Adobe Analytics Heartbeat Measurement

Detailed technical documentation on using the Adobe Analytics heartbeat events with RudderStack for measuring streaming media.

Adobe Analytics for Streaming Media is an add-on that offers measurement tools for different types of media such as audio, video, and advertisements.

Adobe Analytics uses “heartbeats” to collect different metrics related to the video during playback. These heartbeats are sent to the Adobe heartbeat tracking server every ten seconds to measure the time the video is played.

For sending the heartbeat events to Adobe Analytics, you will need the Heartbeat Tracking Server URL. To get this URL, contact your Adobe representative. Also, you will need to map your RudderStack events with the type of Adobe heartbeat event you want to send.

The RudderStack dashboard settings also has a toggle for SSL which, if enabled, will send the Heartbeat Tracking URL in the HTTPS mode.

Playback Head

For sending video heartbeat events to Adobe Analytics through RudderStack's Web (JavaScript) SDK, Adobe's Media Heartbeat SDK needs a playhead update at least once every second for the main content. The video/ad start and heartbeat update playhead type of events update this playhead using the position property.

To stop triggering this event for every second, the playhead to the window needs to be set. This can be done by setting window.rudderHBPlayheads to the key-value pair of the current content’s session_id and position as shown:

window.rudderHBPlayheads = {
  "session_id": position value
}

RudderStack sends the Adobe heartbeat events as per the following categories:

Initialize Heartbeat

• Adobe Analytics Method Triggered: trackSessionStart

• Description: This is used for initializing all the heartbeat calls. The Context Data is set as mapped in the settings.

• Properties used:

RudderStack property	Description	Default Value
channel	Needs to be set for media heartbeat property channel or an empty string will be sent.	-
video_player	Needs to be set for media heartbeat property playerName or "unknown" will be sent.	-
session_id	To check if present in window.rudderHBPlayheads	"default"
bitrate	Sent for creating QoSObject.	0
startupTime	Sent for creating QoSObject.	0
fps	Sent for creating QoSObject .	0
droppedFrames	Sent for creating QoSObject.	0
livestream	Sent for creating MediaObject	-
title	Sent for creating MediaObject.	"no title"
asset_id	Sent for creating MediaObject.	"default ad"
total_length	Sent for creating MediaObject.	0

The properties mapped in the Standard Video Metadata section below will also be set.

Heartbeat Video Start

• Adobe Analytics Method Triggered: trackSessionStart, trackPlay, trackEvent(ChapterStart)

• Description: This is used when a video is started. The Context Data is set as mapped in settings.

• Properties used:

RudderStack property	Description	Default Value
channel	Needs to be set for media heartbeat property channel or an empty string will be sent.	-
video_player	Needs to be set for media heartbeat property playerName or "unknown" will be sent.	-
session_id	To check if present in window.rudderHBPlayheads	"default"
bitrate	Sent for creating QoSObject.	0
startupTime	Sent for creating QoSObject.	0
fps	Sent for creating QoSObject .	0
droppedFrames	Sent for creating QoSObject.	0
livestream	Sent for creating MediaObject	-
title	Sent for creating MediaObject.	"no title"
asset_id	Sent for creating MediaObject.	"default ad"
total_length	Sent for creating MediaObject.	0
chapter_name	Sent for creating createChapterObject.	"no chapter name"
position	Sent for creating createChapterObject.	1
length	Sent for creating createChapterObject.	6000
start_time	Sent for creating createChapterObject.	0

The properties mapped in the Standard Video Metadata section below will also be set.

Heartbeat Video Paused

• Adobe Analytics Method Triggered: trackSessionStart, trackPause

• Description: This is used when a video is paused. The Context Data is set as mapped in the settings.

• Properties used:

RudderStack property	Description	Default Value
channel	Needs to be set for media heartbeat property channel or an empty string will be sent.	-
video_player	Needs to be set for media heartbeat property playerName or "unknown" will be sent.	-
session_id	To check if present in window.rudderHBPlayheads	"default"
bitrate	Sent for creating QoSObject.	0
startupTime	Sent for creating QoSObject.	0
fps	Sent for creating QoSObject .	0
droppedFrames	Sent for creating QoSObject.	0
livestream	Sent for creating MediaObject	-
title	Sent for creating MediaObject.	"no title"
asset_id	Sent for creating MediaObject.	"default ad"
total_length	Sent for creating MediaObject.	0

The properties mapped in the Standard Video Metadata section below will also be set.

Heartbeat Video Complete

• Adobe Analytics Method Triggered: trackSessionStart, trackEvent(ChapterComplete)

• Description: This is used when a video is completed. The Context Data is set as mapped in the settings.

