Yes. You can use OBS to play a local pre-recorded video and send the resulting scene to YouTube Live as a 1440p encoder feed. YouTube lists 1440p at 30 and 60 fps among its supported ingest settings.
The distinction matters: OBS is not uploading a finished file into a live session. It plays the file, encodes the scene as a live feed, and sends that feed to YouTube. Set the outgoing resolution and frame rate in OBS, then check the preview and stream health in YouTube Live Control Room before relying on it.
Yes: 1440p can be sent as an encoder feed
YouTube Live accepts a feed from a streaming encoder, and 1440p is among the listed incoming resolutions. For a file-based broadcast, OBS acts as that encoder: it plays your video, combines it with any other sources in the scene, encodes the result, and sends it to YouTube. The file itself does not become a live event just because it is 1440p.
The practical question is whether the whole chain can sustain the settings you choose: the source must play as intended, OBS must render and encode the scene, your connection must keep sending it, and YouTube must receive a usable feed. A 1440p source file alone does not set the stream’s output resolution or guarantee that the live broadcast will work. YouTube also transcodes a live feed into different formats for viewers, so a 1440p ingest does not mean every viewer will see 1440p playback.
YouTube’s current encoder settings guidance lists 1440p at 30 and 60 fps, with separate recommended bitrates for H.264 and AV1 or H.265. Treat those figures as YouTube’s guidance for the incoming feed, not as a promise about picture quality or a guarantee that your computer and connection can sustain them.
A live encoder feed is not a file upload
A scheduled YouTube live event and a finished video upload are different workflows. For an encoder-based live broadcast, you create or select the live stream in YouTube, connect an encoder using the stream destination and key, then send the encoded feed. YouTube’s instructions for creating a live stream with an encoder describe this encoder-and-feed workflow.
In this setup, OBS reads your local video file as a source. It can add overlays, a logo, a second video or other scene elements before sending the composition live. The audience receives the live stream, not a file that YouTube has taken directly from your computer and placed into the event.
That has two consequences. First, OBS must remain open and able to play and encode the source for as long as you want the live broadcast to continue. Second, a short test is useful even when you have already watched the source file locally: playback, audio routing, encoding load and the YouTube preview all need checking together.
If the goal is a sequence of different videos rather than one long file, playlist behaviour needs separate planning. A playlist on YouTube does not, by itself, turn into an encoder feed; see whether YouTube playlists can run a 24/7 bhajan stream by themselves. For a live sequence managed in OBS, also decide what should happen when one item ends and the next begins.
Add the local file as an OBS Media Source
In OBS, select the scene that will carry the broadcast, then add a Media Source and choose the local video file. OBS documents formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF and WebM in its Media Sources guide. The format list does not mean every file will behave identically on every computer, so test the actual file rather than relying on its extension.
Check the source properties before you go live. If you want a single file to repeat, enable Loop. The documented default is off, so a file may stop at its end unless you change that setting. If the source becomes active after being hidden or moved between scenes, Restart playback when source becomes active controls whether playback starts again from the beginning. Choose deliberately: restarting may be right for a station ident, but wrong for a programme you expect to resume.
Fit the source into the scene and inspect the result in the OBS preview. If its aspect ratio differs from your canvas, decide whether to leave empty space, crop edges, or add a background. Stretching a video to fill the frame can alter its proportions. If audio is part of the file, check that the Media Source appears in the OBS audio mixer and that its level is visible during playback.
A one-file loop and a multi-file playlist are not quite the same job. OBS documents a VLC Video source for playlists; that route requires VLC to be installed and has a separate Loop Playlist setting. If your broadcast needs a sequence, test transitions and end-of-list behaviour instead of assuming the Media Source loop setting will manage a playlist.
Set a 2560×1440 output and choose a frame rate
Open Settings → Video in OBS. Base (Canvas) Resolution describes the working space in which you arrange sources. Output (Scaled) Resolution controls the resolution sent in the stream or recording. OBS explains the difference in its overview guide. For a 1440p stream, set the output resolution to 2560×1440; check the canvas separately and resize or reposition sources if changing it affects the composition.
Choose the frame rate to suit the material and the computer doing the encoding. YouTube lists 1440p at 30 and 60 fps. Thirty frames per second is often a sensible first test for a mostly static devotional visual, an ambience scene or a talking presentation. Sixty may be useful when smoother motion matters, but OBS cautions that higher frame rates can be more demanding. Do not select 60 simply because the source file offers it; test whether your system can render and encode consistently.
| Output choice | YouTube recommended bitrate: H.264 | YouTube recommended bitrate: AV1 or H.265 | Practical consideration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1440p at 30 fps | 21 Mbps | 15 Mbps | Lower frame rate can be easier to sustain; check motion in the preview. |
| 1440p at 60 fps | 34 Mbps | 24 Mbps | Smoother motion may need more encoding and connection capacity. |
The figures are YouTube’s current recommendations for incoming streams, not measurements of your connection. The same guidance lists minimums of 7 Mbps for H.264 and 5 Mbps for AV1 or H.265 at 1440p30, and 8 Mbps and 6 Mbps respectively at 1440p60. Do not treat a listed minimum as a good target for a reliable broadcast: leave room for normal connection variation and check stream health during a test.
