A 4K60 video file is not automatically a 4K60 HDR live stream. To send HDR through OBS, the source, OBS colour settings, hardware HEVC encoder and YouTube ingest route must all support and agree on the HDR format.
You can play the file as an OBS Media Source, enable Loop if it should repeat, then configure and test the output. YouTube’s documented OBS HDR workflow calls for OBS 30.1 or later, an HDR source, hardware HEVC with Main 10, P010, and Rec. 2100 PQ or HLG; YouTube recommends HLG. Your installed OBS build and computer may not expose every required option, so verify the actual controls before planning a broadcast.
Add the prerecorded file as a Media Source
In OBS, create or select the scene that will carry the programme. In the Sources panel, add a Media Source, give it a recognisable name, and browse to the local video file. OBS supports common media formats including MP4, TS, MOV, MKV, AVI, FLV, WebM and GIF. The source plays the file directly; you do not need to turn it into a playlist just to get it onto the scene.
Check the source properties rather than assuming the defaults fit your programme. Confirm that the selected path points to the intended file and choose whether playback should restart when the source becomes active. If you are building a long-running channel, avoid moving or renaming the file after setting up the scene, since OBS must still be able to find it when the source starts.
Fit the source to the canvas after adding it. If your aim is 3840×2160 output, make sure the scene and output settings are configured for that size rather than relying on a preview that happens to fill the window. Scaling a smaller file to a 4K canvas does not create additional detail, and scaling an SDR file does not create HDR colour information.
Also check the audio route. A Media Source can contribute its own audio to the OBS mix, so confirm that the intended track is present and that unrelated desktop sound is not being sent with it. Listen for synchronisation between sound and picture, especially if the file contains dialogue, lyrics or a visible beat. These checks are useful before testing the encoder because they separate source problems from ingest problems.
If the video is part of a continuous devotional or coaching programme, decide how it fits into the wider schedule before configuring the encoder. The practical choices for a channel using a single recorded programme are discussed in a low-cost recorded coaching stream setup. For a bhajan programme, the separate workflow in the guide to streaming morning aarti and bhajans all day is relevant to scheduling and continuity, while this article focuses on HDR output from OBS.
Enable Loop only when the programme should repeat
The Media Source has a Loop setting. Turn it on if the file should start again from the beginning when it reaches the end; leave it off for a one-pass event. With Loop enabled, OBS repeats the same file, rather than finding a different next item or inserting a break. If you need a changing sequence, plan that separately instead of expecting Loop to behave like a playlist.
Choose the end behaviour with care. For a scheduled talk, screening or one-off service, an automatic repeat could restart the opening while viewers expect the event to be finished. For a simple all-day music or ambience channel, a repeat may be the intended programme, but check the transition between the final frame and first frame. A hard cut, silent gap or abrupt audio change will repeat as reliably as the file itself.
Run playback through at least one full cycle or a representative test that includes the end. Check whether the source stops, restarts, or disappears according to the properties you selected. Confirm that the scene remains on air during the transition and that OBS does not expose a desktop or another source underneath it. For more complex intervals between clips, a countdown between videos on a 24/7 stream requires a different scene or sequence design; Loop alone does not insert one.
A continuously repeated file also repeats any embedded mistake: a title card, unexpected pause, or audio peak comes around again. Review the source from beginning to end before leaving it in a long-running broadcast. If the file includes material whose rights or permitted use you have not checked, resolve that independently; technical playback settings do not determine whether content is permitted on YouTube.
Confirm that the source and OBS build are HDR-capable
The first question is not whether the file says “4K” or “60 fps”. Inspect its actual frame size, frame rate, codec and HDR colour metadata. The transfer function and colour information matter: an SDR file remains SDR even if OBS is set to a 4K canvas, and selecting an HDR output mode cannot recover highlight or colour detail that was never present in the source.
YouTube’s HDR live-streaming guidance documents an OBS path using OBS 30.1 or later, at least one HDR source, and a compatible hardware HEVC encoder. Treat that version as a requirement of the documented workflow, not a guarantee that every computer running that version will display every relevant control. Operating system, OBS build, graphics hardware and driver support can affect what is available.
