Various methods and systems are provided for adaptable video architectures. In one embodiment, a method for adapting video processing of a video device includes processing a video stream along a first pipeline pathway defined by a plurality of interconnected pipeline elements. In response to detecting a change in a system condition of the video device, the pipeline pathway is transitioned to a second pipeline pathway by reconfiguring at least one of the pipeline element interconnections. In another embodiment, a method includes obtaining a video stream. A first subset bitstream having a first resolution is processed in a video pipeline of a video device and video information is extracted from the video pipeline during the processing. At least a portion of the extracted video information is then to a video pipeline of the video device for processing a second subset bitstream having a second resolution higher than the first resolution.