@Tuckie how did you go about pairing them with Home Assistant exactly? Really struggling with this myself
The weirdest part of the pairing is that you also need a Bluetooth device on top of the skyconnect for thread commissioning. I used an m5stack atom with ESPHome (ESPHome Bluetooth Proxy), but it should in theory worth with a bluetooth usb dongle as well.
On the software side, you need to install the OpenThread Border Router addon and pick your dongle on the config page for the addon.
Once the hardware/software is figured out, you then have to enter pairing mode for the Smartwings. See page 17 of: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0573/0215/5461/files/Smartwings_Remote_Programming_Guide_V2.1_0303.pdf?v=1646311999
This is also a challenge as the documentation is not Thread specific. Sometimes the two jog mode would work; other times I had to do a full reset of the blinds (four jogs). Note: If/when you do a full reset the blinds, they will not move via any thread commands until you have reconfigured the upper and lower limits.
Now, having entered pairing mode, the blinds should just show up as a newly discovered device via the HomeKit controller/device integration on your devices/services page. It should then prompt you to enter the HomeKit pin off the QR code. As I mentioned, in EVERY case here it stated that it failed after entering the code, but it will often eventually show up in the HomeKit device list regardless. This may take a few tries and each time you retry, you have to re-enter pairing mode/reset the device.
Next, you should now see the device and you can even control it in Home Assistant! Yay!–BUT, we’re not done yet. This device is still only connected via Bluetooth. If navigate to the page for the individual device with all settings/info you should see a “Provision Thread Credentials” button. This should be the final step of the process. The device should disappear for a bit and come back with a thread status of “Child”. This step thankfully worked 14 out of the 15 times I tried it.
Final piece of advice: The identify button for the Smartwings in HA is your friend. Use it after Bluetooth pairing and after switching over to Thread. That way you don’t have to setup upper and lower limits if you happened to do a full reset and just want to test connectivity.
How stable has it been for you once you got it paired? I waited for months for the thread version of SmartWings to be available but then they wanted $100 for it instead of $30 for zigbee and $55 for z-wave. I even bought the skyconnect. Those covers would have been my only thread/matter devices so I had concern about it reaching the far areas of my house. I decided against thread for the cost and fact it uses homekit which would be odd for me since I have zero apple devices. I would have done zigbee but the only zigbee network I have is my Hue network. I don’t think the covers can link to a hue hub and linking to my skyconnect would have put it on its own zigbee network giving me the same issue with covers that are at the end of my house. My z-wave network has been rock solid so I decided on that path. I am glad I did because even in my office I can quad click one of my z-wave light switches to open/close the office shears. I setup 5-click up/down for open/close of my office blackout. It responds within 2 seconds. I had some issues getting it setup with secure z-wave, but that is probably because I am using an older 500 series dongle. Every device with security gives me issues for whatever reason. I plan to get a new dongle in the future. I don’t know why but setting up z-wave through the home assistant interface works better than doing it directly through zwave-js.
On another note I just checked my battery usage and after a solid 1.5 months of use several times a day my bedroom is at 73% battery for the shears and 72% for the blackout.
If you want to see my shades in action I made a YouTube video to share with my family. I need as much blackout as I can possibly get in my bedroom. The blackout fabric itself does block the light completely but tons of light seeps around the side. Its kind of like looking at a full solar eclipse where it is dark in the middle and super bright light around all the edges. Using their blackout bars across the top and for the sides, gluing on black fabric to both, I was able to make a solution that seems to work well. The sticky on their magnet is too weak that it keeps falling off my textured walls that I had to replace the entire strip with 3m multiple times till I got it strong enough. This is my first and so far only YouTube video so the production isn’t that great. SmartWings Near Perfect Blackout Solution Dual Roller (z-wave) - YouTube
I wish I could say they have been stable once paired, but they have not. I even moved the dongle upstairs using a usb over ethernet adapter and still have 1-3 blinds randomly unavailable. Restarting HA sometimes helps, sometimes doesn’t.
@Tuckie this was perfect! Thanks so much for writing it up.
I actually didn’t have any issues pairing on my end. I did the two jog mode, paired with bluetooth, then switched over to thread. It’s been running for a couple of weeks now without any issues. I will say, looking at the logbook, that it seems to disconnect / reconnect about once a day. It seems like the disconnect is always <1min. Tough to diagnose where the issue might be (VM, SkyConnect, Smartwings) but it hasn’t interfered with my automations yet.
The bluetooth proxy had to be very close to the blinds to get it to pair. I’m using the SkyConnect in multiprotocol mode (ZigBee + Thread) and it’s about 25ft away through two walls. The blinds are my first thread device.
In hindsight, I probably would have gone with ZigBee but here we are.
Throwing my two cents in -
I actually ended up pre-ordering/beta testing their Top Down Bottom Up (TDBU) cellular shades. These shades require two motors, and apparently are only available with a standard motor (no Zwave/Zigbee/thread etc).
They recommended the smart link pro accessory to integrate into HA. I really wanted the TDBU shades, so I hesitantly placed an order.
