Systems and methods for performing adaptive bitrate streaming

A method of encoding a set of alternative streams of video from a source video stream, comprising:

• selecting a set of encoding parameters for each of a plurality of alternative video streams using at least one source encoding server system;
• separately pre-encoding discrete portions of the source video stream in accordance with the encoding parameters of each of the plurality of alternative video streams using the at least one source encoding server system so that each of the plurality of alternative video streams includes a pre-encoded discrete portion corresponding to the same discrete time portion of the source video stream;
• and
• assembling a container file for each of the plurality of alternative video streams using the at least one source encoding server system by:
• including separately pre-encoded discrete portions of the source video stream encoded in accordance with the encoding parameters for a given stream in the container file for the given stream, where the pre-encoded discrete portions are stored within the container file for the given stream as a closed Group of Pictures (GOP) that contains a sequence of encoded video frames and commences with an Instantaneous Decoder Refresh (IDR) frame;
• generating an entry for each portion of the container file that contains a closed GOP in an index for the given stream, where the entry for each portion of the container file that contains a closed GOP in the index for the given stream contains information concerning the number of bytes to request from a start of the portion of the container file that contains a closed GOP to obtain the sequence of encoded video frames contained within the portion of the container file that contains a closed GOP;
• including the index for the given stream in the container file for the given stream;
• uploading the container files for the plurality of alternative video streams to servers, where the plurality of alternative video streams are encoded at different bitrates;
• and
• generating a top level index file using the at least one source encoding server system, where the top level index file comprises information describing each container file for the plurality of alternative video streams including:
• information indicating a location of a server to which the container file is uploaded;
• a bitrate of the alternative video stream contained within the container file;
• and
• information concerning a location within the container file of the index for the alternative video stream contained within the container file.