概览与分离
Livepeer 被设计为一个模块化的视频/AI 网络，基于最小化的链上协议。该协议在以太坊上管理资产和激励，而链下网络负责转码和 AI 处理的繁重工作。官方文档明确区分了这些领域：
链上协议 – 智能合约持有来自广播者和编排者的 ETH 存款；铸造并分发 LPT 质押代币；发行概率支付票据；执行质押、惩罚和奖励规则；并管理治理。该协议不进行视频转码或运行 AI。其作用是协调支付并维护去信任化状态。
链下网络 – 编排节点运行 Livepeer 软件以执行转码和 AI 工作负载。它们在价格、质量和延迟上竞争。视频/AI 任务和路由完全在链下进行。像 Livepeer Studio 和社区网关等服务位于该层之上。
桥接 – 广播者将 ETH 存入协议，并随每个片段发送概率票据。编排者在链上兑换获胜票据以获取 ETH 费用，而工作本身在链下交付。LPT 不用于支付服务；它仅用于质押、委托和治理。
这些边界确保协议保持轻量且抗审查。任何提议的更改都必须尊重这种分离——重计算必须保持在链下，而金融规则和治理则位于链上U
Overview
Protocol
Network
Actors
Protocol Overview
The Livepeer protocol is the software layer that coordinates decentralized video and AI processing.Its core is implemented as Ethereum smart contracts (now on Arbitrum L2 after the Confluence upgrade) complemented by off-chain nodes and services.The protocol enforces staking, bonding, slashing, and reward rules on-chain, while specialized nodes handle the actual video jobs.
- Gateways (Broadcasters): These demand-side nodes submit video/AI jobs to Livepeer. A gateway takes a video stream (or AI task), creates on-chain payment tickets, and routes the work to an Orchestrator. It then collects the transcoded or AI-processed result. Gateways are typically stateless routers that pay for compute.
- Orchestrators: These supply-side nodes bond LPT and accept jobs from gateways. An orchestrator advertises which video/audio renditions it can provide, and claims work up to its bonded stake. When it receives a job, it divides the work among its workers (transcoders or AI workers). The orchestrator must also periodically call the on-chain reward function to distribute newly minted LPT to itself and its delegators.
- Workers (Transcoders): These are the actual compute units (often GPUs) that perform video encoding or AI inference. In legacy terms, they were called Transcoders. Today they execute the heavy lifting, and they are typically managed by an Orchestrator node. Once a worker finishes processing a segment, the orchestrator returns the result to the Gateway.
- Delegators: LPT holders who do not run nodes. Delegators stake their tokens on existing Orchestrators to secure the network. Their stake increases an orchestrator’s bonded weight, which can route more work to it. In return, delegators passively earn a share of the orchestrator’s rewards (both LPT emissions and ETH fees) proportional to their stake.
The job routing flow can be summarized as: a Gateway creates a job request → an Orchestrator accepts the job → the Orchestrator assigns it to a Worker node → the Worker processes the segment → the result is returned to the Gateway. Delegators sit “behind” the orchestrator by staking LPT (shown below). The orchestrator earns ETH fees from the Gateway, and can share a portion of those fees with delegators based on its fee-sharing policy. Smart contracts on Arbitrum enforce each step, ensuring trustless cooperation.This diagram shows a simplified Livepeer job: the Gateway (left) sends work to an Orchestrator (middle), which directs a Worker (right) to process it, and then returns results back to the Gateway. Delegators (dotted line) back the Orchestrator with staked LPT.Actor Overview
Livepeer involves multiple actors, both on-chain (protocol) and off-chain (community).Here’s a breakdown of key roles:
- Orchestrator: A bonded node operator that claims work on-chain. Orchestrators maintain active LPT stake, set fee-sharing percentages, and call the on-chain reward function each round. They earn ETH fees from broadcasters and LPT from inflation. (Messari: “Orchestrators (node operators) route transcoding & AI jobs… earning ETH fees and LPT rewards”.)
- Transcoder / Worker: A compute node (often a GPU) that performs the actual encoding or inference. Workers do not hold stake themselves; they operate under an Orchestrator.
- Gateway (Broadcaster): A stateless demand-side node. Gateways submit video or AI jobs to the network and pay the node that completes the work. They effectively bridge an input stream into Livepeer, handling micropayment tickets on-chain.
- Delegator: A token holder who stakes LPT behind one or more orchestrators. Delegators strengthen network security and decentralization. In exchange, they receive a portion of the node’s rewards (both mint emissions and usage fees) according to their stake. As one Livepeer blog notes, “Delegators earn a share of both token emissions (while they last) and usage-based fees”.
- Livepeer Foundation: A non-profit entity formed to guide ecosystem growth. The Foundation coordinates long-term strategy and funding, runs community programs (like advisory boards), and helps align core protocol development with the open-source community.
- Developers & Builders: Software teams building on Livepeer. This includes decentralized video apps (e.g. on Web3 social networks) and infrastructure tools. Messari notes Livepeer is used by projects ranging from decentralized streaming platforms to tokenized music apps.
AI Artists & Content Creators: Performers and creators who use Livepeer’s tools (like Daydream) to produce content. For example, MetaDJ used Daydream to let fans shape the live visuals in real time. Any streamer, musician, or videographer can leverage the network for novel AI-enhanced experiences.Gateway Operators: Organizations running public Livepeer gateway services. For example, Livepeer Cloud (a community-run gateway) and Livepeer Studio (a production-grade API gateway) provide easy on-ramps to the network. They ensure reliable, scalable access for creators and apps.Special Purpose Entities (SPEs): Community-approved teams funded by the on-chain treasury. SPEs tackle public goods for Livepeer (e.g. building dev tools, infrastructure). For example, Livepeer’s ecosystem has active SPEs like LiveInfra and LISAR working on network upgrades and on-ramp infrastructure.核心概念
Livepeer 协议
协议是规则集 + 链上逻辑，管理：
- 质押
- 委托
- 通胀与奖励
- 编排者选择
- 削减
- 概率支付
- 验证规则
强制正确行为的经济和协调层。
Livepeer 网络
网络是实际运行的执行工作机器系统：
- 编排器（GPU 节点）
- 转码器 / 工作人员
- 网关
- 广播者
- 验证流程
- 作业路由
- 实时 AI 与视频计算
它是实时运行视频和 AI 作业的去中心化 GPU 网格。
协议 vs 网络
| 层 | 描述 |
|---|
| Livepeer 协议 | 链上加密经济激励与协调; 质押; 支付. |
| Livepeer 网络 | 链下节点执行实时工作（转码, 推理, 路由）。 |
| 关系 | 网络 运行 计算; 协议 治理、保障并支付 它。 |
链上 vs 链下
Livepeer 协议 = Arbitrum One (L2)
Livepeer 代币 (LPT) = 以太坊主网 (L1)
Livepeer 网络 (GPU 节点 + 网关) = 链下执行层
Livepeer 参与者
一个 Livepeer 参与者是指任何在 Livepeer 协议或网络中参与并执行系统定义操作的角色或实体。
在 Livepeer 架构中，“参与者”是用于描述具有不同职责、激励和交互的参与方的正式类别。
参与者对于从系统工程视角端到端描述网络如何运作至关重要。
Livepeer 的生态系统包括协议参与者（链上角色）和社区参与者（网络参与者和构建者）
INSERT LIVEPEER ACTOR DIAGRAM HERE [THIS ONE LOOKS OLD (whitpaper)
Actor diagram placeholder removed pending final approved asset.
