Best motorized blinds / shades with Indigo integration

So.. I am getting the request to install automated blinds from my Wife!

I have scoured the forums and know there are many different options.

I was hoping to do full wireless with perhaps a solar panel on the window side if the blind to keep the battery charged, running power and signal to the Locations would be a PITA.

Looks like $omfy with the RTS to Zwave control would be an option, as well as Perrys Lutron plugin, I already have an RFXCOM TX unit so Rollertroll are an option as well.

Ideally there would be to have a manual wall control switch as well for ease of use and don the road when we sell.

Looking for comments / suggestions from fellow Indigoers who may have gone down this road. Any advice / recommendations is greatly appreciated. looking at automating at least 6 windows.

Thanks!

I’ve an unpublished Somfy MyLink plugin written; I believe the up/down/stop/‘My’ features work, but I wrote it for someone else.

Happy to update if necessary.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

I'm using Somfy Z-wave shades on 4 different windows in my home. No need for a bridge, but getting them properly set up in Indigo was a bit dodgy. They work fine with Indigo or with the included manual control.

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.

Honestly, Lutron shades are head and shoulders above Somfy, IMO. The Lutron controls are rock solid, and the shades themselves are an order of magnitude quieter than anything else I've ever looked at.

But you pay for it.

Honestly, Lutron shades are head and shoulders above Somfy, IMO. The Lutron controls are rock solid, and the shades themselves are an order of magnitude quieter than anything else I've ever looked at.

But you pay for it.

Are you using Perrys plugin to control from indigo?

Edit, I guess not as I just searched and noticed your plugin

What should I be requesting on the quote from Lutron to interface to Indigo?

Honestly, Lutron shades are head and shoulders above Somfy, IMO. The Lutron controls are rock solid, and the shades themselves are an order of magnitude quieter than anything else I've ever looked at.

But you pay for it.

Are you using Perrys plugin to control from indigo?

I'm using the Lutron plugin (which I'm maintaining).

I got Bali cellular motorized shades which have z-wav built in. Work great and we're easy to integrate into Indigo. If you got a Costco membership you can order them online through Costco.

Edit, I guess not as I just searched and noticed your plugin

What should I be requesting on the quote from Lutron to interface to Indigo?

Depends on what you're using to control the shades in the first place. If just local control with Pico remotes, a Caseta Smart Bridge will do the job.

I'm using Hunter Douglas Powerview blinds, with the Indigo Powerview plugin and it works well.

I'm researching this same thing, but for my office I need blinds (not shades). I've been scouring the internet but I can't find a clear answer as to if the Lutron Smart Bridge Pro can control Lutron blinds.

These pages just mentions shades:
https://www.casetawireless.com/works-wi ... desandfans
https://www.casetawireless.com/proproducts

But I've seen things that say the Smart Bridge Pro supports Sivoia QS Wireless, which does list Wood Blinds as being supported:
http://www.lutron.com/en-US/Products/Pa ... Align.aspx

I just found this comparison:
http://www.lutron.com/TechnicalDocument ... arison.pdf
which says there is no tilt functionality with the Caséta / Smart Bridge Pro, and being able to control tilt is integral to this whole plan. So I guess that is my answer, but I figured I'd post just in case someone had any insights here.

Hi,

I have just completed the installation of 4 external blinds using Neo motors from Canada ( http://neosmartblinds.com/ ) installed by a local (Australian) blind manufacturer. Each blind has its own individual remote.

I have interfaced these to Indigo using their "Neo Smart Controller" ( http://neosmartblinds.com/smartcontroller/ ). The controller has an API (available from Neo on request) that I use to control the blinds (Up, Down, Stop and Go to Favourite are available). Using a simple Python script in an action group has allowed Indigo integration including Alexa voice control:

Code: Select all

##NeoBlindsGENERIC_0.0
## A Python Script to to be tailored to provide required
## local control of a blind connected to a Neo Smart Controller


#   Rev 0.0 -   initial alpha script
#            

## Import the required modules
import requests

## DEBUGGING
debug = 1 ## Set to 1 to print debug messages, to 0 for no debug

## ACTION
## Configure the action required to be sent to the target blind
## by uncommenting the ACTION required to be sent
#action = 'up' # blind moves UP
#action = 'dn' # blind moves DOWN
action = 'sp' # blind STOP moving
#action = 'gp' # go to FAVOURITE position

## BLIND ID
## Blind Code in format (get from Neo Smart App): XXX.YYY-NN
## Blind Code =
ID1 = 'XXX'
ID2 = 'YYY'
CHANNEL = 'NN'

## ASSEMBLE COMMAND
## Syntax of the command is ID1.ID2-CHANNEL-ACTION
myCommand = ID1 + '.' + ID2 + '-' + CHANNEL + '-' + action

## CONTROLLER ID
# Enter valid 24 character controller id number found in the app
# in "Your Controller"

controlID = '<INSERT YOUR CONTROLLER ID HERE>'

## CONTROLLER IP AND PORT ADDRESS
## Enter address and port number of target Controller
addr = '<INSERT YOUR CONTROLLER IP ADDRESS>'
prt = "8838"

## Assemble the request
url = 'http://' + addr + ':' + prt + '/neo/v1/transmit?command='+ myCommand +'&id=' + controlID
   
## Send the request and catch the response
response = requests.get(url)

## For debugging
if debug:
   # log url sent
   indigo.server.log(response.url,"URL sent was:")
   #log controller response
   indigo.server.log(response.text,"Controller response was:")
   


As a side comment, if there is simpler means of achieving this (Flying Diver's HTTPd plugin perhaps?) I would be please to give it a try!

The Smart Controller Module connects to your network using wifi, and needs to be located centrally to provide RF coverage to each blind.

Note that if someone clever was to upgrade the Broadlink plugin ( http://www.indigodomo.com/pluginstore/197/ ) to readily/easily learn RF commands (please, please!) I believe that you could replace the Neo controller with a much cheaper module for this and other similar RF control instances.

mclass

As a side comment, if there is simpler means of achieving this (Flying Diver's HTTPd plugin perhaps?) I would be please to give it a try!

No, the plugin is for handling (receiving) HTTP requests, not sending them. You could simplify that script somewhat, and get rid of most of the comments, but it's really only executing one command. The rest is just fluff to build the command string.

Hi,

I have interfaced these to Indigo using their "Neo Smart Controller" ( http://neosmartblinds.com/smartcontroller/ ). Using a simple Python script in an action group has allowed Indigo integration.

As a side comment, if there is simpler means of achieving this (Flying Diver's HTTPd plugin perhaps?) I would be please to give it a try!

mclass

That is almost identical to the Somfy MyLink plugin that I have in beta.

I’ll throw the above into a plugin for you this afternoon.

Peter


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

The rest is just fluff to build the command string.

At my age the “fluff” is essential to remind me what I was up to a week ago

.... and it simplifies generation of other commands

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk