Trying CQC, need help with buttons

[SomeWhatLost]

just curious, but what kind of shades are you using? what are you using them for? (ie some application details, I understand the basics, they go up and down, and block out light, etc... just wondering if there is more to it?), do you like them?
and most important what Voltage/Current do they require?

just wondering if I need to install motorized shades... seems like a cool idea, and and depending on the V/A I could justify and use up some of my extra CQC-MB1's I have laying around:-) (it is just a little silly DiY serially controlled relay that outputs either +12V or -12V and reports back to CQC Uo/Down (or I guess it could be left/Right?) position...)

[Dean Roddey]

The fact that CQC has a v2 driver for these makes them attractive. When you use two kits, I assume each is connected to a separate serial port and two CQC drivers are used, each assigned to a different COM port.

Yep, that is the case. I guess it would be optimal to find one with 16 and only use one port, but I'm not aware of any right off hand.

[Deane Johnson]

Fortunately, I have more ports than I know what to do with. Some time back I added an 8 port card to those my computer came with.

[Deane Johnson]

just curious, but what kind of shades are you using? what are you using them for? (ie some application details, I understand the basics, they go up and down, and block out light, etc... just wondering if there is more to it?), do you like them?
and most important what Voltage/Current do they require?

just wondering if I need to install motorized shades... seems like a cool idea, and and depending on the V/A I could justify and use up some of my extra CQC-MB1's I have laying around:-) (it is just a little silly DiY serially controlled relay that outputs either +12V or -12V and reports back to CQC Uo/Down (or I guess it could be left/Right?) position...)

I actually have two sets of motorized shades on each window. The inner set are the regular light filtering honeycombs. These are HD PowerRise and are lowered by the HA software just as the sun hits the window and raised as it leaves. There are 365 entries, as the sun hits the window at different times each day depending on it's placement relative to the trees across the street.

The outer set are HunterDouglas EasyRise motorized blackout shades. They have 24v Somfy motors, but no controls other than top and bottom stops. Thus, the voltage polarity is reversed by the relays to raise or lower them. They are to totally blackout the room for front projection home theater.

I am a Priority Hunter Douglas dealer, but also have all other regular brands.

Hunter's PowerRise system has the momentum now. It's IR and RF controlled. The RF works very nice, but typically, it's not learnable by remotes. Hunter has a Platinum App interface that allows for the operation from iPad and iPhone, but not HA software so it's not integratable.

They also have a Platinum Bridge that allows control of the shades with RS-232 or IR. I have no experience with it but I believe it's nothing more than a Platinum App/Gateway with the RS-232 and IR added. They will only let dealers who have attended their "motorization school" sell them, and I refuse to do that.

I am not allowed to sell Hunter Douglas products via internet or phone, only in person so I can't sell you anything, but I am happy to help fellow HA folks figure out what they might want to buy from their local dealer. We do a lot of PowerRise motorized in our local area.

[SomeWhatLost]

oh well, the 24V thing is a deal killer for me, and the minor issue that if I needed shades I probably would have noticed it by now...

and I probably don't need another unfinished HA project:oops:

[Deane Johnson]

Without knowing what you are dealing with, the first thing I would recommend looking at would be HD PowerRise. They are far less expensive the EasyRise and far quieter. They run on 18v. You can have a small battery pack on the back of the shade, a larger C battery pack or use a wall wart as I do.