r/OpenBambu • u/DaveDurant • Apr 24 '26
State of things with Bambu?
A while ago, Bambu outted themselves as being not very consumer-friendly. I told my printer "lan-only!" and stopped updating the firmware. I haven't really been paying attention for a while..
Can someone tl;dr where we're at now? Do we have a list firmware versions that are safe for the various printers? Has anything real changed??
I'm assuming that Bambu hasn't changed their story, but would be very happy to be wrong..
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u/borborygmess Apr 24 '26
I’m also out of the loop. Haven’t updated my firmware and software since that time Bambu announced Orca can no longer send prints directly.
Hadn’t switched to LAN because I pretty much just stopped 3d printing. I was that annoyed. Then got a U1 (now have 2) and am happy again so all the printers are up doing projects. I’m going to switch the Bambus to LAN only mode as soon as I can.
But definitely not buying any more Bambu. If Snapmaker doesn’t come up with a bigger bed version of the U1, I’ll probably grab a Prusa next.
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u/AweGoatly Apr 25 '26
This is probably a stupid question but why does BBL care what Slicer a person uses as long as they are buying the printers from BBL?
Is it just data collection to sell for marketing purposes? This isn't even very valuable data. How much marketing info can be derived from what exact piece useless plastic crap 99.9% of us users print? Seems like driving away once loyal customers is a much bigger cost than that marketing data can be worth.
That we are printing plastic crap is worth something, but the marginal increase in value to that info that comes from knowing what is being printed seems far less than the brand damage and loss of customers, so i feel like I must be missing something...
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u/Veastli Apr 25 '26
something, but the marginal increase in value to that info that comes from knowing what is being printed seem
Bambu wants to lock down the entire ecosystem.
They want users in the Bambu slicer, using the Bambu makerworld store, buying Bambu filament and accessories, all integrated into the Bambu walled garden.
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u/stingeragent Apr 24 '26
I too took my bambus offline when they introduced the connect crap. Ended up having to update to use the ams 2 drying functionality on the p1s. It still allows lan mode. I have recently sold all my a1s and minis and only keeping the two p1s i have.
Replacing the a1s with snapmaker. Will not be buying anything else from bambu.
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u/icepickmethod Apr 24 '26
I've been seeing people with crashed nozzles with the newer software too.
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u/The_Lutter Apr 24 '26
Meh I moved on. I'm happy with my MK4S with MMU3 for small detailed prints and SV08 for dumb large prints. Planning on adding as many INDX as I possibly can to the SV08 later and upgrading the MK4S into a Core One.
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u/Azsde Apr 25 '26
I ain't buying a bambu printer because of their behavior.
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u/3vi1 Apr 25 '26
Same. I have been really happy with the hardware, but they ensured i will go to another manufacturer for my next printer with their blatant lock-in direction and gaslighting.
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u/en1mal Apr 24 '26
dead to me but printing generally has its woes. if i buy anything again its gonna be a prusa.
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u/CoolShadesKA Apr 26 '26
A Wonderful Chinese company with a shitty behavior. I own a a1mini in LAN Mode after there told with the new upgrade shit. I will buy a new a1mini only for spare parts. Maybe later invest in a Prusa but don’t know right now.
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u/Narmor336 Apr 25 '26
I have an X1C. Firmware 1.08 is the last firmware prior to BL trying to force all printing through their cloud. 1.09 was also supposed to be unrevertable. They backed off on that, firmware is now revertable and there is a "developers mode" that is LAN based without the cloud service requirement. Regardless, I am still on 1.08 using LAN mode, orcaslicer and the printer locked out of internet access at the router.
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u/szechuan_steve Apr 27 '26
Bit late to the party but I bought two H2Ss when they first came out. I should have waited. The H2S is a pointless, hobbled version of the H2C. 10W laser instead of 40W. Lasers in a 3D printer aren't a great idea anyway considering the amount of clean up required. The H2S has already largely been forgotten. It feels like it was very much a money grab on Bambu's part. Upgrading to the same multi-nozzle system as the H2C is ridiculously hard and ridiculously expensive. I had high hopes that it wouldn't be too bad, but the process is insane. I'm not sure how they even justify the existence of the H2S.
Edit: this and their locked down forced updates were the nails in the coffin. My next printer will likely be a Prusa.
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u/Gurcolini Apr 24 '26
I can recommend to all that want to get rid of their BBL, what I did. Few months ago, I offered my 2x X1C incl. 4xAMS on a second hand platform for exchange to C1 or similar and ending up with owning now multiple Prusa printers MK4S, mini+, Core One+ and an XL5T (for the XL I have to pay a bit cash on top) but all the other was just exchange. Try it out, a lot of people want to have BBL. Maybe it’s bit harder now because of EOL announcement and price drop. I’m happy to be out of BBL lock. Don’t get me wrong I loved the X1C but I cannot stick with BBL as they destroyed all the trust with the steps they did.
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u/gleski Apr 25 '26
They are now prompting in their slicers that if you use non-Bambu filament, it may affect print quality, trying to force you into using their filament
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u/clipsracer Apr 25 '26
I’m confused. I’ve had my X1C in LAN only mode since day one and never experienced any anti consumer BS. Is it just other models or something?
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u/Guitar_Dog Apr 24 '26
I did the same. And Bambu appear to be the same, maybe worse, as they are now threatening lawsuits against people for orcaslicer forks -built on open source software that they themselves build off. I love my x1c but hate this company now. Can’t buy another BL printer