Technical guides
8 technical guides for FAST channel operators and viewers.
HLS vs DASH: both stream video in small chunks over HTTP. Compare device support, latency, and DRM, and see why FAST platforms ship HLS first in practice.
Read guide · 6 min →What is an EPG? An electronic program guide lists what airs on each channel and when. Learn how EPG data flows via XMLTV and why it drives discoverability.
What is SCTE-35? SCTE-35 is the standard for signaling ad breaks inside a video stream. Learn how splice markers work and how SSAI uses them to insert ads.
What is a VAST tag? VAST is the XML standard that tells video players which ad to play and how to track it. Learn the handshake, plus VAST vs VPAID vs SIMID.
When FAST channels need DRM, what DRM systems exist for HLS streams (Widevine, FairPlay, PlayReady), what the tradeoffs are, and why most independent FAST operators don't need it at launch.
How Electronic Program Guides (EPGs) work for FAST channels — the XMLTV format, what data TV platforms require, how EPGs are generated from your schedule, and how to improve your EPG metadata for better discovery.
What HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) is, how manifests work, what adaptive bitrate means for your viewers, and what FAST channel operators need to know about their HLS stream without getting a computer science degree.
A plain-English explanation of Server-Side Ad Insertion (SSAI) for FAST channel operators — how it works, why it matters for TV distribution, the difference between SSAI and client-side ad insertion, and what you need to set it up.
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