The contents of this article pertain only to dotstudioPRO Aggregation clients: clients who deliver FAST channels through an Aggregation/Distribution agreement. The information can be adopted by Enterprise/development teams, however Enterprise clients should develop a content plan/workflow with their DSP representative directly as their pipeline may differ.
This article outlines the delivery requirements for FAST Channel Aggregation through dotstudioPRO. You may be looking for a different spec document:
If you have any questions about our tech specs or the DSP dashboard, or if you are concerned that your title will be unable to fulfill the minimum requirements, please reach out to your dotstudioPRO Client Representative.
Overview
Fast channels are considered to be any extant or ready-made linear channels to be used for distribution to video on demand platforms. The below specifications outline the preferred specifications for deliverables to dotstudioPRO. If you are unable to conform to/secure any of the below criteria, please reach out to your dotstudioPRO client services rep; the linear space changes quickly and many aspects are negotiable and yet to be fully standardized.
A complete FAST Channel Delivery Package Includes:
- 1x Promotional Deck
- 1x HLS Stream with SCTE-35 ad markers
- 1x Electric Program Guide (EPG)
- 5x Image Files
- Content Specifications Adherence
Promotional Deck
A promotional deck is required to pitch your channel(s) to our partner platforms. The deck must be a professional looking full colour document, complete with creative branding, including images and logos, and must be no shorter than 2 pages per channel.
Promotional Deck Contents:
- Overview of channel (genres/style/branding)
- Content highlights (2-5 high key titles/series that would attract audiences)
- Social media reach
- Total content hours available
- Refresh rate of the content
Promotional Deck Tech Specs:
- Format: PDF
- Color Space: RGB
- File Size: Less than 10MB
HLS Specifications
Channels must be delivered as an M3U8 top-level manifest; the HLS must use segmented transport streams in an appropriate bitrate ladder. All manifests and .ts segments must be served over HTTPS.
Recommended Bitrate Ladder
| Name | Width | Height | kbps |
| FHD | 1920 | 1080 | 5000 |
| HD | 1280 | 720 | 2900 |
| SD (720) | 720 | 404 | 1200 |
| SD (640) | 640 | 360 | 900 |
| Mobile (512) | 512 | 288 | 700 |
| 216p (high) | 384 | 216 | 440 |
| 216p (low) | 384 | 216 | 230 |
Streams must include appropriate SCTE-35 ad markers to denote the start and end of ad breaks.
Upon delivery to dotstudioPRO, each channel will be tested against Apple's HLS Media Stream Validator. All streams must pass validation to be accepted by dotstudioPRO.
HLS Technical Specs:
| Criteria | Requirements |
| HTTPS Serving | Both the M3U8 and TS files must be served over HTTPS. |
| Top Level Manifest | Required. |
| Transport Stream | Segmented TS only. Single file byte range (TS/MP4) are not supported. |
| SCTE-35 Markers | Required. |
| DRM | DRM is discouraged. |
| Video Specifications | H.264, main profile at 23.976, 25, or 29.97 frames per second. Stream must be progressive scan. |
| Audio Specifications | AAC-LC, 16bit @ 40khz, 2-channel stereo |
| Loudness | All content should include relative loudness. ATSC A/85 OR EBU R-128 are recommended. |
| Closed Captions | If provided, must be embedded into the stream. |
| Segment Duration | 6 seconds |
|
Renditions (bitrate ladder) |
A minimum of 6 renditions including resolutions of 1920x1080, 1280x720, and 640x360 is required. See below for recommended minimum bitrate ladder. |
| Deletion Window | minimum 2 minutes (recommended) |
| Hot/Warm Backup | Recommended, but not required. |
| SSAI | Streams should be provided clean, without client owned SSAI but with SCTE-35 markers. If SSAI is available, please discuss with your DSP client services rep. |
| CDN | Origin URL is preferred, however if CDN URL is provided, both the Origin and CDN must be CORS compliant. |
EPG Specifications
An electronic program guide must be supplied alongside the live stream. Ideally, channel owners will have the ability to provide multiple, platform-specific, EPG's, since many platforms use unique specifications for their EPG requirements.
