Intra-segment video upswitching with dual decoding

One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media having stored thereon computing instructions that, upon execution by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform operations comprising:

• downloading and decoding a first portion of a first version of a video segment of video content, wherein the video segment has a plurality of versions, the plurality of versions including the first version and a second version, the first version having a first image quality, the second version having a second image quality, wherein the first image quality is lower than the second image quality;
• determining a first time duration for playing of a remaining un-played portion of the video segment;
• determining a second time duration for downloading of the second version;
• calculating that the second time duration is less than the first time duration;
• determining, based at least in part on the calculating, to download and decode the second version;
• downloading and decoding the second version in its entirety;
• and
• playing the video segment, wherein the playing of the video segment includes:
• displaying the first portion of the first version, wherein the first portion of the first version extends from a start position of the video segment to an intermediate position of the video segment;
• at the intermediate position, switching the playing of the video segment from the first version to the second version;
• and
• displaying a second portion of the second version, wherein the second portion of the second version extends from the intermediate position to an end position of the video segment.

A computing system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• one or more memories having stored therein computing instructions that, upon execution by the one or more processors, cause the computing system to perform operations comprising:
• downloading and decoding a first portion of a first version of a video segment of video content, wherein the video segment has a plurality of versions, the plurality of versions including the first version and a second version, the first version having a first image quality, the second version having a second image quality, wherein the first image quality is lower than the second image quality;
• calculating that a sum of a first bitrate of the first version and a second bitrate of the second version is less than an estimated network bandwidth;
• determining, based at least in part on the calculating, to download and decode the second version;
• downloading and decoding the second version in its entirety;
• and
• playing the video segment, wherein the playing of the video segment includes:
• displaying the first portion of the first version, wherein the first portion of the first version extends from a start position of the video segment to an intermediate position of the video segment;
• at the intermediate position, switching the playing of the video segment from the first version to the second version;
• and
• displaying a second portion of the second version, wherein the second portion of the second version extends from the intermediate position to an end position of the video segment.