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Somfy blind motors

ILoveControl

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ILoveControl Mentor

ILoveControl

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Hi all,

 

I am about to buy new blinds that can be fitted with Somfy blind motors. Just wanted to check that the only thing I would need to intergrate them into C4 would be :

 

https://www.somfysystems.com/en-us/products/smart-home-controls/smart-home/automation-systems/control4

 

myLink WiFi to RTS

The myLink RTS Smartphone and Tablet Interface is a WiFi to Radio Technology Somfy (RTS) bridge that can control up to 16 channels of RTS motorized products. With the Somfy myLink apps for iOS and Android, users can control individual channels of RTS products and create scenes and schedules. The Somfy myLink Driver for Control4 gives Control4 systems access to RTS channels and scenes programmed by the Somfy myLink app.

 

Does this convert the RF signal I to wifi for the C4 drivers to communicate to them?

 

Also are the default Somfy drivers in composer or does one have to buy specific drivers?

 

Thank you for the advise

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blub Experienced

blub

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Then won't be available in South Africa. Gotta try find what they use here then to do the Somfy to c4 intergration


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
I have given up on somfy I will get rollease motors - they are 2-way
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eggzlot Grand Master

eggzlot

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13 minutes ago, ILoveControl said:

 


Oh dam there I was thinking that Somfy was ***the*** best integration into c4


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

the 3rd party driver I gave you https://drivercentral.io/platforms/control4-drivers/blinds-shades/somfy-generic-rts-and-dct-driver/ has the following ways to integrate which I have to assume 1 of these methods is an option for you:

Using an elaborate timing model, this driver set enables you to effectively control one-way Somfy RTS and DCT (Dry Contact) blinds/motors using one or more of the following control devices:

  • *new* Bond Bridge (supported only by the Multi Interface driver)
  • Somfy myLink (16 channels each)
  • Somfy RS485 RTS Transmitter (16 channels each)
  • Somfy URTSI II (16 channels each)
  • Somfy URTSI (5 channels each)
  • Somfy RS232 to RTS with X-10 (16 channels)
  • Dry contact motors (DCT - 2 or 3 contacts per motor for up/down/stop or open/close/stop)
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PorterTX Collaborator

PorterTX

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@eggzlot on the Somfy side do you use their Mylink or one of their other devices (URTSI etc)?  I use the Mylink along with the free Somfy C4 driver and it is just "ok" for reasons you have pointed out.  The biggest issue I seem to always run into with the MyLink is poor wifi signal strength.  I have moved it into multiple places and even directly under a nearby WAP and still had the same results "poor".  When it works it does what I want it to do which is just basically open & close but most of the time I find myself using the actual Somfy remote. 

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eggzlot Grand Master

eggzlot

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26 minutes ago, PorterTX said:

@eggzlot on the Somfy side do you use their Mylink or one of their other devices (URTSI etc)?  I use the Mylink along with the free Somfy C4 driver and it is just "ok" for reasons you have pointed out.  The biggest issue I seem to always run into with the MyLink is poor wifi signal strength.  I have moved it into multiple places and even directly under a nearby WAP and still had the same results "poor".  When it works it does what I want it to do which is just basically open & close but most of the time I find myself using the actual Somfy remote. 

I had issues with MyLink when I first got it - it was always dropping too.  This was maybe ~18 months ago.  Make sure the firmware is up to date, I think it was 5.20 or 5.21 or something fixed a lot of my issues.  Furthermore, because it can be fickle, if you have a few Access points, create a new SSID called Somfy and only enable it on 1 AP.  and you can hide it too so the public doesnt see it.  Connect the mylink to that new SSID called somfy.  it wont try to hop between APs.  That was my issue, it was hopping between my APs and therefore dropping.  The firmware update helped but to make it rock solid, just put it on its own SSID.

The 3rd party drive I referenced wont help with your mylink falling offline.  that said once I moved to its own SSID and did the firmware its been perfect.  the 3rd party driver will allow for % openings so that is nice as you can set that up with custom buttons in c4, etc.  if you always only go down and up full open and full close maybe you don't need the 3rd party driver.  the driver does add some other functionality though too so read the documentation provided on that link.

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South Africa C4 user Grand Master

South Africa C4 user

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1 hour ago, eggzlot said:

i believe there may be a free driver but its only 1 way direction, cannot say open to 50%, etc

I use this 3rd party driver and it has been rock solid: https://drivercentral.io/platforms/control4-drivers/blinds-shades/somfy-generic-rts-and-dct-driver/

This driver is great.  I have used 4 blind drivers in the last few years and this one is by far my favourite.  

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blub Experienced

blub

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Oh dam there I was thinking that Somfy was ***the*** best integration into c4


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
I'm not saying it is bad, I have not tested it.
I need battery powered motors with internal batteries as there is no space to mount an external pack.
Since qmotion is not sold in my country I chose rollease - they should be installed this year
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ILoveControl Mentor

ILoveControl

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This driver is great.  I have used 4 blind drivers in the last few years and this one is by far my favourite.  

Seeing we in the same country what module did they use to intergrate the motors to c4 :-) makes it easier for me to spec :)


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tdougray Rising Star

tdougray

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2 hours ago, ILoveControl said:

Then won't be available in South Africa. Gotta try find what they use here then to do the Somfy to c4 intergration

I’m in the uk and use Rs485 RTS transmitter. Use it along with the free driver, rock solid and works a treat. 
 
As said above Bond is also an option but it’s not available here in the UK so can’t comment.

 

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alanchow Grand Master

alanchow

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ELAN Systems South Africa is the distributor of Bond in South Africa.

https://elansystems.co.za/

We've worked closely with them and Bond to ensure our driver works with the products they've tested in their region.

http://chowmainsoft.com/bond-control4

Somfy RTS is global so the driver works across all RTS blinds regardless of region.

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ILoveControl Mentor

ILoveControl

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ELAN Systems South Africa is the distributor of Bond in South Africa.
https://elansystems.co.za/
We've worked closely with them and Bond to ensure our driver works with the products they've tested in their region.
http://chowmainsoft.com/bond-control4
Somfy RTS is global so the driver works across all RTS blinds regardless of region.



Ohhh I like this! So if I understand correctly:
1. You get the blinds with the Somfy motors which works with their normal Somfy remotes.
2. Get the bond device
3. Use your driver

Be happy I can control the blinds on any navigator and program in composer?

Question:

Do you need one bond device per Somfy motor ?
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alanchow Grand Master

alanchow

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2 minutes ago, ILoveControl said:

 

 


Ohhh I like this! So if I understand correctly:
1. You get the blinds with the Somfy motors which works with their normal Somfy remotes.
2. Get the bond device
3. Use your driver

Be happy I can control the blinds on any navigator and program in composer?

Question:

Do you need one bond device per Somfy motor ?

 

 

You got it!

its one bond device for upto 30 RF devices

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ILoveControl Mentor

ILoveControl

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You got it!
its one bond device for upto 30 RF devices


Man this makes it so much easier have been delaying blinds for two months now cause Somfy in South Africa couldn't tell me which bridge of theirs I needed for C4.

Does this allow opening to 45% etc or just open and closed?

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alanchow Grand Master

alanchow

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44 minutes ago, ILoveControl said:

 


Man this makes it so much easier have been delaying blinds for two months now cause Somfy in South Africa couldn't tell me which bridge of theirs I needed for C4.

Does this allow opening to 45% etc or just open and closed?
 

 

It is open, close and MY/stop.  Essentially mimics the Somfy remote controls.

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South Africa C4 user Grand Master

South Africa C4 user

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19 hours ago, tdougray said:

I’m in the uk and use Rs485 RTS transmitter. 

 

20 hours ago, ILoveControl said:


Seeing we in the same country what module did they use to intergrate the motors to c4 🙂 makes it easier for me to spec :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

@ILoveControl - I’m 90% sure that I use the RS485 RTS transmitter also (certainly sounds right).  I’ll try and check my invoices. The driver I use is definitely the Domosapiens one (at my holiday home).

At my main home, I have mon name brand blinds and have just moved to using a Bond Bridge for them.  This is great, but I still prefer the Somfy blinds and the abovementioned Driver.

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timmypop Enthusiast

timmypop

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I have an outdoor shade in my ramada with a Somfy RTS. I have both Lutron and C4. I only need up/down. It looks like it is best to use Bond with C4 driver. I can program up/dn on my HomeworksQS keypad to initiate the C4 side unless someone has a better idea through Lutron. 

Question: I just fried my Somfy remote in a rain storm for my Somfy shade. Is there any way to program the shade to Bond without the factory remote? 

 

Thanks. 

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