CTV Standard Video
Required Assets
To ensure a smooth production process and timely launch, please adhere to the following asset requirements:
Deliverable: VAST v3 XML only
Creative type: Linear in‑stream only (pre/mid/post)
Aspect ratio: 16:9 only
Video files: MP4 only with H.264 video + AAC audio
ABR: VAST must reference multiple MP4 renditions (“rungs”) via <MediaFile> entries
Excluded by design: nonlinear formats, VPAID, OMID measurement, 4:3 and 21:9 aspect ratios, mezzanine workflows/files
Deliverable:
Acceptable
Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
Primary artifact | VAST v3 XML |
Media references | Multiple <MediaFile> entries (one per ABR rung) |
File container | .mp4 only |
File optimization | MP4 should be “web optimized” (MOOV atom at file start) |
Creative type | Linear only (no overlays / nonlinear) |
NOT Acceptable
Item | Status |
|---|---|
Nonlinear formats (overlays, picture-in-picture, etc.) | Not supported |
VAST with | Not supported |
VPAID Tags | Not supported |
Any non‑16:9 aspect ratio | Not allowed |
Mezzanine workflows/files | Omitted / unsupported (we require ready-to-serve ABR MP4 rungs referenced in VAST v3) |
Non‑MP4 containers or non‑H.264/AAC media | Not allowed |
Rules & Guidelines
Placement
Allowed insertion points |
|---|
Pre‑roll • Mid‑roll • Post‑roll |
Duration
Category | Allowed / Expected |
|---|---|
Standard | 6s, 15s, 30s |
Tolerance | Duration variance due to transcoding should be ≤ 1 second |
Common (approval-based) | 3–10s bumpers • 60s |
Long form (explicit approval) | 1–5 minutes (or longer by agreement) |
Global Encoding Requirements (applies to every ABR rung)
These settings do not vary by rung.
Video (global)
Property | Requirement |
|---|---|
Video codec | H.264 |
Aspect ratio | 16:9 only |
Scan type | Progressive (non‑interlaced) |
Chroma sampling | 4:2:0 YUV |
Frame rate | Preserve source/native when possible (avoid conversion) |
Common source frame rates | 29.97 • 25 • 23.976 fps |
Leaders/slate | None before or after content |
Audio (global)
Property | Requirement |
|---|---|
Audio codec | AAC (AAC‑LC or HE‑AACv1) |
Channels | 2‑channel stereo mix |
Sample rate | 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz (match source) |
Loudness targets | US: ‑24 LKFS ±2.0 (ATSC A/85) • EU: ‑23 LUFS ±1.0 (EBU R128) |
True peak | Should not exceed ‑6 dBTP |
ABR rung set (16:9 only)
You must provide at least 3 rungs (low/medium/high). More are allowed as long as they follow the same rules.
Rung values (per-quality)
Notes
“Target video bitrate” ranges are guidance from the source doc (and will vary by content complexity).
CTV environments may require significantly higher bitrates (deal/supply specific).
Rung | 16:9 Resolution | Typical “Quality” Label | H.264 Profile | H.264 Level | Target Video Bitrate (kbps) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Low | 640×360 | 360p | Baseline | 3.0 | 500–700 |
Medium (option A) | 854×480 | 480p | Baseline | 3.0 | 700–1500 |
Medium (option B) | 1024×576 | 576p | Baseline | 3.0 | 700–1500 |
High | 1280×720 | 720p | High | 3.1 | 1500–2500 |
Higher | 1920×1080 | 1080p | High | 4.0 | 2500–3500 |
Optional | 3840×2160 | 2160p / 4K | TBD | TBD | TBD |
Audio bitrate by AAC mode (per-rung)
Audio bitrate does not need to vary by rung, but must be within these bounds:
Audio mode | Target Bitrate (kbps) |
|---|---|
AAC‑LC | 128–192 |
HE‑AACv1 | 64–128 |
Bitrate sizing formula (optional method)
If you need to compute a target bitrate rather than use the guidance ranges:
Formula | Notes |
|---|---|
bitrate (bps) = width × height × frame rate × VBPP | VBPP commonly 0.05–0.1 for H.264 (increase for higher motion complexity) |