Somfy Integration

[tumult]

Hate posting on Friday, but trying to finalize my purchase. I've searched somfy on the board and I don't think I've come across anyone who has integrated somfy shades with c4. So, has a dealer integrated somfy blinds successfully to where you can set a schedule to have the shades open and close at the preset time, operate the blinds manually from the iphone, ipad, or c4 remote? Or are there any end users who can tell me that they have somfy blinds that work reliably with c4?

My local dealer is suggesting lutron, but my preference is somfy for the $5K difference in price. I realize that lutron is a better product, quieter, etc, but just want to know if anyone is using somfy & c4 reliably.

thanks,

tum

[seth_j]

You won't regret the Lutron purchase...

Somfy can be integrated using their RTS (wireless) shades easily enough. I wouldn't touch anything else. Their hardwired controllers are notorious for being garbage. In fact so is the RTS... but you get what you pay for.

We use Electronic Solutions for our shade controllers on the last hard wired Somfy job I did and they were pretty good. Their RQ processors have a Control4 driver.

[dannyboy]

There is also a somfy zigbee module now for c4

I'm trying to order one from US

[alanchow]

Or you can integrate Somfy via rs485 rts, rs232 urts or ilt

[RyanE]

They were showing ZigBee integration at CES, but I don't know the details (which blinds it works with, what requirements there are, etc.), other than it seemed to work.

RyanE

[tumult]

the quote includes the 16-channel rts interface. i realize it's friday so I suppose i'll wait until next week to see if anyone else can chime in. thanks for everyone's replies.

tum

[diamonddesign]

Ryan, FYI I don't know the MSRP but my selling price (and this may be close to an MSRP or online price) per shade on the zigbee interface is $199.99. You have to have the RS485 motor for it to work on the 30 series. So , for example, 10 roller shades, 10 motors, 10 zigbee interfaces for 10 to work.

[TexasBill]

Hate posting on Friday, but trying to finalize my purchase. I've searched somfy on the board and I don't think I've come across anyone who has integrated somfy shades with c4. So, has a dealer integrated somfy blinds successfully to where you can set a schedule to have the shades open and close at the preset time, operate the blinds manually from the iphone, ipad, or c4 remote? Or are there any end users who can tell me that they have somfy blinds that work reliably with c4?

My local dealer is suggesting lutron, but my preference is somfy for the $5K difference in price. I realize that lutron is a better product, quieter, etc, but just want to know if anyone is using somfy & c4 reliably.

thanks,

tum

Yes - I have several SOMFY shades integrated with my system and they work very well.

I can open any one of my 6 different shades based on anything that C4 can handle - time - motion etc.

I can operate them from the iphone reliably - yes.

Willing to talk if you want to call - set up a private email with your phone umber and I will tell you how it works - the C4 diagram is wired wrong - the SOMFY diagram is correct.

[TexasBill]

the quote includes the 16-channel rts interface. i realize it's friday so I suppose i'll wait until next week to see if anyone else can chime in. thanks for everyone's replies.

tum

That is what I have and it works great - wireless is very cool.

We have three solar shades on the loggia, three shades in the master bedroom and 4 shades in the entryway.

Bill

[urbanmark]

I have 12, Somfy Sonesse 30 RTS low voltage motors controlled by the Somfy 16 Channel URTSII connected to my C4 HC300 via serial cable. It works fine... with easy programming of 3 positions (up/down/favorite position) at scheduled times, motion activated and the SR-250 remote etc...

If I was to do it again, I would go with a Somfy digital motor and the Zigbee Interface (which became available for sale May 24th, 2012).

Somfy posted a video of Control4 integration with the new Zigbee module: http://www.somfypro.com/zigbee

[tumult]

Thx tx bill and urbanmark.

Tx bill - I'll try and drop you an email today.

tum

[AJ_]

I saw the video above and the roller shade looks massive? The Lutron shade I have is honeycomb but just over 2" deep. This seems to be much bigger.

[diamonddesign]

I put somfy in Comfortex. They work in a lot of brands though (they do not sell shades themselves like Lutron). So depending on the brand of shade it will look different.

