To run a prerecorded YouTube channel continuously with Castr, create a Pre-Recorded Stream, add and order your videos, choose Loop, connect and enable YouTube, then start the broadcast. The playback runs from Castr’s cloud, so your computer does not need to stay on as a local encoder.
Loop and Date & Time do different jobs: Loop is for a repeating always-on feed, while Date & Time schedules a start. Before you begin, check that your channel can livestream, that your plan covers the playlist and loop you need, and that any scheduled time uses the right device time zone.
When Castr’s prerecorded stream fits
Castr’s prerecorded workflow suits a channel with finished video files that should play as a live broadcast: for example, a devotional programme, a study ambience stream or a short playlist of local updates. You upload or select media in the dashboard and send it to a connected destination. That differs from leaving a computer running OBS or another encoder to play a local file; for this Castr workflow, the playback is cloud-based.
A simple repeating playlist is not the same thing as a full television schedule. If you want one video or a sequence to repeat, the Pre-Recorded Stream’s Loop mode is the direct route. If you need different programmes at set times, or want to mix recorded material with live inserts, look at Castr’s TV Playout workflow and verify the output and scheduling limits for your account. Castr describes these as distinct offerings, so do not assume a loop playlist has all the functions of a programme scheduler.
This distinction matters when planning the channel, not just during setup. A devotional channel that repeats a morning prayer programme through the day may only need a playlist. A local news channel that changes blocks at set hours needs a timetable and should test that workflow before announcing it. For context on planning content for a continuous channel, see this guide to streaming Tamil songs on YouTube with a playlist, or the discussion of radio automation with YouTube Live.
Castr can deliver the broadcast, but it does not make the content original, grant music rights, or ensure YouTube monetisation. If your goal includes revenue, treat the stream’s technical setup and YouTube’s channel-level policy review as separate work. Repeating material you own or have licensed may still raise originality and reused-content questions; a technical loop is not a monetisation approval.
Create a Pre-Recorded Stream
Sign in to Castr and open Pre-Recorded Streams. Choose New Pre-Recorded Stream, then give the stream a clear name. Use a name that identifies the programme or channel rather than a vague label such as “test”; if you manage several feeds, this makes later checks easier.
Castr’s current setup guide describes MP4 as the supported format for this upload flow. You can upload a file from your computer or choose media that is already in Castr’s video-hosting library. If the programme is already hosted there, selecting it avoids uploading a second copy. The available storage, media count and other constraints depend on the subscription, so check the plan details before preparing a large library.
Before creating the stream, also check YouTube’s eligibility requirements. YouTube’s live streaming access guidance says a channel needs to be verified and must not have had live-streaming restrictions in the previous 90 days. Make sure the channel you intend to connect is the one that meets those requirements; connecting a different account will not solve an eligibility issue.
Rights need attention before the first test, too. YouTube’s live-streaming terms put responsibility on the content provider to have the necessary rights for the material, including applicable music rights. “Prerecorded” does not create an exception. A bhajan file, for instance, may include a performance, composition and recording with different rights holders. Keep the source and permission records you need, and do not treat a successful Castr connection as confirmation that YouTube accepts the content.
Add and order media
Add one or more eligible video files to the stream. If you are building a short playlist, arrange the videos in the order you want them to play. Castr’s interface lets you drag items into position and shows the playlist’s total duration. Review both the order and the displayed duration before moving on; a misplaced file can change what viewers hear or see for a substantial part of a repeating cycle.
Think about the transition between the end and beginning of the playlist. A loop repeats the selected media, so the last item leads back to the first. If the final frame or audio ends abruptly, viewers may encounter that transition repeatedly. A short playlist also means a viewer could see the same item recur sooner than expected. Preview the files and their order as a viewer would, rather than checking filenames alone.
If you use existing Castr-hosted recordings, check that they are the intended versions and that their audio and picture are complete. Keep an independent copy of the original files. An always-on live broadcast is not a substitute for retaining a source archive, especially because YouTube may not preserve one complete replay of a long-running stream.
Multiple items, storage capacity, file duration and playlist capacity are plan-dependent. Do not assume that adding a file successfully means the eventual loop is within every account limit. If you are close to a limit, review the current plan matrix in Castr or ask Castr to confirm before building the playlist around a capability you may not have.
Choose Loop or a scheduled start
The crucial choice is the schedule mode. For a continuous channel, choose Loop (also described in Castr materials as Infinite Loop) rather than a one-time scheduled start. In the documented flow, an enabled infinite loop goes live immediately and repeats the selected material to the enabled platforms. This is the option that matches an always-on prerecorded broadcast.
Choose Date & Time when you want the stream to begin once in the future, such as a premiere or a planned programme start. It is not a substitute for Loop: a scheduled start determines when a broadcast begins, not that it should repeat indefinitely. If your intent is a continuous feed, check the selected mode in the dashboard before saving and again before starting.
Castr’s scheduling help says the schedule uses the device’s time zone. That makes the computer or device setting relevant even though the stream itself plays in the cloud. If you are setting a future start, confirm the device’s displayed time zone and compare the scheduled time to the time you expect in your audience’s location. A device set to a different region can shift the start you intended. The time-zone caveat applies to scheduling; it does not mean the computer has to remain online for playback.
For a fixed timetable with different programmes, consider whether TV Playout rather than a single looping playlist fits. It is designed around a schedule of recorded files and live sources routed through a Castr livestream. The output inherits the livestream’s player and destinations, so verify the output settings and plan constraints in the current Castr documentation. The guide to setting up a 24/7 stream with Vimeo Livestream provides a useful contrast in workflow, but the controls and limits discussed here are Castr-specific.