Open the installed OBS settings and verify that a hardware HEVC encoder is actually selectable, and that its profile and colour controls include the needed HDR choices. Do this before scheduling or advertising the stream. If the controls are absent, do not assume that a software H.264 option or a different profile will substitute for the documented HDR route. Check for a supported OBS build and encoder on your own system, or choose a workflow that does not promise HDR.
Your machine also has two jobs: decode the source smoothly and encode the live output. A computer may play a file locally but struggle to decode and encode it at 3840×2160 and 60 frames per second at the same time. Check OBS statistics and test a representative moving section. If frames are missed or the system cannot sustain the required hardware encoder settings, lower the production target or use a more suitable workflow rather than assuming the file’s playback performance proves live capacity.
Choose hardware HEVC and Main 10
For YouTube’s documented HDR setup, choose a hardware HEVC (H.265) encoder and set its profile to Main 10. The profile is significant because HDR video needs a 10-bit path; choosing an encoder named HEVC without confirming Main 10 is not enough. YouTube’s HDR instructions specify HEVC for live HDR, so do not treat an H.264 selection as an equivalent HDR configuration.
Names and locations differ between OBS versions and encoder providers. Look in the streaming output settings, select the hardware encoder that is available on your system, and then inspect its profile options. If the only HEVC choice is software-based, or the profile list does not include Main 10, pause and verify support rather than proceeding on an assumption. No single hardware model can be prescribed from these requirements alone.
A useful preflight is to write down what the interface actually offers: encoder name, profile, bit depth or format, colour space, transfer function, output resolution and frame rate. Compare this with YouTube’s published path. If one of the controls is missing, the intended configuration has not been established, even if the preview looks sharp or the file properties show HDR.
There are trade-offs. Keeping 4K60 increases the work of both encoding and network delivery. If your computer or connection cannot sustain it, reducing frame rate or resolution may be more reliable, but that changes the promise made to viewers. Do not label a reduced or unverified output 4K60 HDR simply because the source file has those attributes.
Set P010 and Rec. 2100 PQ or HLG
Set the video format to P010 (4:2:0) and choose the colour space/transfer option that matches the HDR source: Rec. 2100 PQ or Rec. 2100 HLG. YouTube recommends HLG in its OBS HDR instructions. This is a source-matching decision, not a cosmetic preference. If the file is mastered for PQ, choosing HLG by default may produce incorrect colour; if it is HLG, do not guess at PQ because it appears in a menu.
Find these controls in the video and encoder settings available in your OBS build. Some interfaces divide colour space, transfer function and pixel format across separate menus. Verify that the final combination includes P010 and the intended Rec. 2100 option. If you cannot see or select the needed settings, that is a compatibility issue to investigate, not a reason to infer that OBS will transmit HDR anyway.
Set the output canvas and scaled output for 3840×2160 and the frame rate for 60 fps when that is the actual target. Then inspect the video preview and settings together. A 4K canvas describes output dimensions; it does not certify that the source is HDR, that the encoder is Main 10, or that the stream is being signalled with the correct transfer function.
On YouTube’s side, the HDR guidance says to leave manual resolution unchecked. YouTube accepts RTMPS or HLS for HDR; if you choose HLS, use a stream key configured for HLS. OBS versions and service lists can differ, so confirm that the installed build exposes the intended YouTube service and protocol. For a production that must stay available all day, also consider what happens if the local computer or connection fails; monitoring a 24/7 stream when you are away addresses that operational question separately.
Check bitrate, keyframes and upload capacity
A genuine 2160p60 stream needs a connection that can sustain its chosen bitrate continuously, not just briefly reach an advertised peak. YouTube’s live encoder settings and bitrate table lists a 10–40 Mbps ingestion range for 2160p60 AV1/H.265 and gives 35 Mbps as its recommended H.264 bitrate at that resolution and frame rate. These are YouTube’s published settings, not a promise that a particular connection, encoder or viewing device will deliver a particular result.
Use the range as a planning reference for the relevant codec, then select a bitrate that your actual upload can maintain with headroom. YouTube recommends checking upload capacity rather than relying on the ISP’s headline speed. Other devices uploading files, a shared household connection or a variable wireless link can make a nominally fast connection unreliable during a long broadcast. If OBS reports dropped frames or YouTube flags unstable ingest, reduce the bitrate or production demand and test again.
