Sunbell / inBlindz / Screenline Venetian blinds

ESPHome
1

I’ve 9 windows @ my parent’s home, with venetian blinds inside the glasses. The’re motorized, and are controlled via 9 different actuators.
First very BIG problem is that those actuators have to be charged (here the actuators)
I’ve also another remote control, who switch on/off all the others actuators (situated near every window).
here is the “main remote”.

Now, don’t tell me why 12-15 years ago my parents has not opted for a wired, fed line for all windows, despite also the cost of all 10 remotes…
I wish to attach all the curtains to a 12v cc transformer, and control it over homeassistant.

I’ve found a control unit by Sunbell, who is too expensive! (they should take all the remotes back with a good discount…)
The manual of the control unit, at pag.18 and 19 specifies some infos about the relay who should control the unit.

…After this BIG preamble, i’ve measured the output of the remote (who is attached to a window).
It outputs +10v (maybe the battery is empty) with arrow UP, and -10v with arrow DOWN.

Also, a “pulse” of the button, make it working (it lights up) until the blind goes full open or closed (seems there is a sort of limit switch).
Instead a long press, make it tilt to let in the light until you relase it, and the blind stops.

Note that the blind tilts every time you inverts the packing direction, so the same movement is done also with the single pulse but you have no control over it, if you don’t push (pulse) it again to stop the movement.

So i think that giving power with right timing can do the job. I am skeptic about the “limit switch”.
How does the control unit know when it’s fully packed or open?
Do you think it could work?

2

Ok, i’ve opened a controller, it has a 3.7v battery, outputs 10v to the blind, and is recharged with 5v.

I’ve tried to move the blind with some wires connected to the 3.7v battery, and it works as expected (too slow because of the 3v).
All behaviours can be reproduced with a bit of programming.

The last thing is to identify the limit switch signal.
When the curtain is fully packed or extended, seems like the motor strains.
could there be a variation of energy absorption, which is interpreted as the end of the stroke?
how do i detect it? The controller stops itself turning off the button light :thinking:

:pray:

3

No further hints here?

…i am still there. After a suggestion from b_weijenberg, the blinds seems the same as inblindz, who is supported by RFX433XL RXCOM module.
Searching around, the RFXCom uses a protocol who name ‘BlindsT13’ for inblindz, who suits well also for Screenline motors
Source: here

So seems possible to control it over 433Mhz (i should feed every actuator with 3,7v, instead of the batteries), so i’ve bought a cheap transmitter & receiver trying to decode/encode the remote signal.

I have A LOT OF NOISE, so had disabled raw data acquisition and played around rempte_rc5 signal (who appears when the remote is pressed):

[17:38:30][D][remote.rc5:086]: Received RC5: address=0x1F, command=0x3F
[17:38:30][D][remote.rc5:086]: Received RC5: address=0x00, command=0x40
[17:38:30][D][remote.rc5:086]: Received RC5: address=0x00, command=0x40
[17:38:30][D][remote.rc5:086]: Received RC5: address=0x00, command=0x40
[17:38:30][D][remote.rc5:086]: Received RC5: address=0x00, command=0x40
[17:38:31][D][remote.rc5:086]: Received RC5: address=0x00, command=0x40

all commands give this output, randomly changhes to other 2 command addresses. I have tried to send it, in every mode and possible combination without success.
NOTE: i have selected 5 blinds on the commander, it gives the first command, and then 5 others to the blinds (1+5). If i select 4 blinds on the remote, it gives 1+4 strings.

So i’ve decided to build a Faraday Cage to isolate the receiver with aluminium foil… Has not worked.
Since i wish to decode RAW signals from the remote, i have built another faraday cage with a fine metallic grid… it does not works too!!!

here is the log (noise) of 1 acquiring second:

