Larix Broadcaster is not documented as a way to select a prerecorded video in Google Drive and send that file directly to YouTube Live. A possible workaround is to play the video on a mobile device and stream its screen with Larix Screencaster, but whether the video’s sound is captured depends on the operating system, app and device.
Treat that workaround as something to test, not a guaranteed substitute for a file-based encoder. Before broadcasting to viewers, check picture and sound in a private or unlisted test stream.
The direct Drive-to-YouTube answer
Softvelum’s published description of Larix Broadcaster covers live capture on a phone or tablet and streaming to a destination. Its documented inputs include the device camera and, in supported configurations, USB video and audio sources. The product documentation reviewed does not describe choosing a video stored in Google Drive as a file input and publishing it directly to YouTube Live. That is a conclusion from the published feature descriptions, not a claim based on testing every app version or device.
The distinction matters because a video in Drive is a file, while Broadcaster’s described job is to capture a live source. A Drive link being accessible on your phone does not, by itself, make the file available as a source inside Broadcaster. Do not plan a scheduled broadcast on the assumption that it can open a Drive file as a playlist item.
If your requirement is simply to show the video once, you can investigate screen capture as a conditional workaround. If you need dependable unattended playback, repeated clips, or a long-running channel, a mobile screen-capture session may be the wrong tool. The related guide to running a stream while your PC is off explains why an always-on source and a one-off mobile broadcast are different operating problems.
What Larix Broadcaster is documented to do
Softvelum describes Larix Broadcaster as mobile broadcasting software for iOS and Android that streams live video and audio from smartphones or tablets. Its product and support material covers capturing camera input, configuring a streaming destination, and recording. The documentation also describes USB OTG connections for compatible external video and audio sources. Those are live capture workflows; they do not establish native file selection from Google Drive.
For YouTube, the encoder workflow uses a destination or ingestion server URL and a stream key. You configure the encoder with those details so that it can send a live feed to the selected YouTube Live stream. Softvelum’s Larix documentation describes its connection settings, while YouTube’s Live Streams API documentation describes the platform’s live-stream resource and ingest details. Follow the current setup instructions in YouTube Studio and the Larix app, since interfaces can change.
This also means the key deserves care. It functions as a credential for sending to your broadcast destination. Avoid sharing screenshots that expose it, and replace it in YouTube Studio if you believe it has been revealed. For a first stream, make sure live streaming is enabled on the channel before troubleshooting an encoder connection. YouTube says initial live-stream enablement may take up to 24 hours, so do not leave that check until the start of an event; see its live streaming setup guidance.
Why a Drive video is not automatically a camera source
A mobile app can display a video without exposing that video to another app as a selectable media input. When Drive plays a file, Drive is the app producing the playback. Broadcaster’s documented capture model, by contrast, is built around live video and audio inputs such as the phone’s camera or supported external devices. Nothing about signing in to the same Google account joins those two roles or makes Broadcaster a Drive player.
Screen capture changes the path rather than the source capability. Instead of asking Broadcaster to open the file, you ask Screencaster to capture what is currently displayed on the device while Drive plays it. This can potentially carry the visible playback into a stream, but it adds dependencies: playback must remain active, the screen must not be interrupted, and the app and operating system must permit the relevant capture. Audio has separate rules from picture and must be verified on the actual device.
There are practical constraints even if a test works. Notifications can appear over the video; a screen lock, incoming call or app switch can interrupt playback; and mobile power management may affect a long session. A browser tab or Drive app may also behave differently from another video player. Keep the phone powered, silence avoidable notifications, and do not infer from one successful short test that a long scheduled broadcast will behave identically.
If the aim is a continuous channel rather than an occasional presentation, consider whether a device that must keep a screen session open is an acceptable source. A scheduled playlist for a meditation channel has different needs from playing one clip manually. The key decision is not merely whether the video can appear on screen, but whether the full source, audio and restart behaviour suit the duration you intend to run.
A possible workaround using Larix Screencaster
Softvelum documents Larix Screencaster for capturing and streaming screen content. A cautious trial workflow is to install the app from the appropriate app store, configure the YouTube destination, open the Drive video on the same device, and begin a short capture session. Do not assume menus will match a particular guide exactly; use the current app instructions and your device’s operating-system prompts.
Set up the destination before your test. In YouTube Studio, create or select a live stream and obtain its server URL and stream key. Enter the values in the connection settings as Larix instructs, taking care not to transpose or disclose the key. If you are not ready for a public broadcast, choose a private or unlisted test setting in YouTube Studio and check the current visibility controls before starting. A test is meaningful only if you confirm that the preview is receiving the intended stream.
Then play a representative part of the Drive video and capture the screen. Check several things separately: does the picture move smoothly enough for your use; is the intended audio present; are controls or notifications visible; and does YouTube show the stream as expected? Listen using YouTube’s preview or a second device rather than assuming that sound you hear locally is being sent to viewers. If sound is absent, investigate the platform and app-audio restrictions before changing unrelated bitrate or connection settings.
This is a practical possibility inferred from the documented screen-capture capability and platform caveats, not a tested result for every Drive playback configuration. The current Google Drive app’s ability to supply capturable audio on a particular phone remains unverified here. If the test fails or is too fragile, choose a workflow designed for file playback rather than building an event around an uncertain screen-capture path.
Android: app audio is conditional
Softvelum’s Android guidance says audio capture is supported on Android 10 and later for apps that support external recording. That wording is important: the operating-system version alone does not prove that the app playing the video will provide its audio to Screencaster. App policy, device implementation and the exact playback route can all affect what is captured.
