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Can you summarise how your libraries work in simple terms?
All libraries for our supported platforms offer a mechanism to adapt any player for measurement (on the supported platform). The only information the library needs, is the current position on the stream in seconds. Beside that the measurement also requires the information about the stream itself (Content ID or live stream channel) and the duration of the stream in seconds ("0" for live simulcast streams).
Can you summarise how to use your libraries in simple terms?
The basic use of the library is:
1. Create once a "SpringStreams" instance which contains basic information like the sitename (required) and the application name when it's an app.
2. Choose or implement an adapter for the player or stream you want to use
3. Call the track method of the library by giving the adapter and the information about the stream itself
From this point the stream will be measured. These steps are always the same on each supported platform.
(see also: https://confluence.spring.de/display/public/Implementation+of+Stream+Measurement#ImplementationofStreamMeasurement-BasicUseoftheAPI )
What metadata must I provide to the library?
See General metadata tagging instructions. Our library needs to receive mandatory information on the current position of the stream in seconds, a stream identifier (unique BARB Content ID and/or name of the stream) and information about the stream duration if the stream is VOD not live (so-called duration of the stream).
How do identify my program content?
See General metadata tagging instructions. For on-demand you must provide the BARB standard Content ID. For live, this is still being revised because it might not always be possible to supply a standard Content ID in a live context.
What should I use to populate the Content ID (cq) variable?
Please discuss this with your Project Owner who will advise you which internal code you should use.
What is the relation between playtime and viewtime (as can be observed in the testtool)?
In the testtool, it is possible to observe values of the measured playstates and the viewtime (which is the elapsed time that the library was active). For example:
> "pst"=>",,0+22+njmad9;;",
> "vt"=>"23",
The viewtime (vt) has to be equal to or bigger than the playtime, otherwise the data are invalid!
Our Content ID contains slashes and other special characters. Does it need to be URI encoded to be sent correctly?
You don’t need to URL-encode, the library does that. It will not be truncated.
What should the duration of a live simulcast stream be?
Live streams should always have a duration of “0”.
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It is mentioned that the 'unload' call in SpringStreams is executed when the App is backgrounded. We currently close our player down on a background event. Is there any implication to be aware of if we need to release Stream instances?
When the player is sent to the background it closes down and any stream is canceled. When the user restarts the app and it is brought to the foreground, the previously viewed content will either resume or not, but in any case: a brand new stream is started with a new session ID in the library. This should present no issues for the measurement. Assure yourself that also on resumes like this, the library is started!