Error in trying to play DASH stream with IMA SDK

[Daniel Dias]

Hi,

I have Shaka Player with IMA SDK for playing Ads.

It work fine with test url of VAST, but with our custom VAST (that has DASH streams) it doesn't work.

It gives this error: [ima.admanager.VideoAdManager] Ad error: AdError 403: Linear assets were found in the VAST ad response, but none of them matched the video player's capabilities.

From what i understand, the IMA SDK doesn't use the current video player (shaka actually) but starts native HTML5 players to play the ads, and they cannot play DASH streams.

Is it possible to indicate the IMA SDK any other player to play the ads? For example, having a seconds Shaka Player instantiated only for using for the ads, that could play DASH?

Or is there any other way of playing DASH streams with IMA SDK?

Regards,

Daniel

[IMA SDK]

Hi Daniel,

Thanks you for contacting IMA SDK Support Team.

Unfortunately, "application/dash+xml" media files are not explicitly supported by the IMA HTML5 SDK. In a multi-player IMA integration (one player for content, one player for ads) IMA creates the ads player, and that will not necessarily match media file type support with the publisher owned content player. The videoJS plugin uses this two player approach.

It may be possible to support "application/dash+xml" media, but you will need to implement a custom single player approach, where that player supports "application/dash+xml". You would load the ads with IMA SDK, then manage switching from content to ads in that player, as IMA signals dictate. This would still be possible with a video.JS player, but not with the IMA video.JS plugin.

Please be informed that we can only give guidance precisely with regards to IMA SDK behavior itself. The SDK can only request ads from any VAST-compliant ad server and manage ad playback in your apps. The video player negotiates the playback details with the IMA SDK and plays the ads. More information on the SDK architecture and lifecycle here.
 

This message is in relation to case "ref:!00D1U01174p.!5004Q02vEKCV:ref" (ADR-00260130)

Thanks,
 

IMA SDK Team

[Daniel Dias]

Hi,

Thanks for your response.

Just to try to understand, you say that we can implement a custom single player approach to use dash, and then you say that this could be possible with video.JS player but not IMA video.JS plugin.

But in fact i am using Shaka Player + IMA3 SDK, so i am a little confused about video.JS, is it the player that IMA uses when playing ads? Or does IMA uses the native HTML5 player?

Regards,

Daniel

[IMA SDK]

Hi,

I am checking this issue and will get back to you shortly.
Thanks

[IMA SDK]

Hi Daniel,

I'm sorry for the confusion, it looks like the previous support technician may have passed on some conflicting info. Unfortunately, the IMA SDK for HTML5 does not currently support DASH creatives when working with client-side ads.

The SDK doesn't directly interface with whatever player library you use for your content. Instead it uses a separate native HTML mediaElement to render the ad content on top of the content video, to preserve the content video's buffer.

Supporting certain older apple devices does require the IMA SDK to also offer a "single player" solution, but this option cannot be manually triggered by developers, because it severely limits the functionality of ads.

At the moment, we recommend avoiding DASH or HLS ad creatives or providing traditional mp4 alternatives on these ads.

I hope this helps clear up the confusion.

Thanks,

Greg Schoppe
IMA SDK Team

 

This message is in relation to case "ref:!00D1U01174p.!5004Q02vEKCV:ref" (ADR-00260130)

Thanks,
 

Greg Schoppe IMA SDK Team