Which motorised blinds?

[codex]

I can run power to motorised blinds, but no control cables. Is there a zigbee based (or other) solution to motorised blinds? I've seen some great blinds that would work if cables were run back to the controller, or they can run rf. Obviously rf is not going to be compatible with c4, and it's not really possible to run control cables back to the controller, so if anyone knows of another solution, it would be appreciated.

[thecodeman]

Mechoshade has some.

[Garp]

CA wireless relays will run ones that use a 3 position switch or closed circuits. They are used on the blinds and drapes in the Aria.

[Diesel]

I've had success with the Somfy RTS motors using the URTSI II control unit. The URTSI connects to a C4 Controller via RS232 and then can control up to 16 shades via RF.

[CFUG]

RTS w/ the interface here.

[codex]

Cheers guys. I'd heard of the somfy ones and was waiting for them to get back to me. Mechshade are new to me, I've got in touch with them now. The ca relay may well be an option as I've seen some very reasonably priced motorised blinds that need a relay to control.

[AJ_]

Anyone have recommendations for a provider who can install HD shades with Somfy in eastern PA?

[ILoveC4]

Cheers guys. I'd heard of the somfy ones and was waiting for them to get back to me. Mechshade are new to me, I've got in touch with them now. The ca relay may well be an option as I've seen some very reasonably priced motorised blinds that need a relay to control.

Have you seen anything battery powered?

I don't have wire ran to my blinds, but have 5 windows that are up high that I'd like to automate. I want blinds, and I really just want to be able to toggle from open to closed, and don't care about raising or lowering them. I have card access wireless relays around that I can use.

As spring turns to summer I'm going to get more heat from the wife to get this done, it is a real problem from about May - September. Depending on where you're sitting at the kitchen dining room table, you're getting blinded.

[EagleMoon]

Have you seen anything battery powered?

I have four windows over a stairway -- 8 really, because there are four transom-like windows above the main windows. Manual operation was not an option and I couldn't get the support I needed to comfortably go with the Somfy/Control4 solution, so I put the battery-powered HunterDouglas shades in those eight windows. The HD motors make a bit more noise than the Somfy motors I heard but they work fine using the HD IR/RF remote.

They've been installed almost 18 months now; I've been there about 50-60% of the time and they go up and down at least once virtually every day we are there; first set batteries appear to still be strong.

These are honeycomb shades, not louvered blinds. I don't know about louvered blinds.

Edit: I should add the obvious point that if you want to control with Card-Access, you'd have to figure out where to attach its relay to the HD mechanism. It should be relatively easy; there's a mechanical button on the header that you should be able to tap into.

[CFUG]

Budget Blinds will do the work but I don't know if they franchise in all areas of USA.

[zaphod]

I have Hunter Douglas honeycomb blinds - I believe they use a Somfy motor. I have three blinds that are the sole window covering in our master bedroom. They come with an IR remote control and I control them with my C4 system via IR signals to the blind controller/IR receiver mounted an a wall in a inconspicous location. I had my dealer use the second pair of my house phone wires to send the signal from my C4 controller in the basement to the MBR on the second floor. We have two 6 buttons - one on each side of the bed, so either my wife or I can open or close the blinds from right in bed.

[EagleMoon]

I have Hunter Douglas honeycomb blinds - I believe they use a Somfy motor. I have three blinds that are the sole window covering in our master bedroom. They come with an IR remote control and I control them with my C4 system via IR signals to the blind controller/IR receiver mounted an a wall in a inconspicous location. I had my dealer use the second pair of my house phone wires to send the signal from my C4 controller in the basement to the MBR on the second floor. We have two 6 buttons - one on each side of the bed, so either my wife or I can open or close the blinds from right in bed.

So you have an IR emitter from the Control4 controller and the emitter has visibility to the IR receiver in the shades? And so you just had your dealer create the driver by learning the IR codes from the Hunter Douglas remote?

Do they all operate simultaneously or do you have individual control (using the same or different emitters)? Seems like I remember that all H D shades are on the same IR "channel", but can be assigned to one of four RF channels. Thus with IR control, all within range will be controlled together. Is that right?

[Ty]

Somfy hunter douglas systems are decent setup. very loud though. Control4 will only run 16 channels per setup. so you could setup 2 different configs 16 ch each if you needed. or get custom setup done by Hunter Douglas to combine rooms to one channel. I recentlt got training on Lutron shades, they are amazing. absolutely silent. And calibrated no matter size to all be same speed.

[codex]

The lutron option sounds interesting, but could it be controlled with c4 and only power to the blinds? Probably too expensive for me any way, all my money has gone on renovating the house!

[Gene]

Somfy hunter douglas systems are decent setup. very loud though. Control4 will only run 16 channels per setup. so you could setup 2 different configs 16 ch each if you needed. or get custom setup done by Hunter Douglas to combine rooms to one channel. I recentlt got training on Lutron shades, they are amazing. absolutely silent. And calibrated no matter size to all be same speed.

What are the cost of the lutron shades (venetian blinds) compared to Hunter douglas or comfortex?

Thanks!