Easy Home Installation of a Motorized Drapery Controller from Add-A-Motor

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Add-A-Motor’s Model 80 Blind and Drapery controller isn’t by any means the pinnacle of home automation excellence, but it gets the job done at a very affordable price. Installation is a snap, retrofitting your existing blinds and shades to work as an easy to operate motorized system.

There’s really not too much more to it! An AC Adapter with a 9ft cord comes with it, and you can easily add your own control mechanism… any simple plug in timer, a Butler RF remote, or the X10 home control system.

We found this system to be a little bit noisy, but the ease of install makes it a no-brainer. There’s not electrical work needed, the mechanism is flush-mounted to the wall next to your window. It should also be noted the unit holds the control cord taut, making it certified for child safety standards.

We were able to easily install this system with both a drapery track and vertical blinds. With drapery you can open and close a curtain up to 15 feet wide with a center open of up to 30 feet. On vertical blinds you can rotate the blinds to any angle you desire, and it can traverse blinds up to 15 feet wide with a center open of up to 30 feet. With two motors you could both traverse and rotate.

We’d imagine a system like this would be best utilized for opening and closing blinds for the beginner home automation enthusiast, and would be best suited for running window coverings on a timer for the disabled or elderly.

BTX Motorized Blackout Roller Shades

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Why should you consider BTX motorized blackout roller shades? When most consumers and end-users shop for motorized blackout roller shades, Somfy is the first name that comes to mind. This is mainly because they’re more accessible in the market and are the products used by the big chain shade companies like Hunter Douglas and others.

It’s quite significant that BTX are making it easy to buy motorized blackout roller shades online, as products like these were previously only available from specialty home automation contractors.

BTX Motorized Blackout Rollershade

Contractor and Home Automation Experts Prefer BTX

When you’re ready to go with the professional grade product that’s the choice of many home builders and architects, it’s time to look at BTX.

It’s not quite like going from a Kia to a Cadillac, but BTX products are what you’d want to install in your home if you’re serious about your home automation project. The motors are more reliable, more robust, quieter, and can be used with a more diverse set of control systems.
Fabric Choices

If it’s the fabric choice that’s swaying you towards any particular motorized shade system, consider that there’s only really one or two suppliers of shade fabric in the country, and all shade companies like Lutron, Somfy, and others are basically using the same textiles, only under different names.

These blackout motorized roller shades are perfect for home theaters or media rooms or bedrooms where total control of ambient light is desired. The 100% opaque fabrics will keep your room as dark as you need it.

Of all the BTX blackout shades we tested, the quality control seemed to be great. Nicely seamed bottoms on all the shades and no pinholes or damage to let light through.
Installation

The install of these shades isn’t exactly a breeze, and if you’ve never done it before, it may be a good idea to call on your local window shade installer to help you. Setting the Easy-Set brackets in place is the easy part, but what the novice shade installer may have difficulty with is the roll “telescoping” or not rolling down evenly, though to be fair these are issues you’d have with ANY roller system. As experience installers, it took us about one hour and thirty minutes to install 3 48″ shades.

[box type=”info”]Pro Tip: It can be more economical to purchase motorized shades yourself and have a window covering contractor install them for you rather than having them supply everything.[/box]

BTX Motorized Shade Controls

BTX has their own branded handheld remote controls and wireless wall switches for easy control of these roller shades systems, which are very responsive and easy to use. We don’t have any experience with any third party control systems and BTX shades, like Vantage or Z-Wave, but the manufacturer stands by their claims that they will work “seamlessly” together.

Motorized Blackout Roller Shades Colors and Sizes Available

31470BK Blackout 780 Black/White 36 x 108
31475BK Blackout 780 Black/White 48 x 108
31480BK Blackout 780 Black/White 72 x 108
31470WH Blackout 780 White 36 x 108
31475WH Blackout 780 White 48 x 108
31480WH Blackout 780 White 72 x108
31471BK Blackout 8000 Black 36 x 108
31476BK Blackout 8000 Black 48 x 108
31481BK Blackout 8000 Black 72 x 108
31471WH Blackout 8000 White 36 x 108
31476WH Blackout 8000 White 48 x 108
31481WH Blackout 8000 White 72 x108

BTX Is A Smart Choice

If you’re in the market for a motorized blackout roller shade system, you could do a lot worse than these models from BTX. While not as refined as high end systems from Lutron, they’re heavy duty, attractive, and easy to use.

Get the best price on your BTX Roller Shades here with convenient online shopping.