To show a countdown before the videos in an OBS loop stream, put a countdown clip at the beginning of a VLC Video source playlist, followed by the videos, and enable Loop Playlist. OBS then plays the countdown before moving through the list and starting it again.
A Lua text countdown is a different behaviour: it displays a timer after selected media starts playing in the live output. It is not a built-in hold that waits for the countdown to finish before starting the first playlist video. Choose the clip method for a true pre-roll; choose the script when you want text tied to media playback.
Choose the countdown behaviour
Start by deciding what viewers should see and when they should see it. A pre-made countdown clip is itself the first item in a sequence. It can include a background, music, branding, and animated numbers, and the playlist advances to your main videos only after that clip ends. This suits a channel that wants a recognisable opening before a devotional programme, study session, or ambience loop.
The Lua method instead changes a text source when a selected media source starts playing in the live output. That makes it useful for a timer overlay associated with playback, but it does not create a pre-roll pause. If your requirement is “show 10:00, then begin the first video”, the documented timer resource is not the control that makes that happen. Use a countdown clip placed before the programme instead.
| Need | Better fit | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Show an intro and then begin a video sequence | Countdown clip in a VLC playlist | The clip plays first; later playlist items follow |
| Display changing text when selected media begins | OBS Lua Media Countdown Timer | Text countdown is triggered by media starting in live output |
| Repeat one countdown animation by itself | Media Source with Loop enabled | One file repeats; it is not a multi-item playlist |
For the first approach, the countdown’s duration is simply the duration of the file you make or choose. OBS does not need a separate countdown-before-playlist setting: ordering the clip first provides the sequence. The trade-off is that changing the countdown length or appearance means editing or replacing the clip.
For a single repeating file, OBS’s built-in Media Source is usually simpler than a playlist. For several videos after a pre-roll, use VLC Video’s playlist controls. If you are building a longer OBS channel workflow, the guide to making a sleep music live stream with OBS in India covers related scene and source choices.
Prepare a countdown clip
You can create a countdown clip in a video editor, export one from a tool you already use, or use a simple static design with numbers. The important practical point is that the file must play for the full period you intend viewers to wait. A clip with a silent tail, an unexpected title card, or a black frame at the end can make the transition feel broken, so watch the exported file once before adding it to OBS.
Keep the visual legible at the size your stream will be viewed. A large number against a calm background is easier to read on a phone than a dense title treatment. If your channel has music or ambient sound, decide whether the countdown clip should contain its own audio or remain silent. If it contains audio, check that its level is compatible with the following programme rather than assuming the transition will feel even.
Use a file format OBS can play. OBS documents common formats for Media Source, including MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM. The VLC Video source relies on VLC being installed, so confirm the source is available in your OBS installation before preparing a whole schedule around it. OBS notes that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. See the OBS Media Sources documentation for the source requirements and settings.
The final frame matters. If the countdown ends on a blank frame, that may be visible briefly before the next item begins. If you want a smooth handover, finish the clip on a frame that resembles the opening of your next programme, or use a short fade in your editing software. Preview the actual exported file: an edit timeline can look correct while the export contains an extra freeze frame or unwanted audio.
Place it first in a VLC playlist
In the OBS scene that will carry the stream, add a VLC Video source from the Sources dock. If it is not listed, install VLC and restart or reopen OBS as needed; for 64-bit OBS, use 64-bit VLC. The source needs access to the media files on the computer where OBS is running, so keep the countdown and programme videos in locations that will remain available during the broadcast.
Open the VLC Video source properties and add the countdown clip to its playlist. Then add the videos that should follow it. The order shown in the playlist is the order of playback, so put the countdown at the top, followed by the programme files in the sequence you want. OBS documents playlist playback for this source, but does not provide a dedicated countdown-before-playlist switch: the pre-roll behaviour comes from the list order.
Check the list carefully before starting. Look for duplicate entries, files that have been moved, and an accidental shuffle setting. Shuffle is useful when the main videos are intentionally meant to vary in order, but it works against a predictable opening if the countdown could be placed somewhere other than first. If consistency matters, leave shuffle off and verify the countdown appears in the first position.
A playlist on one computer is only as dependable as the file paths it points to. Avoid moving, renaming, or disconnecting files after setup. If you transfer the project to another machine, verify that the new machine can find every item. For a long-running stream, a local test of the whole list is more useful than assuming that a playlist saved successfully means every media file is playable.
A playlist source and a system that keeps a broadcast running are separate concerns. If you are comparing ways to keep a continuous channel on air, the overview of alternatives for 24/7 YouTube streaming may help frame that broader operating decision. This setup guide focuses on what OBS plays, not on a guarantee that a computer or connection will stay online.
Enable Loop Playlist
In the VLC Video source settings, keep Loop Playlist enabled if the sequence should restart after the last item. OBS lists this option as on by default: it specifies whether the source should restart when it runs out of media files. Confirm the setting rather than relying on a default, especially if you have inherited an OBS scene or changed source properties previously.
With looping enabled, the intended sequence is countdown, first programme video, remaining videos, then countdown again. That means the countdown is an opening for every full pass through the playlist, not necessarily a short timer before every individual video. If the playlist contains multiple programme videos, they will play between countdown appearances. To put an opening before every video, you would need to arrange the media accordingly or use a different production workflow; do not assume Loop Playlist inserts a countdown between items.
