All Articles Tagged Motorized Shades

Julie Jacobson | 11/14 10:18 AM, 2 Comments

CEDIA Expo 2011 was two months ago, but the innovations from the event are still fresh. While there were some mind-blowing products like Sony's affordable 4K projector, there were also some more modest developments that signify industry trends: Return of the touchscreens iPad and Android tablets were all over the show floor, as usual, but that doesn’t signify the end of the dedicated touchscreen. Seems they’re actually enjoying a comeback, even in the middle market. Both Control4 and URC introduced new 7-inch touchpanels that look like sleek tablets but act… View this story

Jason Knott | 10/31 12:40 PM, 0 Comments

There may be no other category where a dealer's "sense of design" is more important than selling motorized window treatments. Certain types of shades are more suited for particular window types. For example, you may not want to spec an informal roller shade in a lavish dedicated home theater that would be much more suited to Roman shades or drapery. Making such as error would be a red flag to the homeowner about your lack of design sense. The category is also the one area that might bring you closer… View this story

Steven Castle | 10/26 07:56 AM, 0 Comments

Somfy Systems is bringing new light to motorized window treatments. Somfy has introduced its WireFree Solar Pack ($220) that uses renewable solar energy to prolong battery life for all WireFree motorized window coverings. Compatible with all WireFree motors, each WireFree Solar Pack kit includes a photovoltaic panel (PV), ‘Y’ harness connector and Ni-MH rechargeable battery and battery tube. Photovoltaics produce solar energy by converting solar radiation (sunlight) into direct electricity. The WireFree Solar Pack’s PV panel is mounted on the inside of the window opening and converts the sun’s light… View this story

Jason Knott | 10/17 09:52 AM, 0 Comments

Controlling natural light is an integral part of lighting control, along with systems for the control of artificial light from fixtures. Installing motorized window treatments is becoming much easier these days with new technologies simplifying the installation for dealers. But there are still only four options for powering shades. Line Voltage: This should be the only way integrators should attempt to power exterior shades and awnings. These outdoor window treatments often will be raising and lowering in unprotected environmental conditions, such as heavy rain, snow or high winds. Each of… View this story

Julie Jacobson | 09/09 01:18 PM, 4 Comments

Motorized shades may be a killer app for home automation, but they’re often one of the most expensive elements of a home control system. And they can be complicated to retrofit, what with their requirements for power and possibly low-voltage wires for control. But Lutron – traditionally one of the pricier providers of motorized shades – is changing the game with its new Sivoia QS Wireless Cellular battery-powered shades that start at just $299 for a 3- by 5-foot window. The maximum size is 82 x 82 inches. The units… View this story

Steven Castle | 09/08 07:09 AM, 0 Comments

Do your clients think motorized shades are too expensive? They should think again. Lutron announced at CEDIA Expo 2011 its Sivoia QS cellular shades, which will be available in October starting a $299. This is the first time Lutron has offered cellular shades, which are more energy efficient by trapping air between two layers in a honeycomb pattern, offering up to double the insulating value of a triple-pane window. The battery-powered Sivoia QS cellular shades use a new, patent-pending Triathlon Battery Life technology with a hybrid drive design plus ultra-efficient… View this story

Steven Castle | 09/06 07:58 AM, 0 Comments

Motorized shades and drapes don’t have to be limited to windows or home theater screens. They can also be used as privacy screens, like a moving wall. In this Miami home, a Lutron Sivoia QED motorized drapery track allows drapes to close between a master bedroom’s sitting area on the second floor balcony and the upper part of the living room. With the drapes open, “it extends the master suite out into the common space,” says Marc Lewin of Visual Acoustics in Miami, which installed the home’s shading systems. When… View this story

Steven Castle | 08/29 07:46 AM, 0 Comments

Motorized shades are hot in Europe, but they are just catching on in the United States. Clint Childress of Draper says outdoor shades are better than indoor shades at shielding the home from heat, cold and sunlight because they stop light and heat before they enter a client's living space. Childress offers these suggestions for shading outdoor spaces: Investigate exterior patios, outdoor living rooms, and sunrooms. They are good candidates for outdoor shades. The weave of an outdoor shade can be larger (between 5-10 percent) than the weave of an… View this story

Julie Jacobson | 03/01 09:59 AM, 0 Comments

Quick, which home technology gets you in the door with clients? Multiroom audio? Energy management? Universal remotes? Lighting control? How about motorized shades? Window coverings that rise and drop at the press of a button, and respond automatically to light and temperature sensors, will be the killer app for home control if Somfy has anything to do with it. A world leader in motorization for window coverings (and projection screens and lifts and more), Somfy has developed a whole-house control system that makes motorized shades a “core part, not an… View this story

Julie Jacobson | 09/09 05:30 AM, 4 Comments

These days, we rarely make news of iPhone apps for home control systems. The bigger news would be that some company doesn't have an app for their system! But Lutron has a nice twist that I haven't seen before. The company's new app for the RadioRA 2 has an AWAY mode that simulates occupancy while the homeowners are away. Lights turn on and off automatically, and motorized shades raise and lower. But the original twist is that Lutron is promoting its new scheduling feature "for controlling the system during holidays… View this story