Castr can run a pre-recorded stream from its cloud, so your computer does not need to stay on after you have set it up. Its documented workflow uses video files uploaded or imported into Castr; the reviewed sources do not confirm that Castr can take an existing YouTube playlist URL and broadcast the videos from it.
That distinction matters if you want to loop your own bhajans, lofi tracks, local news clips or business videos overnight. You may be able to build a Castr playlist from source files, but do not assume it can mirror a playlist already hosted on YouTube.
Can Castr stream without your computer running?
Yes, according to Castr’s published description of its pre-recorded streaming product. Castr says the broadcast plays from its cloud and does not need an encoder or computer to keep running. That is the vendor’s description of how the service works, rather than an independent uptime guarantee. Your computer is still useful for preparing the files, configuring the stream and checking the result, but it need not remain on to keep a configured cloud broadcast going.
In practice, “without a computer” applies to the broadcast stage, not every step. You need a way to supply the video files and configure the stream, usually through a browser. You also need to choose a destination and confirm the stream is reaching it. If you normally leave a PC running with OBS for an overnight playlist, cloud playout avoids that local encoding-and-uploading job. It does not remove the need to check your account, source material, schedule and destination beforehand.
Castr also describes a separate cloud TV playout product for a more continuously programmed channel, including scheduled files and live streams. That is broader than putting a set of prerecorded files into one pre-recorded stream. If your goal is an uninterrupted 24/7 channel with changing segments or live inserts, assess that product separately and confirm its current plan requirements rather than treating every Castr workflow as the same feature.
For an overview of what can fail when a stream depends on a local machine, see our guide to how automatic restart should work on a 24/7 stream. Cloud playback changes which computer must remain on, but it does not guarantee uninterrupted delivery. A source file can still be wrong, a destination can lose its connection, or a scheduled broadcast can need attention.
Castr playlists versus YouTube playlists
The word “playlist” can mean two different things here. A YouTube playlist is a collection of videos on YouTube, identified by its own page or URL. A Castr playlist in this workflow is a sequence of video files that you add to Castr and arrange for a pre-recorded broadcast. The reviewed Castr instructions describe the second meaning, not direct ingestion of the first.
Castr’s help article documents adding MP4 videos by uploading them or importing them from cloud storage, then arranging them for playback. Its product page similarly describes uploading MP4s or importing them from Dropbox. Neither reviewed source confirms that you can paste an existing YouTube playlist URL and have Castr fetch, download, or mirror its contents. Do not plan around that as a feature unless Castr confirms it for your account and current product version.
That leaves a practical route if you already have videos in a YouTube playlist: identify whether you have access to the original files, then use those files if they are suitable and you have the rights to use them in this broadcast. The fact that a video is visible on YouTube does not by itself establish that you can obtain or rebroadcast its underlying file. If you cannot obtain the source files on appropriate terms, ask the rights holder or choose material you are authorised to use. The workflow described here starts with files, not with extracting videos from YouTube.
There is another Castr feature that can add to the confusion. Its documentation for content playlists describes a playlist for viewer playback of Castr livestream and video-on-demand content, with player behaviours such as autoplay, looping and shuffle. That is not the same thing as scheduling file-based content as a live broadcast. Check which feature you are configuring before you build around a particular playback behaviour.
If your aim is to keep a set of YouTube videos playing as a live channel, distinguish source material from destination: the source is the file sequence Castr is asked to play; YouTube is where the resulting live stream is sent. For general preparation of a YouTube broadcast, our guide to YouTube Live setup and settings covers the separate destination-side considerations.
Prepare video files for Castr
Start with the actual video files you intend to broadcast. Castr’s help article identifies MP4 as the supported format for its documented pre-recorded workflow. If your source material is in another format, convert or export it to a suitable MP4 before uploading, and check the resulting file rather than relying on the file extension alone. The article does not establish a universal maximum file size or number of files, so check the limits shown for your subscription before preparing a large batch.
Use a short test file first if you are unfamiliar with the workflow. Confirm that its picture and sound are present, that the audio is at a sensible level, and that it plays through the parts where you expect transitions. A devotional channel might test a short bhajan recording with its opening and ending intact; a study station might test a lofi segment for an abrupt cut or long silence. The point is not to make every video identical, but to notice issues before arranging a long programme.
