IMA SDK html5 crash on Video Suite Inspector with preloading media = true

[kevin....@sendtonews.com]

Using the video suite inspector at:

https://developers.google.com/interactive-media-ads/docs/sdks/html5/client-side/vastinspector

Advanced controls => Preloading media: True

Ad Tag:

https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/92056281/VMAPDevTest3_audience_extension&description_url=[placeholder]&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=480x270&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=&ad_rule=1&output=xml_vmap1&cmsid=2460952&vid=1116253

Environment:

Chrome Version 88.0.4324.104
Windows 10

Behavior seen in VSI:

1) First ad in pod plays, then VSI hangs with a black screen.

OR

2) First ad in pod plays, approximately 2 seconds later, the ad disappears from view and the content is visible but does not play. While the content is visible and the ad is hidden, the audio of the ad continues to play till the end while ad events fire as normal. Player hangs at end of first ad.

In both cases: the VSI hangs, pause and play button no longer work, and the time counter shows 00:16 - 00:15 (16 seconds played out of 15 seconds total).

[IMA SDK]

Hi Kevin,

Thank you for bringing this issue with VPAID ads and preloading hanging the SDK and playing audio without video. I replicated the case of of first VPAID hanging at 15 seconds in the VAST inspector and received error codes 303 and 901 for the next placement. 

Taken from our VAST Errors Guide:

Likely cause of a 303 VAST error

This fatal error can be caused when no ads are returned in a VAST response after one or more wrappers. This also includes empty VAST responses from video fallback.

When working with third-party networks, the fill-rate can be less than 100%. If so, this is an expected error. For example, if the third-party expects to fill 60% of the time, you should expect 40% errors.

Recommended action

Publisher	Ensure that the error rate is in line with the fill-rate of the third-party network. Video fallback may be helpful to avoid losing impressions.
Buyer	Ensure that bids are not being returned with an empty VAST response, and that empty responses are not being returned by the advertiser or agency hosting the creative.

Likely cause of a 901 VAST error

This fatal error can be caused by any VPAID error, which could be any of the following:

• SSP VPAID wrapper not buying
• SSP VPAID wrapper timeout
• VPAID creatives required insecure mode
• An Ad Exchange "IMA Adapter" tag is used with the IMA SDK, and a VPAID ad is returned (the "Direct SDK" tag should be used)

Recommended action

Publisher	Ensure that any VPAID creative requests are supported for devices and players. You can use video creative profiles to control which creatives are eligible to serve.
Buyer	Ensure that any VAST responses that return HTML5 VPAID wrappers from IAS/DV/MOAT include an MP4 asset, and that the wrapper is not aborting playback. Also, ensure that you don't bid on impressions without a determined advertiser or buyer, or attempt to initiate a client-side resale.

 

Before checking any further from the SDK side, could you confirm that the VPAID ads aren't causing this issue?

Regards,

Aryeh Baker IMA SDK Team

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