PipeWire 1.2 Preps For Async Processing, Snap Support & Explicit Sync

Following last year's release of PipeWire 1.0 for managing audio and video streams on the Linux desktop and proving itself a capable replacement to PulseAudio and JACK, among other uses, PipeWire 1.2 is nearing release. Out today is the first release candidate of the upcoming PipeWire 1.2.

PipeWire 1.2 is seeing a number of new features added with today's PipeWire v1.1.81 development release candidate. Among the new PipeWire 1.2 features is support for asynchronous processing, explicit sync support, support for CPU affinity and priorities, Snap packaging support, improved configuration parsing error handling, support for security-context handling for Flatpaks, and support for the PipeWire server and clients to use multiple threads to process nodes in parallel.

PipeWire 1.2's Bluetooth support also adds support for the Opus, LC3-SWB, and AAC-ELD codecs. PipeWire 1.2 is also bringing various module improvements, a new module for loading Parametric EQ, and enhancements to the PulseAudio-Server / JACK / ALSA integration. PipeWire's GStreamer elements can also now negotiate and use DMA-BUF for more efficient buffer handling.

Overall the PipeWire 1.2 update is quite feature-packaged and another exciting development for advancing the Linux desktop in 2024. Downloads and more details on today's 1.2 RC1 release via FreeDesktop.org.