Vertical Blinds?

Devices & Integrations
1

I’m looking to get vertical blinds for a sliding patio door. Would be real nice if they worked with our Smart Things system. I’m not finding any that say they specifically do. Any one have any experience with some that do work?

Thanks.

2

Works well with smartthings, opens up a lot of design options.

3

Axis is now commercially available. Not 100% sure if they have a solution for verticals, but I think so

4

Axis, and other solutions are designed to allow you to keep your existing shades, and add a motor that works with Smartthings. But your question is different, and a great question… you don’t have anything on the patio door yet and you’re looking for a solution. That’s where I am too. Wondering if getting regular blinds and then adding Axis is a better path than searching for a solution that was designed to works w ST right from install.

5

Gear works with any shade with a beaded chain or cord loop. If you pull your shades with one hand, Gear will work as planned.

Axis gear works well with the default SmartThings Zigbee dimmer DTH right from install. You can use Axis Gears custom DTH, but I don’t find it adds any value and it’s extra work.

6

Thanks for this. I just checked their site also. The verticals that I wanted are individual slats that are perpendicular to the door while opening/closing. They close across the patio door (which Gear can handle), but once they are fully across the door, they’d need to be turned, which Gear can’t do.

7

That really depends on the blinds and use case, my verticals have a bead chain to rotate the slats 90deg to block light or allow light and I currently use 1 axis gear for this. But if I also wanted to move the slats all the way left so I can open my patio door I could add a second axis gear as my blinds have cord loop that controls this function. Tie in Core or Webcore to orchestrate the 2 and a button or motion sensor to idiot proof the automations and you have both.

As long as you have bead chain or cord loop axis gear can control it. It might take more than 1 for your use case, but it can be done.

8

I see what you’re saying. Yikes- TWO Gear devices needed means $500. So add that to the cost of the blinds plus install… that’s a lot of money. So that’s why I wonder if there’s an off-the-shelf vertical blind solution that works w ST. If so, likely less expensive than a retro-fit like Gear