Ask the Expert: How Can I Monetize OTT Streams?

How can I monetize OTT streams?

Answer: Simply put, manifest manipulation.

What is manifest manipulation?

It's a way of splicing together different adaptive bitrate video streams (based on sequential transfer of video segments). Manifest manipulation enables a computationally light way of inserting ads, regional content, or alternate content into video streams sent to multiscreen devices, such as tablets, phones, smart TVs or consumer streaming set-top boxes.

First, it can help monetize video to "over the top" (OTT) devices, whether linear, on-demand, or time-shifted. But more importantly, it can help video service providers replace aging, inflexible legacy hardware, reach all their screens, and drive metadata into the streams.

How can manifest manipulation replace legacy equipment used to reach traditional broadcast screens if it targets new devices only?

When manifest manipulation is combined with an HTTP-to-UDP gateway, it can be used to insert ads on both OTT devices and traditional broadcast devices (such as regular TVs and service-provider set-top boxes). The HTTP-to-UDP gateway converts adaptive bitrate video segments into traditional broadcast. By using it, ad campaigns can be managed across all screens, and legacy ad splicing equipment can be removed.

What are other advantages of manifest manipulation?

It is a cost-effective, computationally efficient, pure software solution, and it can run on COTS hardware or in a private or public cloud. More importantly, it can inject various metadata into video streams to allow service providers to manage client-side video behavior, signal viewed ads, and gather service-improving analytics.

Our Expertise: Manifest Manipulation.  Our Innovation: VDE and AIM.