Overview

This article explains how creative files are transcoded once they are uploaded to insertions in Equativ’s Monetization Platform. From the uploaded creative, the video transcoding process generates multiple creative files at different quality levels (bitrates). These creative files are included in the VAST response sent to the player, giving the player flexibility for serving the best creative file for the viewer's environment. 

Creative upload with automatic transcoding

For general information on creative upload, refer to the Create in-stream video insertion and Create out-stream video insertion articles.

To use the automatic transcoding, add a creative, enabling the Transcode video option.

Once the creative is saved, the transcoding starts automatically as a background process. To view the generated creative files, click on the creative in the insertion's creative list and navigate to the Creative files section on the side panel:

The creative file list contains:

• the original uploaded file (Mezzanine file)
• transcoded versions at the quality levels: Very High, High, Medium and Low
• if applicable, transcoded versions by aspect ratio (4x3, 16x9 etc.)
• a HLS version; more details in section "HLS transcoded" below    

You can:

• enable/disable individual transcoded versions using the toggle
• add custom transcoded versions of the video ad at custom quality levels (bitrates), using the Upload from computer option

HLS transcoding

In addition to transcoded video file versions at different quality levels, the transcoding output also includes an HLS file for players supporting the HTTP Live Stream (HLS) protocol. The file is a JSON playlist file in .m3u8 format, acting as an index of the generated transcoded versions. HLS compliant players can read the HLS json file and dynamically select the quality (bitrate) working best for the viewer's current network speed (bandwidth).

The example below shows a HLS JSON file (.m3u8 playlist), as sent to the video player:

{
  "outputs":[
    {
      "audio_bitrate":64,
      "audio_codec":"aac",
      "audio_sample_rate":96000,
      "base_url":"sftp://smartmanage.upload.akamai.com/506755/dev/diff/73/a81284/BBB_480_HB_HLS",
      "credentials":"akm_dev",
      "bitrate_cap":3000,
      "buffer_size":8000,
      "filename":"file-4040k.m3u8",
      "format":"ts",
      "h264_level":"4.1",
      "h264_profile":"high",
      "label":"hls-4040",
      "type":"segmented",
      "public":"1",
      "video_bitrate":2000,
      "video_codec":"h264",
      "width":1280
    },
    {
      "audio_bitrate":56,
      "audio_codec":"aac",
      "audio_sample_rate":22050,
      "base_url":"sftp://smartmanage.upload.akamai.com/506755/dev/diff/73/a81284/BBB_480_HB_HLS",
      "credentials":"akm_dev",
      "bitrate_cap":3000,
      "buffer_size":8000,
      "filename":"file-2040k.m3u8",
      "format":"ts",
      "h264_level":"3.1",
      "h264_profile":"main",
      "label":"hls-2040",
      "type":"segmented",
      "public":"1",
      "video_bitrate":2000,
      "video_codec":"h264",
      "width":1024
    },
    {
      "audio_bitrate":56,
      "audio_codec":"aac",
      "audio_sample_rate":22050,
      "base_url":"sftp://smartmanage.upload.akamai.com/506755/dev/diff/73/a81284/BBB_480_HB_HLS",
      "credentials":"akm_dev",
      "bitrate_cap":2250,
      "buffer_size":6000,
      "filename":"file-1540k.m3u8",
      "format":"ts",
      "h264_level":"3.1",
      "h264_profile":"main",
      "label":"hls-1540",
      "type":"segmented",
      "public":"1",
      "video_bitrate":1500,
      "video_codec":"h264",
      "width":960
    },
    {
      "audio_bitrate":56,
      "audio_codec":"aac",
      "audio_sample_rate":22050,
      "base_url":"sftp://smartmanage.upload.akamai.com/506755/dev/diff/73/a81284/BBB_480_HB_HLS",
      "credentials":"akm_dev",
      "bitrate_cap":1000,
      "buffer_size":4000,
      "filename":"file-1040k.m3u8",
      "format":"ts",
      "h264_level":"3.1",
      "h264_profile":"main",
      "label":"hls-1040",
      "type":"segmented",
      "public":"1",
      "video_bitrate":1000,
      "video_codec":"h264",
      "width":640
    },
    {
      "audio_bitrate":56,
      "audio_codec":"aac",
      "audio_sample_rate":22050,
      "base_url":"sftp://smartmanage.upload.akamai.com/506755/dev/diff/73/a81284/BBB_480_HB_HLS",
      "credentials":"akm_dev",
      "bitrate_cap":900,
      "buffer_size":2400,
      "filename":"file-640k.m3u8",
      "format":"ts",
      "h264_level":"3",
      "h264_profile":"baseline",
      "label":"hls-640",
      "type":"segmented",
      "public":"1",
      "video_bitrate":600,
      "video_codec":"h264",
      "width":480
    },
    {
      "audio_bitrate":56,
      "audio_codec":"aac",
      "audio_sample_rate":22050,
      "base_url":"sftp://smartmanage.upload.akamai.com/506755/dev/diff/73/a81284/BBB_480_HB_HLS",
      "credentials":"akm_dev",
      "bitrate_cap":600,
      "buffer_size":1600,
      "filename":"file-440k.m3u8",
      "format":"ts",
      "h264_level":"3",
      "h264_profile":"baseline",
      "label":"hls-440",
      "type":"segmented",
      "public":"1",
      "video_bitrate":400,
      "video_codec":"h264",
      "width":400
    },
    {
      "audio_bitrate":56,
      "audio_codec":"aac",
      "audio_sample_rate":22050,
      "base_url":"sftp://smartmanage.upload.akamai.com/506755/dev/diff/73/a81284/BBB_480_HB_HLS",
      "credentials":"akm_dev",
      "bitrate_cap":300,
      "buffer_size":800,
      "filename":"file-240k.m3u8",
      "format":"ts",
      "h264_level":"3",
      "h264_profile":"baseline",
      "label":"hls-240",
      "type":"segmented",
      "public":"1",
      "video_bitrate":200,
      "video_codec":"h264",
      "width":400
    },
    }],
}