Regions Covered
✔ United States
✔ Canada
To maintain a consistently high quality product, XR requires all material to be supplied to the following specifications:
Requirements at a glance
| Unique identifier: | Ad-ID or Ad Code - see Other Important Information |
| Content Layout: | 5-second slate → 2 seconds of black → Ad |
| HD/SD: | HD |
| Audio Loudness: | -24 LKFS |
| File naming: | Ad-ID or Ad Code (e.g. ZYWX9876000H.mov) |
Content Layout
Active audio/video must start on frame 168 for 23.98 fps or frame 210 for 29.97 fps.
The first frame is counted as frame zero.
Video content must run to the last frame with no additional black.
Creative fades are accepted as long as the duration does not exceed 10 frames.
Slate
Ad-ID must be present on the slate and must match the Ad-ID in the metadata.
Slate should include the following:
Slates must be mute
There should be no audio on the slate or in the two seconds of black before the advertisement.
File Specification
| Preferred | Accepted | |||
| Format | MXF OP1a | QuickTime | MP4 | |
| Container | .mxf | .mov | .mp4 | |
| Video Codec | XDCAM HD 422 | ProRes 422 HQ | AVC | |
| GOP | Long GOP | Default | N/A | |
| Profile | 4:2:2@High | 422 HQ | Main@L4 | |
| Frame Size | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
| Frame Rate | 23.98 | 23.98 | 23.98 | |
| Scan Type | Progressive | Progressive | Progressive | |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 | 16:9 | 16:9 | |
| Pixel Aspect Ratio | Square Pixels (1.0) | Square Pixels (1.0) | Square Pixels (1.0) | |
| Video Bit Rate | 50 Mbps | Default | 20 Mbps | |
| Chroma | 4:2:2 | 4:2:2 | 4:2:0 | |
| Audio Codec | PCM | PCM | AAC | |
| Audio Bit Depth | 16 or 24 bit | 16 or 24 bit | N/A | |
| Audio Sample Rate | 48 kHz | 48 kHz | 48 kHz | |
| Audio Bit Rate | Uncompressed | Uncompressed | 224 Kbps | |
Alternatives
1920 x 1080, 29.97, Interlaced, Upper Field
1920 x 1080, 29.97, Progressive
1280 x 720, 59.94, Progressive
Video Levels
All video signals should comply with ITU-R BT.601, ITU-R BT.709, and EBU R 103 and video signals should not exceed the specified limits.
Video levels should not exceed 700mV, or fall below 0mv
Black level = 0% / 0mV
White level = 100% / 700mV
RGB = 0% - 100% / 0mV - 700mV
Digital values
(8 Bit)
0% = Digital value of 16
100% = Digital value of 235
(10 Bit)
0% = Digital value of 64
100% = Digital value of 940
Out of gamut tolerance
EBU recommendation Rec.103-2000 will allow a small tolerance, assuming that no more than 1% of the active picture is in error.
Signals exceeding 5% of the above levels and 1% of the image for a four second duration are considered “Out-of-Gamut” and will be rejected.
Audio Levels
ATSC RP A/85 and ITU-R BS. 1770-3
Target Loudness level should be -24 LKFS
Any content that does not conform to the -24 LKFS loudness level mandate will be automatically normalized to meet the loudness requirement. The normalization will adjust the overall audio level to meet a -24 LKFS loudness aim with no impact on the dynamic range.
True-Peak level must be below -2 dB TP
To avoid any potential rejections from TV and digital destinations, we recommend keeping true-peak levels below -6 dB TP.
