Tentacle Timebar vs starCTRL
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Tentacle Timebar
Monitor the timecode, frame rate, battery status, and signal strength of your Bluetooth Tentacle Sync E and Track E devices. This read-only app prevents accidental misconfiguration, offering a safe way to view device information. Copy the current timecode to your clipboard with a simple press.
- Monitor timecode
- View frame rate
- Check battery status
- See signal strength
- Read-only configuration
- Copy timecode to clipboard
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Use this app to monitor the timecode of your Bluetooth Tentacle Sync E and Tentacle Track E. For each device, the following information is available: ・timecode ・frame rate ・battery status ・signal strength In contrast to the regular "Tentacle Setup" app, this app does not allow for changing the configuration of your Tentacle devices on purpose. The app provides a "read-only" view of your setup, reducing the possibility of accidental misconfiguration. Pressing the timecode copies the current timecode to the clipboard. Tentacle Sync E and Tentacle Track E are available at https://shop.tentaclesync.com or from one of our resellers. Questions? Please visit: www.tentaclesync.com
starCTRL
Design custom lighting setups with this app. Connect and control compatible fixtures, adjusting color, intensity, and effects. Save presets and group lights for complex designs.
- Auto-discovery of compatible fixtures
- Control lamp color and intensity
- Adjust color temperature and green offset
- Access built-in lighting effects
- Group lights for larger designs
- Save favorite colors and effects
- Set smooth transitions with fade times
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Designed for Litepanels Astra IP and Quasar Science Rainbow 2 and Double Rainbow, starCTRL is a simple-to-use app that allows users to connect wirelessly, create custom lighting designs and quickly adjust standard parameters. Unlock fast and creative lighting designs with the starCTRL app. 1. Connect instantly The starCTRL app is compatible with the following fixtures: - Quasar Science Rainbow 2 and Double Rainbow - Litepanels Astra IP series Supported fixtures are automatically discovered by starCTRL for fast easy setup. Simply set your lights to starCTRL mode in the fixture menu and open the starCTRL app — it’s that simple! 2. Control simply Take full control of your lights from your fingertips. Quasar Science control parameters: Intensity, CCT (1750-10000K), ±Green, Hue, Saturation, Output Mode, and FX Litepanels Astra IP control parameters: DIM and CCT (2700-6500K) Quickly adjust color and temperature using common presets. Access the full range of Rainbow series lighting effects, with the ability to fine-tune individual effect parameters. 3. Customize Group lights for more complex designs. Apply settings to an entire group or fine-tune individual fixtures. Save your own Colors and FX settings to Favorites for quick recall onto any selected fixture or group. Enable smooth transitions by setting a fade time of up to 5 seconds. Firmware Requirements Rainbow 2 & Double Rainbow - Recommended*: QS 0.9B with TimoTwo v1.1.1.5 - Minimum compatible: QS 0.8B with TimoTwo v1.0.7.2 *iOS26 users must update to recommended versions or later Litepanels Astra IP - Firmware v1.5.0 with VLPM v1.0.2m (or later)
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Tentacle Timebar at 4.3 against starCTRL's 2.9. Tentacle Timebar also leads on review sentiment (67% vs 25%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Tentacle Timebar holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 2.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 7 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Tentacle Timebar's written reviews are positive against 25% of starCTRL's.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Tentacle Timebar | starCTRL |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.3 (4 ratings) — better | 2.9 (7 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews — better | 25.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 4 | 7 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | Every 6 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 14.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 4 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Tentacle Sync GmbH | Videndum Production Solutions, Inc. |
Customer experience
Tentacle Timebar
starCTRL
In-app purchases
Tentacle Timebar
No in-app purchases
starCTRL
No in-app purchases
