Yes. FFmpeg can read a bhajan file repeatedly and send the resulting audio or audio-and-video feed to YouTube Live. The two controls that matter for the loop are -stream_loop -1, which repeats the input indefinitely, and -re, which reads it at its normal rate instead of sending the file as quickly as the computer can process it.
That does not make one command universally suitable for every recording or channel. You still need to inspect the file, choose the correct streams, match YouTube's current ingest requirements, enter the destination shown in Live Control Room, and test the result before relying on it overnight.
What the FFmpeg loop does, and what it does not do
A normal media file has a beginning and an end. When FFmpeg reaches the end, it usually stops unless you tell it to continue. The option -stream_loop -1 instructs FFmpeg to repeat the input indefinitely. For a single bhajan video, this means the file starts again after its final frame and audio sample.
The loop applies to the input. It is not a YouTube playlist, and it does not create a new set of files. If you have several recordings, you may need to prepare a longer source file or use a separate playlist or concatenation workflow. The correct method depends on whether the recordings have matching formats, channels, sample rates, frame rates and visual layouts.
The loop option also does not repair a source file. If the recording has damaged timestamps, missing audio, an unsupported stream or a video track that ends before the audio, repeating it may repeat the same problem. A short local test is therefore useful before you put the feed in front of viewers.
This is similar to the operational question covered in how to make a 24/7 YouTube Live stream from pre-recorded videos, but FFmpeg gives you direct control over the input and output process. That control is useful when you are comfortable checking logs and restarting a process, but it also leaves more decisions with you.
Check the bhajan file and its streams first
Before writing the output command, establish what the file contains. It may be an audio-only file, a video with an embedded background image, or a video with separate audio and video streams. You need to know which streams should reach YouTube.
Use the FFmpeg project documentation for the installed build and inspect the file's reported streams. The FFmpeg documentation is the appropriate reference for the options supported by your build. Versions, operating systems and packaging choices can affect which encoders and protocols are available.
Look for these details:
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Is there a video stream? | YouTube Live normally needs a visual presentation for a conventional music broadcast. An audio-only source may need a still image, visualiser or generated video stream. |
| Is there an audio stream? | The audio stream must be mapped and encoded in a format accepted by the current YouTube ingest guidance. |
| What are the frame rate and dimensions? | These affect the output settings, bitrate choice and encoder workload. |
| Are there multiple audio or video streams? | Automatic selection may not choose the stream you intended. Explicit mapping can avoid sending commentary, alternate language tracks or an unwanted video. |
| Does the file play from start to finish locally? | A clean local run helps distinguish a source problem from a streaming problem. |
Do not assume that a file called bhajan.mp4 contains only one video and one audio stream. A phone export might contain rotation metadata, a screen recording might contain unusual timing, and a downloaded file might include more than one track. The output configuration should follow what the file actually contains.
Decide whether viewers should see the original visual, a still image, or a visualiser. If the recording is audio-only, the loop control remains useful, but you need a separate plan for the video side of the live output. The article on adding a visualiser to a 24/7 YouTube music stream covers that presentation decision in more detail.
Put -stream_loop -1 before the input
For a file input, place -stream_loop -1 before the relevant -i. In outline form, the important part looks like this:
ffmpeg -stream_loop -1 -i "input-file"
This shows the placement, not a complete YouTube command. The option belongs to the input it controls. If a command later contains more than one input, positioning becomes especially important because each input may need different treatment.
The value -1 means continue looping indefinitely. A positive loop count has a different purpose: it repeats the input a specified number of times. For a long-running channel, the indefinite form is the one that expresses the intended behaviour, but it should not be confused with an uninterrupted service guarantee.
A source can still stop because of a read error, a process failure, an exhausted disk, an encoder problem, a network interruption or a platform-side issue. If the source file is changed while FFmpeg is reading it, the result may also be unpredictable. Keep the input in a stable location and avoid editing it during the broadcast.
You should also decide what should happen at the boundary between repetitions. If the file ends with silence or a fade, viewers may hear that each time. If it ends abruptly, the transition may be noticeable. FFmpeg will repeat the media; it will not automatically create a crossfade or remove a gap unless you build that behaviour into a more involved filter or source file.
Use -re so the file behaves like live input
A file can be read much faster than its presentation time. Without pacing, FFmpeg may process a recording rapidly and send data towards the output faster than viewers are meant to receive it. For a live destination, that is usually the wrong behaviour.
