> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.podigee.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.podigee.com/documentation/grow-and-monetize/monetization/concepts-and-reference/delivery-surface-and-platform-compatibility-matrix.md). # Delivery surface and platform compatibility matrix Choose the correct delivery surface and understand its media support, insertion authority, measurement evidence, certification boundary, and fallback behavior. The delivery surface changes what Podigee controls and what a destination controls. Choose the surface that matches the order, the media, and the listener or viewer experience. Check the authority boundary before you interpret a successful local test as a live delivery result. ## Quick compatibility matrix | Surface | Audio | Video | Insertion authority | Measurement authority | Certification boundary | | --------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------: | -------------------------------------------------: | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- | | RSS audio | Yes | No | Podigee delivery path | Podigee analytics and qualified delivery evidence | Podigee-controlled contract and playback checks | | Podigee HLS | Yes | Yes | Podigee HLS and decision service | Podigee analytics and qualified delivery evidence | HLS, media, interstitial, and playback checks | | Apple Podcasts | Yes | Yes, when the Apple video path is enabled | Podigee prepares HLS and interstitial assets; Apple controls playback | Podigee host evidence plus Apple delivery evidence where available | Apple HLS rules, association, and Apple certification boundary | | Spotify direct distribution | Yes | Yes, for supported Spotify video paths | Spotify controls final playback and insertion | Spotify controls destination execution; Podigee keeps submission and campaign evidence | Spotify capability and production enablement | | Owned player | Yes | Yes | Podigee or the connected player, as declared | The player and Podigee event path | Integration contract and player verification | | External demand | Audio or video response, if the source supports it | Audio or video response, if the source supports it | The declared demand source provides the ad response; Podigee controls eligibility and fallback | Provider response plus Podigee delivery evidence | VAST, OpenRTB, CATS, or the approved provider contract | | YouTube | No supported ad execution | No supported ad execution | YouTube | YouTube | Unsupported in the current product | The matrix describes the current product boundary. A surface can support a media kind in principle but still be unavailable when its connector, capability, credentials, or certification is not active. ## RSS audio RSS audio uses the existing podcast feed and a stable episode URL. The serving path selects a qualified audio representation at request time, applies the approved break and fallback behavior, and keeps the response compatible with normal podcast players. ![The current One Podigee Recent ad decisions page shows selected ads for Podcast audio, with the Campaign, Creative, podcast, episode, reason, privacy mode, and decision time.](https://2032417310-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FbqUKO6lljHGzkEAzliPI%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-d7e8fd4ca100c36e85d1231caf853395912d9401%2Fdoc-monetization-056-podcast-audio-decisions.png?alt=media) *Filter by Podcast audio to review decisions for RSS episode delivery.* Use RSS audio when: * the audience mainly downloads or streams audio from the feed; * the episode must keep its existing RSS identity; * the show does not need a video presentation; * the selected Creative has a prepared audio rendition. RSS audio does not provide a reliable visual ad experience. Do not assign a video-only Creative or a video-only Flight to an RSS audio surface. ## Podigee HLS audio and video Podigee HLS supports audio and video presentations with a manifest, media segments, and declared interstitial behavior. Podigee controls the serving decision and the host-side media path. ![The current One Podigee Recent ad decisions page shows selected ads for Video ad stitching, with the Campaign, Creative, podcast, episode, reason, and decision time.](https://2032417310-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FbqUKO6lljHGzkEAzliPI%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-cea052c594c382ab94110b59563d6406d953fce0%2Fdoc-monetization-057-hls-decisions.png?alt=media) *Filter by Video ad stitching to review the results for Podigee HLS playback.* Use HLS when: * the player supports HLS manifests and interstitial behavior; * the episode has a valid audio or video HLS presentation; * the Creative has a rendition that matches the presentation; * the event path can report the required playback and delivery evidence. The HLS path must keep the media, manifest, decision, cache result, analytics event, and qualified money evidence on the same exact presentation and Campaign version. ## Apple Podcasts Apple delivery uses Apple-compatible HLS assets. Podigee prepares and hosts the media and interstitial resources, then associates the presentation with the Apple episode path. Apple controls the final client playback and applies its own platform rules. ![The current One Podigee Apple delivery view shows the Apple HLS standards and interstitial checks for the selected presentation.](https://2032417310-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FbqUKO6lljHGzkEAzliPI%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-34d9daa348dece809f9dccab5999d7ca485d3f70%2Fdoc-monetization-058-apple-standards.png?alt=media) *A valid local HLS presentation is required before Apple association.