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MCP server

Ctrbuddy runs a remote Model Context Protocol server. Connect it to your AI agent and ask for thumbnails in plain language, using the personas and Channel DNA styles saved in your account.

Connect your app

You need a Ctrbuddy account. Add the server URL below to any client that supports remote (Streamable HTTP) MCP servers, then approve the connection in your browser when asked.

Server URL

https://rapid-mink-805.convex.site/mcp

Add it to your app, then approve the connection in your browser when asked. No password or key is shared with the app.

claude mcp add --transport http ctrbuddy https://rapid-mink-805.convex.site/mcp

Then run /mcp in Claude Code and choose Authenticate. If generating times out, start Claude Code with a longer tool timeout:

MCP_TOOL_TIMEOUT=180000 claude

Manage connections in your settings

Tools and credits

Read tools are free. Tools that create or analyze images use your credits. The agent never spends more than the daily limit you set for that connection.

Prompt guide
Free
How to write prompts that work well with the thumbnail model.
get_prompt_guide · read access
Account and credits
Free
Your credit balance, plan, and this connection's daily limit.
get_account · read access
Personas
Free
Your saved identity references and their reference images.
list_personas · read access
Channel DNA styles
Free
Your saved styles, and the full DNA profile for one style.
list_styles · read access
Projects
Free
Your recent projects, so results can be filed into one.
list_projects · read access
Thumbnails
Free
Thumbnails you generated before, newest first.
list_thumbnails · read access
Generate thumbnail
4 credits
Create or edit a 16:9 thumbnail using a persona, a style, and reference images.
generate_thumbnail · generate access
Score thumbnail
1 credit
Rate a thumbnail for virality, clarity, idea, curiosity, and emotion.
score_thumbnail · generate access
Script context
1 credit
Pull a style's script profile and matching transcript passages for a video topic.
get_script_context · generate access

Try asking your agent

List my personas and Channel DNA styles, then suggest five video ideas with thumbnail concepts.
Generate a thumbnail for “I Survived 7 Days Offline” using my main persona and my best-performing style.
Score my three latest thumbnails and tell me which one to publish.
Write a hook and outline for a video about home workouts in my Channel DNA style.
How many credits do I have left, and what is my daily limit on this connection?

Permissions and safety

Scopes. Read access is always granted. Generate access, which spends credits, is optional and chosen on the approval screen.
Daily credit limit. Each connection has its own limit (200 by default) that you can change at any time. Failed calls are refunded.
Revoke any time. Disconnect an app from the Integrations page and its access ends immediately.
Personal tokens. For scripts and CI where a browser login is not possible, create a personal access token in your settings. It is shown once and expires after 30, 90, or 365 days.

Troubleshooting

Generation times out. A thumbnail takes 30 to 60 seconds. Raise your client’s tool timeout; the setup snippets above already do this for Codex and Claude Code.
Images do not render. Results include an image URL and a Markdown preview. Open the URL if your client does not show images inline.
Daily limit reached. Raise the limit for that connection in the Integrations page, or try again tomorrow.