Star Adventurer Console vs DishPointer (Satellite Finder)
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Star Adventurer Console
Control your Sky-Watcher camera mount for astrophotography and time-lapse. Perform polar alignment with the built-in polar scope assistant.
- Camera mount programming
- Astrophotography control
- Time-lapse photography
- Polar alignment assistant
- Polar scope integration
Read full descriptionHide full description
This is the official companion app for Star Adventurer mini (SAM) and Star Adventurer 2i camera mount manufactured by Sky-Watcher. Use this app to program the camera mount for astrophotography and time-lapse photography. It can also help a Sky-watcher equatorial mount user to do polar alignment with the polar scope. For more, visit www.skywatcher.com
DishPointer (Satellite Finder)
This app simplifies satellite dish alignment using augmented reality and smartphone sensors. It guides users through a step-by-step process to precisely orient dishes for optimal signal reception, even compensating for gyroscope absence and magnetic declination.
- Augmented reality satellite view
- Step-by-step installation guide
- GPS location mapping
- Compass and beep guidance
- LNB polarization calculation
- Elevation adjustment
- Obstacle detection
Read full descriptionHide full description
DishPointer allows you to align your satellite dish with great precision in a minimum of time thanks to augmented reality. Adjusting a dish has always been complicated. but thanks to DishPointer this task becomes child's play. By following the 9 steps of the application, you will successfully install your dish in few minutes. No more need for a gyroscope to use augmented reality. We have combined the accelerometer and magnetometer data to compensate for the possible absence of the gyroscope. This allows the majority of smartphones to benefit from augmented reality. In DishPointer we have also integrated a module to calculate the magnetic declination and compensate the error between magnetic north and geographic north because we have noticed that the majority of smartphones do not integrate this declination. This help to display the right direction DishPointer is an application that lets you orient your dish or antenna to any satellite. Thanks to the sensors of your smartphone (Compass, accelerometer) this application displays the target satellite in space in order to better choose the location of your dish or antenna and to ensure the absence of any obstacle (wall, tree…). DishPointer also uses GPS to display your location on a map and then display the direction of the target satellite from your location. The compass accompanied by a beep allows you to orient your antenna or satellite dish by following the acceleration of the beeps and the arrow of the compass. The accelerometer is used to check that the support of your antenna or dish is vertical. The steps for adjusting the antenna or the dish: 1- choose your language 2- retrieving your GPS position automatically using GPS or manually by entering your latitude and longitude. 3- choose your target satellite to calculate the orientation parameters of the antenna or the satellite dish. 4- check that the support of your antenna or dish is vertical. 5- calculate the polarization and adjust the rotation of the LNB (the head of your antenna or satellite dish) 6- adjust the elevation 7- display of a line which indicates the orientation of the target satellite from your position on a Google Maps. 8- using the compass of your smartphone accompanied by a beep to help you find the right direction of the satellite (available in Pro version). 9- display the satellite in augmented reality thanks to your camera and make sure that there is no obstacle. This is used to validate the location of your antenna or dish (available in the Pro version). 10- refine the settings. For the app to work properly, DishPointer will need the compass and the accelerometer from your smartphone. Tips: - if your smartphone does not have a GPS, you can manually enter your latitude and longitude (you can get them on Google Maps). - the compass is only essential for the Pro version. - do not hesitate to recalibrate the compass and avoid approaching it too close to the arm of the parabola because it is sensitive to metallic elements. Try to place your smartphone where there is the least magnetic interference. The free version of DishPointer is enough for you to install your dish. It will calculate the orientation parameters and display the precise direction of the satellite on a Maps map. The Pro version offers you the use of augmented reality to see the exact position of satellites in space. It also provides you with an assistant based on the phone compass to display the exact direction of the target satellite. Contact: infosoftycontactfree@gmail.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: DishPointer (Satellite Finder) at 76% against Star Adventurer Console's 17%. DishPointer (Satellite Finder) also leads on rating (4.7 vs 1.9) and ratings volume (241 vs 31). Star Adventurer Console's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On price and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. DishPointer (Satellite Finder) sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Star Adventurer Console asks for nothing beyond the download.
DishPointer (Satellite Finder) holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DishPointer (Satellite Finder) has 241 ratings behind it against 31, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 17% of Star Adventurer Console's written reviews are positive against 76% of DishPointer (Satellite Finder)'s.
Star Adventurer Console ships an update every 4 months, DishPointer (Satellite Finder) every 13 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Star Adventurer Console | DishPointer (Satellite Finder) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.9 (31 ratings) | 4.7 (241 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 16.7% of reviews | 76.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 31 | 241 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months — better | Every 13 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 25 MB | 68 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Astropower Technology Co. Ltd. | Souria HAKKAR |
Customer experience
Star Adventurer Console
DishPointer (Satellite Finder)
Bugs and requests
Star Adventurer Console
Reported bugs
11 issues- App fails to connect to Sky Watcher mounts (Star Adventurer GTI, 2i, Mini)
- Dithering feature in astrophotography plans causes image capture to stop
- Inability to control camera shutter remotely
- Polar Clock Utility fails to obtain GPS location
- App crashes frequently on iOS
Show 6 moreShow fewer
- "Communication error" during astrophotography mode
- App does not detect the mount even when connected to its WiFi
- Latitude/longitude not displayed correctly, especially in Southern Hemisphere
- App does not request location services or local network access
- Text overlap in French version of the app
- App does not fill the screen on larger iPhones
Requested features
14 requests- Fix connection issues with Star Adventurer mounts
- Fix dithering bug in astrophotography plans
- Enable camera shutter control
- Improve GPS functionality for polar clock
- Add a 'no track' option for iOS
Show 9 moreShow fewer
- Add an exposure countdown timer
- Update app for newer iPhones (e.g., iPhone X)
- Optimize for larger iPhone screens
- Add a 'connect' button or initialization setup
- Allow access to location services and local network
- Provide a way to report issues to developers
- Update firmware for better iOS compatibility
- Add a no track option for iOS
- Fix WiFi connectivity issues
DishPointer (Satellite Finder)
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Star Adventurer Console
No in-app purchases
DishPointer (Satellite Finder)
- Unlock all features & hide ads$2.99
Questions
Is Star Adventurer Console free?
Is DishPointer (Satellite Finder) free?
Which has better reviews, Star Adventurer Console or DishPointer (Satellite Finder)?
Do Star Adventurer Console or DishPointer (Satellite Finder) have ads?
Which is updated more often, Star Adventurer Console or DishPointer (Satellite Finder)?
Other comparisons















