Video On Demand (VOD)

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Delivering the Moment

User Guide

Video On Demand (VOD)

March 2015

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Publication Information

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Video On Demand Table of Contents

Overview of Video On Demand (VOD)

The Video On Demand (VOD) is an Imagine Communications hosted service that allows a television viewer to subscribe, select, and watch or listen to a program or movie on their television when desired through the Video on Demand (VOD) service (on demand) provided by their cable or satellite provider.

The Novar user creates a contract with a VOD line through Novar and enters information for advertising in the VOD content. The Ad Decision Engine (ADE) uses the lines of type VOD to get advertisements to place in VOD content. The Ad Decision Engine is an Imagine Communications product that makes the decision for which ads to place in the avails of a request received for ad placement in VOD content.

The following diagram depicts the general flow of events for processing the placement of advertisements in the avails of Video On Demand content, which is all done in real-time.

Dynamic Ad Placement Decision

Service/Vendor Sends Ad Placement

Request Viewer requests Program

through VOD service

VOD Service/Vendor

Loads VOD content for viewing with ads placed

Return Ad Placement Respose Start

End

Make Ad Placement Decision

Locate VOD ads to place from sales buys

Read Placement Rules Report As-run

Status for ad placement

Sales Buy Update As-run Status for ad placement

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Video On Demand Overview of Video On Demand (VOD)

 Contract  Ad Copy Library

When the integration to VOD is in place, the following attributes apply:

 In the System Configuration, when VOD is set to True, the Linear Lines (contract lines) and VODLines tabs and the Line

Types field in the Contract tab will be displayed and available in the Contract window

 When VOD is set to False, the VOD tab and Linear Lines and VODLines tabs and Line Types will not be displayed in the

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Creating a Contract with VOD line

1. From the Novar menu, select Contracts → Contract to display the Contract window.

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 Priority – Allows the user to define scheduling priority of the line

 Dates – Allows the user to enter the start and stop dates for the line. Advertisements can only be placed from the line within this

date range

 Rate Type – Allows the user to define the type of rate that will be charged for the impressions (advertisements) delivered on the

line. It is selected from a list containing the options CPM (Cost Per Thousand) or Flat

 Maximum Impressions – Allows the user to define the maximum number of impressions that can be delivered for the line. This

represents the maximum number of advertisements that can be placed and delivered from the line in VOD content.

The value entered must be a whole number from 1 to 1000000 (million).

 Unit Rate – Allows the user to enter a monetary amount charged based on the rate type for the delivered impressions

 Est. Total Cost – Estimated cost for the line that is calculated using the rate type, maximum impressions, and unit rate.

The Est. Total Cost field is non-editable.

 Line Status – Allows the user to select a status for the line. It is selected from the same list of statuses used on linear lines. The

default Line Status is Active. Only VOD lines with a status of ‘Active’ are used for advertisement placement in VOD content

 Impression Delivery Pattern

a. Line - The only option for VOD lines and will distribute the impressions across the line date range on the active days of week selected. It will be selected by default and cannot be changed.

b. Active Days of Week – Allows the user to define the days of week on which advertisements can be placed in VOD content for the line. The user has to select at least one day of week that is valid within the line’s date range.

 Ad Copy – Allows the user to define the ad content that will be used for broadcasting the advertisement in the VOD content.

The user can select a single ad copy for the line from a list of ad copy entered in the Ad Copy Library for the contract client

 Avail Tag – Allows the user to define the avail type in which the advertisements from the line must be placed in. It is selected

from a list of all avail types entered in Network - Avail Typing. The default Avail Tag field value is None Selected and advertisements from the line will be placed into any avail type.

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 Opportunity Type – Allows the user to define the type of placement opportunities (avails) within the VOD content in which the advertisements from the line must be placed in. This is selected from a pre-defined list that includes Interstitial, Midroll, Preroll, and Postroll and is optional. If the field is left with the default value None Selected, which is the default, advertisements from the line will be able to go in any type of placement opportunity (avail).

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Novar Tables for VOD

Following are the table values when VOD feature is enabled:

1. Dbo.Contract 2. Dbo.NLC_LineItem

Contacting Support

Please contact Imagine Communications Technical Support for assistance to validate the settings and services required for the integration with the Ad Decision and enable the Video On Demand service.

 Phone Number: 303.476.5066

 Fax Number: 303.390.8100