Best OBS and FFmpeg Configurations for Continuous Cloud Broadcasts

Why FFmpeg Powers High-Efficiency Cloud Broadcasts

While OBS Studio is great for interactive desktop streaming with webcams and overlays, headless cloud servers rely on FFmpeg for ultra-low memory and CPU overhead. A single lightweight cloud instance can effortlessly stream a continuous 1080p video loop using only a fraction of system resources.

The Core FFmpeg Infinite Loop Command

Here is an example of an industrial-grade FFmpeg command tailored for uninterrupted RTMP streaming to YouTube:

ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i "input_video.mp4" \
  -c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -b:v 4500k -maxrate 4500k -bufsize 9000k \
  -pix_fmt yuv420p -g 60 -keyint_min 60 -sc_threshold 0 \
  -c:a aac -b:a 160k -ar 44100 \
  -f flv "rtmp://a.rtmp.youtube.com/live2/YOUR_STREAM_KEY"

Command Flags Breakdown

• -stream_loop -1: Tells FFmpeg to loop the source video seamlessly forever without terminating.
• -re: Reads input at the native video framerate to maintain accurate realtime broadcast speed.
• -g 60 -keyint_min 60: Enforces a strict 2-second keyframe interval required by YouTube's transcoder.
• -pix_fmt yuv420p: Guarantees universal playback compatibility on all web and mobile client devices.