself prove that the outgoing live feed remains at 2160p. The scheduler could process or send the material differently; without a direct confirmation for that workflow, do not promise viewers a 4K live stream.
Castr's recommendations are a useful baseline rather than a test result. The recorded-video guide lists MP4, constant bitrate (CBR), a two-second keyframe interval, 1920×1080 resolution, 30 frames per second and 4,000 Kbps. These are Castr's recommendations for recorded-video streams, not independently measured outcomes. If your priority is a stable, documented starting configuration, use these values as a reference and check Castr's current guidance before encoding your final file.
Castr warns that a file outside its suggested configuration may cause a stream to stop during broadcast. That warning makes a test valuable even when the picture looks fine on your computer: the live workflow has to accept and play the file over time. The recorded-video settings guidance is the appropriate reference for those recommendations. If the clip is a long yoga class or lesson, the guide to looping recorded yoga classes on YouTube can help with channel planning, but it does not establish Castr's 4K capability.
Why YouTube 4K ingest does not confirm Castr scheduler output
YouTube's live encoder guidance lists settings for 2160p live ingestion, including different recommended bitrates according to codec and frame rate. For example, its current guidance lists 35 Mbps for H.264 at 4K/2160p and 60 frames per second. Do not reuse that figure for a different frame rate or codec; consult the current YouTube table for the specific signal you intend to send.
YouTube's ability to receive a 4K live feed says what the platform can ingest, not what a particular third-party prerecorded scheduler sends. Those are separate stages. The source file may be 4K, a scheduler may process it, and YouTube may receive a signal at a different resolution. YouTube then transcodes incoming live streams into formats for different viewers, but that does not repair uncertainty about the resolution arriving from Castr.
YouTube also notes that low latency is unavailable for 4K/2160p live streams; its guidance describes that resolution as optimised for quality at normal latency. For a music, ambience or devotional loop, that may be an acceptable trade-off, but it is still distinct from the question of whether Castr's scheduler emits 2160p. Do not infer scheduler support from the platform's encoder table, from a YouTube playback option, or from other Castr features.
In particular, Castr's TV Playout product and its live transcoding or encoder tools are separate workflows. A resolution listed for one product cannot be treated as evidence about the prerecorded scheduler. If your channel depends on a 4K claim—for example, because viewers expect detailed nature footage—get a written answer from Castr about the exact feature and account configuration you plan to use. Ask whether uploaded 3840×2160 video is sent as 2160p or converted to a lower output resolution.
Castr's Full HD recommendation
For the prerecorded feature, Castr recommends 1920×1080 at 30 frames per second, with a 4,000 Kbps bitrate and a two-second keyframe interval. It also recommends MP4 and CBR. These figures are from Castr's recorded-video settings guide, published in 2023; check the current article for any updates before preparing your file. They describe a Full HD path, not proof that higher resolution is unsupported or supported.
Full HD can be the sensible choice when the channel is a continuously repeated playlist and reliability matters more than the ability to select 2160p. It requires less upload preparation than a higher-resolution encode and aligns with Castr's published recorded-video recommendation. A still background behind a bhajan track, a prayer playlist, or a study ambience loop may not benefit enough from 4K to justify building a workflow around an unconfirmed output setting. That is a content decision, not a guarantee of better stability.
| Configuration question | Castr's published recorded-video reference | Practical implication |
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 1920×1080 | Documented Full HD recommendation; 2160p scheduler output remains unconfirmed |
| Frame rate | 30 FPS | Match the prepared file to the recommended recorded-video profile |
| Bitrate | 4,000 Kbps | Use as Castr's stated reference, not as a YouTube 4K bitrate |
| Keyframes | Two-second interval | Include this setting when encoding the file |
| Format and rate control | MP4 and CBR | Prepare the upload in the format and mode Castr recommends |
These recommendations are not universal guarantees: the content, file, account limits and current product behaviour still matter. A moving landscape or a close-up craft demonstration may make the resolution difference more visible than a static title card. If the source is 4K but you choose to prepare a 1080p version, keep an untouched master locally so you can make a different encode if Castr confirms 2160p support later. A local copy is for your production workflow; it does not change what the scheduler sends.
How to verify the actual output resolution
Start by asking Castr support a precise question: “For the prerecorded streaming scheduler connected to YouTube, does an uploaded 3840×2160 MP4 go out as 2160p, or is it downscaled? Does that depend on the schedule mode, destination connection or account plan?” This avoids answers about YouTube's general 4K support or Castr's separate products. Ask Castr to point you to current documentation if the answer is plan-specific or subject to change.
Then test the exact workflow before putting it on a channel that must stay live. Upload the same file you intend to use, select Infinite Loop, connect the intended YouTube destination and start a private or otherwise appropriate test stream. Keep the test long enough to see whether the stream remains active and whether the loop restarts as expected. Test with the actual playlist if there are multiple files, since one compliant file does not prove all files in a sequence behave alike.
Check the live stream's health and the resolution reported by YouTube Studio while it is receiving the signal. A viewer-facing quality menu alone is not enough to establish the outgoing ingest resolution: YouTube creates multiple playback formats, and those can take time to become available. Compare what the live control room reports with Castr's answer about what it sends. If the reported maximum is 1080p, do not label the broadcast as 4K merely because the source file is 2160p.
Also confirm that the stream key or API connection points to the intended channel and event. For a manual connection, check the title and description in YouTube Studio because Castr says manual-key users edit descriptions there. Record the selected scheduling mode, file format and encoder settings. If the stream stops, compare the file against Castr's recommendations first and review YouTube's stream-health notices; avoid changing several settings at once, which makes it harder to identify the cause.
For a long-running channel, treat this as a preflight rather than a one-off resolution check. Verify that the current account allows the needed file count and media size, that the loop mode is available, and that the test actually repeats. A 24/7 background music setup guide can help you think through the channel's continuous schedule and content, while a test of Castr itself answers the separate output question. If a local computer is involved in preparing files, the OBS replay settings guide is relevant to that distinct workflow, not evidence of Castr scheduler behaviour.
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FAQ
Can Castr loop a pre-recorded video to YouTube 24/7?
Castr documents an Infinite Loop mode that sends recorded video to added platforms continuously. YouTube is a documented destination through an API connection or a manual server-and-key setup. Confirm the loop feature and current file limits for your account before relying on it.
Does a 4K upload mean the YouTube live stream will be 4K?
No. The uploaded file's resolution does not establish the resolution of the signal the scheduler sends. Castr's published recorded-video settings recommend 1080p, and its prerecorded scheduler's 2160p output is not confirmed in the documentation described here.
What should I ask Castr before using 4K?
Ask whether the prerecorded scheduler sends an uploaded 3840×2160 file as 2160p or downscales it, and whether the answer changes with your plan or connection method. Then verify the output in a test stream and check YouTube Studio's live stream health before announcing a 4K channel.
Is 1080p the only resolution Castr supports for prerecorded streams?
The available recorded-video guide recommends 1920×1080; that is not the same as a documented statement that every other resolution is unsupported. Use the recommendation as a known starting point, and get Castr to confirm the behaviour you need rather than treating an unconfirmed higher resolution as available.