Select platform: [HTML5](https://developers.google.com/ad-manager/dynamic-ad-insertion/sdk/html5/get-started/pod-serving.md.txt "View this page for the HTML5 platform docs.") [Android](https://developers.google.com/ad-manager/dynamic-ad-insertion/sdk/android/get-started/pod-serving.md.txt "View this page for the Android platform docs.") [iOS](https://developers.google.com/ad-manager/dynamic-ad-insertion/sdk/ios/get-started/pod-serving.md.txt "View this page for the iOS platform docs.") [tvOS](https://developers.google.com/ad-manager/dynamic-ad-insertion/sdk/tvos/get-started/pod-serving.md.txt "View this page for the tvOS platform docs.") [Cast](https://developers.google.com/ad-manager/dynamic-ad-insertion/sdk/cast/get-started/pod-serving.md.txt "View this page for the Cast platform docs.") [Roku](https://developers.google.com/ad-manager/dynamic-ad-insertion/sdk/roku/get-started/pod-serving.md.txt "View this page for the Roku platform docs.")
IMA SDKs make it easy to integrate multimedia ads into your websites and apps. IMA SDKs can
request ads from any
[VAST-compliant](https://www.iab.com/guidelines/digital-video-ad-serving-template-vast/) ad server and manage ad playback in your apps. With IMA DAI SDKs, apps make a
stream request for ad and content video---either VOD or live content. The SDK then returns a
combined video stream, so that you don't have to manage switching between ad and content video
within your app.
This guide demonstrates how to play a DAI Pod Serving stream, using the IMA DAI
SDK with a video player for live and VOD stream playback. To view or follow a
completed sample integration, download the
[Pod Serving example](https://github.com/googleads/googleads-ima-android-dai/tree/main/PodServingExample).
**Note:** The IMA DAI SDK for Android supports both HLS and DASH streams.
This guide explains how to configure exoplayer and IMA DAI SDK to play an HLS stream. For an
example of a video player supporting both HLS and DASH streams, see our
[Advanced Example](https://github.com/googleads/googleads-ima-android-dai/blob/main/AdvancedExample/app/src/main/java/com/google/ads/interactivemedia/v3/samples/samplevideoplayer/SampleVideoPlayer.java#L151-L166).
> [!IMPORTANT]
> **Key Point:** To use IMA DAI Pod Serving, you must be working with a Pod Serving partner and must have an [Ad Manager 360
> Advanced](https://support.google.com/admanager/answer/3485387) account. If you have an Ad Manager account, contact your account manager for more details. For information about signing up for Ad Manager, visit the [Ad Manager Help
> Center](https://support.google.com/admanager/answer/7084151).
**Note:** For information on integrating with other platforms, or on using the IMA client-side SDKs, see [Interactive Media Ads SDKs](https://developers.google.com/interactive-media-ads).
## IMA DAI Pod Serving overview
- [`StreamRequest`](https://developers.google.com/interactive-media-ads/docs/sdks/android/dai/reference/js/StreamRequest): An object that defines a stream request to
Google's advertising servers. Must be created using either
[`ImaSdkFactory.createPodStreamRequest()`](https://developers.google.com/interactive-media-ads/docs/sdks/android/dai/api/reference/com/google/ads/interactivemedia/v3/api/ImaSdkFactory#public-streamrequest-createpodstreamrequest-string-networkcode,-string-customassetkey,-string-apikey)
or [`ImaSdkFactory.createPodVodStreamRequest()`](https://developers.google.com/interactive-media-ads/docs/sdks/android/dai/api/reference/com/google/ads/interactivemedia/v3/api/ImaSdkFactory#public-streamrequest-createpodvodstreamrequest-string-networkcode)
to enable Pod Serving. These methods require a **Network Code** , and
`createPodStreamRequest` also requires a **Custom Asset Key** , and an
optional **API key**. Both include other optional parameters.
- [`StreamManager`](https://developers.google.com/interactive-media-ads/docs/sdks/android/dai/reference/js/StreamManager): An object that handles communication between
the video stream and the IMA DAI SDK, such as firing tracking pings and
forwarding stream events to the publisher.
## Prerequisites
- An Android app already set up with the IMA DAI SDK to play video streams with
DAI ads. If you don't already have such an app, we recommend using the
[Android DAI
BasicExample](https://github.com/googleads/googleads-ima-android-dai/releases) as a
starting point. The BasicExample has the codebase referenced in this guide.
- It's important for your app to send ID3 events using
[`VideoStreamPlayerCallback.onUserTextReceived()`](https://developers.google.com/ad-manager/dynamic-ad-insertion/sdk/android/api/reference/com/google/ads/interactivemedia/v3/api/player/VideoStreamPlayer.VideoStreamPlayerCallback.md.txt#public-abstract-void-onusertextreceived-string-usertext)
for IMA DAI to function. See this [Full service DAI code snippet example](https://developers.google.com/ad-manager/dynamic-ad-insertion/sdk/android?service=full#videoplayerappsampleadswrapperjava_2).
## Set up your Pod Serving variables
All changes needed for Pod Serving are done in **SampleAdsWrapper.java**. The
first step is to update the constant variables.
Here are the ad pod stream request constants to be added:
- `STREAM_URL`: **Only used for Livestreams** - The video stream URL provided by
your manifest manipulator or third-party partner using Pod Serving. It should
require you to insert the stream ID provided by the IMA DAI SDK, before you
make a request. In this case, the stream URL includes a placeholder,
`"[[STREAMID]]"`, which is replaced with the stream ID, before making a
request.
