If you are looking for a datarhei Restreamer setting that crossfades prerecorded playlist videos or loops the playlist on YouTube, the reviewed documentation does not describe one. It covers publishing a source to YouTube and configuring HLS output; its HLS “playlist” is a list of video segments, not a queue of separate prerecorded files.
There is a similarly named but separate product, Restream, with a hosted prerecorded-event feature. Its documented looping and playlist behaviour is different, so first identify which product and which kind of loop you mean before changing settings.
What a seamless prerecorded loop would need
A sequence that plays several prerecorded videos continuously needs more than a YouTube stream key and a playlist file. Something must decide when one item ends, start the next item, manage any gaps or overlaps, and return to the first item when the final one finishes. If you expect a fade or crossfade, the workflow also needs a way to mix the outgoing and incoming pictures and sound for a defined interval.
Those are transitions between media items. They are not the same as dividing one encoded stream into small delivery segments. A stream can be packaged into HLS segments while carrying a single source, and segment boundaries do not by themselves add a fade, remove a gap between two files, or cause a collection of videos to repeat.
It also helps to separate two meanings of “YouTube playlist loop”. A viewer can loop a playlist during playback in YouTube; that controls playback for that viewer. An encoder-originated YouTube Live broadcast is different: a publishing workflow sends a live source to the channel. The documentation considered here addresses source publication and prerecorded-stream scheduling, not a viewer playback control.
For a devotional channel, for example, you might want a bhajan video to move directly into an aarti recording and then return to the first video. That requires an item-by-item sequence and a repeat rule. A control labelled “HLS playlist size” would not establish either behaviour, regardless of the number entered.
If your actual need is only to broadcast one long file, the problem is simpler: you need a workflow that republishes or repeats that file, rather than a per-video transition. If you need a curated sequence with a particular order, boundary behaviour matters. The source documentation does not provide enough information to prescribe a tested, gapless workflow for datarhei Restreamer, so do not infer one from similarly named controls.
What datarhei Restreamer documents
The datarhei guide titled “How can I use YouTube with the Restreamer?” describes publishing a video source through Restreamer’s Publication Service with a valid YouTube streaming ID. That is the relevant documented path when you have a source to send to YouTube. The guide does not describe a prerecorded-video playlist editor, a transition duration, a fade control, or a rule for replaying a list of video files. Read datarhei’s YouTube guide.
This distinction matters when diagnosing an apparent missing setting. A publication guide can explain how to get a source to a destination without specifying how that source is assembled from multiple files. If a separate program or process prepares the source, its sequencing behaviour belongs to that workflow; the publication settings alone do not make it a video playlist.
The datarhei guide also advises ending the stream on YouTube first after an event. It warns that interrupting the stream from Restreamer may prevent YouTube from saving the live stream in its DVR archive. Treat that as a stream-ending detail, not as a transition instruction: it concerns how the broadcast is concluded, not how one prerecorded item becomes another.
Before configuring anything, write down the exact job you expect the software to do: publish one source, package HLS output, play a sequence of files, repeat one file, or repeat a sequence. These are separate tasks. If a setting or guide does not explicitly describe the task you need, avoid treating a similar label as proof that it does.
This is useful when a channel has been running reliably with one source but a new schedule adds several recordings. Keep the existing YouTube publication step distinct from the component that selects and orders the recordings. If the latter is undocumented for your setup, test it separately rather than assuming a successful connection to YouTube proves that sequencing works.
HLS segment lists are not video playlists
The “Processing and Control” page in the datarhei manual discusses HLS output and stream-process behaviour. Its use of “playlist” refers to the HLS list of media segments used to deliver a stream, not to a list of complete prerecorded videos selected for a broadcast. See datarhei’s Processing and Control documentation.
The page recommends a 2-second HLS segment length and a default playlist list size of 6 segments. It also says that a list size of 0 contains all segments. These are HLS output settings, not transition settings. A segment length changes how the stream is divided for delivery; the list size determines how many segments appear in the HLS list. Neither setting says when to cut between two source files or when to start a playlist over.
| Control or behaviour | What it describes | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| HLS segment length | The duration used when producing HLS segments; datarhei recommends 2 seconds | A fade, crossfade or gapless cut between prerecorded videos |
| HLS playlist list size | The number of HLS segments represented in the list; the documented default is 6, and 0 contains all segments | A queue of video files or a repeat rule for those files |
| YouTube streaming ID and publication | Sending a source to the YouTube destination | The source’s internal item order or transitions |
| Separate prerecorded-event playlist | A hosted scheduling feature documented by Restream | A feature of datarhei Restreamer |
These distinctions prevent a common misconfiguration. Suppose a reader sets the HLS list size to 0 because they want the whole bhajan collection to repeat. That value, according to the manual, means all segments are included in the HLS list; it does not mean “repeat all videos”. Likewise, changing the segment duration cannot create an overlap between a closing shot and the opening of the next file.
