PipeWire 1.4.6 improves the ALSA plugin, adds an option to disable RAOP, and more

PipeWire 1.4.6 has been released as the newest update to this Linux multimedia framework, providing audio and video stream management across desktop environments. This release addresses two main crasher bugs found in the filter-chain and ALSA plugin, increasing system stability for users who rely heavily on audio pipelines.

Following these fixes, PipeWire delivers better latency handling and reporting within the module-combine-stream component, which should benefit users with complex audio setups. In terms of configuration, the update adds a new option to disable the RAOP (Remote Audio Output Protocol) feature through a context.property, giving administrators finer control.

Building on ALSA-related improvements, interrupts are now re-enabled after ALSA errors to preserve uninterrupted data flow, and key statistics reset more reliably after such errors. Additionally, users of the ALSA udev plugin can now set the alsa.use-ucm property, expanding support for hardware using the Use Case Manager framework. These enhancements are paired with improved save activation and deactivation for filter-graph operations in module-filter-chain, further reducing crash risks.

On the PulseAudio server side, the correct marking of empty buffers now boosts the efficiency of certain mixer processes. Several smaller fixes and code cleanups round out the release, contributing to enhanced overall reliability.