[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:041]: Received Raw: -152, 196, -267, 339, -204, 373, -133, 1311, -898, 146, -1742, 92, -303, 138, -633, 216, -135, 233, -347, 229, -271, 285, -135
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:041]: Received Raw: -57, 781, -2006, 137, -304, 122, -1291, 63, -717, 147, -233, 240, -758, 131, -316, 350, -618, 234, -224, 102, -313
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:041]: Received Raw: -116
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:041]: Received Raw: -832, 127, -778, 87, -331, 74, -911, 264, -606, 204, -115, 289, -246, 221, -351
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:041]: Received Raw: -152, 1137, -123, 2258
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:041]: Received Raw: 332, -2428, 37, -207, 379, -47, 406, -235, 941, -1272, 934, -445, 365, -129, 292, -876, 156, -344, 50, -436, 401, -268, 443, -168, 859, -471, 132, -228, 388, -536, 542, -918, 708, -595
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:041]: Received Raw: -653, 270, -250, 182, -158, 319, -130, 155, -809, 253, -45, 41, -1026, 101, -224, 699, -175
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:041]: Received Raw: -98, 1924, -163, 3532, -78
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:028]: Received Raw: -123, 62, -1708, 117, -261, 121, -297, 62, -1167, 353, -661, 48, -257, 253, -283, 209, -329, 1376, -11, 1025, -162, 3730, -34, 2964, -130, 700, -111, 440, -101, 679, -693, 22, -381, 196, -254, 266, -289, 196, -175, 298, -156, 176, -363, 
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:041]:   105, -234, 324, -621, 151, -126, 261, -205, 249, -213, 137, -217, 181, -703, 126, -178, 248, -250, 174, -160, 279, -192, 125, -1063, 371, -610, 405, -589, 857, -27
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:041]: Received Raw: -567, 175, -213, 151, -300, 119, -187, 205, -218, 152, -773, 94, -253, 209, -655, 593, -223, 223, -46, 250, -219, 207, -147, 289, -88, 24, -498, 61, -305, 353, -620
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:041]: Received Raw: -330, 80, -286, 230, -219, 191, -133, 276, -193, 258, -336, 83, -550, 128, -588, 762, -284, 93, -185, 292, -91, 362, -619, 118, -158, 367, -74, 761, -621
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:041]: Received Raw: -245, 330, -53, 359, -153
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:041]: Received Raw: -1065, 151, -217, 149, -323, 153, -174, 189, -274, 125, -1393, 416, -610, 620, -181, 350, -106, 270, -106
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:041]: Received Raw: -117, 865, -160, 510, -205, 1440, -74, 828, -224, 1545, -129
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:041]: Received Raw: -1914, 91, -1450, 356, -624, 217, -79, 279, -259, 214, -202, 69, -54, 2482, -52, 868, -135
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:028]: Received Raw: -238, 252, -153, 239, -110, 314, -82, 269, -143, 275, -92, 700, -104, 1877, -199, 272, -84, 216, -350, 227, -136, 264, -131, 275, -87, 747, -84, 684, -103, 641, -165, 249, -140, 234, -1135, 111, -779, 98, -1405, 345, -1022, 140, -311, 134, 
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:041]:   -328, 122, -234, 2144, -97, 314, -137, 330, -103, 310, -156, 715, -99, 347, -34, 778, -127, 671, -238, 200, -157, 250
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:041]: Received Raw: -26, 831, -1070, 186, -289, 195, -208, 241, -187, 47, -416, 91, -1383, 179, -136, 225, -180, 9, -373, 253, -147, 217, -181, 323, -555, 344, -594, 242, -106, 1436, -301, 1644, -275, 2450, -600