HLS controls can still matter to a channel. They govern aspects of how output is packaged, and you should use the manual’s context when adjusting them. But if your symptom is a pause between two complete recordings, or the broadcast stops after the final recording, first check the media sequencing workflow. Do not try to repair an item-transition problem by tuning segment length without documentation that connects the two.
For a broader look at output quality decisions, see how to set stream quality for a 24/7 sleep music channel. The address is included here without the space after the opening parenthesis in ordinary use: how to set stream quality for a 24/7 sleep music channel. Quality and packaging choices can affect the viewing experience, but they do not turn HLS segments into a programmable video schedule.
What the YouTube publication guide supports
The YouTube guide is about publishing a source from datarhei Restreamer to YouTube using the Publication Service and a valid YouTube streaming ID. Read it for the connection and publication path, and check its current instructions before relying on a particular setting. It is not a guide to creating transitions between files, setting a playlist repeat count, or configuring a viewer’s YouTube playlist loop.
This boundary is important because a broadcast can be correctly published while the source behaves in a way you did not intend. If the source ends, the publication process cannot be assumed to invent another item. If the source itself already contains a continuous sequence, publication transmits that source; the guide does not define how its contents were assembled.
The guide’s note about ending a stream on YouTube is especially worth keeping separate from playlist logic. If you are finishing an event and want YouTube to save the live stream in its DVR archive, follow the guide’s sequence for ending it. If you are trying to make a continuous channel, an orderly end-of-event procedure does not provide a replay mechanism. One concern is archiving the broadcast; the other is keeping a source sequence running.
When assessing a proposed configuration, look for explicit language about file selection, order, behaviour at end-of-file, and repeat behaviour. If the documentation only mentions stream publication or HLS packaging, those details remain unanswered. Avoid borrowing settings from another application simply because both send video to YouTube; the source workflow and its controls may differ.
If you are moving from a local encoder to a hosted workflow, the distinction between the machine that prepares a source and the destination that publishes it can be helpful. This guide to running a 24/7 YouTube stream without leaving your PC on discusses the broader operational choice. Whichever arrangement you use, confirm how it handles a source ending and how you can observe the channel after a restart; do not equate publication setup with playlist management.
Restream’s separate prerecorded-event feature
Restream, without the “er” at the end, is a separate product from datarhei Restreamer. Restream’s Help Center describes a hosted prerecorded-stream feature with behaviour that should not be attributed to datarhei software. If you arrived here searching for “Restreamer” but meant Restream’s hosted service, consult the current Help Center pages directly.
Restream’s article about looping a prerecorded video says that a single video can be looped up to 10 times, with a maximum stream duration of 40 hours; it identifies video looping as a paid feature. Those are Restream Help Center limits, not datarhei Restreamer settings. The same article says playlists themselves cannot be looped. To approximate replaying a sequence, it describes duplicating videos, subject to a 40-video playlist limit. Read Restream’s article on looping a prerecorded video.
The product draws a meaningful distinction between replaying one item and replaying a playlist. A loop of a single video can repeat that file according to the documented limit. A playlist is a set of items, and its own repeat control is not supported in the cited article. Duplicating items is a workaround for a finite sequence, not the same as a native instruction to loop the playlist indefinitely.
Restream’s playlist article describes ordering and scheduling videos. It says that when playlists are scheduled back to back, they run as separate streams with a two-minute buffer between them. That is a boundary between separate playlists, not a configurable two-minute transition between individual videos within one playlist. Read Restream’s playlist instructions.
| Need | What the cited Restream Help Center describes | Important limit |
|---|---|---|
| Repeat one prerecorded video | A paid video-looping feature, up to 10 loops and a maximum 40-hour stream | This is a Restream hosted prerecorded feature, not datarhei Restreamer |
| Repeat a multi-video playlist | No playlist loop; duplicating videos can approximate a replay sequence | The article refers to a 40-video playlist limit |
| Run scheduled playlists consecutively | Separate back-to-back streams with a two-minute buffer | Not a per-video transition setting |
The figures and feature descriptions above are as stated by Restream Help Center in its 2026 articles. Product limits and account conditions can change, so check the current official pages before choosing a workflow. The presence of a feature in Restream does not imply that a similarly named option exists in Restreamer, and the two products should not be treated as interchangeable.
If you want a transition that preserves continuous audio or includes a crossfade, the cited Restream pages do not document such a control either. They explain looping and playlist scheduling at a broader level. Confirm the exact behaviour you need against current product documentation rather than interpreting the word “playlist” as a promise of gapless playback.
