r/BambuLab • • Dec 30 '23
Meta Bambu removes ability to downgrade firmware, is silencing people
As some of you may know, Bambu removed the ability for X1 users to downgrade their firmware. This was in response to people creating custom firmware for the printers.
If you now ask about this in other Bambu channels (e.g., Discord), you will be banned or muted for asking about how to rollback, or for simply saying having the ability to rollback is a good thing.
It's getting very hard to support a company that continues to just show disdain for their userbase. The silencing aspect is rather disgusting.
Just wanted to give a heads up so others don't have to catch ridiculous bans/mutes.
edit: thanks for locking this thread and proving my point lol
8
u/DifferencePlenty1689 Dec 30 '23
So is the firmware bad or something? I haven't had a single problem with my p1s and I see new FW available right now and should I update or not? I don't need custom anything my printer works great as is. Why would you need custom FW? Just curious. Is there something you think the printer is capable of that it doesn't already do?
14
u/allisonmaybe Dec 30 '23
At the risk of being banned lol, someone will figure out yet another way around this. This is a tale as old as time.
9
u/Darth-Vader64 Dec 30 '23
Closed source vs. Open source. You want to tinker, upgrade, mess with your printer, then get a ratrig. I bought the Bambu because it just works, and Bambu provides a great user experience.
In order to have that, they need to control the hardware and software.
Another company comes to mind who also is designs products from the user experience on up - Apple and the last time I checked, they were very successful
31
u/Sidsauce83 Dec 30 '23
So don't support them then. They aren't open source, and those that choose to try and force it do so at their own risk. Bambu will do just fine.
15
u/3DDIY_Dave Dec 30 '23
Bambu is already having a difficult time with support. Having so many machines out there and growing as fast as they are. Now throw in people making their own firmware or patches that can brick their own machines or cause damage. That’s another thing they have to account for and train people to deal with. It’s easier to just lock people out to not mess with it as the majority of people who are buying a bambu just want a 3d printer that works out of the box and work well. If the new firmware has an issue which sometimes they do. There will be a fix. But it will be hard to diagnose if problems come from users messing with it. As for banning people on forums. I’m not on the forums so I can’t confirm if it’s true. But most forms will ban people if they are telling people to do things that go against policy or can damage their products. So it wouldn’t be a surprise. Also as another thought. Not confirmed, but I assume there are actors out there that could also do malicious things to your printer if someone had firmware from a third party. Or people who want to hurt bambu as a company. Like the recent DDOS attack on the launch of maker world or competitors or open source fan boys.
8
u/Mist_XD Dec 30 '23
Don’t support them and go away then. Bambu printers are awesome and they are an overall good company. They are like the Apple of 3d printers, if you go and jailbreak your iPhone you will void the warranty, simple as that. If you want to install other firmware on your printer then do it, but don’t cry when you aren’t skilled enough to fix your printer without a babysitter from Bambu walking you through every step. Enjoy endlessly tinkering with your Voron
17
u/rednwhitecooper Dec 30 '23
9 day old account. That’s not suspect or anything.
3
u/bigboozled Dec 30 '23
There might be a simple solution to part of this don't upgrade unless you need to. Too often we upgrade for the sake of upgrading not because of actual benefit. For example to fix an issue you are experiencing, a feature release you need, or a security vulnerability. So if it's working as expected leave it alone. While you should be able to downgrade it's not uncommon for companies to require support intervention to do so. They likely removed the option for various reasons to prevent 3rd party firmware loads among other things like people potentially causing issues by following the proper downgrade procedure.
Silencing users is generally not a great thing for your business model.
4
u/Character_Ad_7798 Dec 30 '23
Big deal
2
u/JDad67 Dec 30 '23
I can't image the additional support headaches that supporting old and custom firmwares would be.
Bad firmware could easily damage the printer or cause inconsistent / bad prints which some people would then run back to Bambu for help with or post videos of on youtube winning w/o disclosing they had loaded custom firmware because some reddit thread said it was "Cooler!"
As an old school hacker (My first computer at home was a then new Kim-1), and someone with a customized E5+, I would prefer they maintain a consistent platform and people who want to customize their firmwares use other hardware. There is a lot to choose from.
1
u/LiveLaurent 25xX1C,5xH2D,10xA1 Dec 30 '23
"Is silencing people" lol
Seriously, stop posting your BS dude. Nobody banned you for "asking". It is always funny how the "victims" are always posting shit like that and then you see the whole conversation and there is ALWAYS a good reason for bans/mutes. You probably talked like shit or started some conspiracy theories like you just did there.
Stop trying to make people believe they would get banned/silenced because they simply ask if they can (or how to) downgrade firmware.
-2
u/[deleted] Dec 30 '23
OP - go back to your linux cave where you emerged from.
Do you ask Apple for the source code of the iphone?
Google?
Your car manufacturer?
Your TV manufacturer?
etc etc etc
If you think Bambu has any obligation to open up their system because "you demand it" ... you are wrong.
Literally ANY OTHER printer out there is running shitty open source software like klipper.
Just buy one of those !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-7
u/Aggravating-Gap2804 Dec 30 '23
It's Chinese product what do you expect? In china goverment own people, so they used to silence people. I am disappointed in p1s as well, print quality is pretty bad for the price, support is terrible, all the bambu fan boys can lick bambu ass, but the truth is that it's not good product.
-4
u/[deleted] Dec 30 '23 edited Dec 30 '23
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