If you’ve used NovaLCT, you probably understand the frustration. It gets the job done but feels outdated—it’s Windows-only and not user-friendly. For certain video processor functions, you also need a separate program called V-Can. That means users have to juggle two pieces of software: NovaLCT for brightness, and V-Can for switching input sources and updating firmware. NovaLCT is bloated with advanced settings that can easily lead to accidental screen misconfigurations. It’s also slow to use, and V-Can struggles with detecting devices.
SmartLCT was an option for Mac users, but it’s now abandoned. It has compatibility issues with newer macOS versions and often fails to recognize devices over USB.
VMP is a newer and much-improved tool that works on both Windows and Mac, but it only supports newer hardware like the COEX MX20, MX30, and MX40 Pro. There’s no backward compatibility for older NovaStar devices.
That’s where Control-Hive stands out. It’s a single, unified program that supports all generations of NovaStar devices—eliminating the need to bounce between multiple applications. It’s fully cross-platform: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. You can build a custom interface tailored to your end user’s needs—whether they just need to adjust brightness or switch inputs. And with optional server hosting, settings can be controlled remotely, even in restricted environments like school networks where direct access is blocked.