If you plan to import from cloud storage instead of uploading directly, check that the account and file are accessible to Castr during import. Castr’s product page names Dropbox as an import source; the help article describes importing from cloud storage. Confirm what is available in your own dashboard, as supported sources and account access can vary. Avoid assuming an import is complete just because you selected a file: check that it appears in the project and can be selected for the stream.
For technical preparation, keep a record of the source file, its intended order, and any edits you made. This is useful when a long queue contains several similar tracks or clips. If you need to resize or standardise files before uploading, our guide to resizing pre-recorded videos for a 24/7 YouTube stream explains the kinds of settings to review. Use that as preparation guidance, not as a substitute for checking Castr’s current file requirements.
Create a pre-recorded stream
Castr’s documented path is straightforward at a high level: create a pre-recorded stream, add your video files, arrange them, choose how playback should run, add a destination and start or schedule the broadcast. The exact labels and screens can change, so use the current instructions in the Castr Help Center guide to pre-recorded streaming alongside the controls shown in your account.
First create the pre-recorded stream in Castr and give it a clear name. Use a name that helps distinguish a test from the public programme, such as “overnight bhajan test” or “weekday news loop”. Add your MP4s by upload or supported cloud import. Then verify that all intended items appear in the project before proceeding. This simple check is more useful than discovering midway through a scheduled run that an import was omitted.
Next arrange the files in the order you want. For a themed channel, that might mean an opening slate, several related recordings and a closing segment before the programme loops. For a small business, it might mean a short welcome clip followed by product demonstrations. Think about how a viewer arriving halfway through will encounter the sequence: a long intro may make sense once, but feel repetitive if it recurs frequently. Castr’s sources establish that files can be arranged for a pre-recorded stream; your editorial choices determine whether the sequence feels coherent.
Then select the playback mode that matches the plan. Castr’s help article describes scheduled playback or looping. A scheduled broadcast is appropriate when you want a programme to begin at a particular date and time. A loop is closer to an always-on station, though you should verify how the chosen mode behaves at the end of the file sequence and what limits apply to your account. Do not infer from the word “loop” that the stream will never stop or need monitoring.
Arrange, loop or schedule the playlist
For a single continuous programme, a Castr playlist made from files lets you set the order before the broadcast begins. Check durations and transitions as well as the sequence itself. If a playlist includes a short visual loop followed by a much longer recording, the transition may be technically correct but still surprising to someone watching. Keep a simple programme sheet with filenames and order so you can compare it with the queue in Castr.
A loop and a schedule solve different problems. A loop repeats the arranged material; use it when the same programme should keep cycling. A scheduled stream starts at the time you choose; use it when you want a premiere-like event or a planned broadcast window. If you need a channel with a changing timetable, many separately scheduled files or live contributions, Castr’s TV playout may fit the task better than a single pre-recorded stream. Castr describes TV playout as a channel built from scheduled files and live streams, but confirm the available functions and limits before choosing it.
Castr’s separate content-playlist feature also has player options such as autoplay-next, autoplay-on-load, looping and shuffle, according to its content playlist documentation. These settings relate to playback of Castr content in a player; they should not be mistaken for the controls for a pre-recorded live stream. Use the relevant stream workflow when the desired output is a YouTube Live broadcast.
A useful choice is to make the programme understandable even when someone joins at an arbitrary point. Use titles or on-screen labels where appropriate, and avoid relying on a spoken introduction that only makes sense at the beginning. If the material is music or ambience, consider whether every repeated transition is comfortable to hear. If it is local news or a business loop, consider whether old information will remain in rotation too long. The streaming workflow can repeat files, but it cannot tell you whether their content is still current.
Add YouTube as a destination
Once the content and playback mode are ready, add YouTube as the destination in Castr. Castr names YouTube among its supported destinations. The help article instructs users to add a platform destination, but the reviewed material does not spell out every YouTube-specific account authorisation step for this exact scenario. Follow the current prompts in your Castr dashboard and verify that the correct channel and broadcast are selected.
