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Topic:
Lutron vs. Qmotion
This thread has 34 replies. Displaying posts 1 through 15.
Post 1 made on Monday April 13, 2015 at 19:26
IRkiller
Advanced Member
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We have a client that has Lutron Ra2 lighting and was going to use the matching battery operated roller shades. While visiting a friend, they saw Qmotion shades and loved the design.

After a bit of researching it seems they are a younger company. They do integrate with 3rd party automation via 232. The 3rd party control seems to only have input control without any or much feedback.

Any comments from those who know this product? My main concern would be the RF reliability and distance. Lutron is just so rock solid, or at least has been for us.
I assume the Qmotion uses some sort of proprietary RF signal similar to the Lutron Ra2 stuff? Dealer cost similar?
how in the hell does ernie make money?
Post 2 made on Monday April 13, 2015 at 20:14
KeithDBrown
Long Time Member
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Long story short, I would stick with Lutron if you already have Ra2 in the system. Per Qmotion TS, Ra2 interferes with Qmotion and causes communications issues. More feedback and simply easier to remain in the Lutron ecosystem.

We started selling both last year as the pricing was much more aggressive, but Qmotion recently raised their prices to come in line with Lutron. Qmotion does make a heck of a battery operated shade, and they work great as a standalone solution with their bevy of remotes.

That said, if a control system, wiring or Lutron is in the equation we stick with Lutron.

Qmotion Pros:
* Good standalone option
* Up to 144" on a single roller (I think, may want to fact check)
* Easy company to deal with, CI friendly
* Designed as a battery shade and works very well as such
* Retail pricing in line with Lutron
* Drapery rod is slick

Qmotion Cons:
* Does not do well in an environment with Ra2 (interference issues)
* Overall it is a great product, the only negatives would be comparisons to Lutron from a control/ecosystem perspective IMO
OP | Post 3 made on Monday April 13, 2015 at 20:55
IRkiller
Advanced Member
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On April 13, 2015 at 20:14, KeithDBrown said...
Long story short, I would stick with Lutron if you already have Ra2 in the system. Per Qmotion TS, Ra2 interferes with Qmotion and causes communications issues. More feedback and simply easier to remain in the Lutron ecosystem.

We started selling both last year as the pricing was much more aggressive, but Qmotion recently raised their prices to come in line with Lutron. Qmotion does make a heck of a battery operated shade, and they work great as a standalone solution with their bevy of remotes.

That said, if a control system, wiring or Lutron is in the equation we stick with Lutron.

Qmotion Pros:
* Good standalone option
* Up to 144" on a single roller (I think, may want to fact check)
* Easy company to deal with, CI friendly
* Designed as a battery shade and works very well as such
* Retail pricing in line with Lutron
* Drapery rod is slick

Qmotion Cons:
* Does not do well in an environment with Ra2 (interference issues)
* Overall it is a great product, the only negatives would be comparisons to Lutron from a control/ecosystem perspective IMO

Great info. Is the interference issue a published TS issue or is that stated from their TS by phone?
how in the hell does ernie make money?
Post 4 made on Monday April 13, 2015 at 21:30
Zohan
Super Member
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September 2010
3,096
Not sure of the current state but ss of last summer the wireless signal was not that great and you often needed ugly range extenders strategically placed. Also, the remote looked like it was from 1988.
They were supposed to be working on those issues but I dont know where they're at.
Post 5 made on Monday April 13, 2015 at 21:36
Sean@iTank
Long Time Member
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August 2011
193
Do the Qmotion roller shades still lack hembar alignment?
Post 6 made on Monday April 13, 2015 at 22:47
KeithDBrown
Long Time Member
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On April 13, 2015 at 21:36, Sean@iTank said...
Do the Qmotion roller shades still lack hembar alignment?

That is correct.
Post 7 made on Tuesday April 14, 2015 at 10:43
rlustig
Advanced Member
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915
I don't think this is exactly correct. The hembars will stop at the same point so they will be aligned when not in motion. They will travel at a slightly different rate depending on which one gets the radio signal in which order.
Post 8 made on Tuesday April 14, 2015 at 10:48
goldenzrule
Loyal Member
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8,470
On April 14, 2015 at 10:43, rlustig said...
I don't think this is exactly correct. The hembars will stop at the same point so they will be aligned when not in motion. They will travel at a slightly different rate depending on which one gets the radio signal in which order.

While that is true, I think it was implied that the hembar alignment is referring to Lutron's feature that keeps the travel at the exact same rate.
Post 9 made on Tuesday April 14, 2015 at 14:13
KeithDBrown
Long Time Member
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418
On April 13, 2015 at 20:55, IRkiller said...
Great info. Is the interference issue a published TS issue or is that stated from their TS by phone?