Check whether another workflow fits
Start by describing the desired output in plain terms. Is it one file that repeats, several files in a fixed order, a collection that changes each day, or a viewer-facing YouTube playlist that people can browse? A single repeating file has different requirements from a sequence of recordings, and neither is identical to a YouTube viewer’s playback controls.
Then check whether the software responsible for assembling the source explicitly documents the behaviour. For a multi-file stream, look for an item order, a way to define what happens at the end of each file, a repeat rule, and a clear description of whether boundaries are cuts, gaps, or overlaps. If you need a fade, confirm that the chosen workflow offers one and how it treats audio. The documentation reviewed for datarhei Restreamer does not answer those transition questions, so this article cannot specify a tested setting combination for them.
A local encoder workflow may suit you if you need direct control over a media sequence and are comfortable configuring and monitoring the computer that produces it. A hosted prerecorded-event tool may suit you if its documented scheduling and loop behaviour fits the task and you accept its limits. A source-publishing service is relevant when you already have a source to publish, but it should not be selected on the assumption that it will also edit a sequence of files.
For a finite programme, you can test with short, non-critical material before making it part of an overnight channel. Observe the boundary between items, the sound at that boundary, what happens when the last item ends, and whether the broadcast remains live. Keep a record of the actual workflow and version you used. This is a practical test plan, not evidence that any undocumented feature exists or that the same outcome will hold after a software change.
If your content is a long video rather than a rotation, compare the trade-offs of running it from a VPS or another arrangement in the guide to reducing VPS costs for a nonstop prerecorded YouTube stream. The relevant question is not which workflow sounds more seamless in a product description; it is which one documents the source behaviour you need and leaves you with a way to recover when the source stops.
Do not add an encoder, storage device, or server on the assumption that hardware alone will create video transitions. The decision belongs to the media workflow and its documented controls. More equipment may alter where the work runs, but it cannot be treated as proof of a playlist loop or crossfade feature.
Set expectations before configuring
Before you change HLS values, make a short checklist: product name, source type, desired sequence, desired end behaviour, and the documentation page that describes each control. If your desired behaviour is a seamless repeating list of prerecorded files and you cannot point to a documented setting for it, the honest answer is that the reviewed material is insufficient to configure it. Ask the product’s support team or consult its current documentation rather than guessing.
Treat the words “playlist”, “loop”, and “stream” in context. An HLS playlist is a delivery list of segments. A hosted prerecorded playlist is a scheduled collection of video items. A YouTube live stream is the published broadcast. A viewer looping a YouTube playlist is a playback action. Similar vocabulary does not make the underlying controls equivalent.
If the workflow is important to a channel that runs overnight, test beyond the initial start. Confirm what happens at each file boundary and at the end of the overall sequence; inspect the live broadcast after a restart or interruption; and make sure the person responsible knows how to restore it. This is operational caution, not a promise of uninterrupted service. A channel can be correctly configured for publication and still need attention when its source or schedule ends.
The same discipline applies when comparing file formats and encoder settings. For example, converting HEVC videos to H.264 for an OBS YouTube playlist addresses compatibility in a different workflow. Format compatibility can help a source play, but it does not tell you whether a product provides per-item fades or repeats a whole playlist.
The practical conclusion is narrow: the reviewed datarhei pages do not document a control for transitions between prerecorded playlist videos or for looping such a playlist to YouTube. They document publication and HLS processing. Restream’s separate hosted prerecorded-event feature documents a single-video loop and playlist scheduling with distinct limitations, so choose it only if those documented behaviours match what you need.
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FAQ
Does datarhei Restreamer have a playlist transition setting?
The reviewed datarhei documentation does not describe a control for transitions between prerecorded playlist videos. Its HLS settings concern segments in a stream, and its YouTube guide covers publishing a source. Check current official documentation for changes rather than inferring a transition feature from the word “playlist”.
Does an HLS playlist list videos?
Not in the Processing and Control page discussed here. There, “playlist” refers to an HLS segment list used to deliver a stream. The documented segment length and list size do not define a sequence of separate prerecorded video files.
Can Restream loop a playlist of prerecorded videos?
Restream’s cited Help Center article says playlists do not support looping, although videos can be duplicated to approximate a replay sequence within its stated playlist limit. Its single-video looping feature is separate and has its own documented limits. These features belong to Restream’s hosted prerecorded-event service, not datarhei Restreamer.
Does the two-minute buffer create a transition between playlist videos?
No. Restream describes a two-minute buffer between separate playlists scheduled back to back, which run as separate streams. That does not document a two-minute transition between items inside a playlist or a fade between videos.