Keep the stream key private. If YouTube or Castr asks you to enter one, use the key for the intended broadcast and avoid pasting it into public notes, shared documents or screenshots. If you have any doubt about which key is active, check YouTube’s current live-streaming controls rather than guessing. YouTube’s official live streaming help explains the platform’s live-streaming process. Account readiness and destination settings are separate from Castr’s file playlist setup, so confirm both sides.
Before launching to viewers, check whether the YouTube event should be public, unlisted or private during testing, and whether the title, description and thumbnail are ready. A private or unlisted test can help you inspect what viewers will see, but use YouTube’s current controls and understand who can access the chosen visibility setting. Do not assume that a successful connection in Castr means the YouTube page has all the right details.
This is also where a cloud workflow removes a specific operational burden: once the file-based broadcast is configured and running from Castr’s cloud, you do not need to keep a home or shop computer awake to encode and send that programme. StreamNeo addresses the same narrow problem of keeping a file-based YouTube broadcast running without leaving your own computer on, while keeping the setup centred on an uploaded video and a YouTube stream key.
Check plan limits and test playback
Castr says that pre-recorded streaming is available across plans, while video size and media-file counts depend on the subscription. Its product page also lists tier-dependent capabilities. That means there is no single safe file-count or size assumption to apply to every account. Check the current plan comparison and account dashboard before selecting a subscription or uploading a full library. If a limit matters to your intended schedule, get the current answer from Castr rather than extrapolating from a different plan or an old setup guide.
| What to confirm | Why it matters | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| File format | The documented pre-recorded workflow names MP4 | Castr’s current guide and dashboard |
| File size and media-file count | Castr says these depend on the subscription | Current plan details and your account |
| Import source | The workflow permits upload or cloud import, but available sources should be confirmed | Import options in the dashboard |
| Loop or schedule behaviour | Your intended programme may require one mode rather than the other | Stream configuration and current help article |
| Destination access | The stream must reach the intended YouTube channel | Castr destination controls and YouTube Live settings |
After setup, test the stream before relying on it overnight. Watch the output on YouTube or through the platform’s preview tools long enough to confirm picture, sound, order and the expected start. Check that the stream is connected to the right channel and that the chosen files are being played. A short test cannot establish that a longer broadcast will never encounter a problem, but it can catch common configuration mistakes before they affect the public programme.
If you are migrating from a PC-based setup, do not switch off the computer until you have confirmed that the cloud stream is actually playing as intended. Once verified, you can stop the local encoder; do not leave two competing broadcasts running unless that is deliberate. For an overnight playlist sent from a Windows machine, our article on fixing YouTube RTMP timeouts on Windows can help you compare the local-PC approach with the cloud workflow.
Finally, plan how you will notice a problem. The fact that a service is cloud-hosted means your computer can be off; it does not mean you should never check the channel. Review the live page after launch, check the schedule when content changes, and verify that the destination remains correct. If the channel is used for news, business notices or scheduled devotional events, keep a human check on content freshness as well as technical playback.
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FAQ
Can Castr take a YouTube playlist URL and stream it?
The reviewed Castr sources do not confirm direct ingestion of an existing YouTube playlist URL. They describe adding MP4 video files to Castr, arranging those files and broadcasting them. Treat the URL workflow as unsupported unless Castr confirms otherwise for your account.
Does my computer have to stay on after setup?
Castr says its pre-recorded stream plays from the cloud and does not need an encoder or computer running. You still need to configure the stream, choose the destination and verify playback. Cloud-hosted playback is not a guarantee that every broadcast will run without interruption.
Can I use cloud storage instead of uploading each file?
Castr’s documented workflow allows importing from cloud storage, and its product page names Dropbox. Check the sources and access options currently available in your account, then confirm each item has imported successfully before building the playlist.
Which Castr option suits a continuous channel?
A pre-recorded stream is the documented route for files arranged into a scheduled or looping broadcast. Castr describes TV playout as a broader channel workflow that can combine scheduled files and live streams. Compare the current capabilities and plan limits against your programming needs before deciding.