For a Drive video, test the exact device and the exact app you intend to use. Start with a short segment that contains clear speech or music, then listen to the YouTube preview from another device. Confirm that the stream includes the video’s audio rather than only microphone sound or silence. Also check whether the app asks for screen-capture or audio permissions and whether those settings remain in place after restarting the session.
If the sound is missing, avoid assuming that turning up the phone volume will solve it. Local playback volume and audio supplied to a screen recording are not necessarily the same route. You could test playback in another permitted player, but that is a separate setup and should be checked for the same capture behaviour. Do not use a workaround that bypasses an app’s restrictions.
A successful short test is a useful signal, not a guarantee for every future session. Keep the phone on the same OS and app versions where possible, and test again after updates or a change of player. If audio continuity matters to a devotional programme, local news loop or lesson, use a source path whose behaviour you can verify before viewers depend on it.
iOS: ReplayKit and app permissions matter
On iOS, screen broadcast uses Apple’s capture framework, ReplayKit, and apps can impose restrictions on whether their content audio is available to a broadcast. Softvelum’s iOS guidance describes these limitations and the ReplayKit-dependent nature of app audio. Therefore, seeing the video on the phone does not establish that its sound will reach the YouTube stream.
Test the actual path rather than relying on a general claim that screen recording works. Start the iOS broadcast flow, play the intended Drive video, and inspect the YouTube preview from another device. Check whether the picture is captured and whether the sound is present at an appropriate level. If the app does not permit audio capture, changing the YouTube stream key or destination will not make that audio available.
The same caution applies if you choose a browser instead of the Drive app, or a different player. These are distinct apps and can have distinct capture behaviour. Keep the test short, private or unlisted, and do not expose a public audience to a trial simply to discover whether the iPhone is sending sound.
If your workflow needs an external microphone or another supported input, distinguish that source from the Drive video’s own soundtrack. A microphone picking up the phone speaker may technically produce sound, but it can introduce room noise, echo and poor level control. It is not equivalent to directly capturing the file audio, and it may be unsuitable for a long or polished broadcast.
Test playback, capture and YouTube preview
A reliable test separates three questions: does the file play properly on the device, does Screencaster capture the intended picture and audio, and does YouTube receive that output? Resolve them in that order. If Drive itself buffers or fails to play, an encoder adjustment will not repair the source. If the device plays correctly but the YouTube preview lacks sound, focus on capture permissions and app-audio support.
Use a short representative passage, including any quiet introduction, speech, music or transitions that matter in the real programme. Watch the preview and listen from another device so you are not judging only the local playback. Check for notification banners, playback controls, orientation changes, blank frames during app transitions, and whether the session stays active when the screen is left alone. For a longer use, test a duration that gives you a realistic view of power, heat and interruption risks without treating it as a promise of future reliability.
| Route | Source presented to encoder | Audio question | Suitable first check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Larix Broadcaster with a Drive file | Direct file selection is not documented | Not established for a Drive-file input | Do not assume the file can be selected |
| Larix Screencaster with Drive playing on screen | Captured screen, if supported on the device | Depends on OS and whether the app permits capture | Private or unlisted stream with remote listening |
| A file-oriented encoder workflow | Depends on the chosen software and source setup | Verify the file’s audio path in that workflow | Test the complete intended playlist and destination |
If you decide the mobile route is not dependable enough, a computer-based file workflow may be a better fit, especially for repeat playback. The practical guide to streaming a recorded music theory course covers the different considerations involved in treating prerecorded material as the source. For a single live event, the virtual and hybrid event streaming guide may help you think through rehearsal and audience-facing checks.
Choosing the right route for the job
Use Larix Broadcaster when your source is genuinely live mobile capture, such as a camera feed or a supported external input. Use Screencaster only after verifying the exact screen and audio behaviour you need. If your main requirement is to select a file, repeat it, or leave a channel running without someone managing a phone screen, look for a workflow that explicitly documents file playback and YouTube output rather than inferring that capability from screen capture.
Your choice should account for more than whether one clip appears in a preview. Consider source type, sound, how many devices are involved, whether someone must keep the playback session active, and how you will notice a dropped stream. A phone screen is convenient for a quick test or occasional presentation, but unattended operation can require monitoring and recovery steps that a brief trial does not answer.
For a continuous prerecorded channel, StreamNeo can remove the need to keep a personal computer running by taking an uploaded video and carrying it as a YouTube live stream, with monitoring and restart if the broadcast drops. That addresses the separate problem of leaving a file-based broadcast running; it does not change Larix’s documented capabilities or make a Drive file directly selectable in Broadcaster. Check the file and channel workflow you intend to use before you schedule viewers to rely on it.
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 I choose a Google Drive video inside Larix Broadcaster?
That direct file-selection workflow is not documented in the Larix Broadcaster material reviewed. Broadcaster is described for live mobile capture and streaming, so do not assume a Drive video can be selected as an encoder source.
Can Larix Screencaster show a Drive video on YouTube?
It may be possible to play the video on the device and stream the screen, because Softvelum documents screen capture and streaming. Test the exact device and app first, since the result and captured audio are not guaranteed across configurations.
Why is there picture but no sound in the YouTube preview?
Screen capture and app-audio capture are separate behaviours. Android audio depends on supported OS and app conditions, while iOS audio is subject to ReplayKit and app restrictions; confirm the preview remotely before broadcasting publicly.
What should I do before a first YouTube test?
Enable live streaming, create or select the stream in YouTube Studio, and configure Larix with the server URL and stream key if using an encoder workflow. YouTube notes that first-time live-stream enablement may take up to 24 hours, so check it ahead of your planned test.