CTV ad creatives play on large screens in a lean-back viewing environment. Technical quality requirements are higher than for mobile or desktop video. Here are the standard specs for India CTV publishers.
Video format: MP4 with H.264 codec is universally accepted across India CTV publishers. WebM and H.265 are accepted by some but not all. When in doubt, deliver MP4/H.264.
Resolution: 1920×1080 (1080p) is the standard. 1280×720 (720p) is the minimum. 4K (3840×2160) is accepted by premium publishers but rarely required.
Bitrate: 2–5 Mbps for 1080p. Below 2 Mbps produces visible compression artefacts on large TV screens. Above 5 Mbps risks 402 timeout errors on slower connections.
File size: Most India CTV publishers cap creative files at 150–200MB.
Duration: 15 seconds and 30 seconds are the standard durations. 6-second bumper formats are accepted by some publishers. 60-second ads are available on select JioHotstar premium inventory but require advance negotiation and are priced separately.
Audio: Stereo AAC, 128–320 kbps. Audio levels must comply with loudness standards (typically -24 LUFS integrated, -2 dBFS true peak). Creatives that are significantly louder than surrounding content are rejected or suppressed by publishers.
Aspect ratio: 16:9 widescreen only. 4:3, 1:1, and vertical formats are not accepted for CTV in-stream inventory.
Ad format: VAST 2.0 minimum, VAST 3.0+ preferred. No VPAID — CTV apps do not execute JavaScript. A creative submitted as VPAID for a CTV campaign will fire VAST error 405 and not deliver.
Creative review: JioHotstar requires creatives to be submitted for review 48–72 hours before campaign launch, particularly for live sports inventory. SonyLIV and Zee5 have similar pre-approval requirements for premium placements. Build this lead time into your campaign launch planning.