A method for encoding a plurality of alternative streams of video content from a source stream of video content using a plurality of encoders in an encoding system, the method comprising: receiving a plurality of portions of a source stream of video content in each of a plurality of encoders in the encoding system; wherein the plurality of encoders include N encoders where N is an integer and each of the N encoders encodes 1/N of the plurality of portions of the source streams into segments of each of a plurality of alternative streams, where each alternative stream encodes the video content in a different way; assigning each of the N encoders an Mth encoding order where M is an integer from 1 to N; determining the Mth portion of the source stream received in each Mth one of the N encoders and every Nth portion received thereafter from the source stream as a set of portions of the source stream for the Mth encoder to encode in each of the N encoders; wherein the plurality of portions of the source streams includes greater than N portions;encoding a portion of the plurality of alternative streams in each of the plurality of encoders using the plurality of portions of the source stream received in each of the plurality of encoders including encoding each portion in the set of portions from the source stream of the Mth encoder into plurality of segments where each of the plurality of segments is a segment in one of the plurality of alternative streams in each of the N encoders;storing the portion of the plurality of alternative streams encoded by each particular one of the plurality of encoders in a container file for the particular one of the encoders generating index information for the portion of the alternative streams encoded by each particular one of the plurality of encoders including generating index information for each of the plurality of segments generated for each of the portions from the set of portions of the Mth encoder in each of the N encoders, wherein the index information for a particular portion enables a playback device to request a particular segment of the source stream; and storing the index information in an index file for the portions of the plurality of alternative streams generated by each of the particular encoders in an index file of the particular one of the plurality of encoders including storing the index information for each of the plurality of segments generated from each portion in the set of portions by the Mth encoder in an index file for the Mth encoder using each of the N encoders. receiving a plurality of portions of a source stream of video content in each of a plurality of encoders in the encoding system; wherein the plurality of encoders include N encoders where N is an integer and each of the N encoders encodes 1/N of the plurality of portions of the source streams into segments of each of a plurality of alternative streams, where each alternative stream encodes the video content in a different way; assigning each of the N encoders an Mth encoding order where M is an integer from 1 to N; determining the Mth portion of the source stream received in each Mth one of the N encoders and every Nth portion received thereafter from the source stream as a set of portions of the source stream for the Mth encoder to encode in each of the N encoders; wherein the plurality of encoders include N encoders where N is an integer and each of the N encoders encodes 1/N of the plurality of portions of the source streams into segments of each of a plurality of alternative streams, where each alternative stream encodes the video content in a different way; assigning each of the N encoders an Mth encoding order where M is an integer from 1 to N; determining the Mth portion of the source stream received in each Mth one of the N encoders and every Nth portion received thereafter from the source stream as a set of portions of the source stream for the Mth encoder to encode in each of the N encoders; wherein the plurality of portions of the source streams includes greater than N portions;encoding a portion of the plurality of alternative streams in each of the plurality of encoders using the plurality of portions of the source stream received in each of the plurality of encoders including encoding each portion in the set of portions from the source stream of the Mth encoder into plurality of segments where each of the plurality of segments is a segment in one of the plurality of alternative streams in each of the N encoders;storing the portion of the plurality of alternative streams encoded by each particular one of the plurality of encoders in a container file for the particular one of the encoders generating index information for the portion of the alternative streams encoded by each particular one of the plurality of encoders including generating index information for each of the plurality of segments generated for each of the portions from the set of portions of the Mth encoder in each of the N encoders, wherein the index information for a particular portion enables a playback device to request a particular segment of the source stream; and storing the index information in an index file for the portions of the plurality of alternative streams generated by each of the particular encoders in an index file of the particular one of the plurality of encoders including storing the index information for each of the plurality of segments generated from each portion in the set of portions by the Mth encoder in an index file for the Mth encoder using each of the N encoders.