DocumentationAnalyticsStreaming Media Collection Guide

Timeline 1 - View to end of content

Last update: Tue Oct 01 2024 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
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  • Media Analytics

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VOD, pre-roll ads, pausing, buffering, viewing content to the end

The following diagrams illustrate the playhead timeline and the corresonding timeline of a user’s actions. The details for each action and its accompanying requests are presented below.

API content

API actions

Action details

Action 1 - Start session

Action
Action Timeline (Seconds)
Playhead position (Seconds)
Client Request
Auto-play or Play button pressed, video starts loading.
0
0
/api/v1/sessions

This call signals the user’s intention to play a video.

It returns a Session ID ( {sid}) to the client that is used to identify all subsequent tracking calls within the session. The player state is not yet “playing”, but is instead “starting”.

Mandatory session parameters must be included in the params map in the request body. For information about sessions, see the Media Collection API documentation.

On the backend, this call generates an Adobe Analytics initiate call.

{
    "playerTime": {
        "playhead": 0,
        "ts": "<timestamp>"
    },
    "eventType":"sessionStart, params" {
        "media.playerName": "sample-html5-api-player",
        "analytics.trackingServer": "[ _YOUR_TS_ ]",
        "analytics.reportSuite": "[ _YOUR_RSID_ ]",
        "analytics.visitorId": "[ _YOUR_VISITOR_ID_ ]",
        "media.contentType": "VOD",
        "media.length": 60.3333333333333,
        "media.id": "VA API Sample Player",
        "visitor.marketingCloudOrgId": "[YOUR_MCID]",
        "media.name": "ClickMe",
        "media.channel": "sample-channel",
        "media.sdkVersion": "va-api-0.0.0",
        "analytics.enableSSL": false
    }
}

Action 2 - Ping timer start

Action
Action Timeline (Seconds)
Playhead position (Seconds)
Client Request
App starts ping event timer
0
0
/api/v1/sessions/{sid}/events

Start your app’s ping timer. First ping event should then fire 1 second in if there are pre-roll ads, 10 seconds in otherwise.

Action 3 - Ad break start

Action
Action Timeline (Seconds)
Playhead position (Seconds)
Client Request
Track pre-roll ad break start
0
0
/api/v1/sessions/{sid}/events

Ads can only be tracked within an ad break.

{
    "playerTime": {
        "playhead": 0,
        "ts": "<timestamp>"
    },
    "eventType":"adBreakStart",
    "params": {
        "media.ad.podFriendlyName": "ad_pod1",
        "media.ad.podIndex": 0,
        "media.ad.podSecond": 0
    }
}

Action 4 - Ad start

Action
Action Timeline (Seconds)
Playhead position (Seconds)
Client Request
Track pre-roll Ad #1 start
0
0
/api/v1/sessions/{sid}/events

Start tracking the first pre-roll ad, which is 15 seconds long. Including custom metadata with this adStart .

{
    "playerTime": {
        "playhead": 0,
        "ts": "<timestamp>"
    },
    "eventType":"adStart",
    "params": {
        "media.ad.podFriendlyName": "ad_pod1",
        "media.ad.name": "Ad 1",
        "media.ad.id": "001",
        "media.ad.length": 15,
        "media.ad.podPosition": 1,
        "media.ad.playerName": "Sample Player",
        "media.ad.advertiser": "Ad Guys",
        "media.ad.campaignId": "1",
        "media.ad.creativeId": "42",
        "media.ad.siteId": "XYZ",
        "media.ad.creativeURL": "https://example.com",
        "media.ad.placementId": "sample_placement"
    },
    "customMetadata": {
        "myCustomData1": "CustomData1",
        "myCustomData2": "CustomData2"
    }
}

NOTE: Between AdBreakStart and AdStart events there shouldn’t be any additional playback events.

Action 5 - Ad pings

Action 5.1 - Ad ping 1

Action
Action Timeline (Seconds)
Playhead position (Seconds)
Client Request
App sends ping event
1
0
/api/v1/sessions/{sid}/events

Ping the backend every 1 second while inside an ad.

{
    "playerTime": {
        "playhead": 0,
        "ts": "<timestamp>"
    },
    "eventType": "ping"
}

Action 5.2 - Ad ping 2

Action
Action Timeline (Seconds)
Playhead position (Seconds)
Client Request
App sends ping event
2
0
/api/v1/sessions/{sid}/events

Ping the backend every 1 second while inside an ad.

{
    "playerTime": {
        "playhead": 0,
        "ts": "<timestamp>"
    },
    "eventType": "ping"
}

Action 5.3 - Ad ping 3

Action
Action Timeline (Seconds)
Playhead position (Seconds)
Client Request
App sends ping event
3
0
/api/v1/sessions/{sid}/events

Ping the backend every 1 second while inside an ad.