Place -re before the file's -i as part of the input configuration:
ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i "input-file"
FFmpeg documents -re as equivalent to -readrate 1. In practical terms, it tells FFmpeg to read the file at approximately its native rate. A four-minute bhajan should therefore take roughly its presentation time to pass through the input, subject to timestamps and processing conditions, rather than being pushed out immediately.
-re is intended for cases where packet flow speed matters, including live streaming. It does not make the internet reliable, reduce encoder load automatically or correct bad timestamps. It also does not decide the correct output frame rate or bitrate. Those are separate output decisions.
The combination is important because the two options solve different problems. -stream_loop -1 answers, “What should happen when the file ends?” -re answers, “How quickly should FFmpeg read the file?” Removing either one changes the behaviour you are trying to create.
Keep input options before the relevant -i
FFmpeg commands are read in a way that makes option placement significant. Input options describe how FFmpeg should read an input, while output options describe what it should produce. For this workflow, put -re and -stream_loop -1 before the -i for the bhajan file.
The distinction matters when you later add a still image, a second audio source, or another input. Do not copy the loop options around the command without checking which input they are meant to affect. A command that works for one input may behave differently after another input is added.
A useful configuration outline is:
ffmpeg [input options] -i "source file" \
[stream selection and encoding choices] \
[output options] "YouTube destination"
For this case, [input options] may include -re -stream_loop -1. The stream selection and encoding section cannot be filled in responsibly without knowing whether your source has audio, video, both, or multiple tracks. The output settings must also follow YouTube's current guidance and the capabilities of the FFmpeg build on the machine running it.
This is why a copied one-line command can appear to work while producing a black screen, missing audio, an unsupported codec or a feed that YouTube cannot accept. Treat the command as a configuration outline to adapt and test, not as a universal tested recipe.
Match the output to YouTube's current ingest guidance
Looping is only the input side of the job. FFmpeg must encode and package the outgoing feed in a form that YouTube accepts. YouTube's encoder settings, bitrates and resolutions guidance currently describes RTMP and RTMPS ingest, H.264, H.265 or AV1 video, AAC or MP3 audio, constant bitrate operation, and frame rates up to 60 fps. Check the page again when you configure the channel because platform requirements and recommendations can change.
YouTube recommends RTMPS. Whether your installed FFmpeg build can use the required protocol and URL depends on the build and the destination supplied in Live Control Room. Do not substitute a destination from an old tutorial without checking the current channel interface.
The video codec, resolution, frame rate, bitrate and keyframe interval should be considered together. YouTube currently recommends a two-second keyframe frequency and says it should not exceed four seconds. Its bitrate table varies by codec, resolution and frame rate, so choose the row that matches the output you actually intend to send rather than selecting a familiar number from a different setup.
Audio also needs a deliberate choice. YouTube's current encoder guidance lists AAC and MP3 as supported audio choices. The suitable bitrate and channel arrangement depend on the source and the output you select. If the original file has more than one audio track, map the intended one rather than relying on an accidental default.
A configuration may therefore contain options resembling the following, but these are examples of decisions rather than a fixed mapping:
-c:v [chosen video encoder] \
-c:a [chosen audio encoder] \
-b:v [bitrate from the matching YouTube table] \
-b:a [audio bitrate suitable for the output] \
-g [keyframe interval matching the live settings]
Do not treat libx264, yuv420p, a particular preset or a particular bitrate as guaranteed requirements for every source. They may be sensible choices in some environments, but the right selection depends on the installed encoders, available processing capacity, source characteristics and the current YouTube settings. The command must be validated with the actual file and channel.
YouTube transcodes incoming live streams for playback formats, but that does not remove the need to send a valid ingest feed. A stream can be accepted while still having an unsuitable visual layout, weak audio, excessive delay or insufficient quality for the chosen use. Watch the preview and health messages rather than judging success from FFmpeg's absence of an immediate error.
Enter the destination from Live Control Room
Create or open the live stream in YouTube Studio and use the Live Control Room details shown for the encoder. YouTube provides a stream URL and a stream key. The URL identifies where the encoder should send the feed; the key authenticates the channel's stream configuration.
YouTube explains the encoder workflow in its official live-streaming help. Copy the values carefully and keep the key private. Treat it like a password rather than like public channel information. Do not put it in a screenshot, public repository, tutorial, support post or shared document.
If you believe the key has been exposed, reset it in Live Control Room and update the local command. A copied command containing an old key can fail even when the FFmpeg syntax and media file are correct.
