Arcmira vs Parallel Search and Task APIs

Arcmira

Four code-mode tools over a documented v1 API, OAuth 2.1 with four scopes, a read-only sign-up key from two API calls and no card, and a 1,000-credit free month. No status page, SLA or security.txt, breaking v1 changes shipped in October with same-day notice, the server is at 0.10.7, and the index covers the shows Arcmira transcribes.

Parallel Search and Task APIs

Fast-mode search at $1 per 1,000 with 10 excerpted results, and a keyless two-tool Search MCP annotated read-only. Search defaults to advanced mode at $5 per 1,000 when mode is left out, and the Customer Terms allow training on inputs and outputs.

Arcmira

1. Call arcmira_describe once per session and write one program per question for arcmira_execute_read; return only the fields the answer needs, since output is cut at 12,000 characters and 3,000 per string.
2. Resolve names with arcmira.resolve (free) before any about, by, entity_ids or channel filter; a name in a filter fails with id_required. Plain keyword search needs no resolver call.
3. Check arcmira.status() or GET /v1/me for the plan, scopes and usage.credits.available before metered reads; on Free, media newer than 30 days and pages past the first fail with freshness_requires_paid and pagination_gated.
4. A Premium read of an untranscribed video starts a transcription that uses credits (300 per started 15 minutes) and may return pending; read the same video again later, which is never charged twice, and send retry: true only when the user asks.
5. Over HTTP send Authorization: Bearer arc_sk_..., an Idempotency-Key on every POST and PATCH, honour Retry-After on 429, and switch on error.code, following unlock.url on 402 and 403 rather than re-authenticating.
6. Use arcmira_execute_write only after listing the user's monitors; it creates, follows and pauses but never deletes, and a connection made before server 0.9.0 answers insufficient_scope until reconnected.

Parallel Search and Task APIs

1. Pass mode: "fast" on every API search. Without it you pay the advanced rate. On an authenticated MCP connection, pin it with ?mode=fast
2. Create Task runs with max_retries=0 and check for an existing run before retrying
3. Give an objective plus two or three short search_queries. That's what ranks the excerpts
4. On 402, check available balance rather than total. Running tasks reserve credit
5. Ask for zero data retention or use the EU endpoint before sending private queries. The default terms allow training on them
6. On Decisions, check each answer's type before reading it. A refusal is a 200, not an error, and a predicate is a probability you threshold yourself