BUTT is documented as an audio encoder for sending microphone or line input to Icecast or SHOUTcast. It is not documented as a YouTube Live video encoder.
For YouTube, the practical route is to capture BUTT’s audio in OBS, add a visual source to the OBS scene, and send that scene to YouTube Live. The documentation supports this as a combined workflow; it is not a claim of hands-on testing or proof that BUTT has native YouTube output.
What BUTT is documented to send
The BUTT manual describes the programme’s main purpose as streaming live audio from a computer’s microphone or line input to an Icecast or SHOUTcast server. That makes BUTT useful in a conventional internet-radio setup, where the destination is an audio streaming server.
That role is different from the role YouTube expects from an encoder. YouTube Live receives a video stream containing both moving or still visuals and audio. The encoder is configured with a YouTube server URL and stream key, then sends the broadcast to that destination.
This distinction matters because it prevents a common setup error. If you put a YouTube stream key into a field intended for an Icecast or SHOUTcast server, you are not necessarily converting BUTT into a YouTube encoder. The destination protocol, connection fields and media output all need to match.
BUTT can remain the source of the live audio. OBS then acts as the video-stream encoder that combines that audio with a visual scene and sends the result to YouTube. The sources cited here establish those separate product workflows, not a single native BUTT-to-YouTube feature.
If your end goal is a devotional or bhajan channel, the audio path can be paired with a still deity image, a prepared background or a simple text layout. Guidance on the wider channel format is available in this guide to making a 24/7 Indian devotional instrumental stream, but the routing steps below apply to any live audio source.
Can BUTT send directly to YouTube?
There is no documented native YouTube output in the BUTT material used for this guide. The documented targets are Icecast and SHOUTcast, while YouTube’s encoder instructions ask you to enter a YouTube Live server URL and stream key into an encoder.
So the answer is: do not plan on a direct BUTT-to-YouTube route unless a current version of BUTT, or a separately documented bridge, explicitly supports it. The reliable documented route is:
BUTT audio input → BUTT output → OBS audio capture → OBS scene → YouTube Live
This does not mean that every third-party bridge is impossible. It means that the sources do not establish native YouTube output from BUTT, and you should not treat an Icecast or SHOUTcast configuration as a YouTube configuration.
The advantage of using OBS in the middle is that it gives you a place to add the video component YouTube requires. It also gives you audio meters, scene controls and a clear point at which to check whether the signal is actually moving.
The trade-off is another application and another set of settings. A simple audio-only radio workflow may be easier through Icecast or SHOUTcast. A YouTube workflow needs the additional visual and encoder layer, even if the visual is only a still image.
Prepare BUTT and the audio input
Start by deciding what BUTT should hear. Its documented input is a microphone or line source, so this might be a mixer output, an audio interface, a microphone, or another line-level feed. If your audio comes from external hardware, make sure that hardware is connected and selected by the operating system before opening the software.
In BUTT, choose the intended input and confirm that its own level indication responds when audio is present. Keep the source clean before you troubleshoot YouTube. A muted mixer channel, an unselected interface input or a disconnected cable can look like an OBS problem even though the signal never reached BUTT.
Do not change several parts of the chain at once. A useful order is:
- Confirm the source produces audio.
- Confirm BUTT receives that audio.
- Confirm the chosen output from BUTT is visible to the operating system or capture method.
- Confirm OBS receives it.
- Confirm YouTube receives the OBS programme output.
The exact device names and menu labels depend on your operating system and installed audio devices. OBS documents Audio Input Capture and Audio Output Capture on Windows and macOS, while Linux setups may use ALSA or PulseAudio sources. The OBS audio sources guide explains the available categories rather than prescribing one universal device choice.
If the audio is coming from a mixer, leave enough headroom for speech, music or changes in programme level. A signal that is already distorted before it reaches OBS cannot be repaired by raising or lowering the OBS fader. Conversely, a signal that is too quiet may invite excessive gain later, bringing up noise.
