For Agents
Configure server-side ad insertion, build linear channels from VOD content, and schedule ad prefetches for streaming workflows.
Get started with AWS MediaTailor in minutes using your preferred integration method.
# Add to your MCP client config (Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf)
{
"jentic": {
"url": "https://api.jentic.com/mcp",
"auth": "oauth"
}
}
# Then ask your agent:
"configure server side ad insertion"
# → Jentic returns the GET /events tool with parameter schema, agent executes.What an agent can do with AWS MediaTailor API.
Configure playback configurations with VAST or VMAP ad decision server URLs
Assemble linear FAST channels from VOD source locations and program schedules
Schedule programs into channels with start times and ad break offsets
Manage source locations that point at VOD or live source content
GET STARTED
Use for: I need to create a new playback configuration with our ad decision server, Build a 24x7 FAST channel from our movie library, Schedule a program into a channel for tomorrow at 9pm, List all source locations in our MediaTailor account
Not supported: Does not handle transcoding, origin storage, DRM packaging, or client-side ad insertion — use for server-side ad insertion, FAST channel assembly, and prefetch scheduling only.
Jentic publishes the only available OpenAPI document for AWS MediaTailor, keeping it validated and agent-ready.
Jentic publishes the only available OpenAPI specification for AWS MediaTailor, keeping it validated and agent-ready. AWS MediaTailor performs server-side ad insertion, channel assembly, and prefetch scheduling for streaming video. It assembles linear channels from VOD source content, stitches targeted ads into HLS and DASH streams via VAST and VMAP integrations, and supports Live-to-VOD recording. The control plane covers playback configurations, channels, programs, source locations, live and VOD sources, alerts, and prefetch schedules.
Create prefetch schedules so ad responses are cached before playback windows
Configure logging policies for playback and channel operations
Surface and acknowledge alerts on channels and source locations
Patterns agents use AWS MediaTailor API for, with concrete tasks.
★ Server-Side Ad Insertion for Live Streams
Broadcasters using server-side ad insertion stitch targeted ads into HLS and DASH streams without client-side SDKs. A playback configuration points at the origin (HLS/DASH manifest) and an ad decision server URL that responds with VAST or VMAP. MediaTailor calls the ADS at every ad break, replaces SCTE-35 markers with the returned ad creatives, and emits a personalised manifest per viewer.
Call PutPlaybackConfiguration with a Name, VideoContentSourceUrl pointing at the origin, and AdDecisionServerUrl pointing at the VAST endpoint, then return the HlsConfiguration ManifestEndpointPrefix
FAST Channel Assembly
Free Ad-Supported Television operators build 24x7 linear channels from VOD libraries by combining a channel with scheduled programs that pull from VOD sources. CreateChannel defines the channel and its outputs (HLS and DASH); CreateProgram inserts each piece of content with start times and ad break configurations; the result is a continuous linear stream playable through CDN-fronted endpoints.
Create a channel named 'movies-247' with HLS and DASH outputs, then schedule three programs from the SourceLocation 'movies-vod' starting at consecutive 90-minute slots
Ad Prefetch for Peak Traffic
When a streaming event has known high concurrency at predictable times, prefetch schedules instruct MediaTailor to call the ad decision server in advance for those windows. CreatePrefetchSchedule defines the consumption window, retrieval window, and matching criteria so ad responses are cached before viewers reach the break, lowering per-impression ADS load.
Call CreatePrefetchSchedule on PlaybackConfigurationName 'sunday-primetime' with a Retrieval window starting 30 minutes before the consumption window of 21:00-22:00 UTC
AI Agent Stream Programming
Programming agents call MediaTailor through Jentic to schedule new content, refresh ad configurations, and react to channel alerts surfaced from operations. Jentic isolates the AWS keys and exposes the channel, program, source location, and prefetch operations as discoverable tools, so the agent can answer 'add tonight's premiere to channel X at 9pm' without touching the AWS SDK directly.
Search Jentic for 'schedule a program in a channel', load the CreateProgram operation, and execute it with the channel name, source location, VOD source, and the desired ScheduleConfiguration timestamp
44 endpoints — jentic publishes the only available openapi specification for aws mediatailor, keeping it validated and agent-ready.