• Properties used:

RudderStack property	Description	Default Value
channel	Needs to be set for media heartbeat property channel or an empty string will be sent.	-
video_player	Needs to be set for media heartbeat property playerName or "unknown" will be sent.	-
session_id	To check if present in window.rudderHBPlayheads	"default"
bitrate	Sent for creating QoSObject.	0
startupTime	Sent for creating QoSObject.	0
fps	Sent for creating QoSObject .	0
droppedFrames	Sent for creating QoSObject.	0
livestream	Sent for creating MediaObject	-
title	Sent for creating MediaObject.	"no title"
asset_id	Sent for creating MediaObject.	"default ad"
total_length	Sent for creating MediaObject.	0

The properties mapped in the Standard Video Metadata section below will also be set.

Heartbeat Session End

• Adobe Analytics Method Triggered: trackSessionStart, trackComplete, trackSessionEnd

• Description: This is used when a session ends. The Context Data is set as mapped in the settings.

• Properties used:

RudderStack property	Description	Default Value
channel	Needs to be set for media heartbeat property channel or an empty string will be sent.	-
video_player	Needs to be set for media heartbeat property playerName or "unknown" will be sent.	-
session_id	To check if present in window.rudderHBPlayheads	"default"
bitrate	Sent for creating QoSObject.	0
startupTime	Sent for creating QoSObject.	0
fps	Sent for creating QoSObject .	0
droppedFrames	Sent for creating QoSObject.	0
livestream	Sent for creating MediaObject	-
title	Sent for creating MediaObject.	"no title"
asset_id	Sent for creating MediaObject.	"default ad"
total_length	Sent for creating MediaObject.	0

The properties mapped in the Standard Video Metadata section below will also be set.

Heartbeat Ad Started

• Adobe Analytics Method Triggered: trackEvent(AdBreakStart), trackEvent(AdStart).

• Description: This is used when an ad is started. The Context Data is set as mapped in the settings.

• Properties used:

RudderStack property	Description	Default Value
session_id	To check if present in window.rudderHBPlayheads.	"default"
title	Sent for creating AdObject and AdBreakObject.	"no title"
asset_id	Sent for creating AdObject.	"default ad"
position	Sent for creating AdObject and AdBreakObject.	1
total_length	Sent for creating AdObject.	0
type	Sent for creating AdBreakObject.	"unknown"
start_time	Sent for creating AdBreakObject.	0
content	Sent for trackEvent.	empty JSON

The properties mapped in the Standard Video Metadata section below will also be set.

Heartbeat Ad Completed

• Adobe Analytics Method Triggered: trackEvent(AdComplete), trackEvent(AdBreakComplete). If an ad break is in progress, then trackEvent(AdBreakStart) and trackEvent(AdStart) are also triggered.

• Description: This is used when an ad is completed. The Context Data is set as mapped in the settings.

• Properties used:

RudderStack property	Description	Default Value
session_id	To check if present in window.rudderHBPlayheads.	"default"
title	Sent for creating AdObject.	"no title"
asset_id	Sent for creating AdObject.	"default ad"
position	Sent for creating AdObject and AdBreakObject.	1
total_length	Sent for creating MediaObject.	0
type	Sent for creating AdBreakObject.	"unknown"
content	Sent for trackEvent.	empty JSON

The properties mapped in the Standard Video Metadata section below will also be set.

Heartbeat Ad Skipped

• Adobe Analytics Method Triggered: trackEvent(AdSkip), trackEvent(AdBreakComplete). If an ad break is in progress, then trackEvent(AdBreakStart) and trackEvent(AdStart) are also triggered.

• Description: This is used when an ad is skipped. The Context Data is set as mapped in the settings.

• Properties used:

RudderStack property	Description	Default Value
session_id	To check if present in window.rudderHBPlayheads.	"default"
title	Sent for creating AdObject.	"no title"
asset_id	Sent for creating AdObject.	"default ad"
position	Sent for creating AdObject and AdBreakObject.	1
total_length	Sent for creating MediaObject.	0
type	Sent for creating AdBreakObject.	"unknown"
content	Sent for trackEvent.	empty JSON

The properties mapped in the Standard Video Metadata section below will also be set.

Heartbeat Seek Started

• Adobe Analytics Method Triggered: trackSessionStart, trackEvent(SeekStart)

• Description: This is used when a video seek is started. The Context Data is set as mapped in settings.

• Properties used:

RudderStack property	Description	Default Value
channel	Needs to be set for media heartbeat property channel or an empty string will be sent.	-
video_player	Needs to be set for media heartbeat property playerName or "unknown" will be sent.	-
session_id	To check if present in window.rudderHBPlayheads	"default"
bitrate	Sent for creating QoSObject.	0
startupTime	Sent for creating QoSObject.	0
fps	Sent for creating QoSObject .	0
droppedFrames	Sent for creating QoSObject.	0
livestream	Sent for creating MediaObject	-
title	Sent for creating MediaObject.	"no title"
asset_id	Sent for creating MediaObject.	"default ad"
total_length	Sent for creating MediaObject.	0

The properties mapped in the Standard Video Metadata section below will also be set.