Check the visibility behaviour as well. OBS lists the default for VLC Video as “Stop when not visible, restart when visible”. If the source is hidden because you switch scenes or disable it, playback may stop and begin again when it becomes visible. That could cause the countdown to appear again unexpectedly. For a single-scene loop this may not be an issue, but test any scene changes that occur during the live programme.
Do not turn on shuffle merely to make a stream feel varied unless that is actually the desired outcome. A predictable sequence is easier to check and helps you know which video should follow the countdown. If you are diagnosing stream quality as well as content order, the YouTube Live bitrate guidance for a 20 Mbps connection is a separate consideration; bitrate does not change playlist ordering or countdown timing.
Use a Lua text countdown for media start
The OBS resource called OBS Lua Media Countdown Timer by Luuk Verhagen uses a selected text source and a selected media source, or all media sources, to display a countdown after media starts playing in live output. The resource listing describes that playback-triggered behaviour. It is distinct from putting a countdown clip before a playlist.
This distinction is easy to miss because both approaches show a countdown on screen. With the clip method, the timer is part of the media sequence, and the playlist reaches the main video only after the clip finishes. With the Lua timer, media has already started; the script updates text in response to that start. Do not use it on the assumption that OBS will hold the first playlist video until the text reaches zero. The resource listing does not document such a delay.
To use the text approach, you need a text source to display the timer and a media source for the script to watch. Follow the current resource instructions for compatibility and setup, and check that the chosen source is the one that actually plays in the live output. A preview state or an inactive source is not the same as playback in the live output, which is the trigger described by the resource.
Place the text source above the video source in the Sources list if it should appear as an overlay. OBS explains that sources higher in the list appear above lower sources in the preview. Then size and position the text where it will remain readable without covering the main subject. The OBS Sources Guide describes the layering behaviour. Test both the text visibility and its timing while watching the output, rather than relying only on source names in the dock.
The resource listing was last updated in 2023, so check its current details against your OBS version before relying on it. If you need only a fixed pre-roll, adding a script introduces another moving part without solving a problem the playlist order already handles. If you need a playback-triggered text indicator, it may fit, provided you understand that it signals media start rather than delaying it.
Consider a playlist plugin only if needed
OBS’s built-in VLC Video playlist is the simpler documented route for a countdown clip followed by several files. An optional third-party resource, Media Playlist Source by CodeYan, is listed on the OBS resource page. Its listing describes playlist editing without restarting video and folder or file selection, among other behaviours. It also specifies version requirements and limitations, so check those details against the OBS version on your computer before installing it.
A plugin may be useful if its specific controls solve a problem you have, such as needing to edit a playlist during operation. It is not required for the basic countdown-first sequence. A plugin also means checking compatibility and understanding its controls before relying on it for an overnight broadcast. The source listing describes limitations, including the absence of audio-track or subtitle selection and the need for manual folder refresh; those may matter for some workflows, but not for a basic list of local clips.
Use the fewest components that meet the requirement. For a predictable intro, a countdown file and VLC Video source are enough. For a single countdown file that repeats by itself, a Media Source with its Loop option may be more direct. If your broader setup includes long-running playlist rotation, you may also want to read how to prevent duplicate videos when rotating playlists across channels.
Preview the sequence before going live
Run a complete test from the beginning of the playlist. Confirm the countdown appears first, finishes at the expected point, and is followed by the intended video. Then let the last item end and confirm the list returns to the countdown if Loop Playlist is enabled. A short check of only the opening cannot reveal a missing final file or a repeat behaviour that differs from what you expected.
Watch and listen to the programme output, not just the playlist rows. Check whether the countdown text or graphics are legible, whether audio is silent or present as intended, and whether the handover introduces a blank frame or sudden level change. If you are using a text overlay, confirm it is above the video source and remains inside the visible area. OBS source order determines layering, but only the preview shows whether the placement works for the actual content.
Test visibility changes if your broadcast switches scenes. Because VLC Video’s visibility behaviour can stop and restart playback when the source is hidden and shown, a scene change could affect where the playlist resumes or whether it starts over. If you plan to leave the source continuously visible, still confirm the scene used for the live output is the one you tested.
For a stream that should run while you are away, treat this as a content test, not a reliability guarantee. Confirm files remain accessible and that OBS is sending the intended scene before leaving it unattended. The countdown makes the start sequence clear to viewers; it does not itself prevent a computer, network, or broadcast interruption.
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FAQ
How do I make a countdown play before the videos begin in a loop stream?
Add the countdown video as the first item in an OBS VLC Video playlist, place the programme videos after it, and keep Loop Playlist enabled. Test the complete sequence so you know the list returns to the countdown after its final item.
Can OBS display a text countdown when a video starts?
Yes. The OBS Lua Media Countdown Timer resource describes displaying a countdown in a selected text source when selected media starts in live output. That is a playback-triggered text timer, not a hold that delays the first video until the timer ends.
How do I loop a playlist in OBS?
Use a VLC Video source, add the media items in the desired order, and confirm Loop Playlist is enabled in the source properties. OBS lists that option as on by default, but checking it is sensible when you need a repeatable sequence.
Why is VLC Video missing from my Sources list?
The VLC Video source requires VLC to be installed. OBS states that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC, so check that the installed VLC matches your OBS version’s architecture, then reopen OBS and check the source menu again.