# Thingino firmware

Hacker Approved page: https://hackerapproved.com/p/thingino/

12 people recommended Thingino firmware in Hacker News comments, 2 had mixed feelings and 4 criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026. It was recommended in 4 of 12 months, in 6 threads. It meets the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** Open-source firmware for certain cheap Chinese cameras that keeps video local with no cloud. Critics note stability problems and that installation is hard for beginners.

Summary written by Claude from 20 comments.

## Why people recommend it

- Local only, no cloud (2 comments in the sample): "I've installed Thingino on my cameras such as this. Cheap camera + custom (local only!) firmware is a good solution imo." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46330352)) "works local only, no cloud, and supports mqtt etc." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46330343))
- More secure than stock cameras (2 comments in the sample): "you can 'update' the firmware to a more secure (and FOSS) one" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46331356)) "way more secure than anything consumer out there" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48994551))
- Easy install on SD-flash cameras (2 comments in the sample): "The installation is straight forward if you choose a cam with SD-Card flashing support." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49039936)) "the thingino project has people among them who care deeply about ease of installation" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46337530))
- Works with MQTT and AI detection (1 comment in the sample): "NVR for cameras (thingino) with local AI object detection" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45999721))

## What people warn about

- Stability and RTSP issues (3 comments in the sample): "Frigate + Thingino has been a constant source of stability issues for me, I've given up on it." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49065784)) "I'm running thingino cameras off wifi and the stability is kinda meh" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45984376)) "My Thingino camera seems to have some RTSP issues" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45984684))
- Only supports certain chips and models (1 comment in the sample): "thingino only supports one or two, it is very important to get the right chip" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46334684))

## The badge

A product earns the Hacker Approved badge when at least 10 people recommend it, recommenders outnumber critics at least 2 to 1 (mixed feelings count toward neither side), it was recommended in at least 4 of the 12 months and in at least 5 different threads, and no single thread supplies more than half of the people who recommend it. Health and money products are never badged.

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Thingino firmware", https://hackerapproved.com/p/thingino/ (12 recommend, 2 mixed, 4 criticize; Hacker News comments, November 2025 to October 2026).

Counts updated 2 Nov 2026, with data through October 31, 2026.