Automatic SimHub Ambilight: Cockpit Auto Ambient Light Guide
Watch the source video on YouTube — Dan Suzuki.
Short answer: Cockpit Auto Ambient Light removes the most tedious part of SimHub Ambilight: drawing zones again for every cockpit. It analyses a screenshot, identifies the visible interior and generates the sampling mask automatically. The result is faster to configure and more consistent across cars.
The workflow is based on Dan Suzuki’s demonstration. Plugin versions evolve; verify the latest public GitHub release before installation.
What the plugin automates
Traditional ambient lighting samples fixed screen rectangles. Change from a prototype to a GT3 cockpit and those areas may cover mirrors, bodywork or sky. The plugin creates a cockpit-aware mask, then passes the resulting colors to compatible SimHub lighting devices such as Hue or Govee.
| Item | Verified current data |
|---|---|
| Software | SimHub plus Cockpit Auto Ambient Light |
| Source | Public GitHub project by Bruno Silva |
| Lighting | Devices already supported through SimHub, including Hue/Govee setups |
| Main benefit | Automatic cockpit detection instead of manual per-car zones |
Installation workflow
- Download the current installer or DLL from the project’s GitHub Releases page.
- Restart SimHub and enable the plugin.
- Capture the clean cockpit view requested by the tool.
- Run detection, inspect the mask and exclude unwanted areas.
- Assign the generated output to the ambient-light device in SimHub.
Why calibration still matters
Automatic does not mean universal. Camera changes, overlays, mirrors and very dark interiors can influence detection. Save a known-good profile and verify colors at night, in bright daylight and during replay transitions.
Immersion without confusing telemetry
Ambient light should reproduce the scene around the driver, not replace rev lights or warning LEDs. Keep telemetry cues on the volant/dashboard and use room lighting for peripheral immersion.
Strengths
- Much faster than manual zones
- Adapts to different cockpit shapes
- Works inside the existing SimHub lighting chain
- Public project with transparent release history
Trade-offs
- Requires compatible lights and SimHub
- Detection may need correction
- Software/version behavior can change
- External plugin, not a TFS-developed tool
Who is it for?
For single-screen and ultrawide rigs using Hue, Govee or other SimHub-compatible lights. VR users gain little from room Ambilight, while triple-screen users should test edge sampling carefully.TFS verdict
This is a useful quality-of-life plugin rather than a visual gimmick. Its strongest contribution is repeatability: the Ambilight follows the cockpit instead of forcing the driver to rebuild zones car by car.Open the public Cockpit Auto Ambient Light project
FAQ
Is the plugin part of SimHub?
No. It is an external public plugin installed into SimHub.
Does it work with every light?
It relies on devices that your SimHub installation can already control.
Must every car be calibrated?
The plugin reduces manual work, but difficult cockpit views may still need review.