After eight months of development, a new stable branch of a multimedia server pipewire 1.4.0 has been released, replacing the sound server Pulseaudio. Pipewire offers video flow capabilities, minimal sound processing delays, and a new security model for managing access to devices and flows. The project is supported in GNOME and is the default option for Fedora Linux, Rhel, Ubuntu, Debian, Suse/Opensuse, and various other Linux distributions. The project’s code is written in SI and distributed under the MIT license. (source, GitHub)
Pipewire is designed with a multiprocess architecture that enables shared access to content across multiple applications. It allows for the processing of multimedia streams, mixing and redirection of video flows, and management of video sources such as webcams, video capture devices, and screen contents. The platform facilitates collaboration among multiple applications using a webcam and tackles issues related to secure screen content capture and remote access on Wayland.
As a sound server, Pipewire delivers minimal delays and combines functionalities from Pulseaudio and Jack, catering to professional processing needs that Pulseaudio previously could not satisfy. The enhanced security model in Pipewire allows for control over access to individual devices and specific flows, simplifying sound and video isolation in containers.
In the new version of Pipewire:
- Support for systems based on the RISC-V architecture and assembler optimization for this architecture has been added.
- Support for the format UMP (Universal Midi Packet) has been included, providing a container for MIDI 2.0 protocol reports. UMP is now the default for MIDI1 and MIDI2 in Pipewire, with added functions for the old MIDI format to UMP.
- Sound can now be broadcasted simultaneously via multiple Bluetooth devices using the broadcast link determined in the BAP (Basic Audio Profile), offering sound stream management