6. YouTube
6.1 Overview
The relay streams to YouTube using direct pass-through. To enable this feature, set the YOUTUBE_KEY environment variable in the env/relay.env file to the stream key provided by YouTube.
The YouTube relay uses a simple relay pattern - it forwards your stream directly to YouTube without any re-encoding or modification. This preserves your original stream quality for YouTube's reprocessing.
6.2 Configuration
The YouTube service can be configured by setting the following environment variables:
| Variable | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
YOUTUBE_KEY |
The stream key provided by YouTube. | `` |
6.3 A Note on YouTube's Re-encoding
YouTube reprocesses every video it receives, including live streams. This means YouTube applies its own encoding to your stream after receiving it.
Streams that appear acceptable at lower bitrates on platforms like Twitch will often appear distorted on YouTube after YouTube's re-encoding process. Ensure you send YouTube as high-quality/bitrate of a stream as possible to obtain the best results.
Refer to the Quality Optimization Guide and Bandwidth Requirements for:
- Bitrate recommendations
- Resolution and framerate considerations
- Bandwidth requirements
6.4 See Also
6.4.1 Related Documentation
- Quality Optimization - Stream quality optimization
- Bandwidth Requirements - Network bandwidth guidance
- Architecture - Learn about relay patterns
- Quick Start Guide - Initial setup instructions