Helvum is a graphical patchbay for PipeWire. It presents the multimedia graph visually, allowing users to see applications and hardware devices together with the ports that connect them.
The software is particularly useful when PipeWire’s automatic routing is not sufficient. Instead of manipulating connections with command-line utilities, users can create or remove links directly from the graphical interface. This can be useful for redirecting an application’s output, connecting software to virtual devices, constructing more complicated audio paths, or working with applications that expose several PipeWire ports.
Helvum follows the patchbay model familiar from JACK tools such as Catia. It deliberately concentrates on connections rather than attempting to become a comprehensive audio control panel. PipeWire itself can represent more than conventional desktop audio, so the graph can include audio, video and MIDI objects where applications expose them.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- Displays the current PipeWire graph visually.
- Shows applications and hardware devices as individual nodes.
- Displays the input and output ports exposed by PipeWire objects.
- Creates connections between compatible ports.
- Removes existing connections from the graph.
- Routes audio between applications and output or input devices.
- Works with video connections exposed through PipeWire.
- Handles MIDI data represented in the PipeWire graph.
- Provides an uncluttered graphical alternative to PipeWire command-line linking tools.
- Uses GTK 4 and libadwaita for its graphical interface.
- Updates the displayed graph as PipeWire objects appear and disappear.
- Useful for building temporary custom signal-routing arrangements.
- Written specifically around PipeWire rather than using the PulseAudio compatibility layer.
Website: gitlab.freedesktop.org/pipewire/helvum
Support:
Developer: Tom A. Wagner, Naveen Prashanth
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
Helvum is written in Rust. Learn Rust with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Related Software
| Audio Effects, Mixers, and PipeWire Routing Tools | |
|---|---|
| Easy Effects | GTK audio manipulation software which includes a range of tools |
| Carla | Modular audio plugin host |
| JamesDSP for Linux | Audio effect processor for Pipewire |
| Pulsemeeter | Audio routing and mixer application |
| wiremix | Terminal mixer for PipeWire audio devices and streams |
| Melodic Mix | Simple mixer and digital signal processing application |
| LSP Plugins | Broad collection of studio-oriented plug-ins |
| Sonusmix | GTK4 audio routing and device management application |
| qpwgraph | Graph manager dedicated to PipeWire |
| pwvucontrol | Pipewire volume control |
| Pipeweaver | Audio management tool built on top of PipeWire |
| coppwr | Low-level GUI for inspecting and controlling PipeWire |
| Helvum | Graphical patchbay for connecting PipeWire audio streams |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
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