Media

Collecting media data is critical for tracking user behavior when your customers consume video or audio content through Android and iOS mobile applications or on the web. mParticle provides a toolset for integrating media analytics into your customer experience on Roku as well.

The mParticle Media SDK provides a dedicated API for tracking common media events including session start/end, play, pause, and other milestones, as well as logging recurring advertising impressions and chapters for segmented content.

The mParticle Media SDK works hand in hand with the mParticle platform. Data logged from the Media SDK is forwarded to the Apple SDK.

Getting Started

Add the SDK

Before you can begin using the Media SDK, you need to have a working instance of the mParticle core SDK. Please see the core SDK getting started section for more details.

Creating an instance of a Media Session

The Roku Media SDK provides a MediaSession object. Each MediaSession object represents a single end to end media experience and relates one-to-one to a piece of content. For example, if a customer is watching a video, pausing, seeking and scrubbing, that is considered a single session. If they stop the video, and play another piece of content, that is a new session. So long as the user continues to interact with the same piece of content, you should keep updating and using the same instance of MediaSession.

'Create the mParticle Task Node
m.mParticleTask = createObject("roSGNode","mParticleTask")
m.mParticleTask.ObserveField(mParticleConstants().SCENEGRAPH_NODES.IDENTITY_RESULT_NODE, "onIdentityResult")
m.mParticleTask.ObserveField(mParticleConstants().SCENEGRAPH_NODES.CURRENT_USER_NODE, "onCurrentUserChanged")
m.mparticle = mParticleSGBridge(m.mParticleTask)

'Media API
customAttributes = {"example custom attribute" : "example custom attribute value"}    
mediaSession = mpConstants.MediaSession.build("ABC123", "Space Pilot 3000", mparticleConstants().MEDIA_CONTENT_TYPE.VIDEO, mparticleConstants().MEDIA_STREAM_TYPE.LIVE_STREAM, 1800000)

Logging media events

Once your session is instantiated, you will need to trigger a SessionStart. This should be done at the moment the user interacts with your content. For example, if the media is set to trigger on a user click, and your player fires a play event when the content starts, the session must begin before the play event. Every method accepts the MediaSession and an optional customAttributes object. The mParticle Roku SDK DOES NOT track and update the session object for you. If you are missing data downstream, be sure you are setting it here in the session object first.

  1. Start a session
customAttributes = { "example custom attribute": "example custom attribute value" }
mediaSession = mpConstants.MediaSession.build("ABC123", "Space Pilot 3000", mparticleConstants().MEDIA_CONTENT_TYPE.VIDEO, mparticleConstants().MEDIA_STREAM_TYPE.LIVE_STREAM, 1800000)
m.mparticle.media.logMediaSessionStart(mediaSession, customAttributes)
  1. Log a play event
customAttributes = {"Source" : "Auto Playback"}    
m.mparticle.media.logPlay(mediaSession, customAttributes)
  1. (optional) Fire other events for user interaction, i.e. pause
mediaSession.currentPlayheadPosition = 1900
customAttributes = {"Source" : "Player Controls"}
m.mparticle.media.logPause(mediaSession, customAttributes)
  1. End the Media Content once the content is complete
m.mparticle.media.logMediaContentEnd(mediaSession, customAttributes)
  1. End the Media Session once the user interaction is over (such as after a post-roll or if the app is terminated)
m.mparticle.media.logMediaSessionEnd(mediaSession, customAttributes)
  1. (optional) Fire a Session Summary Event if you’d like a summary of the session
m.mparticle.media.logMediaSessionSummary(mediaSession, customAttributes)

Logging Advertising

In most cases, advertising comes in as a series of Ad Breaks which each contain numerous Ads. The Media SDK provides both sets of functionality so that you can track this behavior.

  1. Fire an AdBreakStart event
adBreak = mpConstants.adBreak.build("XYZ123", "Gamer Ad Collection")
adBreak.duration = 32000
mediaSession.adBreak = adBreak
m.mparticle.media.logAdBreakStart(mediaSession, customAttributes)
  1. Trigger an AdStart event
adContent = mpConstants.adContent.build("ABC890", "CP 2077 - Be Cool, Be Anything")
adContent.duration = 16000
adContent.position = 0
adContent.campaign = "CP 2077 Preorder Push"
mediaSession.adContent = adContent
mediaSession.mediaContentTimeSpent = 1950
m.mparticle.media.logAdStart(mediaSession, customAttributes)
  1. Fire AdEnd or AdSkip when appropriate. You should also fire Ad Session Summary if you’d like ad summary events. After calling these methods, set the adContent to invalid, or the ad may accidentally be included in your next mediaSession call
customAttributes = { "click_timestamp_ms": 1593007533602 }
mediaSession.adContent.position = 800
mediaSession.mediaContentTimeSpent = 2750
m.mparticle.media.logAdEnd(mediaSession, customAttributes)
m.mparticle.media.logAdSummary(mediaSession, customAttributes)
mediaSession.adContent = invalid
  1. Trigger an AdBreakEnd event when all ads have completed
m.mparticle.media.logAdBreakEnd(mediaSession, customAttributes)
mediaSession.adBreak = invalid

Custom Media Events

The SDK also allows you to create custom media events. Use these to track special events appropriate for your unique application while ensuring they will be processed as part of your media data.

customAttributes = {"example custom attribute" : "example custom attribute value"}
m.mparticle.logEvent("Custom Media Event", mparticleConstants().CUSTOM_EVENT_TYPE.MEDIA, customAttributes)

Custom Event Schema

The Media SDK will generate Custom events per the specification below.

