Reducing Instagram’s basic video compute time by 94 percent

What this post added

This post details a significant optimization in Instagram's video processing pipeline, reducing the compute time for basic video encodings by 94 percent. The core innovation involves repurposing progressive encodings to serve as basic ABR encodings by repackaging video frames, thereby eliminating the redundant workload of generating separate basic ABR encodings. This optimization frees up compute resources, enabling a 33 percent increase in advanced encoding watch time and improving overall video playback quality and smoothness, especially for users in regions with slower internet connections. A testing framework was developed to validate the theory that increased advanced encoding watch time would outweigh the reduced compression efficiency of the new basic ABR encodings.