Server-Side Ad Insertion (SSAI) — End-to-End Production Setup

Deploy seamless, ad-blocker-proof ad monetisation across CTV apps (Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV), web and mobile. Full pipeline from SCTE-35 cue detection to IAB-compliant impression tracking.

What We Deliver

SSAI Architecture DesignEnd-to-end server-side ad stitching architecture for VOD and live — ad decision server, stitcher, CDN and player client all specified and documented.

SCTE-35 / SCTE-104 Cue ProcessingDetect and process splice-insert and time-signal cue markers in live HLS and DASH streams for accurate, frame-aligned ad break triggering.

Ad Decision Server IntegrationConnect your SSAI stitcher to Google Ad Manager (GAM), FreeWheel, SpotX, SpringServe or a custom ADS with correct VAST 4.x / VMAP request handling.

Manifest Stitching — HLS & DASHHLS #EXT-X-DISCONTINUITY-based and DASH Period-insertion manifest rewriting. Seamless splice with matching codecs, bitrates and segment durations.

CTV Platform IntegrationPlatform-specific SSAI setup for Roku (RAF + custom URL rewriting), Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV (tvOS), Android TV, Samsung Tizen and LG webOS.

Web & Mobile App IntegrationBrowser and native app player-side SSAI stream requests, session initialisation, metadata tracking events and mid-roll pause handling on iOS and Android.

IAB-Compliant Ad TrackingImpression beacons, quartile events (start, firstQuartile, midpoint, thirdQuartile, complete), click-through and error reporting across all platforms.

CDN & Caching StrategyPersonalised ad stream cache-busting, ad-segment CDN pre-warming, origin shield configuration and buffer management for smooth ad transitions.

SSAI Setup Process

Platform & Stack Audit

Review your current ad delivery method (CSAI or none), target platforms, ad server, content delivery stack and scale requirements. Identify the right SSAI solution for your setup.

Pipeline Build

Configure the SSAI stitcher (AWS MediaTailor, Google DAI, Yospace or custom), wire the ad decision server, set up SCTE-35 cue processing and validate manifest output on each stream type.

Platform Integration & QA

Deploy and test on each target platform — CTV apps, web browsers, iOS and Android. Validate ad splice quality, tracking beacon delivery, fill rate and error handling with real ad tags.

Launch & Monitoring

Production launch with ad fill rate dashboards, impression verification, error alerting and a handover document covering the full pipeline for your engineering team.

Who This Is For

CTV & OTT Platforms

SSAI eliminates ad blockers, removes buffering at ad breaks and delivers a seamless viewing experience on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV and Android TV — critical for CTV monetisation at scale.

Live Broadcasters

Dynamic ad breaks triggered by SCTE-35 cues in live streams allow real-time ad monetisation without client-side ad requests — essential for linear broadcast replacement on IP.

Multi-Platform Publishers

A single SSAI pipeline serves all surfaces — web, iOS, Android and CTV — with consistent ad breaks, identical tracking and no per-platform CSAI complexity.

SSAI vs CSAI — Why It Matters

Client-Side Ad Insertion (CSAI)

Ad blocked by browser ad-blockers
Buffering at every ad break transition
Different implementation per platform
Ad call visible to end user's browser
Poor QoE on low-bandwidth connections