Event Names

The Media SDK exposes methods that will trigger Media Events based on the most common player functions. The Media SDK maps every MediaSession API to a predefined Custom event name. The table below details all of the predefineed Media Events:

Media Session API Custom Event Name
logPlay() ‘Play’
logPause() ‘Pause’
logMediaContentEnd:() ‘Media Content End’
logMediaSessionStart() ‘Media Session Start’
logMediaSessionEnd() ‘Media Session End’
logSeekStart() ‘Seek Start’
logSeekEnd() ‘Seek End’
logBufferStart() ‘Buffer Start’
logBufferEnd() ‘Buffer End’
logPlayheadPosition() ‘Update Playhead Position’
logAdClick() ‘Ad Click’
logAdBreakStart() ‘Ad Break Start’
logAdBreakEnd() ‘Ad Break End’
logAdStart() ‘Ad Start’
logAdEnd() ‘Ad End’
logAdSkip() ‘Ad Skip’
logSegmentStart() ‘Segment Start’
logSegmentEnd() ‘Segment End’
logSegmentSkip() ‘Segment Skip’
logUpdateQoS() ‘Update QoS’
logAdSummary() ‘Ad Session Summary’
logSegmentSummary() ‘Segment Session Summary’
logMediaSessionSummary() ‘Media Session Summary’

Event Attributes

The media attributes below are a list of all available for capturing valuable information with every media event listed above. The customer will choose which attributes will be logged for each event to best describe the session characteristics for that event at that time. Should you require attributes not listed below, you may add your own media attributes.

Note: Depending on your player, you will need to either enable the callback method to receive updates for playhead position and quality of service (QoS) or set up a job to frequently poll for the current values.

Event Attribute Description
media_session_id Unique identifier assigned when media event starts (it is recommended that this be included with every event log)
media_session_start_time Timestamp for media session initiation
media_session_end_time Timestamp for media session completed, ended, or quit
media_session_ad_objects Array of all ad_content_ids consumed
media_session_custom_attribute Custom media session attribute
stream_type Encoded audio and video streams are assembled in a container “bitstream” such as MP4, FLV, WebM, ASF or ISMA stream types
content_type Content type name
content_id Unique content identifier
content_duration Content duration
content_title Content title
content_asset_id Content asset id
content_season A “season” is a reference to a set of episodes of a show within a specific period of time
content_episode An “episode” is a coherent narrative unit within a larger dramatic work, such as a radio, television, audio or video streaming series
content_daypart A “daypart” is the time division in a typical broadcast day by different media like Radio and Television. Different part of the days can be Morning shows, afternoon siesta, evening songs or prime time slot. Dayparts can be standard or customized.
content_originator Content source name
content_network A “network” includes broadcast and cable television networks, television distribution and production, domestic television stations, radio networks and stations, and audio and video streaming services.
content_mvpd A “multichannel video programming distributor” (MVPD) include cable operators, multichannel multipoint distribution services, direct broadcast satellite services, or television receive-only satellite program distributors.
content_feed Name of content feed
content_show Name of show
content_show_type Show type
content_genre A “genre” is a category of artistic composition, as in videos, music or literature, characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter.
content_rating A content rating (also known as maturity rating)rates the suitability of TV broadcasts, movies, comic books, or video games to its audience.
content_authorized Content rights, release, or licence reference
content_first_air_date Date of initial broadcast
content_digital_date Date of initial digital distribution
playhead_position The current playhead position at the moment the event occured
buffer_duration Duration of content buffering
buffer_percent Percentage of content buffering
buffer_position Playhead positioin when buffering
seek_position Playhead position when seek began or ended
segment_title Segment title
segment_index Segment index
segment_duration Segment duration
ad_break_id Unique identifier for the ad break. Ad breaks may have one or more pieces of ad content
ad_break_title Ad break title
ad_break_duration Ad break duration
ad_content_id Unique identitifer for a specific piece of ad content
ad_content_title Ad content title
ad_content_duration Ad content duration
ad_content_advertiser Name of advertiser
ad_content_campaign Name of campaign
ad_content_creative Name of creative
ad_content_placement Description of placement
ad_content_position Index of position in content
ad_content_site_id Identifier of ad content site
ad_custom_attribute User defined attribute
player_name Then name of the player used
player_ovp Online Video Platform name
player_initial_resolution The default resolution of the content
qos_bitrate Quality of service (QoS) bitrate
qos_fps Quality of service (QoS) frames per second
qos_startup_time Quality of service (QoS) time from content play event to first frame
qos_dropped_frames Quality of service (QoS) dropped frames

Example Event

{
    "event_type": "custom_event",
    "data": {
        "custom_event_type": "media",
        "event_name": "Play",
        "custom_flags": {},
        "timestamp_unixtime_ms": "1573828863888",
        "event_id": "-109840007014118971",
        "source_message_id": null,
        "session_id": "-8572887793551346848",
        "session_uuid": "29959B6B-9C3B-486F-9807-B5534EA1B16A",
        "session_start_unixtime_ms": "1573828757702",
        "event_start_unixtime_ms": "1573828863888",
        "custom_attributes": {
            "content_title": "My sweet sweet media",
            "content_duration": "120000",
            "content_id": "1234567",
            "content_type": "Video",
            "stream_type": "OnDemand",
            "media_session_id": "96a023b8-b0c7-47b7-b687-09f73b9dfac3",
            "playhead_position": "110123"
        }
    }
}

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