Segment quality-guided adaptive stream creation

One or more non-transitory computer-readable media collectively containing computer program code that, when executed by operation of one or more computer processors, performs an operation comprising:

• generating a first encoded segment by encoding a first segment, of a plurality of segments in a media asset, using a first bitrate of a plurality of bitrates specified in an encoding ladder;
• generating a second encoded segment by encoding the first segment using a second bitrate, wherein the second bitrate is lower than the first bitrate;
• and
• upon receiving a request for the first segment at the first bitrate, outputting the second encoded segment based at least in part on determining that a first quality of the second encoded segment is within a tolerance of a second quality of the first encoded segment.

A system, comprising:

• one or more computer processors;
• and
• one or more memories collectively containing a program which when executed by the one or more computer processors performs an operation, the operation comprising:
• generating a first encoded segment by encoding a first segment, of a plurality of segments in a media asset, using a first bitrate of a plurality of bitrates specified in an encoding ladder;
• generating a second encoded segment by encoding the first segment using a second bitrate, wherein the second bitrate is lower than the first bitrate;
• and
• upon receiving a request for the first segment at the first bitrate, outputting the second encoded segment based at least in part on determining that a first quality of the second encoded segment is within a tolerance of a second quality of the first encoded segment.