[AJ_]

Aah. Ok. That makes it clear.

[kurtiswilk]

Hey Urbanmark, What driver are you using to get the favorite position reliably?

We've got a "great dane position" and cant seem to get it to reliably stop there or not stop there.

Kurtis

I have 12, Somfy Sonesse 30 RTS low voltage motors controlled by the Somfy 16 Channel URTSII connected to my C4 HC300 via serial cable. It works fine... with easy programming of 3 positions (up/down/favorite position) at scheduled times, motion activated and the SR-250 remote etc...

If I was to do it again, I would go with a Somfy digital motor and the Zigbee Interface (which became available for sale May 24th, 2012).

Somfy posted a video of Control4 integration with the new Zigbee module: http://www.somfypro.com/zigbee

[urbanmark]

James beat me to it, but the Somfy business model seems to be a bit more pick and mix versus Lutron. I specified Somfy motors, Rollease.com tubes/brackets/hardware and Phifer.com fabrics. (And yes, a much smaller tube diameter than in the video).

[urbanmark]

Hey Urbanmark, What driver are you using to get the favorite position reliably?

We've got a "great dane position" and cant seem to get it to reliably stop there or not stop there.

It's the Somfy RTS URTSI II [16 CHANNEL] [serial] driver. For an intermediate position to work, you first have to program your Somfy motors with a "My" position (aka favorite position). Your Somfy motors will need to support a "My" position and if they do, you will then need a Somfy remote to set it up. Once the shades have a "My" position, you then use the "Stop" command in your C4 programming to trigger it. (If the shades are in motion, the "Stop" command stops the shades. If the shades are not in motion and you hit "Stop" it will trigger the "My" position. Sounds a little complicated, but it works.

[tumult]

Urbanmark - can you have multiple favorite positions? Can you have a favorite position and a preset that takes the shades all the way down at a scheduled time? With your favorite position, will all the shades stop at the exact same position? Or what if you manually raised or lowered the shades but then your schedule kicked on and started the programming-would the blinds stop where they were programmed to stop?

Just trying to think of all the issues that will bother my wife.

thx,

tum

[urbanmark]

The Somfy motors I have (Sonesse 30 RTS wireless) have a total of 3 programmed positions - up (max upper limit), down (max lower limit) and favorite (any position you define - and each motor can have a different favorite position). All of these positions are stored in the motors themselves - so nothing you program in C4 will override the max limits. If you manually adjust the blind position and a schedule kicks-in, it will automatically go to one of those 3 programmed positions you choose. But, there is no two-way feedback - meaning C4 doesn't know the position of the blinds.

I understand the Somfy digital motors (i.e. Sonesse 30 RS485) can have precise position control - i.e. lower the shades to 42% etc... and two-way feedback (only important if you want to know your blinds are at 42% on your C4 interface).

Hope that helps.

[scrunchy]

You won't regret the Lutron purchase...

Somfy can be integrated using their RTS (wireless) shades easily enough. I wouldn't touch anything else. Their hardwired controllers are notorious for being garbage. In fact so is the RTS... but you get what you pay for.

We use Electronic Solutions for our shade controllers on the last hard wired Somfy job I did and they were pretty good. Their RQ processors have a Control4 driver.

Doesn't Lutron required special/proprietary wiring?

[wappinghigh]

I'm looking for wireless motorised blinds

So with Somfry (the digital motor together with the ZigBee® to Digital Motor Interface (ZBDMI) – Cat. No. 1870220) basically sends a 2 way zigbee link to Control4. So you'd need one "interface" per blind. Up near and powered by the roller Right? This would be ideal for a small no. of blinds, because that is all you would need... no all house "great big control box". But the downside would be each interface would have a separate "driver" in Control4. So there could be problems co-ordinating all the blinds to go up/down at the same speed/time.. Particularly if you had lots of different length blinds, of different weight's. Is that basically the problem with Somfry?

