A client device, comprising: a processor; memory coupled to the processor, the memory have stored therein instructions that, if executed by the device, cause the device to perform operations comprising: accessing information about an instance of media content, the information comprising quality information that indicates availability of quality values for portions of the instance of media content and where the quality values reside and how the quality values can be retrieved,, the portions also having a respective bitrate associated therewith, the quality values comprising measures of quality of the portions of the instance of media content; wherein a plurality of different representations is associated with the instance of media content, each of the different representations in the plurality of representations comprising a plurality of portions of the instance of media content, each of the portions in the plurality of portions having a respective quality value associated therewith, wherein a quality value comprises a measure of quality of a respective portion of the instance of media content; wherein the quality value is included in a first file in a location different from a second file comprising the first portion of the instance of media content; accessing the quality values indicated by the quality information; and selecting a first portion of the portions for downloading, the first portion selected using a quality value of the quality values. a processor; memory coupled to the processor, the memory have stored therein instructions that, if executed by the device, cause the device to perform operations comprising: accessing information about an instance of media content, the information comprising quality information that indicates availability of quality values for portions of the instance of media content and where the quality values reside and how the quality values can be retrieved,, the portions also having a respective bitrate associated therewith, the quality values comprising measures of quality of the portions of the instance of media content; wherein a plurality of different representations is associated with the instance of media content, each of the different representations in the plurality of representations comprising a plurality of portions of the instance of media content, each of the portions in the plurality of portions having a respective quality value associated therewith, wherein a quality value comprises a measure of quality of a respective portion of the instance of media content; wherein the quality value is included in a first file in a location different from a second file comprising the first portion of the instance of media content; accessing the quality values indicated by the quality information; and selecting a first portion of the portions for downloading, the first portion selected using a quality value of the quality values. accessing information about an instance of media content, the information comprising quality information that indicates availability of quality values for portions of the instance of media content and where the quality values reside and how the quality values can be retrieved,, the portions also having a respective bitrate associated therewith, the quality values comprising measures of quality of the portions of the instance of media content; wherein a plurality of different representations is associated with the instance of media content, each of the different representations in the plurality of representations comprising a plurality of portions of the instance of media content, each of the portions in the plurality of portions having a respective quality value associated therewith, wherein a quality value comprises a measure of quality of a respective portion of the instance of media content; wherein the quality value is included in a first file in a location different from a second file comprising the first portion of the instance of media content; accessing the quality values indicated by the quality information; and selecting a first portion of the portions for downloading, the first portion selected using a quality value of the quality values.