Glossary

This glossary helps you navigate the terminology used across the streaming ecosystem and Uplynk's platform. Terms are presented alphabetically for easy reference.

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ABR (Adaptive Bitrate Streaming)
A technique that switches between rays (qualities) based on available bandwidth and network performance.

Ad Decision Server (ADS)
Server that determines which ads to insert based on rules, targeting, and bids.

Ad Impression
A successful display of an ad to a viewer.

Ad Inventory / Ad Space / Ad Supply
Available space in a video stream for ad insertion.

Advance Bidding / Header Bidding / Prebid
Mechanisms for allowing multiple demand sources to bid on an ad slot before primary ad calls.

Apple HLS
Apple’s HTTP-based adaptive streaming protocol. Widely supported across devices.

Asset
A media file stored in your library or account, prepared for streaming.

AVOD
Ad Supported Video-on-Demand (e.g. Pluto).

Beacon
A signal that tracks ad delivery, viewability, or interaction.

Bidder / Adapter
A Bidder participates in auctions; an Adapter connects the bidder to the bidding system.

Bug / Chiron / Lower Third
On-screen graphics overlays, commonly used for branding or captions in news.

Caption
Text derived from speech or sounds in a video, typically used for accessibility or compliance. Follows the CEA-608 standard, which limits captions to 6 rows, 32 characters per line, and a restricted data rate.

Catch-up TV / Timeshift
Time-based access to recently aired live content; allows pause/rewind/resume.

CDN (Content Delivery Network)
A distributed network of servers that cache and deliver video closer to users.

CMAF (Common Media Application Format)
A packaging standard based on fragmented MP4 that allows the same media segments to be used across HLS and MPEG-DASH.

Compliance and Robustness Rules
The things that are allowed and restricted by DRM, such as downloading, using HDCP over HDMI cables, etc.

Content Protection / DRM
Encryption and licensing mechanisms that restrict playback access to authorized users.

Creative
The media file and associated metadata (e.g., tracking URLs) that make up an ad.

Direct Ads / Guaranteed Ads
Ads purchased in bulk with a set price and delivery commitment.

DMA (Designated Market Area)
Geographic zones defined by Nielsen for TV viewership measurement.

Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC-3 / EC-3)
A high-fidelity surround sound audio codec used in broadcast and streaming.

DRM License
We issue DRM licenses to players that are allowed to playback our DRM content.

DSP / SSP
Demand-Side and Supply-Side Platforms connect advertisers to inventory via programmatic bidding.

Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI)
Ads inserted at playback time from external sources such as FreeWheel or GAM.

Electronic Program Guide (EPG)
Schedule metadata used to inform playback, syndication, and UI displays.

Encoding Profile
A configuration that defines how video/audio is compressed. Includes parameters like codec, resolution, and bitrate settings for ABR ladders.

External ID
A user-defined identifier linking internal systems to Uplynk content.

FairPlay
Apple’s DRM format, supported by Apple HLS.

FAST (Free Ad Supported Television)
Virtual linear channels delivering ad-supported content on a schedule.

fMP4 (Fragmented MP4)
A streaming format that splits MP4 files into small fragments. Used by CMAF and supports low latency, DRM, and efficient ad insertion.

FVOD
Free Video-on-Demand, usually sponsored with ads.

GUID / Identifiers
System-generated unique identifiers for each asset, channel, event, or user.

HDCP
High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection used over HDMI cables to prevent unauthorized copying.

High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) / H.265
Offers better compression than H.264, but requires more device support and processing power.

HLS Pull / HLS Push
Syndication methods for Apple HLS streams: Pull lets the destination retrieve the stream; Push sends it from the source.

Job
A content-processing task that transforms an input file into a streaming-ready asset.

Latency
The time between content capture and viewer playback.

Library
The centralized repository for all VOD content.

Live Channel
A persistent live stream delivering real-time content from an encoder or source.

Live Event
A scheduled, one-time real-time broadcast (e.g., a sports game).

Log File Delivery / Ad Log File Delivery
Structured log exports containing operational or ad-specific playback data.

Manifest / Playlist / Index File
File that lists segments for ABR playback (e.g., M3U8 or MPD).

Media Player
The application or web component that decodes and displays streaming content.

MPEG-DASH
An adaptive streaming protocol similar to HLS, using MPD manifests.

MPTS / SPTS
MPEG-2 Transport Streams used for bundling single or multiple programs over broadcast or IP delivery.

Multi-CDN
A strategy for routing playback across multiple CDNs for better performance and redundancy.

MSS (Managed Slicer Service)
A cloud-hosted Slicer instance managed by Uplynk.

Organization / Account / Customer Account / User
Hierarchical structures defining ownership, access, and user roles within the platform.

Origin Server
The server or storage location where original media content resides before CDN distribution.

OTT (Over-the-Top)
Streaming content delivered over the internet, bypassing traditional cable/broadcast.

Package
A delivery from a content partner that includes assets, metadata, captions, and art.

Playback Drift
Delay between actual live feed and playback point, usually caused by buffering or artificial delay.

Playback Session
A user’s viewing session, tracked for metrics, authorization, and personalization.

Playback URL
A secure, tokenized URL for accessing live or VOD content.

PlayReady
Microsoft’s DRM format, supported by MPEG-DASH.

Query String
URL parameters used to pass configuration or authorization data.

Ray
Also known as "Variant" or "Encoding Ladder". A version of the video at a specific resolution and bitrate in an adaptive bitrate ladder.

Reports
Aggregated data visualizations for usage, playback, ad performance, and system health.

Round-Trip Time (RTT)
Network diagnostic metric for time from sender to receiver and back.

RTMP/S
Real-Time Messaging Protocol used for live syndication. RTMPS indicates a secure, encrypted version.

RTB (Real-Time Bidding)
Ad auctions that happen in milliseconds to fill impressions programmatically.

SCTE-35
Standards and ad markers used in video streams to indicate ad insertion points.

Scrubbing
User interaction with the timeline to seek to a different part of the video.

Segment
A logical content block, usually representing a portion between ad breaks.

Slicer / Live Slicer / Slicebot
Software that segments, encodes, and uploads content. Live Slicer captures real-time input; Slicebot automates VOD slicing.

Slate
Placeholder screen used when content or ads are not available.

Smartplay
Uplynk’s platform feature that delivers server-side ad insertion and personalized streaming with 1:1 manifest creation.

SPTS / MPTS
MPEG-2 Transport Streams for single or multi-program delivery.

Sports Blackout
Restriction on airing sporting events locally due to ticket sale rules.

SSAI (Server-Side Ad Insertion)
Server-injected ads that deliver seamless playback experiences and reduce ad-blocking.

SRT / RIST / Zixi
Protocols used for secure and reliable video syndication to third-party platforms.

SSP / DSP
Supply- and Demand-Side Platforms used in programmatic ad transactions.

Subtitle
Translated text synchronized with spoken dialogue, primarily for localization. Follows the WebVTT standard, which supports flexible styling and placement, with fewer restrictions than captions.

Syndication
Sending live content to third-party platforms (e.g., YouTube, Twitch, AWS, FAST Platforms).

Syndication Job
Inherits its configuration from the Syndication Target, but can be modified.

Syndication Target
Defines the path, credentials and configuration for Syndication jobs. A Syndication Target may have multiple jobs.

Track
An individual stream inside a ray (e.g., video, audio, captions).

Transaction
A record of the ad request-response lifecycle, including bidding and delivery.

Transcode
The process of converting media from one format or profile to another.

Transmuxing
Changing the container format of a stream (e.g., from TS to fMP4) without altering its codec.

Trusted Execution Environment (TEE)
Secure processor zone for handling encrypted playback keys and sensitive content.

TVOD
Transactional Video-on-Demand, which is content that is purchased or rented by an end consumer.

Virtual Linear Channel
A continuous channel composed of VOD assets and/or live events, scheduled to simulate traditional TV.

Virtual Linear Playlist
An ordered list of VOD assets streamed as if it were a live channel.

VAST / VMAP
Industry standards for defining ad creatives and ad break structure.

Webhook / Callback
An HTTP notification sent to external systems when specific platform events occur.

Widevine
Google’s DRM format, supported by MPEG-DASH.

Wrapper
An ad response that redirects to another ad server or creative.