playbackmethod: [1, 2] Validates as JSON. RMT Sound State Needs One Answer.
A header-bidding adapter ships a video imp with "playbackmethod": [1, 2] . The exchange accepts the request. The DSP bid engine reads sound-on instream inventory. The player starts muted. Nothing failed at the JSON layer. The failure is a contract mismatch between what the field means in OpenRTB today and what IAB Redefining Media Types (RMT) plans to derive from it tomorrow. Capability list…
The header-bidding adapter sends a video impression with a playbackmethod field containing either [1, 2] or a single value. The exchange accepts this request without any issues at the JSON layer. However, the problem lies in the contract mismatch between the OpenRTB Video object and the IAB Redefining Media Types (RMT) plans for interpretation.
In OpenRTB, playbackmethod is an integer array drawn from AdCOM List: Playback Methods, with values 1 and 5 meaning playback starts with sound on, while values 2 and 6 indicate playback starts with sound off. If the field is omitted, any method may be used. When this field is present, it specifies the playback methods that may be in use on the placement.
RMT, on the other hand, treats the sound-state attribute directly onto video.playbackmethod, assigning values 1 and 5 as sound on, and 2 and 6 as sound off for the impression. This standard aims to encode eight binary attributes into bid requests, preventing arguments about connected TV meaning lean-back sound-on or muted feed video.
However, an array listing both sound-on and sound-off is a valid capability statement in OpenRTB, but not a single sound-state fact for RMT unless all downstream systems agree on a reduction rule. The spec warns about reduction, noting that buyers should rely on the first element only of playbackmethod as it may become a single integer in future versions.
Written by urgent.news from Dev.to's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
