A recorded lecture can play in an OBS scene while a static image supplies a consistent visual, such as a course title card or lecture series graphic. To make the video repeat, add it as an OBS Media Source and switch on Loop; then test the scene and YouTube connection before treating it as a long-running broadcast.
The setup can keep sending a live picture while OBS and the computer remain operational, but “24/7” is a target, not a promise that one broadcast will stay online or be archived in full. This guide separates the scene-building steps from the practical limits of continuous streaming and YouTube replays.
Prepare the lecture video and still image
Start with the lecture recording you intend to show and a still image that makes sense when viewers arrive part-way through. The image might contain the course name, speaker, topic, or a short note that the lecture is prerecorded. Avoid placing small text near the edges: it may be difficult to read on a phone or after the image is fitted to a different canvas shape.
Check the recording before opening OBS. Confirm that the file plays from beginning to end, that the sound is audible, and that it does not include a long blank section or an accidental ending. If the lecture has slides, captions, music, or video clips, check that you have the rights needed to stream those parts. YouTube says live streams are scanned for third-party content, and a match may interrupt a stream. Educational use alone should not be treated as clearance.
OBS Media Source supports common video and audio formats. For one lecture file, it is generally the most direct source to add. If you need several lectures in sequence, OBS also offers a VLC Video source for playlists, but VLC must be installed; a 64-bit OBS build requires 64-bit VLC. OBS documents both options in its media sources guide.
Think about what should happen at the end before you choose the source. A single lecture can restart from the beginning, which is simple but may make a repeated introduction or closing noticeable. A playlist may give you control over several files, but you still need to decide whether the transition between them should include a gap, a title card, or a brief silence. For more on sequential prerecorded material, see this guide to playing a playlist continuously on a YouTube live stream.
Keep an untouched copy of the source files somewhere other than the working folder if the recording matters. That is a basic recovery measure, not a substitute for a separate archive of the live broadcast. OBS plays the local asset; it does not by itself establish that YouTube will preserve the complete session as a replay.
Create an OBS scene and arrange sources
Open OBS and create a scene for the lecture. A scene is the composition sent to the encoder: it can contain the video, still image, text, and any other visual elements you add. Giving the stream its own scene makes it easier to identify and test than mixing it into a scene used for a camera or another programme.
Add the still image as an Image source and select the file. Add the lecture as a Media Source and select the video file. You can add sources using the Sources panel’s plus button. Give them names that make their purpose clear, such as “Lecture video” and “Course card”; clear labels help when you return to OBS later to troubleshoot or update an asset.
Source order matters. In OBS, sources higher in the list are drawn over sources beneath them. If the image is intended as a full-screen background with the lecture video in a smaller window, place the image below the video. If the image is a title card intended to cover the whole screen while the lecture is not showing, that takes a different scene or visibility arrangement. Decide which presentation you want rather than placing both sources full-screen and assuming they will combine as intended.
For a lecture that should occupy the screen with a static graphic overlaid, such as a small logo or label, place the image source above the video and resize it. For a title card that should remain on screen during the lecture, place it above the video only if you want it visible throughout; ensure it does not obscure important slides or captions. You can toggle a source’s visibility using the eye control in the Sources list.
A simple scene is easier to inspect. If the lecture itself contains the slides, there may be no need to add separate slide images. If you do want an opening card, a separate scene can be easier to control than relying on overlapping media. Bear in mind that this tutorial’s loop setting repeats a Media Source; it is not a dedicated scheduler for changing scenes at chosen times.
Fit the visual to the canvas
The canvas is the frame OBS sends to the stream. If the lecture’s proportions differ from the canvas, OBS may leave empty space or crop content when you transform the source. The same applies to the static image. First decide how the video should appear: fit the entire frame, or fill the canvas by cropping some edges. For lecture slides, fitting the whole image is usually safer because cropping can remove text or slide details.
Select a source in the preview and use the transform options to fit it to the canvas. OBS provides a “Fit to Screen” transform for fitting the complete source within the frame, while “Stretch to Screen” can distort its proportions. Stretching a lecture is rarely useful: circles may become ovals and text may look unnaturally wide. If fitting leaves bars around the lecture, you can use the still image as a background behind it, or accept the bars rather than losing slide content.