Audio Channel Configurations
| Stereo | |
| Channel # | PCM or AAC Audio |
| 1 | Stereo Left |
| 2 | Stereo Right |
| 5.1 Plus Stereo | |
| Channel # | PCM Audio |
| 1 | Left |
| 2 | Right |
| 3 | Center |
| 4 | Low Frequency Effects |
| 5 | Left Surround |
| 6 | Right Surround |
| 7 | Stereo Left |
| 8 | Stereo Right |
| Stereo with AD | |
| Channel # | PCM or AAC Audio |
| 1 | Stereo Left |
| 2 | Stereo Right |
| 3 | AD: Stereo Left |
| 4 | AD: Stereo Right |
|
5.1 Plus Stereo with AD | |
| Channel # | PCM Audio |
| 1 | Left |
| 2 | Right |
| 3 | Center |
| 4 | Low Frequency Effects |
| 5 | Left Surround |
| 6 | Right Surround |
| 7 | Stereo Left |
| 8 | Stereo Right |
| 9 | AD: Stereo Left |
| 10 | AD: Stereo Right |
| Stereo with AD and SAP | |
| Channel # | PCM or AAC Audio |
| 1 | Stereo Left |
| 2 | Stereo Right |
| 3 | AD: Stereo Left |
| 4 | AD: Stereo Right |
| 5 | SAP: Stereo Left |
| 6 | SAP: Stereo Right |
|
5.1 Plus Stereo with AD and SAP | |
| Channel # | PCM Audio |
| 1 | Left |
| 2 | Right |
| 3 | Center |
| 4 | Low Frequency Effects |
| 5 | Left Surround |
| 6 | Right Surround |
| 7 | Stereo Left |
| 8 | Stereo Right |
| 9 | AD: Stereo Left |
| 10 | AD: Stereo Right |
| 11 | SAP: Stereo Left |
| 12 | SAP: Stereo Right |
Title Safety
SMPTE ST 2046-1
The safe title area is 90% of the width and 90% of the height of the production aperture. All graphics, text, and frame composition elements should be placed within the safe title area to prevent key content from being cut off.
While 90% is the recommended safe area, all TV assets are allowed up to 93% placement without rejection. Assets with graphics, text, and composition elements outside of 93% (Safe Action Area) will be rejected.
Closed Captioning
Closed captioning makes content more accessible to individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and can be added for an additional fee.
In Canada closed captions are mandatory for all commercials.
Audio Description
Audio Description makes content more accessible to individuals who are blind or visually impaired and can be added for an additional fee.
Watermarking
BVS Watermarking (Kantar)
If you require BVS watermarking, this service is available for an additional fee. To proceed, please ensure you provide an Excel sheet from Kantar that includes the relevant BVS codes when placing your order.
Nielsen Watermarking
We also offer encoding for Nielsen watermarking at no extra cost. To enable this, simply provide the CID (Commercial Identifier) number when submitting your order. Please note that while encoding is free, all reporting is handled directly by Nielsen and may incur additional charges.
Clearance
USA
There is no central clearance body for TV advertising in the United States. Each network’s Broadcast Standards and Practices (BS&P) department reviews ads to ensure compliance with federal regulations (FCC, FTC, FDA) and the network’s own guidelines. BS&P checks the legal, ethical, and moral standards before an ad airs. Guidelines vary by network.
Canada
Clearance is mandatory in Canada. The Canadian clearance body, ThinkTV, works on behalf of Canadian broadcasters who subscribe to the Telecaster Services. When clearing adverts, ThinkTV follows guidelines written and agreed by Telecaster members.
See US and Canada Clearance for more information.
Do you need help with clearance or regulatory compliance?
XR's Campaign Services teams can assist you! Please reach out to your local team for more information, additional fees apply.
Other Important Information
Ad Code Requirements
If you’re not using Ad-ID, the ID should follow these guidelines:
- No special characters or spaces.
- HD file names must end with an “H” but cannot end with “HH”.
- In Canada, the “H” is not a requirement for HD assets.
Ad Code Length Restrictions
- ABC and ESPN allow up to 13 characters
- NBC allows up to 15 characters
- DIRECTV allows up to 16 characters
- CBS allows up to 20 characters
- FOX and Discovery allow up to 25 characters