Simple open/close command work a treat, and it's easier than ever to include opening or closing within automated routines. Google Assistant, which has only recently been added, is also straightforward when it comes to smart speaker control. Things get interesting when you start controlling the blinds with connected apps and voice assistants - especially as the Tahoma skill has recently been updated so as Somfy blinds are recognised as devices within Amazon's ecosystem. Somfy also has a huge array of of sensors that can be paired up to move the blinds - movement, sunlight and more. There are a range of Somfy RTS controllers that can be used to move the blinds up and down, and you will also find an up/down remote control boxed with the blinds. The motor is part of Somfy's RTS range and doesn't have to be smart at all. We've tested the Somfy Roll Up Wirefree a battery powered quiet drive motor, along with an all-in-one grey roller blind. This means you it will sort the mechanics and you can choose from hundreds of designs, sizes and materials from a large range of suppliers Somfy has partnered with. Somfy is a giant name in smart blinds on both sides of the pond - the French company is actually a motorized motor specialist. We got Alexa to use the "Alexa, ask Soma to open/close blinds", but blinds don't appear as a device in Alexa's list, so it can't be implemented as a Routine.īuy now: Powered Blinds | Price varies depending on size and style While the Soma set up was seamless for the main, Soma Connect was more fiddly. This requires the Soma Connect $99.99 module to be plugged into your router, which is in turn connected to your chosen Assistant. Soma has the complete suite of smart integrations, with Alexa, Google Assistant and HomeKit in the line-up. You can trigger around sunrise and sunset, which is pretty neat. It's far better to set up schedules and triggers in the app, rather than do it manually – as one small blind took around 5 minutes to fully open or close. We're pleased that the Smart Shades 2 are 4x faster than the original, and a little quieter as well. The first generation was noisy and really really slow – comically so. Once Soma is fitted you can control the blinds from your smartphone – but there's no button control on the unit itself, which is a shame. There are also holes to screw in the unit too for a more sturdy fit. We've been testing them and they're so easy to fit – and once the unit is charged up, it took next to no time to hook it on and use the sticky pads to mount to the wall. There's no need to buy new roller shades or get a bespoke fitting, as long as your blinds have link chain it should be plug and play. These little units attach to your wall, and chow down on your blind’s link chain, essentially replacing your hands in the equation. Now out with a second edition, the Smart Shades 2 are visually unchanged, but address our main complaints with the original. If you’re looking for a retrofit option, Soma is the avenue to explore. In the meantime, here’s your smart blind picks. With a motor, a couple of sensors and a controller you can effectively make your own smart blinds as a weekend project. Ikea has also entered the market recently, albeit with a slow roll out of its Trådfri connected electronic blinds.įinally, you can do this yourself from scratch. There a handful of motors on the market which can be used to automate the process – which you can then start integrating with your smart home tech. Taking advantage of these generally means having a roller blind with a chain mechanism. There are always boutique options out there for home automation, but increasingly, older, analogue, motorized, blinds can be reverse engineered into being smart. You can go out and order made-to-measure electric blinds and roller shades – but that’s the expensive option from the likes of Lutron and Somfy. Also, in many cases prices depend on so many factors, you'll need to dive in and explore. If you're doing it properly, you'll need to speak to some of the brands below and really get a bespoke option – and we're not just talking about colour and size, and whether it fits inside your window frame, or over the top.Ī lot of the big players are still pretty old school in terms of the tech - so bear with us while we try to unpack that. However – choosing, and then installing, the best smart blinds isn't always easy task. There are now a host of different options open to those looking to control blinds and shades remotely – and as you’d expect, compatibility with the latest smart speakers and voice assistants including Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri via Apple HomeKit is the hot topic. Smart blinds hark back to the days of luxury home automation, but there are now stylish and simple options that don't cost the earth.
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