Best motorized blinds / shades with Indigo integration

Ok, have a go with this plugin:

https://github.com/howartp84/NeoSmartBlinds/releases

It tests ok in terms of not breaking Indigo, but I obviously can't check that blinds actually behave themselves.

Peter

Wow .... that was quick! I am away for a couple of days, but will give it a whirl on my return later in the week.

Thanks,

Neil


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Hehe, no probs.

As I said, the design of the Neo system and the Somfy MyLink system are 99% identical.

The only difference is Somfy takes serial network commands, whereas Neo takes HTTP commands, so it didn't take 20 minutes to copy and tweak the code accordingly.

It'll be on my subforum and plugin store once Matt/Jay give me a subfolder for it.

Peter

Hi Peter!

A "covid-induced" change of plans has allowed me to give your new plugin a spin sooner than I thought!

I have trialed one blind with control as expected, but the following error message is generated in the log. with debug turned on (with codes etc changed to anonymize):

Code: Select all

   Action Group                    Snug Blind Down - Plugin
   Neo Blinds Debug                sendCmd action called:
   Neo Blinds Debug                Blind: 065.185-00
   Neo Blinds Debug                Action: dn
   Neo Blinds Debug                Sending URL: http://XX.YY.ZZ.UU:8838/neo/v1/transmit?command=NNN.MMM-OO-dn&id=<MY ID>
   Neo Blinds Error                Error in plugin execution ExecuteAction:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "plugin.py", line 91, in sendCmd
AttributeError: 'Response' object has no attribute 'URL'

I suspect that my python script may have misled you, as the Neo Smart Controller doesn't appear to send a response as suggested in Neo's API. I suspect that's what generating the error.
My later("production") scripts have commented out the processing of the response, which is not really required. If you wish to examine the API you can download a copy here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/fc85rhebtcvqs7d/Open%20Local%20HTTP%20Protocol%20V1.2.pdf?dl=0

Thanks again for generating this plugin!

Neil

Awesome, I’ll get the group (“Room”) functionality built in as well.

Peter


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

New forum here:

viewforum.php?f=332

I’ve been using rfxcom with standard Somfy RTS and rollertrol - about 4 blinds and an external awning. If you have the rfxcom - the wall penetrating power of that unit is a big differentiator. If your shades are inside and well covered by Z-wave - probably not a big deal.

Set up of rollertrol is a little more complex on rfxcom.

Great, maybe you can help me. I just got windows with roller blinds installed and to my surprise these came with Somfy motors with RF controls, never heard of Somfy before. I was expecting to be able to use a simple Z-Wave controller but no! I've been searching everywhere for a way to integrate these RF units with Indigo and your solution seems to be the best.
What do I need to integrate rfxcom with indigo and the Somfy blinds?

somfy's proprietary RF system is called RTS - they have a whole line of products that operate on this protocol as well as hand-held remotes, wall switches, etc. i have some older RTS blinds in my house and have two different control systems that work with Indigo:

first: Insteon IOLinc Somfy RF Drape Control kit. (i'm not sure whether this is still sold - if it is not, you can make one yourself rather easily from an IOLinc and an RTS remote). as you might guess, this is an Insteon IOLinc acting as a contact-closure relay that is connected to a Somfy remote control circuit board. it works. it is fairly reliable. it is somewhat primitive - it essentially enables Indigo to send an open or close command to one group of shades. as a device, it is bulky and somewhat ugly looking (it consists of an IOLinc connected by a cable to a grey plastic electrical "project-box").

second: Somfy ZWRTSI. this is product made by Somfy to allow RTS devices to be controlled by Z-wave. this device looks to Indigo like (up to) 16 z-wave "motor control class a" devices, which means you can turn them ON to open, OFF to close, or send them a stop command (same as you can do with an RTS remote) which can also serve as a go-to-preset-position command. you associate the z-wave device with Indigo and you configure the device to assign different groups of shades to each channel 1-16. zwrtsi is more powerful and more elegant than the IOLinc - smaller, but still a bit bulky. i had originally hoped i could use one zwrtsi in my house to control all my RTS shades, but the reality was that the RTS (RF) range was limited and i had to position it carefully just to be able to control two sets of blinds across one large room from each other. i could not reliably control shades in an upstairs bedroom from the downstairs zwrtsi.

For both of these approaches:
they are both strictly "one-way" comms - "blind" control, but no monitoring
if shades are operated other than thru Indigo (such as using a remote or wall-mount control), you won't see it in Indigo and Indigo will not have correct state info
open/close commands only - thus, nothing like "open shades 15%".
no battery level reporting or warnings

I'm now circling back to the original poster's request. I have direct experience with: Somfy RTS, Somfy Autoview, HunterDouglas PowerRise, and Lutron Serena, in all cases, controlled by Indigo.

The very best quality solution I have come across are the Lutron Serena. Their materials are high quality, their motors are very smooth and quiet. There is a Lutron plugin for Indigo (for shades as well as other Lutron devices). A Lutron hub is required to bridge between IP and proprietary Lutron Clear Connect (RF) protocol. Setup is done via Lutron app which provides numerous control options including creating groups, rooms, schedules, etc. (largely duplicative of what Indigo provides). Lutron app can operate locally (directly communicating with your local hub) or via the Lutron cloud. The protocol (and bridge) is two-way, so you can use Lutron remotes/programs to control the devices and Indigo actively tracks device status. Serena shades are expensive plus there's extra expense due to requiring a proprietary hub if you don't already use Lutron.

Of the two Somfy options, RTS and Autoview, I own numerous instances of both. Although both types are still sold, I would consider RTS to be obsolete as it is surpassed by Autoview in almost every way. (note I covered various ways of controlling RTS shades from Indigo in my previous post.)

Somfy Autoview hardware is a newer design and improved with smoother/quieter motors and superior control system. Support and integration with Indigo is better with Autoview - you get full two-way monitoring and control of devices. Since Autoview devices (both remotes and shades) are standard Z-wave devices, neither hub nor plugin is required; Indigo provides "native" support. There is no cloud dependency. Plugins are great, but I would hate to make a big investment in products to find at some point that a plugin I depend on has been dropped or been abandoned by its developer. There is no Autoview app, nor is there any need for one. Adding devices to Indigo is done in the "normal" way (z-wave association) so you don't have to learn yet another system of buttons, LED's, etc.. Indigo can control shades with direct control, triggers, or schedules. Both remotes and shades report battery status to Indigo. Assuming you have other z-wave gear in your house, wireless signal quality/range is generally a non-issue, since the devices participate in your z-wave mesh. Autoview shades are relatively economical - among the cheapest motorized shades that I've come across, despite having good quality and good warranty.

I have the least (and least recent) experience with HunterDouglas, but have generally found their products to be good and their product selection very wide. I have not found them to be friendly w.r.t. either HA integration or DIY ordering/installation. They require you to design, price, and order their products exclusively through authorized dealers. I bought HD hardware only to have them switch to a new/incompatible system, then switch yet again to another new/incompatible system a few years after that. I will note that HD sells some classes of product (e.g., motorized bottom-up shades) that you can't get from other vendors and I know them to have good warranty/support. There is a PowerView plugin for Indigo. I have no direct experience with it, but I see 7rdr7 reports having a good experience with it.

My personal recommendations:

I would heartily recommend Somfy Autoview - it is good quality, relatively good value, with excellent integration with Indigo and is virtually sure to still be supported and working in 5 or even 10+ years. There's nothing extra to buy (hubs, etc.) and the extras that you might buy (remote controls, for example) are reasonably priced and fully usable from Indigo as general purpose scene controllers. Autoview complements and is complemented very nicely by Indigo.

I would also give a qualified recommendation for Lutron Serena. It has excellent quality, good integration with Indigo, has very robust battery support (uses D cells for most sizes) and seems like it will stand up well to multiple-times-per-day usage. Drawbacks are: it is based on a proprietary protocol, dependent on a 3rd party Indigo plugin, and dependent on a specialized IP bridge, and is also quite expensive.

HunterDouglas has a wider selection of products, very good quality and support. I confess to not being up-to-date on their product offerings. If you find a knowledgeable HD dealer familiar with motorization/automation, you might have good luck with them.

What if you already have standard pullup blinds, with two control strings; one which raises and lowers the blind (which I don’t want to automate) and another string for changing the tilt angle of the louvers? Is there a retrofit motor that can be used with indigo?