Programming and controls · Rolling Shutter Guide
Do rolling shutters work with smart-home systems like Control4, Lutron, Crestron, Alexa and Google Home?
Yes, if the shutters have radio (remote-control) motors. A Bond Bridge, Roll-A-Shield's standard bridge, adds Alexa and Google voice control and connects to Control4, Crestron, Savant and other systems. Lutron is not on Bond's list; Gaposa makes dry-contact transmitter panels that connect Gaposa motors to Lutron, Control4, Crestron and Savant.
Key facts
- Bond lists integrations for its bridge with Control4, RTI, URC, Elan, SmartThings, Crestron and Savant, plus Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
- Roll-A-Shield's standard smart-home path is the Bond Bridge, which works with its Gaposa and Somfy remote-control (RTS) motors but not with OZRoll battery motors. Roll-A-Shield data
- Gaposa's dry-contact panels (1-channel QCTZ3SDU, 6-channel QCTZ36SDU) let a Lutron, Savant, Control4 or Crestron system send UP, STOP and DOWN to Gaposa radio motors.
- Gaposa's linkIT gateway connects 16 or 24 channels of Gaposa radio motors to Control4 over RS232, and needs Control4 version 2.9.0 or later.
- Somfy RTS remotes and motors use 433.42 MHz and Gaposa's use 434.15 MHz, so an integration built for one brand will not run the other.
Applies to: Rolling shutters with Gaposa or Somfy radio (RTS) motors, controlled through a Bond Bridge or Bond Bridge Pro, Gaposa's Wi-Fi hub (RollApp), Gaposa dry-contact panels or linkIT gateway, or Somfy's TaHoma hub. Not wall-switch or OZRoll battery motors without conversion.
What do my shutters need to join a smart-home system?
They need radio (remote-control) motors and a device that turns commands from the system into the motor's radio signal. Every route on this page works that way, so the motor stays as it is and the integration is added next to it.
Match the route to the motor brand. Somfy RTS motors run on 433.42 MHz and Gaposa radio motors on 434.15 MHz with Gaposa's own code, so an interface built for one brand cannot run the other. The brand name is on the remote and on the motor head.
Wall-switch and OZRoll battery motors have no radio receiver, so none of these routes reaches them directly. A switch-operated shutter can be converted; see turning a switch-operated shutter into a remote-controlled one.
Which route works with which system?
| System | Bond Bridge | Gaposa dry-contact panel | Gaposa linkIT | Gaposa hub (RollApp) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Alexa | Yes | — | — | Yes |
| Google Assistant | Yes | — | — | Yes |
| Control4 | Yes | Yes | Yes, RS232 | — |
| Crestron | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Savant | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Lutron | Not listed by Bond | Yes | — | — |
| SmartThings, RTI, URC, Elan | Yes | — | — | — |
| Motor brands | Gaposa and Somfy | Gaposa only | Gaposa only | Gaposa only |
"Yes" means the maker lists that integration; "–" means it does not list that combination, not that it is impossible.
On Roll-A-Shield shutters the Bond Bridge is the standard choice because it serves both motor brands. The Gaposa panels, linkIT and hub are Gaposa products for Gaposa motors; if your system needs one of them, ask us whether we can supply it for your project. Somfy owners can also use Somfy's TaHoma hub, which runs up to 32 Somfy shutters from an app.
How do Alexa and Google Home work with shutters?
Through a Wi-Fi bridge. The Bond Bridge is certified by Amazon and Google to work with Alexa and Google Assistant, and once a shutter is added to the Bond Home app it can be raised and lowered by voice. Setting up the bridge itself is on phone and app control.
With Gaposa's hub, you switch the assistant on in the RollApp preferences, then enable the "RollApp by Gaposa" skill in the Alexa app or add RollApp under "Works with Google" in the Google Home app. When you create the account that links the assistant, use the same email address as in RollApp, or the assistant will not find the shutters; in Alexa, run "discover devices" again after adding new shutters in RollApp. Gaposa's sample commands include "Alexa, open [shutter name]" and "Hey Google, [shutter name] down".
Tip: Name each shutter clearly in the app before linking the assistant. With Google, saying "all shades" instead of a shutter's name moves every shade in the Google Home app at once.
How do Control4, Crestron, Savant, Lutron and similar systems connect?
There are three ways in, and an integrator will choose by the system and the motor brand.
- Bond Bridge (Gaposa or Somfy motors): connects to the home network, and Bond lists integrations with Control4, Crestron, Savant, RTI, URC, Elan and SmartThings. The Bond Bridge Pro covers about 3,500 sq ft and up to 50 devices for larger homes.
- Gaposa dry-contact panel (Gaposa motors): a 120 V panel with a built-in Gaposa transmitter, 1-channel (QCTZ3SDU) or 6-channel (QCTZ36SDU). The automation system drives it with UP, STOP and DOWN contact closures, and the panel radios the command to the motors. Gaposa lists Lutron, Savant, Control4 and Crestron.
- Gaposa linkIT (Gaposa motors, Control4): an RS232 gateway with 16 or 24 channels, supporting individual and group control and an intermediate position. It connects with an RJ9-to-DB9 serial cable and a Control4 driver (Control4 2.9.0 or later); a controller with more RS232 ports can take more than one linkIT, but they cannot be daisy-chained.
Lutron is the one system on this list that Bond does not name, so for Lutron the Gaposa dry-contact panel is the documented route.
What does my integrator need from us?
The motor brand and model for each shutter, which channel or shutter each opening is, and the motor spec sheets. Roll-A-Shield can supply motor spec sheets (voltage, wiring, override) and shop drawings for a specific order. See spec sheets, drawings and samples.
Two practical points for whoever sets it up:
- Keep at least one working remote per shutter. Pairing and limit changes on most Gaposa and Somfy radio motors start from a paired remote.
- Radio range still applies. Gaposa rates its remotes at 65 ft indoors and 600 ft outdoors, and a Bond Bridge reaches about 2,500 sq ft; place the bridge or panel near the shutters, not beside the equipment rack.
For help planning shutters into a home-automation system, call (480) 921-0200.
Frequently asked questions
Can I control my shutters with Alexa if I have a Somfy motor?
Yes, through a Bond Bridge, which works with Somfy and Gaposa remote-control motors and connects to Alexa and Google Assistant.
Can my car's built-in garage-door button open a rolling shutter?
Roll-A-Shield does not offer a way to pair a car's built-in garage-door button to its shutter motors. A shutter key fob on the keychain is the usual answer for operating a shutter from the car.
Do I need Wi-Fi for Control4 or another home automation system to run the shutters?
Bond and Gaposa's app hub use Wi-Fi. Gaposa's linkIT gateway connects to a Control4 controller by an RS232 cable, and its dry-contact panels are wired to the automation system's outputs, so neither depends on Wi-Fi.
Can a wall-switch shutter be added to a home-automation system?
The bridges and panels on this page all work by radio, so a switch-operated motor first needs a radio receiver added ahead of it, or a radio motor.
Parts and next step
Need a part or a hand?
Replacement motors, remotes, straps, slats and hardware ship from our Tempe, Arizona factory. Phoenix-area owners can book a service visit; everywhere else, our technicians help by phone. Call (480) 921-0200; the factory answers technical questions for any rolling shutter, not only ours.