NOTE
Subsequent ads in the timeline will skip showing the series of one-second pings
in the interest of brevity…
{
    "playerTime": {
        "playhead": 0,
        "ts": "<timestamp>"
    },
    "eventType": "ping"
}

Action 6 - Ad complete

Action
Action Timeline (Seconds)
Playhead position (Seconds)
Client Request
Track pre-roll Ad #1 complete
15
0
/api/v1/sessions/{sid}/events

Track the end of the first pre-roll ad.

{
    "playerTime": {
        "playhead": 0,
        "ts": "<timestamp>"
    },
    "eventType": "adComplete"
}

Action 7 - Ad start

Action
Action Timeline (Seconds)
Playhead position (Seconds)
Client Request
Track pre-roll Ad #2 start
15
0
/api/v1/sessions/{sid}/events

Track the start of the second pre-roll ad, which is 7 seconds long.

{
    "playerTime": {
        "playhead": 0,
        "ts": "<timestamp>"
    },
    "eventType": "adStart",
    "params": {
        "media.ad.podFriendlyName": "ad_pod1",
        "media.ad.name": "Ad 2",
        "media.ad.id": "002",
        "media.ad.length": 7,
        "media.ad.podPosition": 1,
        "media.ad.playerName": "Sample Player",
        "media.ad.advertiser": "Ad Guys",
        "media.ad.campaignId": "2",
        "media.ad.creativeId": "44",
        "media.ad.siteId": "XYZ",
        "media.ad.creativeURL": "https://example.com",
        "media.ad.placementId": "sample_placement2"
    },
}

Action 8 - Ad pings

Action
Action Timeline (Seconds)
Playhead position (Seconds)
Client Request
App sends ping event
20
0
/api/v1/sessions/{sid}/events

Ping the backend every 1 second.

{
    "playerTime": {
        "playhead": 0,
        "ts": "<timestamp>"
    },
    "eventType": "ping"
}

Action 9 - Ad complete

Action
Action Timeline (Seconds)
Playhead position (Seconds)
Client Request
Track pre-roll Ad #2 complete
22
0
/api/v1/sessions/{sid}/events

Track the end of the second pre-roll ad.

{
    "playerTime": {
        "playhead": 0,
        "ts": "<timestamp>"
    },
    "eventType": "adComplete"
}

Action 10 - Ad break complete

Action
Action Timeline (Seconds)
Playhead position (Seconds)
Client Request
Track pre-roll ad break complete
22
0
/api/v1/sessions/{sid}/events

The ad break is over.

{
    "playerTime": {
        "playhead": 0,
        "ts": "<timestamp>"
    },
    "eventType": "adBreakComplete"
}

Action 11 - Play content

Action
Action Timeline (Seconds)
Playhead position (Seconds)
Client Request
Track play event
22
0
/api/v1/sessions/{sid}/events

After the adBreakComplete event, put the player in the “playing” state using the play event.

{
    "playerTime": {
        "playhead": 0,
        "ts": "<timestamp>"
    },
    "eventType": "play"
}

Action 12 - Ping

Action
Action Timeline (Seconds)
Playhead position (Seconds)
Client Request
App sends ping event
30
8
/api/v1/sessions/{sid}/events

Ping the backend every 10 seconds.

{
    "playerTime": {
        "playhead": 8,
        "ts": "<timestamp>"
    },
    "eventType": "ping"
}

Action 13 - Buffer start

Action
Action Timeline (Seconds)
Playhead position (Seconds)
Client Request
Buffer start event occurred
33
11
/api/v1/sessions/{sid}/events

Track the player’s move to the “buffering” state.

{
    "playerTime": {
        "playhead": 11,
        "ts": "<timestamp>"
    }, "eventType": "bufferStart"
}

Action 14 - Buffer end

Action
Action Timeline (Seconds)
Playhead position (Seconds)
Client Request
Buffering ended, the app tracks resumption of content
36
11
/api/v1/sessions/{sid}/events

Buffering ends after 3 seconds, so put the player back to the “playing” state. You must send another track play event coming out of buffering. The play call after a bufferStart infers a “bufferEnd” call to the back end, so there is no need for a bufferEnd event.

{
    "playerTime": {
        "playhead": 11,
        "ts": "<timestamp>"
    },
    "eventType": "play"
}

Action 15 - Ping

Action
Action Timeline (Seconds)
Playhead position (Seconds)
Client Request
App sends ping event
40
15
/api/v1/sessions/{sid}/events

Ping the backend every 10 seconds.

{
    "playerTime": {
        "playhead": 15,
        "ts": "<timestamp>"
    }, "eventType": "ping"
}

Action 16 - Ad break start

Action
Action Timeline (Seconds)
Playhead position (Seconds)
Client Request
Track mid-roll ad break start
46
21
/api/v1/sessions/{sid}/events

Mid-roll ad of 8 seconds duration: send adBreakStart .