For a radio station, also decide whether you want BUTT to remain the only place where source level is controlled. If the same signal is adjusted in the mixer, BUTT, the operating system and OBS, it becomes harder to identify which change caused a problem. Use one main control point and use the other meters for observation.
Capture BUTT audio in OBS
Create a new scene in OBS, then add the audio source that corresponds to the way BUTT exposes its signal. There are three broad approaches, but they are not equally available on every system.
The first is direct application audio capture. OBS’s Application Audio Capture guide documents per-application capture for Windows 10 version 2004 or later and Windows 11. If your system and BUTT behave as expected with that source, it can isolate the application’s audio without capturing unrelated sounds.
The second is a normal device capture. If BUTT sends audio to an output device that OBS can select, you may be able to use an audio input or output capture source for that device. The correct choice depends on whether the signal is exposed as an input, an output, or a virtual device on your system.
The third is a virtual audio device. You route BUTT’s output to a virtual device, then select that device as an OBS input. OBS describes this approach for applications that do not work with the direct application capture method. It is software routing, not a requirement for a physical cable.
Compare the choices this way:
| Capture route | Useful when | Main thing to check |
|---|---|---|
| Application audio capture | You are on a supported Windows version and want to isolate BUTT | Whether OBS can see and capture BUTT reliably |
| Device capture | BUTT’s output is presented as a selectable system device | Whether the chosen device carries the intended signal |
| Virtual audio device | Direct application capture is unavailable or incomplete | Whether the route avoids feedback and duplicate capture |
There is no evidence here that one route is universally best. The practical choice is the one that produces a stable OBS meter without capturing unwanted system sounds.
Add only the capture path you intend to use. If you capture the same device globally and again as a scene source, OBS warns that the duplicate path can create an echo. A duplicated signal can also make the audio appear louder than expected, so remove or mute the extra source while diagnosing the chain.
Once the source is added, play representative audio through BUTT. Watch the OBS mixer rather than relying only on the fact that a device appears in a menu. A visible device is not proof that the desired programme audio is reaching it.
If the meter does not move, check BUTT’s selected output, the OBS source’s selected device and the operating system’s routing. OBS’s quick-start guidance also recommends selecting devices manually when automatic detection does not give the expected result. Exact behaviour can change between operating systems, application versions and audio drivers.
Add a visual source to the scene
A YouTube Live broadcast created through OBS needs a video scene as well as the captured audio. For a radio-style channel, that does not require a camera. You can use a still image, text, a video file, a display capture or another appropriate source.
A simple scene might contain a background image, the channel name and a small text element identifying the current programme. If the image contains artwork or religious material, check that you have the rights to use it and that the presentation is appropriate for your audience. YouTube’s platform rules and copyright requirements remain separate from the technical routing question.
In OBS, add the visual source to the same scene that contains the BUTT audio capture. Confirm that the source fills the canvas and that it is not hidden behind another item. If you use text, check that it remains readable at the output resolution rather than only in the OBS preview.
A still image can be sufficient for the basic route, but movement can make monitoring easier and can help you notice that the scene is still being produced. A changing visual is not a guarantee of delivery, however. You still need to watch YouTube’s preview and stream health.
If you use a prepared playlist or long video as the visual layer, treat it as a separate source from BUTT. OBS’s documented source model allows you to combine these elements, but it does not remove the need to check their timing, visibility and audio interactions. If the video file also contains audio, mute it unless you deliberately want both sources in the programme mix.
For a more demanding video setup, review the practical considerations in adding a 4K 60fps video playlist to OBS for YouTube Live. The present workflow does not require 4K or 60fps. A modest visual scene is often easier to operate and troubleshoot for an audio-led channel.
Connect OBS to YouTube Live
Open YouTube Studio and use Live Control Room to create or select the intended live stream. YouTube’s guide to creating a live stream with an encoder explains the process for obtaining the server URL and stream key.
Treat the stream key as a credential. Do not publish it in a screenshot, article, chat message or public configuration file. If you think it has been exposed, replace it through YouTube Studio before continuing.