Stated by phone. We were troubleshooting an issue and mentioned something about the way Lutron would function in a similar situation. The reps response was, "Oh, you don't have Lutron in this house too do you? Because that would explain why this isn't working."

Hopefully he is wrong, but he seemed fairly confident that Ra2 and QM don't play nicely.
Post 10 made on Tuesday April 14, 2015 at 22:55
BradKas
Long Time Member
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May 2010
202
Don't mean to come off as a fan boy, but why would anyone install shades without hem bar alignment (while moving and stopped...)?
Post 11 made on Tuesday April 14, 2015 at 23:09
tweeterguy
Loyal Member
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7,713
On April 14, 2015 at 22:55, BradKas said...
Don't mean to come off as a fan boy, but why would anyone install shades without hem bar alignment (while moving and stopped...)?

I don't see that as fanboyism at all. I cannot stand walking into a space with misaligned shades...or worse, when they are backlit and visible from the outside.
Post 12 made on Wednesday April 15, 2015 at 07:53
FP Crazy
Super Member
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June 2003
2,940
The Q Motion (again) stop at the same spot, but they may be milliseconds difference as they arrive at that spot, (we're really splitting hairs here).

Or you can use their Q Link system, where they are all interconnected (mechanically, on one wall) and they are in perfect sync as they roll. This saves money as only one shade is the actual motor (typically far left shade) and the rest are passive. But this only works (AFAIK) on an outside mount not an inside mount.

Here is a quick list of the advantages of Q Motion (may be more advantages that I'm not mentioning):

1. You can manually operate them, if you don't want to go to the keypad, remote, automation system. Just tug the hembar and put it where you want it. or a quick tug sends it up. Pretty cool

2. 144" max width shade (but depends on shade material)

3. Q Link system (see above)

4. Priced a little more competitive than Lutron (still)

5. Great company to deal width, full of shade industry veterans who know & understand the business.

6. Their patented system employs torsion springs that assist in the shade movement, resulting in far better battery life (industry best) and very quiet transports

and last but not least....


wait for it...


wait for it...



wait for it...


IT'S NOT LUTRON!!!!!!!!!!! Yaaaayyyy!!!!
Chasing Ernie's post count, one useless post at a time.
Post 13 made on Wednesday April 15, 2015 at 09:44
lippavisual
Senior Member
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December 2007
1,458
I just had a meeting with the QM rep for my area about a week or 2 ago.

Very nice people, very nice demo and the pricing was great. I was told there is a lot of things on the roadmap for new products by the end of the summer.

The drapery rod was very slick.

My only concern was that communication was only wireless. The shades can be line powered (low/high) but wireless for system control. Hopefully, the changes coming will address these concerns (wink, wink).

Looking forward to getting signed up with them. They will be our first shading partner.
Post 14 made on Thursday April 16, 2015 at 09:22
KeithDBrown
Long Time Member
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December 2013
418
On April 14, 2015 at 22:55, BradKas said...
Don't mean to come off as a fan boy, but why would anyone install shades without hem bar alignment (while moving and stopped...)?

Not to sound cheap, but price.

We deal almost entirely with higher end custom homes, but we are located in an a suburban area surrounded by $350k-750k tract homes. A $500 controller to communicate to one or two shades sounds like a lot to most people. Qmotion has an $88 'timer remote' that provides the functionality many customers would need for less than $100.
Post 15 made on Thursday April 16, 2015 at 11:32
SB Smarthomes
Super Member
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July 2007
2,634
On April 15, 2015 at 07:53, FP Crazy said...

6. Their patented system employs torsion springs that assist in the shade movement, resulting in far better battery life (industry best) and very quiet transports

Lutron employees torsion springs in their battery operated roller shades too.  Not sure who holds the patent on this, but both companies are doing it.

Hembar alignment isn't that big of an issue if all the shades in the room are the same height, have the same fabric and have the same roller diameter (roller diameter is most important).  For QMotion, I think they only have one roller style so it's not that big of a deal to not have hembar alignment feature.

Lutron has tubes with different diameters that can be mixed in the same room, so in that situation, it's very important to have the intelligent hembar alignment feature so they move together.

I do Lutron because on my projects almost always have Lutron lighting control so the seamless integration just makes sense.  I believe Lutron also has more roller shade fabric choices and a much larger selection of shading solutions and custom offerings.

QMotion does honeycomb, roller and drapery.  Lutron does these plus curved drapery, Roman, Venetian, and their newer products like horizontal sheer, pleated shades and the vertical drapery (Kirbe).  I think another important thing Lutron offers that QMotion doesn't is all the top treatment options.

From what I've seen Qmotion has a nice product, but just doesn't compare to Lutron when it comes to control and custom options.
www.sbsmarthomes.com
Santa Barbara Smarthomes
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