When this is not possible, the below EPG specifications can serve as a generic catch-all.
Programming Criteria:
| Criteria | Requirements |
| EPG Format | XMLTV |
| Days Forward | 7 days |
| Days Back | 1 day |
| Minimum Program Duration | 15 minutes |
EPG Format:
| Element | Description | Attributes | Attribute Description |
|
Programme <programme>
|
Parent element. Used to contain each unique programme item. A programme element must be present for each title/programming block.
|
Programme Channel channel="ID"
|
Attribute of "Programme" element. Denotes the channel ID. |
|
Programme Start Time start="time +zone"
|
Denotes the programme start time. Format: YYYYMMDDHHMMSS +TZ |
||
|
Programme Stop Time stop="time +zone"
|
Denotes the programme end time. Format: YYYYMMDDHHMMSS +TZ |
||
|
Title <title>
|
Child of Programme element.Denotes the title of a given programme. |
Language lang="code"
|
Denotes the language of the programme. Format: ISO-639-1 2 digit language code. |
Description<desc>
|
Child of Programme element.Denotes the synopsis/description of a given programme. Maximum of 125 characters. |
Language lang="code"
|
Denotes the language of the description. Format: ISO-639-1 2 digit language code. |
|
Category <category>
|
Child of Programme element. Denotes the genres for a given programme. Separate Category tags should be used for each genre. |
Language lang="code"
|
Denotes the language of the category value. Format: ISO-639-1 2 digit language code. |
|
Series Title <series title>
|
Child of Programme element. Denotes the series title for an episodic program. Optional element. Only required for episodic. |
Language lang="code"
|
Denotes the language of the series title value. Format: ISO-639-1 2 digit language code. |
|
Season Number <season number>
|
Child of Programme element. Denotes the season number for an episodic program. Value should be an integer. Optional element. Only required for episodic. |
||
|
Episode Number <season number>
|
Child of Programme element. Denotes the episode number for an episodic program. Value should be an integer. Optional element. Only required for episodic. |
|
|
|
Duration <duration>
|
Child of Programme element. Denotes the programme duration. Value should be total duration in seconds expressed as an integer. |
||
|
Rating <rating>
|
Child of Programme element. Denotes the programme content rating. Value must be one of: G, PG, PG-13, R, TV-Y7, TV-Y, TV-PG, TV-14, TV-MA |
||
Subtitle
<sub-title>
|
Child of Programme element. Denotes the embedded subtitle track for a given program. If multiple tracks are available, separate elements should be used. Optional element. |
Language lang="code"
|
Denotes the language of the subtitles. Format: ISO-639-1 2 digit language code. |
Sample EPG:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<tv date="2023-02-06" source-info-name="SourceProvider">
<channel id="1234">
<display-name lang="en">DSP-Sample-Channel-Display</display-name>
</channel>
<programme channel="1234" start="20230206152350 +0000" stop="20230206155154 +0000">
<title lang="en">Star Wars</title>
<desc lang="en">A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away...</desc>
<category lang="en">Science Fiction</category>
<category lang="en">Fantasy</category>
<duration>1324367</duration>
<rating>PG</rating>
<sub-title lang="en">English CC</sub-title>
<sub-title lang="fr">French SDH</sub-title>
</programme>
<programme channel="1234" start="20230206155154 +0000" stop="20230206161959 +0000">
<title lang="en">Welcome to the Hellmouth</title>
<desc lang="en">When teen vampire slayer Buffy tries to start a new life at Sunnydale High, she discovers that the school sits atop a demonic dimensional portal.</desc>
<category lang="en">Horror</category>
<category lang="en">Fantasy</category>
<category lang="en">Drama</category>
<series title>Buffy the Vampire Slayer</series title>
<season number>1</season number>
<episode number>2</episode number>
<duration>1324634</duration>
<rating>TV-PG</rating>
<sub-title lang="en">English CC</sub-title>
</programme>
Artwork Specifications
Promotional and functional artwork is required for platform delivery. Since each platform uses images differently, additional assets could be required on an ad-hoc basis. All artwork should use professional, and consistent branding imagery as it could be used to represent the channel to both potential buyers and end users.
