Synchronization of multiple encoders for streaming content

A computer-implemented method for synchronized encoding of content, the computer-implemented method comprising:

• obtaining, at a first encoder, input data representing a content stream, wherein locations within the content stream are designated by timecodes included within the input data by a source device;
• obtaining, at the first encoder, state information of a second encoder encoding the input data, wherein the state information is generated by the second encoder and indicates an alignment of segments encoded by the second encoder within a second encoding of the content stream generated by the second encoder, the state information designating timecodes, within the content stream, at which the second encoder determined to encode the alignment of segments;
• determining, from state information from at least two encoders of a plurality of encoders, that the state information from the second encoder is authoritative, wherein determining that the state information is authoritative further comprises:
• determining that the state information from the second encoder has an earlier timecode than a respective timecode from state information from at least one other encoder of the plurality of encoders;
• determining, at the first encoder and from the alignment of segments encoded within the second encoding of the content stream by the second encoder and from the state information designating the timecodes, a timecode within the content stream for the first encoder to place a first encoded content segment in a first encoding;
• encoding, at the first encoder, the input data to generate the first encoding, wherein encoding the input data comprises placing the first encoded content segment at the timecode;
• at intervals occurring during encoding of the input data, generating, at the first encoder, state information of the first encoder including at least a designation of the timecode within the content stream at which the first encoder determined to encode the first encoded content to result in the first encoding;
• transmitting the state information from the first encoder to the second encoder;
• and
• outputting the first encoding.

Non-transitory computer-readable storage media including computer executable instructions that, when executed by a first encoding system comprising one or more processors, cause the first encoding system to:

• obtain input data representing a content stream, wherein locations within the content stream are designated by timecodes included within the input data by a source device;
• obtain state information of a second encoding system that is encoding the input data into a second encoding of the content stream, the state information indicating values encoded into the second encoding by the second encoding system, the state information designating timecodes, within the content stream, at which the second encoding system determined to encode the input data;
• determine, from state information from at least two systems of a plurality of encoding systems, that the state information from the second encoding system is authoritative, wherein to determine that the state information is authoritative, the computer executable instructions further cause the first encoding system to:
• determine that the state information from the second encoding system has an earlier timecode than a respective timecode from state information from at least one other system of the plurality of encoding systems;
• determine values to be encoded based at least partly on the state information of the second encoding system;
• determine, using the state information designating the timecodes, within the content stream, at which the second encoding system determined to encode the input data, a timecode within the content stream;
• encode the input data to generate a first encoding, wherein to encode the input data comprises:
• encode a content segment at the timecode within the content stream;
• generate, periodically during encoding of the input data, state information of the first encoding system including the values encoded into the first encoding;
• transmit the state information from the first encoding system to the second encoding system;
• and
• output the first encoding.