Check the result at the actual canvas shape you plan to stream. The preview should show the entire slide, including any captions or speaker names near the edges. If the static visual is a background, make sure it fills the canvas and that the lecture sits above it. If it is an overlay, inspect whether it covers anything viewers need to read. A thumbnail-sized graphic in the corner can become a distraction when repeated for hours.
Use OBS’s canvas and output settings deliberately rather than changing dimensions to force a single source to fit. YouTube’s recommended encoder settings depend on the resolution and frame rate, and the bitrate must suit the available upload connection. The figures in YouTube’s encoder settings guidance apply to specific formats; they are not universal OBS values. If you stream at H.264 1080p and 30 frames per second, YouTube lists a recommended bitrate of 14 Mbps and a minimum of 5 Mbps. Treat those as platform guidance for that case, not a guarantee that a connection will sustain it.
Enable Loop on the lecture Media Source
Select the lecture Media Source and open its Properties. Enable the Loop option, which is off by default. This tells OBS to restart that source when playback reaches the end. Start playback in the preview and let the file reach its ending during a test, so you can see whether the return to the beginning is clean enough for your use.
Looping does not repair the file or smooth over a pause encoded at the end. If the lecture ends with several seconds of silence, the silence will repeat too. If the end and beginning have different audio levels, listeners may hear the change each time. Trim or prepare the video separately if you need a different transition, then test the revised file in OBS.
For more than one lecture, the choice is between single-file simplicity and playlist control. VLC Video can play a playlist and offers a Loop Playlist property. That can suit a set of lessons, but check its end-to-start behaviour and confirm VLC is available in the same environment as OBS. The built-in Media Source Loop is the simpler documented control for one lecture; it is not an automatic programme scheduler.
You can also decide whether the image should be visible during every repeat. A background remains visible behind the video as long as the video does not cover the full canvas. A full-screen image above the video will hide it. To show the video while it plays and a still between lectures, use separate scenes and test the transitions; simply enabling Loop will not switch scenes for you.
If you need a more detailed discussion of a playlist-based setup, the article on streaming a podcast playlist from a Mac mini explores a related source-management problem. Its device-specific context is different, but the distinction between handling one file and arranging several files remains useful.
Connect the scene to a YouTube Live stream
In YouTube Live Control Room, create or select a stream and follow YouTube’s encoder setup instructions. OBS needs the YouTube server URL and stream key. Enter them in the OBS streaming settings, taking care not to reveal the key in a screenshot or share it in a public chat. The key allows an encoder to send video to your channel, so treat it as a credential.
YouTube’s encoder setup instructions describe where to find the stream details. YouTube also says that first-time live-stream enablement may take up to 24 hours. A channel must meet YouTube’s current eligibility conditions, including verification and having no live-streaming restrictions in the preceding 90 days. Check the current official help page before scheduling a first broadcast, since platform requirements can change.
In OBS, select the appropriate YouTube service or enter the supplied server details if you are configuring it manually. Paste the stream key into the key field and save the settings. Keep the scene preview visible while you prepare to go live so you can see what the encoder will send. The stream is not the same as a YouTube upload: OBS is transmitting a live programme assembled from the scene.
If the same computer must remain on for the scene to keep being sent, account for its power, network connection, and the OBS session. A sleeping computer, closed application, or lost connection can stop the feed. If you are comparing a desktop setup with a cloud-based approach, the operational distinction is whether your own computer must stay on; see the discussion of whether a 24/7 streaming service keeps running when your PC is off. The right arrangement depends on what you can monitor and maintain.
Test playback, audio, and preview
Test locally before starting a public stream. In OBS, verify that the lecture plays, the image is placed correctly, the audio meter responds, and the sound is neither silent nor unexpectedly loud. Listen through the transition at the end of the file and into the next loop. Watch the preview long enough to notice a source that freezes, disappears, or is hidden by another layer.