METHOD
PATH
DESCRIPTION
/playbackConfiguration
Create or update a playback configuration
/channel/{ChannelName}
Create a linear channel
/channel/{ChannelName}/program/{ProgramName}
Schedule a program in a channel
/sourceLocation/{SourceLocationName}
Create a source location
/sourceLocation/{SourceLocationName}/vodSource/{VodSourceName}
Register a VOD source under a source location
/prefetchSchedule/{PlaybackConfigurationName}/{Name}
Create a prefetch schedule
/playbackConfiguration/{Name}
Describe a playback configuration
/playbackConfiguration
Create or update a playback configuration
/channel/{ChannelName}
Create a linear channel
/channel/{ChannelName}/program/{ProgramName}
Schedule a program in a channel
/sourceLocation/{SourceLocationName}
Create a source location
/sourceLocation/{SourceLocationName}/vodSource/{VodSourceName}
Register a VOD source under a source location
Three things that make agents converge on Jentic-routed access.
Credential isolation
AWS keys are stored encrypted in the Jentic vault. Each MediaTailor call is signed with Signature Version 4 server-side, and Jentic carries the IAM role references the service requires for accessing source content without exposing the underlying secrets to the agent.
Intent-based discovery
Agents search by intent (e.g. 'configure server side ad insertion' or 'schedule a program') and Jentic returns matching MediaTailor operations such as PutPlaybackConfiguration, CreateChannel, and CreateProgram with their input schemas.
Time to first call
Direct integration: 2-4 days for IAM, configuring multiple resource types, and ad decision server wiring. Through Jentic: under an hour — search, load schema, execute.
Alternatives and complements available in the Jentic catalogue.
AWS Elemental MediaPackage VOD
MediaPackage VOD provides packaged origin content that MediaTailor stitches ads into
Use MediaPackage VOD upstream when the agent needs HLS or DASH manifests as the VideoContentSourceUrl input to a MediaTailor playback configuration.
Mux
Mux offers managed video and ad insertion in one API; MediaTailor focuses on AWS-native SSAI
Choose Mux when the agent needs an end-to-end managed video pipeline; choose MediaTailor when SSAI must integrate with AWS Elemental, MediaPackage, and S3.
AWS Elemental MediaStore
MediaStore can host the live origin MediaTailor's playback configurations point at
Use MediaStore when the agent needs a low-latency origin for live streams that MediaTailor will perform SSAI on.
Specific to using AWS MediaTailor API through Jentic.
Why is there no official OpenAPI spec for AWS MediaTailor?
AWS does not publish an OpenAPI specification. Jentic generates and maintains this spec so that AI agents and developers can call AWS MediaTailor via structured tooling. It is validated against the live API and kept up to date. Get started at https://app.jentic.com/sign-up.
What authentication does the MediaTailor API use?
MediaTailor uses AWS Signature Version 4 (HMAC) with an access key ID and secret access key scoped via IAM. Configurations also reference IAM roles that MediaTailor assumes to read source content and call ad decision servers. Through Jentic, AWS keys live in the encrypted vault and Jentic signs each request server-side.
Can I create a channel and schedule programs with the MediaTailor API?
Yes. POST /channel/{ChannelName} creates a channel with HLS and DASH outputs, then POST /channel/{ChannelName}/program/{ProgramName} schedules each program with a SourceLocationName, VodSourceName or LiveSourceName, and ScheduleConfiguration containing the absolute or relative start time and any ad break offsets.
What are the rate limits for the MediaTailor API?
AWS does not publish hard request-per-second limits for control-plane operations in this spec. Soft quotas apply to channels per account, source locations per channel, and programs per channel — see the AWS service quotas console for current values in your region.
How do I create a playback configuration through Jentic?
Search Jentic for 'configure server side ad insertion' to surface PUT /playbackConfiguration. Load the schema with the Jentic SDK (pip install jentic), then execute it with Name, VideoContentSourceUrl, AdDecisionServerUrl, and any HlsConfiguration or DashConfiguration overrides. The response includes the ManifestEndpointPrefix for the player to use.
Is AWS MediaTailor free?
No. MediaTailor charges per ad transcoded and per million ad requests, with additional charges for channel assembly hours and content prep. There is no permanent free tier — see the AWS MediaTailor pricing page for current rates by region and feature.
/prefetchSchedule/{PlaybackConfigurationName}/{Name}
Create a prefetch schedule
/playbackConfiguration/{Name}
Describe a playback configuration