Only had them for a few days, but so far they seem rock solid using the Motion Blinds integration. They seem to report battery status, position and control as well. Will update my POV as I spend more time with them, but so far, I would say its working well and while the TDBU blinds themselves are more expensive (you need two motors), it was cheaper than getting dual shades with Zwave motors (my original plan since my home is almost all Zwave with almost 80 devices and growing)
Edit: Noticed complaints about pairing with other protocols… it was super easy to pair with the smart link pro hub… and HA auto discovered the hub on my network.
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Interesting! This is the first I’ve heard of them offering a TDBU option. You mentioned pre-order though. Do you know if this product is available to order yet in general?
I’m likely missing something, but I don’t see this available through their website currently.
Any further update on how you are liking the TDBU blinds? =)
Yes, I had reached out to them via email asking about TDBU launch date. They responded that while it was not available on the website, they could order it for me.
The tdbu shade pricing seems to be $150 higher than the regular motorized cellular shade - but again not sure what their official pricing would be.
With regards to the product - I love it, as I mentioned earlier, TDBU is only available with a regular motor ( not zwave zigbee etc). I’ve used the smart link pro to integrate into HA and it seems flawless. Based on battery life trends, I’m estimating that I’ll need to charge my blinds again in 3-4 months. I’m not sure if hardwired is available in TDBU but could be useful.
Great to hear you had success with the smart link pro… Last I asked them about that, they said it wasn’t supported, and I had major issues with the Zigbee integrations both with ZHA (unresponsive) and Z2M (direction flipped)… Had to resort to simply making my own scripts for up and down, which was just a command for the opposite, in order to use in other automation, instead of using the built in cover…
I’m also using z-wave JS, but can’t pair the motor. Smartwings told me they think a z-wave hub is needed? I’m waiting for feedback from their engineers.
- I include from HA (add device), z-wave JS is saying ‘inclusion mode’, I push the P-button/UP/P-button and the motor led is solid red. But no pairing.
- I also move the USB GEN5 stick next to the motor (push button till slow blinking blue), do the procedure on the motor, but again no pairing.
I’ve done this several times, but no luck.
Did you encounter an issue to pair it?
Did you scan the QR codes first? I scanned the codes, and when I powered on the blinds, they automatically paired.
Huh, no? How should I scan the QR codes?
Not sure where I should enter this. How to make the link with HA or z-wave JS or my USB stick.
Initially, I setup z-wave devices the same way I did zigbee, which is some combination of holding down a pairing button and praying. Later I noticed in my zwavejs control panel that I didn’t have S2 security on devices which supported it. Then I learned how to use the camera in the homeassistant app to scan the QR code. One odd thing is I have to disconnect from my wifi to do this, as it wants the camera scanning thing to be https, and locally I connect to HA via http.
There is an ugly QA code they put in the front of the blinds. Why the front and not the back? I’m not sure.
Damned, I have a Z‐Stick Gen5 USB Controller ZW090. This seems to be a 500 series controller.
Since SmartStart is from the 700 series controller on, no luck for me to add it with the QR code.
I haven’t chimed in this thread in a while. I now have 15 smart wings roller shades and for the last couple months everything has worked flawlessly. I’ve noticed a few disconnects in the log books that happens on some every few days, but I’ve never actually run into a situation where it didn’t respond when I tried. Through the Alexa and Google home emulated hue hack both voice assistants can open and close all my shades. You can use home assistance group option to combine cover groups together and with one voice command open or close everything in your house.
For those that are interested, my original dual roller shades for my extra wide bedroom windows were installed in March. I use it everyday and sometimes twice a day. Home Assistant is reporting my battery at 26% left for those that are interested. What is really interesting is the roller shades I installed downstairs about a month ago I barely use yet the battery is already down to 82%. I probably used it three times . It seems like the radio connections are draining the battery as much as or more than actually using the shades.
Hi,
I’m running Home Assistant on a raspberry pi with the Skyconnect dongle in multiprotocol, trying to use it as a Thread border router for my Smartwings zebra blinds which have a Matter over Thread motor.
However the blinds won’t pair, they’re not found during the Matter pairing process. Either scanning the qr-code or pasting in the code result in the blinds not being found.
I’ve followed the instructions from Smartwings to set the blinds in paring mode, Skyconnect is set to multiprotocol, and the correct integrations/add-ons are installed. Still no luck.
Any advice, tips or solutions?
Got it figured out.
When I changed my Android phone to the SSID of my IoT network segment and tried the Matter onboarding process it all worked and have my HA with Skyconnect working as Thread border router for my Smartwings blinds now. Super happy.
That is super annoying when you have to be on the same SSID, not just same network, to add devices. With Matter is the Skyconnect enough or do you need something else? I thought a Google home and a Skyconect would be enough but it wasn’t clear from reading things online.
Your phone only needs to be on the same SSID/Network as HA during the pairing process.
Skyconnect and HA is enough to function as a Thread/Matter boarder router.
Hi all, I just want to add a data point regarding a successful setup of three Smartwings shades with Zigbee sin e i was having trouble finding a solid guide myself.
I thought the shades would come with instructions because Home Assistant is listed as supported on the SW web site but all I got was Amazon Alexa instructions.
Nevertheless, Zigbee2MQTT plus a dated YouTube video by SlackerLabs got me all set up. Here’s the YT video although some steps are unnecessary because Zigbee2MQTT identifies the Smartwings devices automatically now (when pairing):
I hope this helps.