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:041]: Received Raw: -102, 140, -2361, 104, -2816, 91, -245, 144, -272, 247, -216, 115, -231
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:028]: Received Raw: 85, -1069, 61, -1149, 228, -150, 267, -156, 267, -131, 327, -99, 263, -144, 858, -30, 249, -106, 692, -288, 223, -468, 103, -528, 217, -473, 290, -528, 286, -971, 314, -323, 181, -305, 176, -363, 213, -401, 236, -344, 267, -1525, 250, -234, 
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:041]:   203, 
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:028]: Received Raw: 1421, -218, 378, -1059, 444, -224, 258, -204, 305, -295, 197, -338, 324, -173, 212, -319, 247, -310, 266, -252, 443, -219, 307, -229, 263, -212, 279, -256, 226, -247, 288, -205, 295, -156, 247, -170, 225, -216, 199, -183, 213, -222, 233, 
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:041]:   -128, 301, -208, 142, -276, 176, -221, 135
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:041]: Received Raw: 157, -2184, 316, -349, 219, -300, 209, -339, 151, -433, 224, -399, 200, -265, 148, -1203, 341, -164, 774, -287, 320, -2380, 189, -294, 324, -1170, 5, -1358, 103, -227, 676, -154, 227, -155, 210
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:028]: Received Raw: 105, -2259, 2690, -144, 292, -285, 223, -156, 254, -201, 201, -209, 187, -211, 217, -167, 257, -193, 200, -215, 222, -190, 221, -229, 205, -193, 184, -293, 113, -287, 179, -273, 137, -270, 214, -141, 352, -561, 686, -309, 176, -185, 319, 
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:028]:   -298, 79, -222, 312, -84, 253, -339, 66, -1714, 210, -555, 193, -334, 55, -241, 300, -69, 199, -632, 564, -192, 175, -208, 175, -230, 168, -127, 329, -133, 155, -1134, 54, -724, 83, -326, 91, -969, 329, -138, 205, -289, 132, -2250, 116, -277, 118, 
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:041]:   -242, 519, -299, 565, -265, 105, -199, 216, -197, 175, -214, 137, -265, 117, -236, 200, -612, 211, -189, 208, -164, 228, -183, 255, -177, 254, -221, 121, -297, 287
[14:16:35][W][component:204]: Component remote_receiver took a long time for an operation (0.07 s).
[14:16:35][W][component:205]: Components should block for at most 20-30ms.
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:028]: Received Raw: 257, -119, 344, -172, 232, -247, 229, -231, 227, -246, 226, -246, 1818, -153, 178, -200, 209, -137, 1461, -172, 215, -94, 707, -180, 209, -207, 157, -234, 195, -204, 211, -234, 85, -313, 136, -252, 107, -307, 121, -283, 102, -308, 135, 
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:041]:   -245, 192, -210, 181, -233, 185, -223, 173, -242, 191, -208, 117, -301, 68, -315, 157, -248, 45
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:041]: Received Raw: 245, -180, 159, -1173, 22, -447, 258, -74, 408, -326, 210, -326, 398, -2938, 110, -565, 137, -393, 728, -857, 316, -189, 814, -275, 213, -267, 198, -92, 343, -117, 395, -220, 297, -896, 428, -611, 94, -65, 554, -264, 182
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:041]: Received Raw: 298, -103, 291, -345, 214, -303, 162, -334, 611, -183, 272, -226, 850, -119, 370, -191, 287, -335, 228, -393, 214, -318, 284, -1316, 406, -178, 310, -202, 282, -294, 160, -217, 162, -473, 182, -679, 202, -311, 280, -229, 306, -218, 194
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:028]: Received Raw: 277, -1018, 16, -1152, 1615, -125, 325, -172, 253, -194, 1117, -172, 277, -156, 307, -197, 277, -155, 303, -191, 277, -184, 277, -247, 188, -236, 153, -250, 190, -284, 207, -229, 39, -361, 129, -216, 188, -198, 154, -232, 187, -178, 198, 
[14:16:35][D][remote.raw:041]:   -196, 196, -251, 117, -252, 167, -232, 150, -237, 161, -235, 178, -203, 223