A useful test is specific rather than ceremonial. Seek or wait near the end of the lecture, observe the restart, then check the first moments again. Confirm that the image remains visible in the intended place and that the audio does not jump in a way that would disturb a listener. If the lecture includes different volume levels between sections, listen to more than the opening minute.
Then make a private or otherwise controlled test through YouTube Live Control Room, using YouTube’s available visibility choices and current workflow. Confirm that the Live Control Room preview shows the same composition as OBS and inspect its stream-health messages. YouTube recommends testing and monitoring rather than assuming a successful connection means the broadcast is healthy. Set an output bitrate that fits the real upload capacity; a number that works in a brief test may not remain stable if the connection is shared or changes over time.
Watch OBS’s connection and dropped-frame indicators. OBS explains that rising dropped frames can indicate an unstable connection to the destination or one that cannot keep up with the selected bitrate. If frames drop, reduce the demand on the connection or improve the connection before relying on a long session. You can consult the OBS Help Portal for its troubleshooting guidance, and YouTube’s live-stream tips for its own testing and monitoring recommendations.
Only after those checks should you switch to the intended audience setting and begin the stream. Keep a brief checklist beside the computer: the correct scene is active, the lecture is playing, Loop is enabled, audio is present, the stream preview is visible, and the stream-health status is acceptable. A test-first routine cannot rule out later interruptions, but it can catch a surprising number of configuration errors before viewers encounter them.
Monitor the stream and plan for archive limits
A looping source and an active YouTube broadcast are separate things from an uninterrupted service. The file may be configured to repeat, but the broadcast still depends on OBS, the computer, power, the internet connection, and YouTube’s receiving end. OBS and YouTube provide status indicators that help you spot some problems; they do not turn a desktop setup into a guaranteed continuous service.
If a computer and its connection need to support a long-running stream, decide who will check them and what they will do if the feed stops. A person should know how to inspect the OBS status, the YouTube preview, and the source playback. For an overnight stream, a test during the day is more useful than discovering an incorrect scene or muted source after viewers have arrived. Avoid describing a setup as “uninterrupted” unless you have evidence for that claim.
Also plan the replay separately from the live output. YouTube states that streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. That does not establish a complete archive for one broadcast lasting 24 hours or longer, so do not rely on a single 24/7 session to produce a full lecture replay. If you need a replay, consider shorter sessions and check YouTube’s current archiving guidance before setting a schedule. Keep the original lecture file as a separate copy if it is the recording you need to preserve.
Rights deserve their own check when you move from a local test to a public broadcast. YouTube says its systems scan live streams for matches to third-party material. A match can replace the stream with a placeholder and prompt a warning; unresolved issues can interrupt or end it. YouTube’s copyright guidance for live streams explains that a rights-holder may need to add your channel to a Content ID allowlist when you have licensed material. A licence alone may not prevent an interruption if that step is not handled. Check rights for the lecture, slides, music, clips, and any background artwork.
If the ongoing task of keeping a local computer awake and the feed monitored is the part you want to remove, StreamNeo can run an uploaded video as a YouTube live stream while your computer is off. That changes who is responsible for the running broadcast, not the need to check the content, channel eligibility, rights, or YouTube’s archive behaviour. It is YouTube-only, and a long live session still should not be treated as a guaranteed full replay.
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
How do I loop a video in OBS?
Add the video as a Media Source, open its Properties, and enable Loop. The option is off by default. Test the end-to-start transition because any silence or abrupt audio change in the file will repeat as well.
Can I keep a static image on screen while a lecture plays?
Yes. Add the still image as an Image source and arrange it below the lecture for a background, or above it for an overlay. Check the preview to make sure the image does not cover slide text or captions you want viewers to see.
Can I stream a prerecorded lecture 24/7 on YouTube?
You can send a prerecorded lecture through OBS as a YouTube Live stream, but a continuous broadcast depends on the encoder, computer, power, and network remaining operational. Test and monitor the stream, and do not assume that one broadcast will stay online indefinitely.
Will YouTube save a 24-hour live stream in full?
YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived; that statement is not a full-archive guarantee for a 24-hour session. If you need a replay, check the current YouTube guidance and consider shorter sessions, while retaining the original lecture file separately.