For more resolution-by-resolution context, use the YouTube Live bitrate chart. Keep codec columns separate when applying the table: YouTube’s H.264 recommendations are not interchangeable with the AV1 or H.265 figures.
Use a YouTube-compatible encoder configuration
In OBS, configure the stream service for YouTube and provide the destination and stream key from Live Control Room. A stream key directs the encoder feed to the right live stream; keep it private, and do not display it in a screenshot or include it in a public scene. If you need to locate or replace it, follow this guide to getting your YouTube stream key and keeping it safe.
Choose a codec that your encoder supports and that YouTube lists. Its current settings guidance names H.264, H.265 (HEVC) and AV1, and recommends CBR bitrate encoding with a keyframe interval of two seconds, not exceeding four. It also recommends RTMPS as the streaming protocol. OBS menus and available encoder choices depend on your system and installed software; select compatible options rather than assuming every machine offers each codec.
The bitrate recommendations in the table are codec-specific. YouTube recommends 21 Mbps for H.264 at 1440p30 and 34 Mbps at 1440p60; its AV1/H.265 recommendations are 15 Mbps and 24 Mbps respectively. Those are published recommendations, not a reason to push settings beyond what your system can encode and your connection can upload steadily. If you see dropped frames from network instability, lowering bitrate or improving the connection may be relevant; if OBS reports encoding overload, reduce the rendering burden instead.
A broadcast can be accepted at the intended resolution while still looking different from the local file. YouTube processes the incoming feed for playback on varied devices and networks, and viewers may use a different playback quality. Keep expectations tied to the received preview and the audience’s selectable options, not just the source file properties.
Verify the feed in YouTube Live Control Room
Before announcing the live session, start OBS and inspect the Live Control Room preview. Confirm that the expected scene appears, that the motion is playing, and that audio is reaching YouTube at a sensible level. A local OBS preview proves only that the scene is visible locally; it does not prove that YouTube is receiving the same feed correctly.
Check the stream health indicators and any warnings in Control Room. If the incoming resolution or frame rate is not what you intended, revisit Output (Scaled) Resolution and the FPS setting in OBS, then check again. If the image freezes, audio is missing, or playback begins at the wrong point, isolate the relevant stage: source playback, scene composition, encoder settings, connection, or the received preview.
YouTube may need time to process the feed before the preview is ready. Use the controls in Control Room to start and stop the event according to your schedule, and do not assume that clicking Start Streaming in OBS necessarily makes the public event live in the way you intended. The test should include the steps you will actually use on broadcast day.
For a long-running channel, source playback and recovery are part of the operating plan, not just initial setup. Decide who will notice a stopped file or unhealthy feed, how the stream will be restarted, and what viewers should see if the source ends. If you need a file to keep broadcasting while your own computer is switched off, StreamNeo can remove the task of keeping OBS open locally by turning an uploaded video into a YouTube live stream; it is YouTube-only, so this is not a replacement for an OBS scene with custom sources.
Test the complete session before relying on it
Run a test at the exact output settings you plan to use, including the chosen frame rate, codec and bitrate. Watch enough of the stream to confirm motion, audio, framing and playback behaviour. If the video should loop, let it reach the end and verify that it starts again as expected. If it should end, confirm that the event does not continue with an empty scene or unintended audio.
A file that plays smoothly in a media player may still create a heavy OBS scene, particularly if you add filters, overlays or multiple moving sources. OBS’s encoding performance troubleshooting guide explains that rendering and encoding demands vary, and suggests lowering output resolution or frame rate when the system struggles. If a 1440p60 test stutters or overloads, compare a 1440p30 test before deciding that 1440p is impractical altogether.
Also test the connection under the conditions in which you expect to stream. A speed test at one moment is not proof that upload will remain steady overnight. During the test, look for network-related dropped frames as well as encoding warnings; those point to different causes and call for different changes. Leave enough upload headroom that other household or business traffic does not immediately compete with the stream.
The 24/7 use case adds operational checks. Prevent sleep settings or an operating-system restart from interrupting an OBS-based broadcast, and make sure someone can check the session after launch. If you are deciding between running an always-on local setup and arranging a workflow that does not depend on your computer staying on, compare the responsibilities involved rather than assuming a particular resolution settles that choice.
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FAQ
Can I stream a pre-recorded video as a YouTube Live stream?
Yes. Add the local file as an OBS Media Source, then send the encoded OBS scene to YouTube as a live feed. YouTube receives a broadcast from the encoder; this is not a direct upload of the finished file into the live event.
Can OBS play a video file live at 1440p?
Yes, if you set OBS’s Output (Scaled) Resolution to 2560×1440 and configure a compatible frame rate and encoder. Check the Control Room preview and stream health, because a source file’s resolution alone does not determine the outgoing feed.
Should I choose 1440p30 or 1440p60?
Use 1440p30 as a practical starting point if smooth motion at 60 fps is not important, then test the actual scene. YouTube’s recommended bitrate is higher for 1440p60, and OBS notes that higher frame rates can put more load on the system.
Does an accepted 1440p feed mean viewers will all see 1440p?
No. YouTube transcodes live feeds into formats for different devices and network conditions, and viewers may choose a different playback quality. Check the received stream, but do not treat ingest resolution as a guarantee of identical playback for every viewer.