It’s impossible to catch a remote raw signal.
Last try will be on a mountain :joy:
Any advice? i’m stuck
…here is the faraday cage… i don’t know why it doesn’t work

faraday
faraday945×2048 238 KB

4

I had the same issue when trying to capture the codes for my blinds, different ones than yours, I suspect there is an issue with Esphome and RAW capture, I ended up downloading RFLink and installing on and old Arduino Mega. Using the same receiver in my case RXB6, on the RFLink had very little noise compared with ESPhome. If you have a Mega available worth trying RFLink out, you don’t have to use any special receivers, and the captured code can be used in ESP transmitter once you have them.

RFLink and ESPHome show raw data differently, you just have to add a “-“ symbol in front of every second number.

5

Thanks for the reply. I have not an arduino, just an ftdi programmer (serial to usb) and some raspberries and esp32.

I don’t know if i can make the receiver and RFLink working with a raspi or the adapter. I’ll give a look.

Any advice is appreciated :slight_smile:

6

Reviving this old thread to see if you were able to capture the codes for the Sunbell blinds @SkizZO?

7

Nope :frowning: i’ve abandoned the project, maybe in a future…

1 Like
8

Thinking of buying some Screenline blinds, so reached out to company about integration with home automation systems. They sent back a PDF with the following text:

"HOW TO INTEGRATE MB SYSTEM MOTORISED BLINDS INTO HOME AUTOMATION SYSTEMS

These instructions explain the few simple but crucial steps you need to take
to correctly link the control unit of motorised MB System Uni-Blinds® integral
blinds with home automation system touch screens.
Firstly, it is important to note that the MB System blinds are supplied and
installed as a stand alone system. End-users can choose to use the blind using
a remote control, wall-mounted controls or a specific smartphone app, but the
system is also designed with smart home integration in mind.
And it is quite simple to connect. The key to success is correctly setting the
timing for signals between the home automation system’s touch screen controls
and the MB System’s control unit.
The blind system’s control box features four key components:
• Transformer
• Relay
• Control unit
• Current amplifier
The blind’s operation, therefore, needs to be controlled from the home
automation system’s touch screen by creating a digital down switch, a digital
up switch and a digital tilt switch. All of these are generated by timing signals.
Setting up the blind’s ‘down’ and ‘up’ functionality
As the MB System is not a bi-directional system, you will need to do the
following.
To set up the down switch, connect a volt free wire onto the back of the
MB System’s switch detail, which features a ‘common’ and a ‘down’.
Next set up the touch screen. Your goal will be to enable the end-user
to push the down button on the screen and walk away from it. But to ensure
the touch screen’s activation and blind work in that way, a pulse will need
to be transmitted from the touch screen unit to the blind control unit for
7 seconds and then cut off.
The reason for this is because after 7 seconds the control equipment within the
blind takes over the function of operating the blind. So, the home automation
system is not working entirely remotely to drive the blind all the way to the
bottom.
Once the blind is at the bottom, if the end-user wanted to raise it back up
again they would push the digital up button on the touch screen. To enable
this functionality, connect a dry wire onto the back of the MB System control
unit’s switch detail.

3
As with the digital down switch, in order to allow the end-user to push the ‘up’
button on the touch screen and walk away, the home automation unit will need
to pulse for 7 seconds and then cut off. After that point, the blind will take over
the operation and raise to the top of the unit.
Setting up the blind’s tilt function
For the end-user to be able to take the blind through the tilt functions, the aim
will be to enable them to push a button on the touch screen and adjust the
angle of the slats effortlessly.
To set this up, start by setting up the ‘down’ function to pulse for 7 seconds
so the blind goes all the way down to the bottom and stops.
On the third mini screen, after installation count the timing of how long it would
take to take the slats to positions tilted at 25, 50 and 75 percent. These are the
most common positions.
For example:
When the blind is stopped at the bottom, if you put your finger on the button
to tilt the blind, it may take 1.76s to take the blind slats to the 25% position,
a further 1.76s to get the blind to 50% open where the slats would be laid
in the unit horizontally, and then to take it to 75% you may need to allow
for another 1.76s.
The exact timings have to be worked out by the AV installer on-site largely
because the speed of the two sizes of the MB System is different. On the 20mm
system blind, the motor works at a marginally faster speed than the motor in the
27mm system.
Remember the 7-second rule
Ultimately, any pulse between the home automation system’s control screen,
regardless of the make, and the control box that is supplied with the MB System
cannot be for any longer than 7 seconds.
If the pulsing is not stopped at 7 seconds, over a period of time – that could
be as few as 3 or 4 operations or as many as 200 operations – the control board
inside the MB System’s control box will burn out. When this happens, the blind’s
functionality is severely limited, and it will only be possible to move it in 100mm
increments with each push of the button on the touch screen.
Need any assistance setting up the MB System?
If you are facing any issues integrating the MB System
into a home automation system or have any questions,
please contact us for technical assistance
on 0113 277 8722.