Heartbeat Seek Completed

• Adobe Analytics Method Triggered: trackSessionStart, trackEvent(SeekComplete)

• Description: This is used when a video seek is completed. The Context Data is set as mapped in settings.

• Properties used:

RudderStack property	Description	Default Value
channel	Needs to be set for media heartbeat property channel or an empty string will be sent.	-
video_player	Needs to be set for media heartbeat property playerName or "unknown" will be sent.	-
session_id	To check if present in window.rudderHBPlayheads	"default"
bitrate	Sent for creating QoSObject.	0
startupTime	Sent for creating QoSObject.	0
fps	Sent for creating QoSObject .	0
droppedFrames	Sent for creating QoSObject.	0
livestream	Sent for creating MediaObject	-
title	Sent for creating MediaObject.	"no title"
asset_id	Sent for creating MediaObject.	"default ad"
total_length	Sent for creating MediaObject.	0

The properties mapped in the Standard Video Metadata section below will also be set.

Heartbeat Buffer Started

• Adobe Analytics Method Triggered: trackSessionStart, trackEvent(BufferStart)

• Description: This is used when a video buffer has started. The Context Data is set as mapped in settings.

• Properties used:

RudderStack property	Description	Default Value
channel	Needs to be set for media heartbeat property channel or an empty string will be sent.	-
video_player	Needs to be set for media heartbeat property playerName or "unknown" will be sent.	-
session_id	To check if present in window.rudderHBPlayheads	"default"
bitrate	Sent for creating QoSObject.	0
startupTime	Sent for creating QoSObject.	0
fps	Sent for creating QoSObject .	0
droppedFrames	Sent for creating QoSObject.	0
livestream	Sent for creating MediaObject	-
title	Sent for creating MediaObject.	"no title"
asset_id	Sent for creating MediaObject.	"default ad"
total_length	Sent for creating MediaObject.	0

The properties mapped in the Standard Video Metadata section below will also be set.

Heartbeat Buffer Completed

• Adobe Analytics Method Triggered: trackSessionStart, trackEvent(BufferComplete)

• Description: This is used when a video buffer has completed. The Context Data is set as mapped in settings.

• Properties used:

RudderStack property	Description	Default Value
channel	Needs to be set for media heartbeat property channel or an empty string will be sent.	-
video_player	Needs to be set for media heartbeat property playerName or "unknown" will be sent.	-
session_id	To check if present in window.rudderHBPlayheads	"default"
bitrate	Sent for creating QoSObject.	0
startupTime	Sent for creating QoSObject.	0
fps	Sent for creating QoSObject .	0
droppedFrames	Sent for creating QoSObject.	0
livestream	Sent for creating MediaObject	-
title	Sent for creating MediaObject.	"no title"
asset_id	Sent for creating MediaObject.	"default ad"
total_length	Sent for creating MediaObject.	0

The properties mapped in the Standard Video Metadata section below will also be set.

Heartbeat Quality Updated

• Description: The quality of experience tracking includes both quality of service (QoS) and error tracking. These are optional elements and are not required for the core media tracking implementations. You can use the media player's API to identify the variables related to QoS and error tracking.

• Properties used:

RudderStack property	Description	Default Value
bitrate	Sent for creating QoSObject.	0
startupTime	Sent for creating QoSObject.	0
fps	Sent for creating QoSObject .	0
droppedFrames	Sent for creating QoSObject.	0

Heartbeat Playhead Update

• Description: This changes the playhead position. Initially, the playhead is set to 0. While initializing the heartbeat, it is set to the position value of that session_id in window.rudderHBPlayheads.

Standard Video Metadata

The following RudderStack properties must also be sent for mapping to the standard video metadata:

RudderStack property	Adobe Standard Video Metadata
program	MediaHeartbeat.VideoMetadataKeys.SHOW
season	MediaHeartbeat.VideoMetadataKeys.SEASON
episode	MediaHeartbeat.VideoMetadataKeys.EPISODE
assetId	MediaHeartbeat.VideoMetadataKeys.ASSET_ID
contentAssetId	MediaHeartbeat.VideoMetadataKeys.ASSET_ID
genre	MediaHeartbeat.VideoMetadataKeys.GENRE
airdate	MediaHeartbeat.VideoMetadataKeys.FIRST_AIR_DATE
publisher	MediaHeartbeat.VideoMetadataKeys.ORIGINATOR
channel	MediaHeartbeat.VideoMetadataKeys.NETWORK
rating	MediaHeartbeat.VideoMetadataKeys.RATING

Standard Ad Metadata

The following RudderStack properties must also be sent for mapping to the standard ad metadata:

RudderStack property	Adobe Standard Ad Metadata
publisher	MediaHeartbeat.AdMetadataKeys.ADVERTISER

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