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Show HN: KinoPipe – FFmpeg as a service for AI agents (typed ops, no shell)

KinoPipe, a new service that offers FFmpeg as a service for AI agents, launched on Hacker News, providing 48 typed operations via MCP or REST with no shell access. The service reports a p50 render time of 8.2 seconds for a 1080p edit and 100% success across 325 benchmark runs, with pricing starting at $0/mo for 100 credits.

read4 min views1 publishedAug 27, 2026
Show HN: KinoPipe – FFmpeg as a service for AI agents (typed ops, no shell)
Image: source

Typed operations your agent calls over MCP or REST. Trim, resize, compress, convert. A validated request in, a finished file out. No shell, ever.

RESIZE · 9:16

“Make this a vertical Reel”

resize_video · done in 8s ✓

CAPTIONS · SRT

“Burn in the subtitles”

add_subtitles · done in 11s ✓

COMPRESS · WEB

“Shrink this 4K export”

compress_video · 412→38 MB ✓

8.2s

p50 render for a 1080p edit

100%

success across 325 benchmark runs

0

shell commands, ever

Read the full benchmark: CPU vs GPU, cold vs warm, cost per job →

Your agent asks. A file comes back. #

Everything renders in a single pass. No re-encoding chains, no intermediate files, no quality lost along the way.

launch-4k.mp4

input · 412 MB

compress_video

one clean encode

launch-web.mp4

output · 38 MB · yours

Describe the edit

Send a video URL and the result you want, in plain typed fields.

We render it

Every request is validated, then processed in one pass on our workers.

You get the file

A download URL, or a signed webhook the moment it is ready.

48 typed tools your agent can discover. #

Trim, resize, captions, compress, split by scenes. Every tool is a stable contract with its own endpoint and page. Try it in the browser first, then hand the same endpoint to your agent.

Three ways in. Same tools. #

Use KinoPipe from the AI you already talk to, from your own code, or in the browser while you work out the recipe.

IN YOUR AI

Connect it to Claude, Cursor or n8n

One OAuth sign-in and every tool shows up in the client you already use. Ask for the edit in plain language; the agent picks the typed tool.

Connect over MCP

FROM YOUR CODE

Call the REST API from any backend

API keys, an OpenAPI spec, idempotency keys for safe retries and a signed webhook when the job finishes. Same operations, no agent required.

Read the API docs

IN THE BROWSER

Try an edit in the playground first

Describe the edit in a sentence, watch it render, then copy the exact recipe your agent or code will send. Free credits included.

Open the playground

Plug it into your agent. #

One command adds every KinoPipe tool to Claude, Codex or ChatGPT. OAuth signs you in, the schemas do the rest. Your agent takes it from there.

Claude Code

claude mcp add --transport http --scope user \
  kinopipe https://kinopipe.com/mcp

The unsexy stuff, handled. #

Failed jobs refund themselves

A render that errors gives your credits back automatically. You only pay for finished work.

No shell, ever

Typed, validated operations only. Your agent never touches a command line, so neither does your infrastructure.

Your files do not live here

Uploads are deleted after 24 hours. Outputs are served to you by URL, not kept as our asset.

A human answers

The support chat goes to the founder who wrote the worker code. No ticket queue between you and a fix.

Start free. Pay for finished work. #

One credit covers one worker second or 6 MiB of output, whichever is higher. Failed jobs refund themselves. No seats, no overages, no lock-in.

$0/mo

For prototypes and first agent edits.

  • 100 credits once, about 10 edits
  • Complete video API
  • No credit card required

Start building

$12/mo

For side projects and first automations.

  • 1,500 credits / month, about 150 edits
  • No surprise overages
  • Community support

Choose Starter

$29/mo

For agents editing video in production.

  • 5,000 credits / month, about 500 edits
  • No surprise overages
  • Email support

Choose Developer

$99/mo

For video-heavy agent workflows.

  • 25,000 credits / month, about 2,500 edits
  • Best price per credit
  • Priority support

Choose Pro

Need a burst without a subscription? Credit pack: $9 once for 1,000 credits (about 100 edits). They never expire, and you buy it from the dashboard.

Want the full breakdown? See pricing details and FAQ.

Questions, answered. #

The short versions. The docs and the privacy policy have the long ones.

Give your agent video editing today. #

Connect over MCP or create an API key. The first 100 credits are on us.

Connect your agent

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