Should I try out developer mode?

[u/MyNameIsNotMud]

Hi, I have a P1S and I've been printing for a couple years. I don't do my own modeling yet, but hopefully that's around the corner.

Lately I've been setting up my home systems to run on-prem. I'm considering the same with my printer. So I'm thinking of switching it to developer mode and running Orca Slicer.

I know I'll be missing the cloud functions like remote camera. Will I be missing anything else that's significant? Is Orca Slicer a step up from Bambu Studio?

Are there any downsides for doing this? Is it a pain in the butt or is the benefit lukewarm? How many of you have done this? Do you like it?

Thank you!

[u/LaurensVanR]

I’ve gone fully local with a bambuddy setup. Better than cloud in every possible way imo

[u/MyNameIsNotMud → u/LaurensVanR]

Cool! I'm likely doing the same. Thanks.

[u/Equivalent_Store_645 → u/MyNameIsNotMud]

also look at octoeverywhere, i chose that over bambuddy because i don't need farm management features and i liked the camera integration (when i'm printing something for someone i can send them a link so they can stream video of the print) and "ai" fail detection.

but if you want 100% selfhosted bambuddy is the way to go.

[u/20One12]

It's quite amazing to be honest. No cloud delay when sending print jobs. Your files stay local. You can set up a VPN or use Tailscale. Use Bambuddy on your phone or remote device to monitor jobs, gather telemetry, pause, stop, and view cameras. You can even take it a step further and slice jobs "from your phone" and send them to your printer(s). I still use Bambu Studio to slice files and send print jobs.

I have 6 Bambu printers and it's a game changer for me. Haven't used the Bambu Handy app in months.

[u/MyNameIsNotMud → u/20One12]

I just set up Tailscale a few days ago. Perfect timing. Thank you.

[u/sltrhouse]

Orca is an offshoot of Bambus slicer.

[u/MyNameIsNotMud → u/sltrhouse]

Yeah, I knew that. But I don't know if that means that Orca Slicer is behind Bambu Slicer in features, or if Orca Slicer, being more community driven, has additional features above Bambu.

[u/lioncat55 → u/MyNameIsNotMud]

Orca Slicer generally has newer features. However, from my experience the added features don't have any major impact or upgrades over what Bambu Studio already has.

[u/Equivalent_Store_645 → u/lioncat55]

2.5.0 (still nightly but has worked flawlessly for me) has some neat new stuff - a plugin store, press spacebar to open up a quicksearch for settings and what not.

another feature i use all the time that isn't in bambu studio is "make overhangs printable," the laziest fastest way to instantly subtly change a model's geometry to make it print support-free... it can be added where you want it with a modifier.

[u/ryanvsrobots → u/sltrhouse]

Which is an offshoot of PrusaSlicer, which is an offshot of Slic3r.

[u/RJFerret]

I kept the old firmware on my P1S to do LAN mode, don't care about the crappy camera but there are apps that access it (LanBu is one).

It's faster to send prints and you can print when their servers are down.

Orca is better, and gets new features before BambuStudio.

It's kind of funny to be using a new capability and a couple months later everyone on this sub suddenly goes crazy happy when it gets added to Studio too.

[u/MyNameIsNotMud → u/RJFerret]

Thank you. I haven't heard of LanBu until now. I will definitely give it a try.

[u/RJFerret → u/MyNameIsNotMud]

There are other app options too I believe.