- `NETWORK_CODE`: The network code for your Ad Manager 360 account.
- `CUSTOM_ASSET_KEY`: **Only used for Livestreams** - The custom asset key that
identifies your Pod Serving event in Ad Manager 360. This can be created by
your manifest manipulator or third-party Pod Serving partner.
- `API_KEY`: **Only used for Livestreams** - An optional API key that can be
required to retrieve a stream ID from the IMA DAI SDK.
The Android DAI BasicExample is designed to play a variety of different stream
types, but for Pod Serving, it is set up to just play a single stream.
Change the example's variable section to match the following:
> [!NOTE]
> **Note:** The stream parameters provided are for a Live pod stream. To test with a Pod Serving VOD stream, you need to provide your own test stream parameters.
```java
/** This class implements IMA to add pod ad-serving support to SampleVideoPlayer */
@SuppressLint("UnsafeOptInUsageError")
/* @SuppressLint is needed for new media3 APIs. */
public class SampleAdsWrapper
implements AdEvent.AdEventListener, AdErrorEvent.AdErrorListener, AdsLoader.AdsLoadedListener {
// Set up the pod serving variables.
private static final String NETWORK_CODE = "";
private static final String CUSTOM_ASSET_KEY = "";
private static final String API_KEY = "";
private static final String STREAM_URL = "";
private static final StreamFormat STREAM_FORMAT = StreamFormat.HLS;
```
## Create a live or VOD pod stream request to enable Pod Serving
### Live stream Pod Serving
Remove the method `buildStreamRequest()` which had been used to switch between
building a variety of stream types. Then, modify `requestAndPlayAds()` to call
`ImaSdkFactory.createPodStreamRequest()` to create a Live Pod Serving ad
request.
```java
// Live pod stream request.
request = sdkFactory.createPodStreamRequest(NETWORK_CODE, CUSTOM_ASSET_KEY, API_KEY);
```
### VOD stream Pod Serving
Remove the method `buildStreamRequest()` which had been used to switch between
building a variety of stream types. Then, modify `requestAndPlayAds()` to call
`ImaSdkFactory.createPodVodStreamRequest()` to create a VOD Pod Serving ad
request.
```java
// VOD pod stream request.
request = sdkFactory.createPodVodStreamRequest(NETWORK_CODE);
```
After you create the stream request instance, request the stream using
`AdsLoader.requestStream()`:
```java
request.setFormat(STREAM_FORMAT);
adsLoader.requestStream(request);
```
## Edit and set the stream URL
### Live stream Pod Serving
Call the `StreamManager.getStreamId()` method to get the stream ID. This needs
to be inserted into the `STEAM_URL` replacing `"[[STREAMID]]"`. After this
change is made, set the new stream URL using the `videoPlayer.setStreamUrl()`
method and call the `videoPlayer.play()` method to start stream playback.
```java
// Play the live pod stream.
streamID = streamManager.getStreamId();
String liveStreamUrl = STREAM_URL.replace("[[STREAMID]]", streamID);
// Call videoPlayer.play() here, because IMA doesn't call the VideoStreamPlayer.loadUrl()
// function for livestreams.
videoPlayer.setStreamUrl(liveStreamUrl);
videoPlayer.play();
```
### VOD stream Pod Serving
1. Call the `StreamManager.getStreamId()` method to get the stream ID.
2. Request a stream URL from your video technology partner (VTP).
3. After you receive the URL from your VTP, call the `StreamManager.loadThirdPartyStream()` method with the URL to load the stream, along with any subtitles your VTP returns.
```java
// Play the VOD pod stream.
streamID = streamManager.getStreamId();
String vodStreamUrl = "";
// Refer to your Video Tech Partner (VTP) or video stitching guide to fetch the stream URL
// and the subtitles for a the ad stitched VOD stream.
// In the following commented out code, 'vtpInterface' is a place holder
// for your own video technology partner (VTP) API calls.
// vodStreamUrl = vtpInterface.requestStreamURL(streamID);
List> subtitles = new ArrayList<>();
streamManager.loadThirdPartyStream(vodStreamUrl, subtitles);
```
For VOD Pod Serving requests, IMA calls the `VideoStreamPlayer.loadUrl()`
callback when the stream has loaded. To start stream playback, add the
`videoPlayer.setStreamUrl()` and `videoPlayer.play()` calls to the
`VideoStreamPlayer.loadUrl()` callback:
```java
private VideoStreamPlayer createVideoStreamPlayer() {
return new VideoStreamPlayer() {
@Override
public void loadUrl(String url, List> subtitles) {
// IMA doesn't make calls to VideoStreamPlayer.loadUrl() for pod serving live streams.
// The following code is for VOD streams.
videoPlayer.setStreamUrl(url);
videoPlayer.play();
}
```
## Clean up IMA DAI assets
When you have successfully finished requesting and displaying ads in a Pod
Serving stream with IMA DAI SDK, we suggest you clean up any resources after the
Pod Serving session is complete. Call `StreamManager.destroy()` to stop stream
playback, stop all ad tracking, and release all of the loaded stream assets.
To see other examples of the Android SDK being used, see
[samples on GitHub](https://github.com/googleads/googleads-ima-android-dai).