|
Name |
Description |
Sizes |
Type |
Example |
|
Thumbnail Art |
Used on card based interfaces to promote the channel. Generally useful for marketing. Working from a larger (4K) source is usually helpful. |
1920x1080 |
JPG |
|
|
Portrait Art |
Used on card based interfaces for mobile to promote the channel. Generally useful for marketing. Working from a larger (2000x3000) source is usually helpful. |
600x900 |
JPG |
|
|
Channel Logo |
Used in EPG and list interfaces that have a light background. Logo background should be transparent. |
300x120 |
PNG |
|
|
Channel Logo |
Used in EPG and list interfaces that have a dark background. Logo background should be transparent. |
300x120 |
PNG |
|
|
Channel Logo |
Used in EPG and list interfaces. Logo background should be transparent. |
300x120 |
PNG |
Content Specifications
Many platforms have rules surrounding the types of programming that are acceptable; there are also rules surrounding how content is actually programmed. Ideally, all channels submitted to dotstudioPRO are able to follow the below guidelines. Ensuring these rules are followed will maximize channel placement.
Programming Rules
Minimum Content Requirements
A library of at least 150 hours of unique content, with a refresh rate of a minimum of 50 hours of new content per quarter. These requirements can be waived if content is especially novel or niche.
Backup Programming
The playout must include backup programming in case ads fail to populate. Backup programming can be defined as short films, promos for channel programming, or a channel slate that denotes the remaining time until the next programme. Backup programming cannot include promos for external channels or advertisements for any products or services.
The assets outlined in the below table are not required but are recommended as a starting point for new channels that are generating backup programming:
|
Name |
Description |
Quantity |
Content Notes |
|
Gap Fillers |
Content used to fill runtime between timeslots. |
Twenty or more clips with durations ranging between 1 and 15 minutes. |
Short films, best of compilations, trailers, and episode clips work well here. |
|
Advertising Placeholders |
Content that runs in lieu of ads in case of missing ad inventory. |
Five+ clips with durations including: 15s/30s/45s/1m/2m |
Short montages, episode promos, and short trailers work best here. |
|
Station Logo |
Can be used to plug very short gaps instead |
One long clip (5 mins) works well and can be adjusted within Veset. |
Video should loop ideally. |
Dead Air
Dead air (silence/black) is not permitted, and the stream must broadcast 24-hours a day, 7 days a week without downtime. A branded slate may be used to fill short gaps between programmes. The slate should occupy no more than 2 minutes per hour, and no more than 20 minutes per day.
Content Rules
Nudity and Sensitive Subjects
The channel must be free of nudity. Programmes containing suggestive themes, violence, or depictions of drug use should be avoided, and may be subject to programme scheduling limitations. The majority of content must have a content rating of PG or lower.
URLs and Calls to Action
Programming must not include URL's or calls to action. This applies to all programmes, slates, and promos scheduled into the playout.
Ad Break Rules
| Ads Per Hour | 10-15 minutes |
| Ad Pod Duration | 2-3 minutes |
| Max Ad Pod | 3 minutes |
| Min Ad Pod | 30 seconds |
Natural Breaks
Ad breaks should occur during natural scene changes, and not mid-dialogue or action.
Video Quality
Scan Types
Source video should be progressive scan and not interlaced. Programmes containing ghosting/interpolation/duplicate frames should be avoided.
Window Boxing
The stream should use the full 16:9 resolution whenever possible. Letter-boxing and pillar-boxing is acceptable for individual programmes. Window-boxing should be avoided.
Commercial Blacks
Programmes should contain no more than 1 second of black at head/tail.
Contact Us
If you own a FAST Channel and would like to discuss distribution, contact our acquisitions team directly here.
Updated