I am about to buy some Velux Skylights. They have RF remotes but for home automation they sell these VLF 100 boxes
http://www.velux.cz/cs-CZ/Documents/pdf/montazni-navody/mn-IO-klf-100-2007-10.pdf
anyone know how to connect to this?
Radio frequency band: 868 MHz.
Unfortunately this is neither a ZigBee or Z-Wave band. So unless there is a cloud platform for it, then it is currently incompatible without custom hardware.
Reviving a rather old thread but with some potentially exciting new news.
Velux as mentioned currently use a semi proprietary protocol called ioHomeControl which hardly anyone else supports, I think there are only about six firms who use it. They still currently sell the KLF 100 which provides relay control over their windows which frankly is too much hassle and limited in capability, especially if you know like I do that another maker of similar windows Fakro do already sell Loft Windows with official built-in Z-Wave support.
However it seems Velux are currently working on producing a ‘gateway’ to act as a link between their ioHomeControl system and a standard TCP/IP network based access system. This in theory could then be used to allow SmartThings to send commands via this new Velux gateway to the Velux windows.
See https://community.openhab.org/t/io-homecontrol-velux-somethings-in-the-bush/11413 and the Bang & Olufsen PDF linked from that page.
As per my last post there has been some articles suggesting the intent to release a gateway between the IO-HomeControl protocol used by Velux to a general LAN/Internet compatible protocol as Bang & Olufsen want to use.
I have just come across a newish press release from the Velux site which while it does not mention the above might be related. Apparently Velux are working towards supporting Apple’s HomeKit protocol in 2017. Apple’s HomeKit protocol works on either BlueTooth or WiFi and can be accessed over the Internet - the former via an AppleTV4 acting as a gateway. Now as things stand HomeKit (only) devices cannot be integrated in to Smartthings but there is I feel a strong chance that whatever solution Velux are intending to release to implement HomeKit will not only support HomeKit but might also be the same thing Bang & Olufsen are referring to. Logically Velux would not want to release more than one gateway/upgrade and would I feel release one which had broader support. One would I feel reasonably expect this gateway to be somewhat like the Phillips Hue gateway which supports both HomeKit and Zigbee and is supported by Smartthings. I therefore hope this will turn out to be the solution I and others are looking for rather than having to mess with hardwiring motors and relays.
See - http://press.velux.com/the-velux-group-syncs-up-with-apple-homekit
I also saw another article in German which mentioned Velux Integra and HomeKit and of course Velux Integra are the roof windows. It also says this will be available as an upgrade for existing windows. See - https://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=https://www.siio.de/lichtschatten/velux-kuendigt-homekit-an/&prev=search
So, a little more light is appearing on the horizon.
Thank heavens my own project is still a long way from needing to buy these yet.
oh, will keep an eye on this! I really want to have a routine to open our velux based on room temperature!
Anybody heard anything further on this before I purchase our new Velux? Should I be considering alternative brands?
I have 2 Velux skylights. Remote is infrared, not RF. Programmed them into Harmony remote hub and now I can control them through Alexa and SmartThings.
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That’s a great idea! Do you know at all if SmartThings can handle multiple hubs (e.g. one for each room)?
ST can control multiple Harmony hubs (I have 2).
@willtwilson
The Velux wall remotes are IR as mentioned, Velux currently also have a ‘smart’ home system but it is using the io-HomeControl protocol which hardly anything else supports.
As I mentioned in my previous post Velux have announced they will be adding support for Apple’s HomeKit standard. HomeKit can use either Bluetooth or WiFi, if Velux use WiFi it would make it more likely that their interface may also talk to other standards e.g. Alexa, Smartthings, etc.
Velux have also announced they will be working with Netatmo who produce both a smart home weather station and also an indoor air quality system. The intention here is that the air quality reports from the Netatmo would tell the Velux windows when to open and close.
Velux have said that existing windows will be upgradeable to have HomeKit support. I suspect this will be for existing electrically operated windows I am not sure about manual windows.
I am still waiting for this I suspect it will be towards the end of 2017.
Just to share, while this isnt for Smarthings, that I did come across a solution and put together a video to show it all working…
@anon36505037
The Velux system uses the io-HomeControl system as you mention. Velux have a relationship with Netatmo (now part of Legrand) which has added Apple HomeKit support although that of course does not help you.
However Somfy do produce a system to also link to io-HomeControl and this does support also linking to the Velux system. There is at least one Smartthings app already for accessing the Somfy Tahoma system via which you can control io-HomeControl devices including Velux blinds.
I am planning to get some Velux roof windows and blinds and this is the approach I am also considering.
I have three Velux solor units being installed this week. Please update your post if you have any success. I would really like to solve this ST connectivity problem.
I recently installed two solar powered Velux skylights that opens, I am curious if Somfy will work as they only stated blinds.
Could you tell me which app that is? I have a Somfy Tahoma and Velux skylight and blind added to it (IO-Homecontrol), but I can’t get it to show up in Smartthings. So, I was wondering which app you use (or know) to make it show up in ST?
@Ronnie @blew888 @David_Waters
Yes the app listed here -
does currently only support controlling the Velux blinds.
I believe the Tahoma system would be able to fully control the Velux windows but the above as mentioned is limited to the blinds. Indeed I found a post in the Somfy forum asking this and there seems to be a reply from Somfy saying yes. The link below is a GoogleCache one as just now at least the Somfy forum as not responding.
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:AuaVp4oY6vkJ:https://forum.somfy.co.uk/questions/1669201-can-control-velux-windows-velux-blinds-window-blinds-somfy-tahoma-app&hl=en&gl=uk&strip=1&vwsrc=0
So even though the above Smartthings app only supports blinds it sounds like it could be potentially expanded to support more functions via a Somfy Tahoma gateway.
The Velux windows can be controlled via the Netatmo Active interface which so far does not appear to have a Smartthings app but can also be controlled via the KLF200 interface. The KLF200 interface uses the io-HomeControl system supported by Tahoma. The KLF200 has an api documented here -
I believe the Velux windows can be controlled via Home Assistant using the KLF200 however it might also be possible by adding them as HomeKit devices via the HomeKit client (not HomeBridge). It then either way might be possible to share them to Smartthings via MQTT.
@NomadTech previously mentioned using a Logitech Harmony to use IR signals to remotely control Velux windows and I have seen on YouTube a video showing using a Broadlink IR remote system to do the same. There is built-in support in Smartthings for Logitech Harmony but there is also at least one community driver for Broadlink although this might also require a Raspberry Pi or similar.
The following is I believe for OpenHab but contains useful information if anyone is willing to create an integration between Smartthings and Netatmo/Velux Active.