Local telemetry dashboard for PC: complete guide and options

If you enjoy PC driving simulators, sooner or later you'll consider setting up a local telemetry dashboard on a secondary monitor or your mobile device. It's not just about aesthetics: having all your car's data visible in real time completely changes the way you drive, helping you refine your technique and get the most out of every lap.

With current tools, it is perfectly possible to set up a live telemetry bar that displays revolutions, speed, lap times, fuel consumption, temperature, circuit map, or even the status of the clutch, brake, and accelerator, whether on an Android phone, a tablet, or a dedicated monitor that acts as an advanced instrument panel.

What is a local telemetry dashboard for PC

A local telemetry dashboard for PC is essentially an extra screen that displays real-time game data. It acts as a digital instrument cluster that connects to the simulator and shows parameters such as RPM, gears, lap times, fuel levels, track maps, and vehicle indicators without overloading the main screen.

The idea is to use a second screen, a smartphone or tablet, to turn it into a race car-style dashboard . This "parallel" screen receives the data generated by the game and displays it with fully customized designs: gauges, bars, large numbers, colored alerts... all adapted to your preferences and what you want to prioritize on the track.

These types of solutions are very popular among sim racing fans on PC, PS4, PS5, and Xbox because they allow you to separate the car's visual interface from the rest of the game elements. This way, you can keep the game's HUD cleaner and use the external dashboard as a true professional telemetry panel.

Furthermore, a local dashboard is very useful if you have a steering wheel with a simple base or a small display, because it allows you to have an advanced instrument panel without spending a fortune on high-end hardware. You can simply reuse that old mobile phone or tablet you have lying around the house.

SIM Dashboard: the most popular option for mobile telemetry and secondary display

SIM Dashboard is one of the most comprehensive and well-known applications for setting up a local telemetry dashboard for PCs using Android phones and tablets. Its philosophy is simple: you install an app on the device and, in the case of a PC, a small program on the computer that handles communication between the game and the external display.

When you launch the app, your phone or tablet transforms into a fully configurable car dashboard . Its screen displays telemetry data generated by the simulator as you play: RPM, gear, speed, lap times, remaining fuel, temperatures, flag warnings, tire wear, and much more.

The possibilities of SIM Dashboard go far beyond simply replicating the instrument cluster of a car or a single-seater. It can be used as a standalone tachometer, a detailed timing display , or even to show the track map of the circuit, including your car's position and other useful references during the race.

The greatest strength of this tool is its system of panels and widgets. With SIM Dashboard, you can create your own custom dashboards using predefined templates and adding information modules to suit your needs, so the dashboard is tailored to each game, car, or race type.

If you get bored with a design or want to adapt the dashboard to another simulator, it's as easy as switching between dashboards on the fly. The program lets you toggle between dashboards during a race with just a couple of clicks, so you can go from a panel focused on qualifying to one more geared towards strategy in longer races.

SIM Dashboard compatibility with games and platforms

SIM Dashboard stands out for its extensive compatibility with dozens of driving games and simulators across various platforms. It's not limited to PCs; it also works with consoles, making it incredibly versatile if you switch between different systems.

On PC, the application supports most popular sim racing titles, as well as other car games and related categories. Each game displays its telemetry differently, but SIM Dashboard handles reading memory or leveraging specific APIs to obtain the necessary data and display it in the corresponding widgets.

On consoles, the integration is designed so you don't need to install anything extra on your system. For PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, no additional software is required on the console . Data communication is managed through methods prepared by the developer, so you can use the dashboard with your SIM Racing games without any issues.

Thanks to this cross-platform compatibility, the same Android app serves as a telemetry display for both PC and console . Simply configure the appropriate profile and link it to the corresponding game, saving you the need to use multiple different applications.

This makes SIM Dashboard a very attractive tool for those who play on both PC and console, as they can maintain a unified ecosystem of panels and not redesign their dashboards every time they change platforms.

Over 200 customizable widgets for your telemetry bar

One of SIM Dashboard's biggest selling points is its huge catalog of over 200 customizable widgets . Each widget is an information module that you can place on your dashboard: an RPM gauge, a digital speedometer, a clutch bar, a brake graph, a timing chart, and so on.

With this variety of widgets, you've practically got covered any telemetry data a racing game might offer. You can, for example, add a bar for the accelerator and another for the brake , an indicator for the clutch, a graph for tire wear, and a section dedicated to sector times and fastest laps.

Each widget can be visually customized by modifying colors, sizes, fonts, and the overall style of the module. This allows for the creation of clear and easy-to-read designs, even on small screens, avoiding the visual clutter sometimes found in the game's internal HUDs.

If you're all about precision control, you can also dedicate part of the dashboard to an advanced telemetry section displaying temperatures, pressures, fuel consumption per lap, and more. It's all organized with widgets that you can rearrange to your liking, like pieces of a puzzle.

The app not only lets you use your own widgets, but also access dashboards created by other community members . You can download dashboards shared by other virtual pilots, modify and customize them to your liking, or even upload your own creations for others to use.

Interface, wizards and ease of use

Despite being a very powerful solution, SIM Dashboard stands out for its intuitive interface . You don't need to be a software or telemetry expert to create a highly functional dashboard in just a few minutes, which is a real plus if you just want to start running as soon as possible.

Many of its features include a guided wizard that assists you during setup . These wizards explain step-by-step how to link the game, choose an initial template, add widgets, and adjust basic elements without you having to struggle with advanced menus.

The panel editor works in a very visual way: you drag and drop widgets, change their properties, and see the result immediately on your mobile or tablet screen. This makes it easy to try out different layouts until you find the one that best suits your driving style.

Furthermore, the fact that the app doesn't include any in-app ads is a huge plus. You can focus on creating and using your dashboards without distractions or annoying banners taking up valuable screen space.

For those coming from other, more complex programs, SIM Dashboard's approach is refreshing: it offers many customization options, but maintains an accessible learning curve , ideal if you want to take your first steps in the world of telemetry without getting overwhelmed.

Free and PRO versions: differences and limitations

SIM Dashboard can be downloaded completely free of charge from Google Play for Android devices . This base version includes most of the essential features, but imposes certain limitations on the use of panels and widgets when connected to external devices.

In the free edition, the number of boards and widgets you can use simultaneously on an external device (such as your mobile phone or tablet) is limited to a maximum of 3. This means you can set up a functional dashboard, but with fewer active information modules at any one time.

If you want to go further and have complete freedom to add all the clocks, bars, and data you want, the developer offers a PRO version for approximately €10 . This license allows you to connect an unlimited number of devices and removes the limit on active dashboards and widgets.

With the PRO version, you can connect multiple phones and tablets simultaneously to have different simultaneous dashboards : one focused on car telemetry, another dedicated to qualifying times, another with strategic data for long races, etc. All this with a single, relatively affordable payment compared to dedicated sim racing hardware.

This business model makes it easy for any user to try the system for free , see if it convinces them, and then decide if it's worth upgrading to the PRO edition to get the most out of the app in their simulation cockpit.

Technical requirements and compatibility on Android and PC

On the Android side, SIM Dashboard is available from version 4.0.3 of the operating system , covering virtually any relatively modern smartphone or tablet, and even some older models. This allows you to repurpose devices you no longer use as dedicated telemetry dashboards.

Regarding memory, the minimum requirement is around 512 MB of RAM , which is very low by today's standards. This means that almost any Android device you have at home will be sufficient to run the app and display the data without noticeable problems.

The developer recommends a minimum resolution of 800x480 pixels . This resolution, still common on older devices, is more than enough for basic dashboards. The higher your screen resolution, the more space you'll have to place widgets clearly and without them overlapping.

If your phone or tablet is a rooted device, you shouldn't encounter any problems, as the app also adapts seamlessly to rooted environments . In practice, most users won't need to do anything special even in these cases.

On the computer side, the PC version of SIM Dashboard can be installed on Windows 7 and later . The desktop program acts as a bridge between the game and the Android app, obtaining telemetry data and sending it to your devices connected to the local network.

SIM Dashboard for Windows: how the PC part works

If you're going to use SIM Dashboard with PC games, you'll need to install a small support application for Windows on your computer . This software is responsible for communicating with the driving simulator or game and sending the information to the Android app that acts as the telemetry display.

On consoles (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S) this step isn't necessary: ​​developers have designed the system so that no external application is needed on the console itself, simplifying the setup. However, on PC, this component is essential to access game memory data.

During the Windows application installation, a dialog box may appear asking you to select the installer for a previous version . In that case, you should click the Browse button in the window, locate the requested installer (which you can download from the developer's website), and select it without manually reinstalling the older version.

If you ever need a different build of the program, simply copy one of the provided links (right-click → “copy link address”) and replace the version name in the URL with the one you want to download. Again, there's no need to reinstall it yourself: the current installer will know how to use it when you tell it to in the dialog box.

By following these steps, you can keep your Windows program up to date, avoiding errors caused by incomplete installations or misplaced files. The installation wizard guides you through the process, so you don't have to struggle with technical details.

False positives in antivirus and access to game memory

Some users are finding that their antivirus software flags the Windows program as a potential threat and blocks its execution or installation. According to the developer, this is due to false positives caused by the type of access the app needs to read game data.

To display live telemetry, the SIM Dashboard program needs access to the game's memory and, if desired, can be set to start automatically with Windows. These behaviors, perfectly normal for this type of sim racing tool, can be mistakenly interpreted as suspicious by some security solutions.

In these cases, there's no reason to worry. It's recommended to create an exception rule in your antivirus software that allows the SIM Dashboard executable to run without restrictions. This will prevent crashes, unexpected closures, or the antivirus quarantining files that the program needs.

This is a fairly common situation with telemetry software or utilities that interact deeply with game processes, so it's a good idea to check your security tool's settings if you notice that the dashboard stops receiving data or the PC app doesn't start correctly.

Once these exceptions are configured, the system should work normally, allowing you to enjoy your local telemetry bar without any issues and with data flowing in real time between the game and your mobile device.

Download, documentation and additional resources

The SIM Dashboard app for Android is available directly from Google Play at no initial cost , while the Windows version can be downloaded from the developer's official website (stryder.it and related SIM Dashboard pages). This way, you always have the latest and most secure version at hand.

The official documentation and associated manuals contain detailed instructions on how to configure each compatible game , how to activate telemetry in the menus of simulators that require it, and how to take advantage of advanced features such as button mapping or the management of multiple dashboard profiles.

There are also PDF resources, manuals, and guides, similar to those available for other sim racing dashboard products, that explain step-by-step how to assemble a complete cockpit with an external display, wheels with screens, and telemetry modules . These materials are very useful for gathering ideas for panel design and information layout.

In addition, many sim racing communities share specific configurations and designs, so you can start with a dashboard already optimized for your favorite game and simply adjust it a little to your liking in SIM Dashboard instead of starting completely from scratch.

The current version of the software, according to available references, belongs to branch 3.6.5.0, specific to the time when this data was collected, although the program is updated fairly frequently to add compatibilities and polish the user experience with new titles and systems.

Design a live telemetry bar for mobile or secondary display

With all these pieces in place, it's entirely feasible to create a live telemetry bar for your mobile phone or a secondary monitor that displays key data while you're riding. The combination of SIM Dashboard, its Windows app, and customizable widgets makes it a highly flexible solution.

If you want to replicate something similar to the bars seen in professional broadcasts, you can combine horizontal bars for accelerator, brake, and clutch , along with a large gear indicator and a lap time display. All of this can occupy a specific area of ​​the mobile phone or tablet screen.

The key is deciding which data you need to see at a glance and which can remain in the background. For example, many users place the RPM bar and gear shift indicator in the center, while reserving side areas for engine temperature, remaining fuel, or tire information.

If you're going to use a secondary screen on your PC, you can also use Android emulators or similar solutions that allow you to run the SIM Dashboard app on that screen, acting as if it were an independent display integrated into your cockpit . This way, you achieve a very immersive visual integration.

In short, with the right widgets and good space organization, you can create a very complete and visually appealing local telemetry bar for your PC , tailored to your driving style and the type of simulator you use, without needing to invest in expensive specialized hardware.

This entire ecosystem makes setting up a local telemetry dashboard for PC something manageable for any enthusiast: with a simple mobile phone or tablet, the SIM Dashboard app, its small program for Windows and a basic understanding of configuration, it is possible to enjoy a professional dashboard, with real-time data, accelerator, brake and clutch bars, track maps and a multitude of indicators that help you drive more precisely, better understand the behavior of the car and get the most out of every lap both on PC and on modern consoles.