The destination portion of the configuration should use the current URL and key supplied for that channel. Do not assume that a slash, parameter or protocol suffix from another example is correct for your account. The exact destination format is one of the details you should verify in the interface and in the FFmpeg output log.
Before testing publicly, check the stream's visibility and schedule settings. A private or unlisted test can help you confirm the technical path without treating the first overnight run as the test. The account may also have channel-specific requirements or restrictions that are separate from FFmpeg.
Test the preview, health and network before relying on it
Start with a representative section of the real content. If the final channel will use a devotional image, subtitles, a visualiser or a particular resolution, test that arrangement rather than a different sample file. Listen for clipping, silence, unexpected channel imbalance and a break when the loop returns to the beginning.
In Live Control Room, check whether the preview shows the intended picture and audio. Read the stream-health messages and watch for dropped frames, unstable bitrate, encoder warnings or a connection that never becomes healthy. YouTube recommends testing before going live and monitoring stream health during the event. Its streaming tips also recommend upload capacity with 20% extra headroom.
That headroom is a recommendation from YouTube, not a guarantee that a particular broadband line will remain stable. Measure the connection under realistic household conditions. A connection that looks adequate when nobody else is online may behave differently when another person uploads files, watches high-resolution video or uses a video call.
Observe the computer as well. Encoding can use substantial CPU or GPU capacity, particularly when the source is being resized, filtered or converted. Check whether the process keeps pace with the input and whether the machine remains responsive. If FFmpeg reports that it is falling behind, reduce unnecessary processing or choose output settings the machine can sustain.
For a small operator who does not want a computer running through the night, StreamNeo removes the specific need to keep the local machine powered and the streaming process under observation: upload the prepared video, provide the YouTube stream key, and let the cloud-based broadcast run with automatic monitoring and restart handling. It remains YouTube-only, and you should still test the channel and content in Live Control Room before relying on it.
If you prefer to operate FFmpeg yourself, a process supervisor and a reliable host may be needed for recovery. The article on reconnecting a 24/7 YouTube livestream automatically on a VPS in India explains why restarting a process is only one part of the operational problem. A restart cannot fix a revoked key, a damaged file, a failed encoder or a blocked connection without further checks.
YouTube says that streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. That is an operational detail to account for when planning long broadcasts, not a promise that every loop will produce an archive in the form you expect. Check the current official guidance for the behaviour relevant to your stream length and account.
Check rights before looping devotional recordings
A technically successful stream is not automatically a permitted stream. A bhajan may be traditional, but the particular recording can still involve rights held by performers, labels, publishers or other participants. The visual artwork, lyric video, photographs and thumbnails may have separate rights owners.
YouTube's terms for livestreaming place responsibility for the necessary rights on the person providing the live content. The source file alone does not prove that you have permission to broadcast it worldwide or to retain the resulting archive.
Keep records of the permission or licence for each recording and visual. Check whether it covers livestreaming, the territories where viewers may watch, monetisation if relevant, and any archive created after the live event. If a recording came from a supplier or another creator, ask what uses are actually covered instead of assuming that a purchase or download grants live-broadcast rights.
For a looped channel, check the full schedule rather than only the first file. A single unlicensed recording can create a problem even when the rest of the playlist is cleared. You can read more about this practical distinction in how to keep a 24/7 ambient stream from getting copyright claims, while remembering that the rights position for your own recordings must be checked separately.
Before committing, compare the operating options on the pricing page. When the file and channel are ready, start free — 24-hour trial, no card.
FAQ
Can FFmpeg loop an audio-only bhajan file?
Yes, -stream_loop -1 can repeat an audio input, and -re can pace it at its native rate. YouTube Live generally needs a video presentation as well, so an audio-only source may need a still image or another video layer before it is sent to the live ingest endpoint.
Can I copy one FFmpeg command from a tutorial?
Use tutorials to understand the structure, but do not assume their codec, mapping, bitrate, keyframe interval or URL format suits your file and channel. Inspect the source, check the current YouTube encoder guidance, confirm the installed FFmpeg build and run a real test in Live Control Room.
Will -stream_loop -1 keep the YouTube stream online forever?
No. It only tells FFmpeg to repeat the input. Source errors, encoding load, power loss, network interruptions, key changes and YouTube-side behaviour can still stop or degrade the broadcast.
Is a bhajan recording automatically safe to livestream if it is available online?
No. Availability does not establish permission to rebroadcast a particular recording or its visuals. Confirm the rights for every item in the loop, including the recording, arrangement, artwork and any archive created from the live stream.