The Lutron approach on the other hand has an all house communication hub that co-ordinates everything. On a different wireless channel. Lighting, curtains, *and* blinds. And this Hub has the one Control4 driver.. ??? So Blinds go perfectly in sync. Lutron also has a completely *totally* wire free (motor powered by battery) blind. But it's not a Roller/Roman/or Venetian.

So I' m thinking small jobs (less than 10 blinds)..and don't need Lutron lights or the big Lutron control hub, want specific fabrics, maybe Somfry is OK..Particularly if there aren't too many blinds in the *one* room.

But if you plan a much bigger job,..some of which need to be 100% wireless then maybe Lutron.

Is that the basic difference between the two systems..??

[RyanE]

If the Somfy have a constant rate up/down and support scene selection, you should be able to coordinate them, but that all of course depends on what / how Somfy has implemented their ZigBee control.

RyanE

[c44me]

I'm looking for wireless motorised blinds

So with Somfry (the digital motor together with the ZigBee® to Digital Motor Interface (ZBDMI) – Cat. No. 1870220) basically sends a 2 way zigbee link to Control4. So you'd need one "interface" per blind. Up near and powered by the roller Right? This would be ideal for a small no. of blinds, because that is all you would need... no all house "great big control box". But the downside would be each interface would have a separate "driver" in Control4. So there could be problems co-ordinating all the blinds to go up/down at the same speed/time.. Particularly if you had lots of different length blinds, of different weight's. Is that basically the problem with Somfry?

The Lutron approach on the other hand has an all house communication hub that co-ordinates everything. On a different wireless channel. Lighting, curtains, *and* blinds. And this Hub has the one Control4 driver.. ??? So Blinds go perfectly in sync. Lutron also has a completely *totally* wire free (motor powered by battery) blind. But it's not a Roller/Roman/or Venetian.

So I' m thinking small jobs (less than 10 blinds)..and don't need Lutron lights or the big Lutron control hub, want specific fabrics, maybe Somfry is OK..Particularly if there aren't too many blinds in the *one* room.

But if you plan a much bigger job,..some of which need to be 100% wireless then maybe Lutron.

Is that the basic difference between the two systems..??

so am I. please post whichever route you go with!

[TexasBill]

I'm looking for wireless motorised blinds

So with Somfry (the digital motor together with the ZigBee® to Digital Motor Interface (ZBDMI) – Cat. No. 1870220) basically sends a 2 way zigbee link to Control4. So you'd need one "interface" per blind. Up near and powered by the roller Right? This would be ideal for a small no. of blinds, because that is all you would need... no all house "great big control box". But the downside would be each interface would have a separate "driver" in Control4. So there could be problems co-ordinating all the blinds to go up/down at the same speed/time.. Particularly if you had lots of different length blinds, of different weight's. Is that basically the problem with Somfry?

The Lutron approach on the other hand has an all house communication hub that co-ordinates everything. On a different wireless channel. Lighting, curtains, *and* blinds. And this Hub has the one Control4 driver.. ??? So Blinds go perfectly in sync. Lutron also has a completely *totally* wire free (motor powered by battery) blind. But it's not a Roller/Roman/or Venetian.

So I' m thinking small jobs (less than 10 blinds)..and don't need Lutron lights or the big Lutron control hub, want specific fabrics, maybe Somfry is OK..Particularly if there aren't too many blinds in the *one* room.

But if you plan a much bigger job,..some of which need to be 100% wireless then maybe Lutron.

Is that the basic difference between the two systems..??

I have a number of blinds - those with a SOMFY motor are all controllable from ONE device that is connected SERIALLY to Control 4.

I can move any blind up or down with this ONE DEVICE. I can move it all the way UP or all the way down AND I can have ONE personal setting - if the blind is down and I have C4 issue a STOP command it will go UP to my personal setting and if it is UP I can have C4 issue a STOP command and it will go DOWN to my personal setting.

It was inexpensive, easy to install and works a treat.

Does this help/answer your question?

Bill

[wappinghigh]

Yeh. Helps a lot. Thanks Bill. I now understand fully the different Somfy integration options..

Cheers