Zixi, AIP Partner On Ad Insertion For OTT, Broadcast

Zixi
(Image credit: Zixi)

WALTHAM, Mass.—Ad Insertion Platform (AIP) has integrated the Zixi protocol with its broadcast and OTT ad insertion solutions, giving content providers new ways to monetize live channels, the company announced.

AIP’s DAIConnect SSAI platform enables one-to-one replacements of ad breaks for live streams as well as one-to-one insertions of ad breaks for on-demand content. This allows manipulation of the stream manifest without altering the video of customers. Composed of several modules that can be used together DAIConnect has at its core the Ad Break Composer, which is used to create user-targeted Ad Pods, the company said.

Built on editable templates, the composer makes it possible to mix ads that can come from one or more ad servers of supply-side platforms (SSPs) and other types of ad bumpers, interstitials, promos and templates catered to customer’s needs, it said.

The AIP Manifest Manipulator inserts the created Ad Pod at the manifest level for each end user, and all ads and content are transcoded on the customer video profiles to avoid poor user experiences. The AIP Optimizer optimizes value of the ad break inventory enabling a unified header bidding auction by connecting multiple demand sources to retrieve the highest revenue for each opportunity. AIP Insight enables the customer to see and analyze data about ad sales, viewership and performance, the company said.

AIP customers can ingest distribution feeds into the Zixi SDVP, control the SCTE-35 markers and leverage Zixi live transcoding for OTT distribution in HLS or MPEG-DASH, easily enabling ad insertion and monetization of these feeds, it said.

Combining DAIConnect with the SDVP allows the customer to have an OpEx model subscription that includes additional OTT services to answer broadcasters and operator’s needs. With the integration of the SDVP, AIP users can now leverage Zixi for live transcoding and seamless delivery of broadcast quality content over IP, it said.

The Zixi protocol is a resilient congestion and network-aware protocol that adjusts to varying network conditions and employs patented, dynamic Forward Error Correction techniques for error-free video transport over IP with 99.9999% uptime at minimal latency, the company said.

It also provides best-in-class security with DTLS and AES encryption, allows for protected multicast transport, provides bandwidth efficiency and enables encoder backpressure, it said.

Zixi ZEN Master is also integrated to enable users to manage large-scale configurations and orchestrate, analyze, monitor, alert, and report on live video streams and devices across the Zixi Enabled Network of customers, integrated hardware and software applications, and platforms and service providers standardized on Zixi, it said. 

The SDVP’s Intelligent Data Platform (IDP) provides the transparency and control needed to guarantee reliable operation. Using advanced analytics, machine learning, and AI, the IDP can intelligently alert users to problems before they happen through alerts, graphs, maps, charts, and data visualizations that enable users to quickly interpret vast amounts of stream data and ensure broadcast-quality results.

More information is available on the Zixi website. 

Zixi will present with AIP on server-side ad insertion (SSAI) from the NAB Show on Oct. 12, 11-11:45 a.m. EDT. Click the link to register.

More information is available on the company’s website

Phil Kurz

Phil Kurz is a contributing editor to TV Tech. He has written about TV and video technology for more than 30 years and served as editor of three leading industry magazines. He earned a Bachelor of Journalism and a Master’s Degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism.