Advanced integration (InStream API)

The InStream API is an advanced API for setting up and managing ad loading and playing InStream ads. It lets you support playing any type of ad break and use your own implementation of a player. InStream ads consist of video ads that are played automatically and manually.

Pre-roll, Mid-roll, and Post-roll ad breaks are played automatically using the InstreamAdBinder API. To play In-roll and Pause-roll ad breaks manually, use the In-roll API and Pause-roll API, respectively.

Note

You can also use the InstreamAdBinder API, In-roll API, and Pause-roll API concurrently if you:

  1. Use different instances of the ad player.
  2. Don't start the Pause-roll and In-roll APIs for playing ads if the main video was paused using the InStreamAdBinder API.

How it works

A loaded InStream ad object contains a schedule for playing ad breaks. Each ad break is described by an InstreamAdBreak object. An ad break may have one of the following types: Pre/Mid/Post/In/Pause-Roll. You can play Pre-/Mid-/Post-Roll ad breaks using the InstreamAdBinder API. To play In/Pause-Roll ad breaks, use the In-roll API and Pause-roll API, respectively.

The VideoPlayer interface is used to interact with the main video content. To play an ad break inside an ad placement, use the InstreamAdPlayer interface.

InstreamAdBinder tracks the progress of playing the main video and shows ad breaks based on the video resource settings in the Partner interface.

InstreamAdBinder does not directly control the rendering of a video ad in PlayerView. Video ads must be played on the app side based on signals from player interfaces transmitted to InstreamAdBinder. InstreamAdBinder signals the start of playing an ad break by calling VideoPlayer.pauseVideo() and the end by calling VideoPlayer.resumeVideo().

When calling VideoPlayer.pauseVideo() on the app side, it's necessary to hide the main video controls, pause the main video, and start playing the video ad. On the ad SDK side, after calling the method, advertising controls are displayed inside the InstreamAdView container and the InstreamAdPlayer.playAd() method is called to start playing the video ad.

When calling VideoPlayer.resumeVideo() on the app side, it's necessary to return the main video controls and resume playing the main video. On the ad SDK side, ad controls inside the InstreamAdView container are removed before calling the method.

The In/Pause-Roll API doesn't directly control the rendering of a video ad in PlayerView. Video ads must be played on the app side based on signals from player interfaces transmitted to In/Pause-Roll. In/Pause-Roll signals the start of playing an ad break by calling InstreamAdBreakEventListener.onInstreamAdBreakStarted() and the end by calling InstreamAdBreakEventListener.onInstreamAdBreakCompleted() or InstreamAdBreakEventListener.onInstreamAdBreakError().

When calling InstreamAdBreakEventListener.onInstreamAdBreakStarted() on the app side, it's necessary to hide the main video controls and pause the main video. On the ad SDK side, after calling the method, advertising controls are displayed inside the InstreamAdView container and the InstreamAdPlayer.playAd() method is called to start playing the video ad.

When calling InstreamAdBreakEventListener.onInstreamAdBreakCompleted() or InstreamAdBreakEventListener.onInstreamAdBreakError() on the app side, return the main video controls and resume playing the main video. On the ad SDK side, ad controls are removed from the InstreamAdView container before calling the methods.

Loading ads

  1. Create an instance of the InstreamAdLoader class to get InStream ads.

  2. Set up notifications (ad loaded successfully or failed with an error): create an InstreamAdLoadListener instance and set it as an event listener for the ad loader.

  3. Create a configuration for the instreamAdRequestConfiguration request using the InstreamAdRequestConfiguration.Builder class. Pass the Page_ID from the partner interface as a request parameter.

  4. Load ads using the InstreamAdLoader.loadInstreamAd method and pass Context and instreamAdRequestConfiguration to it.

Code example:

To test the integration, use the demo Page_ID: demo-instream-vmap-yandex.

val instreamAdLoader = InstreamAdLoader(this)
instreamAdLoader.setInstreamAdLoadListener(object : InstreamAdLoadListener {
    override fun onInstreamAdLoaded(instreamAd: InstreamAd) {
        // ...
    }

    override fun onInstreamAdFailedToLoad(reason: String) {
        // ...
    }
})

val instreamAdRequestConfiguration = InstreamAdRequestConfiguration.Builder(PAGE_ID).build()
instreamAdLoader.loadInstreamAd(this, instreamAdRequestConfiguration)
final InstreamAdLoader instreamAdLoader = new InstreamAdLoader(context);
instreamAdLoader.setInstreamAdLoadListener(new InstreamAdLoadListener() {
        @override
        public void onInstreamAdLoaded(@NonNull final InstreamAd instreamAd) {
        // ...
        }

        @override
        public void onInstreamAdFailedToLoad(@NonNull final String reason) {
        // ...
        }
    });

final InstreamAdRequestConfiguration instreamAdRequestConfiguration =
    new InstreamAdRequestConfiguration.Builder(PAGE_ID).build();
instreamAdLoader.loadInstreamAd(this, instreamAdRequestConfiguration);

Rendering ads

  1. Implement the InstreamAdPlayer and VideoPlayer interfaces.

    For more information about using and implementing the appropriate methods, see the reference guide sections Package com.yandex.mobile.ads.instream.player.ad and Package com.yandex.mobile.ads.instream.player.content. Additionally, see a test implementation example.

    Tip

    To make implementation easier, we recommend using different instances of players to play video ads and content.

  2. Add InstreamAdView to the app layout. InstreamAdView must contain PlayerView to play video ads in.

    Code example:

    Constraint

    A container must be at least 300dp x 160dp in size.

    <com.yandex.mobile.ads.instream.player.ad.InstreamAdView
        android:id="@+id/instream_ad_view"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content">
    
            <PlayerView
                android:id="@+id/player_view"
                android:layout_width="match_parent"
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"/>
    
    </com.yandex.mobile.ads.instream.player.ad.InstreamAdView>
    
  3. Create an InstreamAdBinder object: pass Context, the loaded InstreamAd object, and the InstreamAdPlayer and VideoPlayer implementations to the builder.

    Set up notifications about the ad playing progress (ready to play the video ad, the video ad played or failed to play), create an instance of InstreamAdListener and set it as an event listener for InstreamAdBinder.

    instreamAdBinder = InstreamAdBinder(
        this,
        instreamAd,
        checkNotNull(instreamAdPlayer),
        checkNotNull(contentVideoPlayer)
    )
    instreamAdBinder.setInstreamAdListener(...)
    
    mInstreamAdBinder = new InstreamAdBinder(context, mInstreamAd, mYandexAdPlayer, mContentVideoPlayer);
    mInstreamAdBinder.setInstreamAdListener(...);
    
  4. To start playing a Pre-roll ad break faster, preload it in advance by calling the InstreamAdBinder.prepareAd() method.

    private fun preparePrerollAd(instreamAdBinder: InstreamAdBinder) {
        instreamAdBinder.setInstreamAdListener(object : InstreamAdListener {
            // ...
            override fun onInstreamAdPrepared() {
                addInstreamAdBinderToPreloadedAdQueue(instreamAdBinder)
            } // ...
        })
        instreamAdBinder.prepareAd()
    }
    
    private void preparePrerollAd(@NonNull final InstreamAdBinder instreamAdBinder) {
        instreamAdBinder.setInstreamAdListener(new InstreamAdListener() {
            // ...
            public void onInstreamAdPrepared() {
                addInstreamAdBinderToPreloadedAdQueue(instreamAdBinder);
            }
            // ...
        });
        instreamAdBinder.prepareAd();
    }
    
  5. Call the InstreamAdBinder.bind(instreamAdView) method for the created InstreamAdBinder object. Pass InstreamAdView as a parameter. After that, the InStream SDK starts to automatically track the progress of playing the main video and manage the way video ads are played.

    instreamAdBinder.bind(instreamAdView)
    
    mInstreamAdBinder.bind(mInstreamAdView);
    
  6. When playing InStream ads in the list, use the InStreamBinder.unbind() method when the cell with the ad is invalidated in the list. To implement a reused pool of players for scrolling, call InstreamAdbinder.invalidateAdPlayer() when reusing the ad player linked to InstreamAdBinder and InstreamAdBinder.invalidateVideoPlayer() when reusing the main content player.

  7. When you stop using InStreamAdBinder, reset the state.

    override fun onDestroy() {
        instreamAdBinder.apply {
            unbind()
            instreamAdBinder.invalidateVideoPlayer()
            instreamAdBinder.invalidateAdPlayer()
            instreamAdBinder.setInstreamAdListener(null)
            instreamAdBinder.setVideoAdPlaybackListener(null)
        }
    
        super.onDestroy()
    }
    
    public void onDestroy() {
        instreamAdBinder.unbind();
        instreamAdBinder.invalidateVideoPlayer();
        instreamAdBinder.invalidateAdPlayer();
        instreamAdBinder.setInstreamAdListener(null);
        instreamAdBinder.setVideoAdPlaybackListener(null);
    
        super.onDestroy();
    }
    

Note

Setting up playing Pause-roll ad breaks is similar to In-roll. To do this, replace In-roll classes/methods with Pause-roll ones.

  1. Implement the InstreamAdPlayer interface.

    For more information about the methods and their implementation, see the Package com.yandex.mobile.ads.instream.player.ad reference section. Additionally, see a test implementation example.

    Tip

    To make implementation easier, we recommend using different instances of players to play video ads and content.

  2. Add InstreamAdView to the app layout. InstreamAdView must contain PlayerView to play video ads in.

    Code example:

    Constraint

    A container must be at least 300dp x 160dp in size.

    <com.yandex.mobile.ads.instream.player.ad.InstreamAdView
        android:id="@+id/instream_ad_view"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content">
    
            <PlayerView
                android:id="@+id/player_view"
                android:layout_width="match_parent"
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"/>
    
    </com.yandex.mobile.ads.instream.player.ad.InstreamAdView>
    
  3. Use the InstreamAdLoader to load the InstreamAd object using the Page_ID from the Partner interface.

  4. The InstreamAd object contains a set of different types of ad breaks. To get In-roll ad breaks, use InrollQueueProvider. The InrollQueueProvider queue lets you receive In-roll objects in the display order.

    fun onInstreamAdLoaded(instreamAd: InstreamAd) {
        val inrollQueueProvider = InrollQueueProvider(context, instreamAd)
        instreamAdBreakQueue = inrollQueueProvider.queue
    }
    
    public void onInstreamAdLoaded(@NonNull final InstreamAd instreamAd) {
        final InrollQueueProvider inrollQueueProvider = new InrollQueueProvider(context, instreamAd);
        mInstreamAdBreakQueue = inrollQueueProvider.getQueue();
    }
    
  5. To launch the received In-roll video ad, you need to prepare it. Unprepared In-roll video ads won't start.

    To prepare an In-roll video ad, call the interface Inroll.prepare(instreamAdPlayer) and pass an instance of the created InstreamAdPlayer implementation to it. To track the status of the ad break, set InstreamAdBreakEventListener.

    fun prepare(instreamAdPlayer: SampleInstreamAdPlayer) {
        currentInroll = instreamAdBreakQueue.poll()?.apply {
            setListener(InrollListener())
            instreamAdPlayer.let(::prepare)
        }
    }
    
    public void prepare(instreamAdPlayer) {
        currentInroll = mInstreamAdBreakQueue.poll();
        currentInroll.setListener(new InrollListener());
        currentInroll.prepare(instreamAdPlayer);
    }
    
  6. Once the In-roll video ad is prepared, InstreamAdBreakEventListener.onInstreamAdBreakPrepared() is called. The prepared In-roll video ad is ready to play.

    Tip

    Play video ads in the order they're received from the InstreamAdBreakQueue. If the received In-roll video ads are played in a different order, this may lower your app's monetization.

  7. To play the prepared In-roll video ad, call Inroll.play() and pass InstreamAdView as a parameter.

    fun onInstreamAdBreakPrepared() {
        currentInroll?.play(instreamAdView)
    }
    
    public void onInstreamAdBreakPrepared() {
        if (currentInroll != null) {
            currentInroll.play(instreamAdView);
        }
    }
    
  8. After the ad break starts playing, the InstreamAdBreakEventListener.onInstreamAdBreakStarted() method is called. After calling this method, pause the main video and hide its controls.

    fun onInstreamAdBreakStarted() {
        contentVideoPlayer?.pauseVideo()
    }
    
    public void onInstreamAdBreakStarted() {
        if (contentVideoPlayer != null) {
            contentVideoPlayer.pauseVideo();
        }
    }
    
  9. Once the ad break is played, resume playing the main video. A video ad may play successfully or fail. Both situations need to be handled.

    override fun onInstreamAdBreakCompleted() {
        handleAdBreakCompleted()
    }
    
    override fun onInstreamAdBreakError(reason: String) {
        handleAdBreakCompleted()
    }
    
    private fun handleAdBreakCompleted() {
        currentInroll = null
        contentVideoPlayer?.resumeVideo()
    }
    
    @Override
    public void onInstreamAdBreakCompleted() {
        handleAdBreakCompleted();
    }
    
    @Override
    public void onInstreamAdBreakError(@NonNull final String reason) {
        handleAdBreakCompleted();
    }
    
    private void handleAdBreakCompleted() {
        currentInroll = null;
        if (contentVideoPlayer != null) {
            contentVideoPlayer.resumeVideo();
        }
    }
    
  10. After the current In-roll video ad finishes playing, check the play queue for the next In-roll video ad in the InstreamAdBreakQueue.

    fun prepareNextAd() {
        currentInroll = mInstreamAdBreakQueue.poll()
        currentInroll?.prepareInroll(currentInroll)
    }
    
    public void prepareNextAd() {
        currentInroll = mInstreamAdBreakQueue.poll();
        if (currentInroll != null) {
            prepareInroll(currentInroll);
        }
    }
    
  11. When you stop using an In-roll video ad, reset its state.

    override fun onDestroy() {
        currentInroll?.apply {
            invalidate()
            setListener(null)
        }
        super.onDestroy()
    }
    
    public void onDestroy() {
        if (currentInroll != null) {
            currentInroll.invalidate();
            currentInroll.setListener(null);
        }
        super.onDestroy();
    }