* Apple checks include: * valid multivariant and media playlists; * supported audio, video, I-frame, and caption variants; * valid interstitial asset selection and timing; * durable media and manifest URLs; * required MIME, CORS, and stream behavior; * association and current platform evidence. A local HLS result proves that the host-side output meets the declared contract. It does not prove that Apple has accepted the episode or that every Apple client will play it. ## Spotify Spotify has more than one delivery and monetization path. The product keeps the path visible so an operator does not treat a Spotify submission as a Podigee-controlled stream. ![The current One Podigee Spotify setup shows a fixed impression goal with an ad position, Spotify CPM, and impression limit for the selected Flight.](https://2032417310-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FbqUKO6lljHGzkEAzliPI%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-35081efb7aa287a9072d7a53f24df0bcf66e2f0d%2Fdoc-monetization-059-spotify-standard.png?alt=media) *A Spotify Campaign can be ready in Podigee while Spotify processing is still pending.* | Spotify path | Podigee responsibility | Spotify responsibility | | ---------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Direct sales | Map the approved Campaign, Creative, targeting, price, goal, and cuepoint data to the supported API. | Process the media, serve or insert the ad, and report destination execution. | | Sponsorship | Prepare the sponsorship and embedded sponsorship data, rights, and cuepoints. | Process the sponsorship and control final playback and insertion. | | Spotify Partner Program or SPAN | Keep the show and episode authority, eligibility, and enabled capability clear. | Control auction, streaming, insertion, and destination monetization execution. | | Unsupported or not enabled feature | Keep the capability blocked and explain the missing authority. | Enable the capability only under its current product contract. | Spotify processing is asynchronous. A Campaign can be ready in Podigee while Spotify is still processing the media or the destination configuration. Wait for the Spotify receipt before you describe the destination as active. ## Owned players An owned player can use RSS audio, Podigee HLS, or a declared player integration. The integration must accept the selected media format, decision response, tracking behavior, privacy boundary, and fallback. Before activation, verify: 1. The player sends the supported request shape. 2. The player accepts the returned audio or video representation. 3. The player handles the declared interstitial or stitched-media behavior. 4. Playback and delivery events include the required evidence fields. 5. A timeout or no-fill result returns the declared clean fallback. Do not call a player integration active because its endpoint answers a health check. Test one real audio or video playback path and inspect the corresponding decision and event evidence. ## External demand External demand can provide an ad response through an approved VAST, OpenRTB, CATS, or provider contract. Podigee still controls the Campaign, eligibility, privacy, timeout, priority, and fallback rules. | Standard or source | What the operator checks | Common limit | | ------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- | | VAST | Version, media file, tracking events, duration, and verification result | The response can be valid but still fail media or policy checks. | | OpenRTB | Request fields, response fields, price, currency, and timeout | A bid is not a guaranteed fill or qualified impression. | | CATS | Transport contract, signed payload, media, and event behavior | Transport success does not prove playback. | | Provider API | Capability, credentials, version, rate limits, and provider receipt | Provider execution and reporting can remain outside Podigee. | Use the configured demand order. A provider timeout, invalid response, or no-fill result must follow the declared next source or clean fallback. It must not delay source playback beyond the fallback boundary or create false billing. ## Capability and certification states Read the exact capability state, not only the connector state. | State | Meaning | | ---------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Registered | The surface and capability are recorded. | | Tested | The declared request and response path was exercised. | | Locally conformant | Podigee checks passed for the exact contract and version. | | Validator conformant | A required format validator also passed. | | Sandbox certified | The external destination accepted the capability in a sandbox. | | Production certified | Current production evidence supports activation. | | Active | The exact capability is bound to a serving or submission operation. | | Blocked or unsupported | The capability cannot be used for the selected operation. | The highest state for one capability does not upgrade another capability. A VAST result does not certify OpenRTB. A valid Apple HLS playlist does not certify a Spotify submission. ## Choose the right surface Use this decision path: 1. Is the destination a normal podcast feed and audio player? Start with RSS audio. 2. Does the player need dynamic audio or video presentation? Use Podigee HLS when the player supports it. 3. Does the audience receive the episode through Apple Podcasts? Use the Apple HLS path and its exact checks. 4. Does Spotify control the destination? Use the supported Spotify capability and wait for its receipt. 5. Is an owned player or external demand source required? Verify its contract, authority, and fallback before activation. 6. Is the destination not supported? Keep the capability blocked and use a supported surface. ## Expected result The selected surface supports the Creative and the required media kind. The operator knows who controls insertion, playback, measurement, and certification. The decision, cache, analytics, and money evidence can be traced to the same delivery path, while unsupported or provider-controlled behavior remains clearly bounded. Next, use the standards reference for exact VAST, OpenRTB, CATS, and HLS fields and examples. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. 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