In OBS, open the streaming settings. If YouTube is offered as a service, select it and follow the connection fields shown by OBS. Otherwise, enter the server URL and stream key supplied by YouTube. Do not substitute the Icecast or SHOUTcast destination details used by BUTT.
Before starting, check the selected scene, audio source and video output. Then start streaming from OBS. For a scheduled broadcast, YouTube may show a preview before you click Go live in Live Control Room. The precise sequence can vary with the type of stream you created, so follow the current controls shown in YouTube Studio.
YouTube recommends RTMPS where the encoder supports it. Its current encoder guidance also discusses supported video and audio codecs, constant bitrate, keyframe frequency and other output parameters. These are YouTube platform recommendations, not evidence that BUTT itself produces a YouTube-compatible video stream.
A useful starting principle is to use a conservative output that your computer and connection can maintain continuously. Do not choose settings only because they look impressive in a local preview. If the machine struggles to render the scene or encode the output, the YouTube stream can suffer even while BUTT’s own audio appears normal.
Check audio, video and stream health
Test the complete path before relying on it overnight. Use a private, unlisted or otherwise suitable test stream, and use representative audio rather than a short quiet sample. Speak, play the normal music level and check the moments when your programme changes source or volume.
Look at three places:
- BUTT’s input or level display, to confirm it receives the original source.
- OBS’s mixer and preview, to confirm it receives audio and produces the scene.
- YouTube’s preview and stream health, to confirm the platform receives the outgoing broadcast.
Listen for echo, clipping, missing channels and long silences. Echo commonly means the same device has been captured twice, while silence may mean that BUTT’s output device and OBS’s selected device do not match. If the OBS meter moves but YouTube’s preview is silent, inspect the OBS track and streaming output rather than changing BUTT first.
Watch the picture as well as the sound. A static visual can still be a valid design choice, but the preview should show the intended image and not a blank canvas, hidden source or unexpected desktop window. If a video source is included, check that it remains visible after the test has run for a while.
YouTube’s encoder guidance recommends testing with representative audio and video and monitoring stream health. It also lists codec and bitrate guidance that can change as platform documentation is updated. Check the current official page before settling on a production configuration instead of treating one setting as suitable for every computer and connection.
Network use is part of the operating decision. The outgoing stream consumes upload capacity for as long as OBS is broadcasting, and the amount depends on the chosen output settings. If you are planning an always-on channel, consider the wider implications in how much bandwidth a 24/7 stream uses per month.
An overnight setup also needs a recovery plan. Decide what happens if the computer sleeps, the audio interface disconnects, OBS closes or the connection drops. A local OBS arrangement leaves those responsibilities with your computer and your operating system. A hosted workflow changes that operating model, as discussed in whether cloud services are cheaper than running OBS at home for 24/7 YouTube.
StreamNeo removes the need to keep your own computer running when your finished video and YouTube channel are ready, but it does not replace this BUTT-to-OBS routing path or accept BUTT input as a documented source. If you need live BUTT audio, keep the OBS route and test it as a complete chain.
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 paste a YouTube stream key into BUTT?
You should not assume that you can. BUTT’s documented workflow targets Icecast and SHOUTcast, while YouTube documents entering its server URL and stream key into an encoder. Use OBS as the documented bridge for the audio-to-video YouTube route.
How do I get BUTT audio into OBS?
Use the capture method that matches your operating system and how BUTT exposes its output: application audio capture where supported, a normal OBS device capture, or a virtual audio device. Confirm that the OBS meter moves and remove duplicate captures if you hear an echo.
Does a radio-only YouTube stream need a camera?
No. It needs a video scene, but that can be a still image, text, a prepared video or another suitable visual source. Keep the visual and audio in the same OBS scene and check the YouTube preview before going live.
Why does OBS show audio but YouTube does not?
Check that the audio source is included in the streaming output, that the correct OBS scene is active and that the stream is reaching YouTube’s preview. Also check for muted tracks, duplicate devices and a mismatch between the scene you tested and the scene being sent.