Indeed… I’m still waiting for my check from Samsung for the SmartThings buyout. How much “equity” should my Kickstarter contribution have been worth, in a slightly different world?
You must have missed the event where we handed out gigantic novelty checks to all of our backers 
I was a backer of SmartThings before I was an official employee (though I worked for another company that was owned by the founders). Even with our history, I definitely approach crowd funded projects with a healthy dose of skepticism. Now that Kickstarter has been around for a few years we’re seeing lots of hardware projects close their doors without shipping - like the ZPM Espresso machine that more than one SmartThings employee backed with no product shipping now.
Back on the main topic, I’d love to certify some retrofit blind solutions. We have several motorized blind solutions that are at various points of integration/certification, but nothing that I’d be able to install in my own house.
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Fantastic to see another startup in this area who is taking interest in the Zigbee / ZWave aspect as both SOMFY & COMFEE are taking there time . . .
but are still both strong competitors in the field, im very interested in testing and assisting with this field of product so feel free to keep in touch for beta testing etc etc as the time comes . . .
Somfy is ungodly expensive. I would never dream of spending that much money on them even if I were rich just on principle.
@keithcroshaw - i couldn’t agree more 
haha
I got excited when I heard about them, but the price of each module blew me out of the water. I’d say a $70 price point is my max per 1 set of blinds. Only because I know the technical hurdles.
I’m looking to automate mine for ~$30 per 2 sets of blinds since mine are double windows and I can just run a long wire to my second servo.
@keithcroshaw your idea sounds very similar to the concept behind COMFEE (previously known as: Jalousier) . . . i know they are looking to integrate with SmartThings as it ST with them
may be worth getting in touch and see if you may be the missing link in there chain or twist wand 
haha they are also reasonably priced . . . there issue has just been coming to market which they recently seem to have fixed
Yup, this is the exact project I stole the idea from. I never thought it would still be around based on their video…
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LOL… I backed this too. Got mine actually much sooner than most, liked them (though they fit oddly), and then watched the Dye wash away. Waste of money… Ugh. 
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I guess I’m pretty lucky with my Kickstarter track record then:
- LIFX - delivered
- SmartThings - delivered
- Spark Core - delivered
- Petzval Lens - delivered
- Plant Link - they cancelled development of the valve and
international certification, but gave backers the option for a
refund, which I eventually received (in full).
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Take a look at this post that was shared earlier, it may work in your home @Tyler (1st one I have seen that will work with my blinds)
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Roller and Solar shades are also a good candidate for home automation. We just purchased Bali motorized shades with a ZRTSII home automation interface for Z-Wave. I don’t know how or if it will integrate with Smart Things, but since it’s Z-Wave, all it should need is an app. A retrofit kit for shades would really be welcome. Our home has 26 solar shades, all manually operated!
Good to see more innovation with blinds. I find it mind boggling that we don’t already have more reasonable cost choices for automating blinds and shades.
MySmartBlinds (formerly TiltMyBlinds) is supposed to ship very soon. I backed them last year. One of the more recent kickstarter updates said the motor should be fairly quiet. They use bluetooth but once you program the schedule, you don’t need the phone around. Also offers light based open/close IIRC. Patiently waiting for the hardware to ship…
Currently 3 months late and they are “hoping” for initial shipments in 4 more months.
(Just in case anyone needs more evidence that Projects are wilfully overly naively and negligently optimistic on their estimated delivery dates in order to maximize sales during the Campaign. No excuse for that anymore.)
@tgauchat @sidjohn1 @jotto Thanks for the feedback guys, we are looking into both Indiegogo and Kickstarter, but I think once our campaign launches you’ll gain some confidence in our product regardless of the website.
@dgbsf Somfy motorized blinds are ungodly expensive as @keithcroshaw mentioned and also must be installed. @Dlee The noise level is also one of our main priorities in regards to the Gear.
Regarding the software, what specific features/modes would you guys like to see in our app?
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I’m very pro dumb device / smart controller. I wouldn’t want you to waste time adding algorithms and sunrise sunset schedules and what have you.
Just make it easy for controllers to connect to with good documentation. Open partnerships with hubs so for example the SmartThings Hub V2 which will have bluetooth could talk to your gizmo.
I don’t want multiple apps for multiple devices. Just expose %open command to integrators and let them do the work for when they open and close.
IFTTT seems to be an obvious choice but that will be impossible with bluetooth and zigbee without a bridge, but please don’t take that as a request for a wifi device. It’s tough right now, there isn’t much clearly defined leaving hardware guys like you out in the cold.
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@keithcroshaw beat me to it, but expresses exactly the same thoughts I have.
Most folks here, especially, would rather have strong local and cloud APIs, preferably with high level down to as low level as possible (e.g., open/close/tilt angle/raise/lower, speed, hardware and software stop points, report of current height and tilt, alerts for various function and mechanical errors … even status updates when the blinds have been manually adjusted, … the more the better; but prioritize.).
Great APIs maximize the number of connected-home / Smart Home systems will be able to accurately control the blinds and manage the status and alerts to the best abilities of the great developer/integrators that exist for all the Open platforms like SmartThings.
The investment is more than worthwhile, because you may even find it cost effective to offer your Customers a discount on a selection of open system Hubs (like SmartThings! – work out a great partnership with them!?), then you could forego the development and maintenance cost of a customized App entirely; you would automatically give your Customers access to iOS, Android, and Windows Mobile at no additional effort (since you’ll want to integrate anyway and could focus on that instead).
The APIs, of course, would also be necessary and usable by your own mobile Apps and web UIs, if you decide it best to also develop those.
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+1 on the position feedback for manual adjustment and any error messages.
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any update on these?
I backed MOVE from Teptron. I can provide you with feedback regarding the motors if it is of any interest, once I recieve them?