Connect and enable YouTube
In the stream setup, add YouTube as a destination and complete the connection or authentication method Castr presents. Then check the destination toggle: the YouTube destination must be enabled, not merely present in the list. If more than one destination is configured, confirm which ones are on so you do not accidentally send the programme elsewhere or leave YouTube disabled.
Check that the connected YouTube account and channel are correct. A channel operator may have multiple Google accounts or brand channels, and a successful connection to the wrong channel can look like a stream failure when you check the intended channel. YouTube should be ready to receive a live broadcast, and the stream’s settings should match the selected destination. If YouTube Studio shows a separate live setup or stream status, confirm that the expected broadcast is appearing there.
Castr’s prerecorded stream is delivered as a standard live broadcast, not as an uploaded YouTube video. That distinction affects how viewers discover it and what YouTube archives. It also means you should take care with the title, description, audience settings and any other YouTube-side details before making the stream public. Check YouTube’s current help pages for the controls and requirements applicable to your channel.
A connected destination is not evidence of content permission or monetisation eligibility. For a channel built around music or devotional recordings, the practical companion to the connection check is a rights review. The copyright and music checklist for live streaming is useful for thinking through ownership and permissions, but refer to YouTube’s current terms for the platform’s own requirements.
Start and verify the cloud stream
Once the media, mode and destination are ready, start the stream from Castr. Because the prerecorded playback is handled in Castr’s cloud, you can switch off your own computer after starting; it is not acting as the encoder that must keep sending video. That is a meaningful difference from a locally run playlist in OBS, where the local machine and its connection are part of the broadcast path.
Still, do not treat the button click as the final check. Open the intended YouTube channel or YouTube Studio and verify that the live broadcast is visible, that the picture and audio are playing, and that the title and destination are right. Observe a transition between playlist items if you can. A quick check at the start can reveal a wrong account, disabled destination, silent file or unexpected playlist order before viewers find it.
If YouTube does not show the stream, work through the chain rather than repeatedly changing unrelated settings: confirm that the Castr stream is started, the YouTube destination is enabled, the connected channel is the intended one, and the channel can livestream. Check the relevant Castr and YouTube status messages and current help documentation. Avoid assuming that a saved configuration is equivalent to a running broadcast.
Plan for the archive separately. YouTube says that a live stream under 12 hours can be automatically archived, while streams longer than 12 hours may not be captured at all. Its archive live streams guidance is the authoritative place to check the current behaviour. A 24/7 feed necessarily exceeds that duration, so retain the source files or make a separate recording if you need a complete archive. Do not promise viewers that a single complete replay will appear on YouTube afterwards.
Check plan limits and scheduling time zone
Castr’s limits are not one universal set for every account. Its prerecorded-stream materials make loop access, storage, file count, maximum file duration, concurrent prerecorded streams, playlist capacity and destinations dependent on plan. Product packaging can change, so the current plan matrix or a direct confirmation from Castr is more useful than an old limit copied into a setup checklist.
Use the table as a decision guide, not a guarantee of feature availability:
| Your need | Castr path to inspect | Check before relying on it |
|---|---|---|
| Repeat a single video or a short sequence continuously | Pre-Recorded Stream with Loop | Whether looping is included on your plan, plus file, storage and playlist constraints |
| Start one broadcast at a chosen future time | Pre-Recorded Stream with Date & Time | The device time zone and the intended start time |
| Run a timetable of different programmes or add live sources | TV Playout routed to a Castr livestream | Scheduling, output settings, destination and plan constraints |
When checking a plan, compare the limit that affects your actual channel. A single long ambience file has different needs from a rotation of many short programmes. Also distinguish the number of videos you can store from how many can be in a playlist, and distinguish simultaneous stream capacity from whether the loop feature is available. If a feature is essential, verify it against your account’s current plan before paying or preparing media around it.
Castr’s product materials describe infinite loop as available on Premium and higher in the relevant prerecorded-stream offering, but the company may change packaging. Confirm the current matrix rather than treating that tier statement as permanent. Likewise, TV Playout has its own capabilities and constraints; it is not safe to infer them from the Pre-Recorded Stream plan details.
There is a separate YouTube monetisation question. YouTube reviews originality and authenticity at channel level, and its policies distinguish reused-content review from copyright claims. A loop that reliably reaches YouTube does not in itself qualify a channel for the YouTube Partner Programme, and ad placements are not guaranteed. YouTube’s monetisation policy guidance is the place to check what applies to your catalogue and channel. If you are developing a channel around repeated material, read the explanation of YouTube’s reused-content policy for 24/7 streams before treating watch time or licensing as the only considerations.
If a cloud-run broadcast removes the need to keep a local computer and encoder operating overnight, StreamNeo addresses that specific operational burden by turning an uploaded file into a YouTube live stream that can continue with your computer switched off. It is YouTube-only, so it is not a fit if your workflow requires other destinations.
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 loop a video as a 24/7 live stream in Castr?
Yes, create a Pre-Recorded Stream, add the video, choose Loop and enable YouTube as a destination before starting. Check the current Castr plan matrix first, because loop availability and media limits depend on the subscription.
Does my computer need to stay on while Castr plays the stream?
Not for Castr’s cloud-based prerecorded playback workflow. Your computer is used to configure the stream, but it does not need to remain on as a continuously running local encoder once the cloud stream is running.
Does Date & Time make the stream repeat continuously?
No. Date & Time schedules a future start, while Loop is the mode for continuous repeat playback. Castr’s scheduler uses the device time zone, so verify that setting when you create a scheduled start.
Will YouTube save a complete replay of my 24/7 stream?
Do not rely on it. YouTube says a stream longer than 12 hours may not be captured, so keep the source files or make a separate archive if you need the full programme.