YouTube recommends CBR and a two-second keyframe interval, with the interval not exceeding four seconds. Set the encoder to constant bitrate where available, and check the keyframe interval rather than accepting an unknown default. These settings help align the encoder configuration with YouTube’s guidance, but they do not solve insufficient upload capacity or an unsupported HDR encoder.
You can compare the practical decision points before committing:
| Check | What to verify | If it does not match |
|---|---|---|
| Source | 3840×2160, 60 fps if required, and genuine HDR metadata | Do not assume scaling or an HDR output toggle creates HDR |
| OBS and encoder | Documented OBS version or later, hardware HEVC, Main 10 | Confirm build and hardware options; do not substitute an unverified encoder |
| Colour path | P010 and the source-matched Rec. 2100 PQ or HLG | Resolve the mismatch before scheduling a public HDR broadcast |
| Connection | A stable upload for the selected bitrate and duration | Lower the bitrate or output demand, then test the revised setup |
| YouTube route | RTMPS or correctly configured HLS, with manual resolution unchecked | Check the active stream key and available OBS service settings |
Verify YouTube ingest and test stream health
Create or schedule the broadcast in YouTube Live Control Room and connect OBS using the stream key or account connection. Keep the key private. Before going public, send a test stream and inspect the incoming preview and stream-health indicators. YouTube’s setup guidance for live streaming recommends testing before a live event; use motion and audio similar to the planned programme, since a static title card is a poor test of a demanding 4K60 source.
Check for dropped frames in OBS and alerts or ingest warnings in YouTube. Make a note of whether the stream stays connected and whether audio remains present and in sync through movement and scene changes. If the connection is unstable, reduce bitrate or output demands, then run another test. Do not treat a successful start as proof that the stream will remain healthy unattended through a much longer programme.
The Live Control Room preview does not display HDR colours, so its appearance alone cannot tell you whether viewers are receiving HDR. Once the stream is available, check it on a device and display that support HDR. In YouTube’s quality settings, look for the HDR badge. YouTube can provide SDR playback to viewers on unsupported devices, so an SDR experience on one screen does not establish that the broadcast itself is SDR.
If colours appear washed out, check the file’s HDR metadata, whether OBS uses the matching PQ or HLG transfer function, P010 format and Rec. 2100 settings, and whether HDR is enabled on the display used to assess it. Avoid diagnosing from the Control Room preview alone. If 2160p60 is not available to viewers immediately, confirm the output and ingest health and allow for YouTube processing; the available playback formats can depend on processing, device support and network conditions.
For an always-on channel, a local OBS setup means the computer must remain running and the broadcast path depends on that computer and its internet connection. If managing that equipment through the night is the specific concern, StreamNeo removes the need to leave your own computer running for a file-based YouTube broadcast; it does not change the need to prepare a suitable file and confirm the intended output. Compare this operational choice with the guide to how long a YouTube live stream can run before deciding how the channel should be maintained.
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 make an SDR file into an HDR live stream by selecting 4K60?
No. A 4K canvas and 60 fps output describe size and frame rate, not HDR colour information. You need an HDR source and a compatible OBS colour and encoder path; upscaling or selecting HDR controls cannot restore information absent from an SDR master.
Why can’t I see Main 10 or P010 in OBS?
Your installed OBS build, operating system or hardware encoder may not expose the controls required by YouTube’s documented HDR workflow. Check the build and available hardware encoder options on the actual computer; do not assume a setting will work if it is missing from the interface.
Should I choose PQ or HLG?
Choose the Rec. 2100 transfer function that matches the source file’s HDR mastering and metadata. YouTube recommends HLG in its guidance, but that is not a reason to convert a PQ source by guesswork. Verify the resulting stream on an HDR-capable device.
Why does the YouTube preview look like SDR?
The Live Control Room preview does not display HDR colours, so its appearance is not a reliable HDR check. View the stream on a supported HDR device and look for the HDR badge in quality settings; unsupported devices may receive SDR playback.