{
    "playerTime": {
        "playhead": 21,
        "ts": "<timestamp>"
    },
    "eventType": "adBreakStart",
    "params": {
        "media.ad.podFriendlyName": "ad_pod2",
        "media.ad.podIndex": 1,
        "media.ad.podSecond": 21
    }
}

Action 17 - Ad start

Action
Action Timeline (Seconds)
Playhead position (Seconds)
Client Request
Track mid-roll Ad #3 start
46
21
/api/v1/sessions/{sid}/events

Track the mid-roll ad.

{
    "playerTime": {
        "playhead": 21,
        "ts": "<timestamp>"
    },
    "eventType": "adStart",
    "params": {
        "media.ad.podFriendlyName": "ad_pod2",
        "media.ad.name": "Ad 3",
        "media.ad.id": "003",
        "media.ad.length": 8,
        "media.ad.podPosition": 2,
        "media.ad.playerName": "Sample Player",
        "media.ad.advertiser": "Ad Guys",
        "media.ad.campaignId": "7",
        "media.ad.creativeId": "40",
        "media.ad.siteId": "XYZ",
        "media.ad.creativeURL": "https://example.com",
        "media.ad.placementId": "sample_placement2"
    },
}

Action 18 - Ad ping

Action
Action Timeline (Seconds)
Playhead position (Seconds)
Client Request
App sends ping event
50
21
/api/v1/sessions/{sid}/events

Ping the backend every 10 seconds.

{
    "playerTime": {
        "playhead": 21,
        "ts": "<timestamp>"
    }, "eventType": "ping"
}

Action 19 - Ad complete

Action
Action Timeline (Seconds)
Playhead position (Seconds)
Client Request
Track mid-roll Ad #1 complete
54
21
/api/v1/sessions/{sid}/events

The mid-roll ad is complete.

{
    "playerTime": {
        "playhead": 21,
        "ts": "<timestamp>"
    },
    "eventType": "adComplete"
}

Action 20 - Ad break complete

Action
Action Timeline (Seconds)
Playhead position (Seconds)
Client Request
Track mid-roll ad break complete
54
21
/api/v1/sessions/{sid}/events

The ad break is complete.

{
    "playerTime": {
        "playhead": 21,
        "ts": "<timestamp>"
    },
    "eventType": "adBreakComplete"
}

Action 21 - Ping

Action
Action Timeline (Seconds)
Playhead position (Seconds)
Client Request
App sends ping event
60
27
/api/v1/sessions/{sid}/events

Ping the backend every 10 seconds.

{
    "playerTime": {
        "playhead": 27,
        "ts": "<timestamp>"
    },
    "eventType": "ping"
}

Action 22 - Pause

Action
Action Timeline (Seconds)
Playhead position (Seconds)
Client Request
User pressed Pause
64
31
/api/v1/sessions/{sid}/events

The user’s action moves the play state to “paused”.

{
    "playerTime": {
        "playhead": 31,
        "ts": "<timestamp>"
    },
    "eventType": "pauseStart"
}

Action 23 - Ping

Action
Action Timeline (Seconds)
Playhead position (Seconds)
Client Request
App sends ping event
70
31
/api/v1/sessions/{sid}/events

Ping the backend every 10 seconds. Player is still in the “buffering” state; the user is stuck at 20 seconds of content. Fuming…

{
    "playerTime": {
        "playhead": 31,
        "ts": "<timestamp>"
    }, "eventType": "ping"
}

Action 24 - Play

Action
Action Timeline (Seconds)
Playhead position (Seconds)
Client Request
User pressed Play to resume main content
74
31
/api/v1/sessions/{sid}/events

Move the play state to “playing”. The play call after a pauseStart infers a “resume” call to the back end, so there is no need for a resume event.

{
    "playerTime": {
        "playhead": 31,
        "ts": "<timestamp>"
    }, "eventType": "play"
}

Action 25 - Ping

Action
Action Timeline (Seconds)
Playhead position (Seconds)
Client Request
App sends ping event
80
37
/api/v1/sessions/{sid}/events

Ping the backend every 10 seconds.

{
    "playerTime": {
        "playhead": 37,
        "ts": "<timestamp>"
    }, "eventType": "ping"
}

Action 26 - Session complete

Action
Action Timeline (Seconds)
Playhead position (Seconds)
Client Request
The user finishes watching the content to the end.
88
45
/api/v1/sessions/{sid}/events

Send sessionComplete to the backend to indicate that the user finished watching the entire content.

{
    "playerTime": {
        "playhead": 45,
        "ts": "<timestamp>"
    }, "eventType": "sessionComplete"
}
NOTE
No Seek Events? - There is no explicit support in the Media Collection API for seekStart or seekComplete events. This is because certain players generate a very large number of such events when the end-user is scrubbing, and several hundred users could easily bottleneck the network bandwidth of a backend service. Adobe works around explicit support for seek events by computing heartbeat duration based on device timestamp, rather than playhead position.
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