Hi - hoping that someone will be able to help me out here?

Have recently bought a UK pronto NG (the 950.) I want to be able to control a Somfy blind, which I thought was IR until it arrived - it's RF.

a) The UK prontos use 433.92 Mhz, and the Somfy uses 433.42 Mhz freqency. Potentially dumb question - does that simply mean that the Pronto can't drive the Somfy? If so, does anyone know of a remote controlled blind that I can drive from the Pronto? (Maybe IR or X-10)

b) If the Frequency mismatch isn't the end of the road, does anyone either know the Somfy codes? I've downloaded the file from the archive here, but that's the IR codes, which I assume have no bearing?

c) If I need to learn the codes, does anyone know a supplier for an FM receiver that I can use to hook up to the PC and learn the codes. Seen Dave Houston's pages and downloaded CodeGen etc, but I gather that I need to build a receiver. Me and soldering irons don't mix, so I'm wondering if anyone knows a supplier for pre built ones, or worst case, kits that are simpler than building from scratch.

Thanks in advance for your help.

regards

Graeme

Graeme,

433.92MHz & 433.42MHz are close enough but you mention FM. Does Somfy use FM? The Pronto cannot send FM but only AM.

Do you have any documentation on the Somfy remote?

The Somfy remote you have is their own protocol - not a standard. I have never heard of any remotes that can learn RF signals. Not sure about the UK, but here in the States, Somfy DOES have an IR to RF interface that takes in their IR code (which has been posted here) and spits out their RF code.

You might want to contact the Somfy office in England - they may have something of their own that can help. If not, email me and I will try to assist.

Those codes are probably worth trying as RF. If they use ASK (AM) then it wouldn't make a lot of sense to do anything other than repeat the IR codes as RF.

Thanks for the replies.
When I mentioned FM earlier it was a mistake - I meant RF. Brain and fingers out of sync.

I've spent a couple of hours double checking the various Somfy web sites - lots of details on physicals and wiring, nothing on the RF system.

I'll try the IR codes as RF. Am I right in assuming that it doesn't matter what RF settings I use on the Pronto, since I beleive that those are sent as header data that the Somfy will (hopefully) ignore?

Yes, the Somfy receiver should ignore the preamble but it really depends on the structure of the Somfy codes.

Most RF devices like these use superregenerative RF receivers. It's their nature to output continuous noise in the absence of a signal so the receiving logic is usually looking for specif patterns only.

As I said, the Somfy RF code is proprietary... it's not the same as the IR code. With all respect to Mr. Houston, using the IR code for RF will not work.

I never said they would. I said, "Those codes are probably worth trying as RF." That only costs a little time.

However, it is just as easy to learn RF codes (if you have the right hardware) as it is to learn IR.

Furthermore, if you're saying their IR2RF adapter receives an iR code, decodes it, and retransmits it asa different RFcode (after a delay) then whoever designed that is a friggin' idiot.

Tried the IR codes as RF last night (before seeing TerriO's email) and they don't work. Thinking about it - I beleive the Somfy remote that I have (a Telis, I think) is a newer and different model to the one that the IR codes relate too. So maybe the IR2RF box doesn't change the codes, but simply uses different ones.

TerriO - if you have details on that box I'd be interested.
Alternatively if anyone knows where I can buy an RF receiver to capture the signals I'd appreciate a steer. I'm reluctant to try to build one - me and soldering irons...not pretty :-)

And, thank you both for your help so far, guys.

A UK dealer has this board (w/battery holder) in stock but has not yet listed it in their online catalog. They also have 433.92MHz RF receivers that will plug into the sockets.

I've asked them to email you. They also have an evaluation copy ofCodeGenPro™.

If you can get together with them, it only takes a few seconds for CodeGenPro™ to capture an RF (or IR) code as CCF hex.

Dave
Thanks. I'll look out from a mail from them - I think that learning the RF codes is the next logical step for me.

regards

Graeme

uh....you thought it was IR but found it was RF when it arrived.

Might they have sent you the wrong model? Is another model available? A contact closure, or two, is what raises and lowers the blind, and this can be run by IR if that is what they wire to it, or RF, if that is what they wire to it.

DEFINITELY contact the office! Maybe they can exchange the whole thing, or tell you how to take the remote part out so it can be changed for an IR remote.

I found web references to Somfy "Telis 1" & "Telis 4" RF remotes.

One of the sites says they use rolling codes. If so, you will have to use the OEM remote.

You're generally right, Ernie, except what Graeme has could be the Somfy radio motor. What they call RTS. This is built in to the shade - so the whole assembly would have to be exchanged, not just a controller. Depending on the type of shade and location - this could be a big pain in the butt.

Dave, that's exactly what I'm saying. And Yes, they are friggin idiots. The RF system was designed many years after the IR controls. Somfy International decided they wanted a proprietary protocol, and developed their RTS (radio transmission, somfy) system. Here in the states, we developed the IR2RF interface in response to the installer market. We used the IR codes presently in the field, so minimize confusion.

I was not aware of your application that can capture these codes. However, the frequencies are still different. I know most of the Somfy RF use a super heterodyne receiver, with a small bandwith filter.... they're basically only listening to 433.92. So, even if you did capture the codes, wouldn't the frequency difference still prohibit it from working? And yes they do use rolling codes.