(passim)

after much research plumped for a cheapy Am43 "smart" blinds motor from
the middle kingdom.

So far so good. Works with the proprietary app via BT.

However, have no idea how to get it to work with Google Home - despite it
having the logo (but zero instructions).

The chip inside is a BLUENRG1-FN01L-THA041 which is a BLE chip that
*should* be able to be controlled by my "SmartLife" app which controls my
thermostat and light switch. I opened it up to provide this detail, but
it hasn't helped me ....

I can't seem to get the initial pair to work. I suspect this is because
there is a secret to tripping it into pairing.

I have tried a suggestion of "set" and the down button. And I do see 3
blue flashes. But then nada.

Jethro_uk <jethro_uk@hotmailbin.com> wrote:
> (passim)
>
> after much research plumped for a cheapy Am43 "smart" blinds motor from
> the middle kingdom.
>
> So far so good. Works with the proprietary app via BT.

I had one of those. It sorta worked via their app and BT, but it was fussy
about being within range which was only a few metres from the unit. Any
further and the BT wouldn't connect.

I decided it wasn't for me and ebayed it.

> However, have no idea how to get it to work with Google Home - despite it
> having the logo (but zero instructions).
>
> The chip inside is a BLUENRG1-FN01L-THA041 which is a BLE chip that
> *should* be able to be controlled by my "SmartLife" app which controls my
> thermostat and light switch. I opened it up to provide this detail, but
> it hasn't helped me ....
>
> I can't seem to get the initial pair to work. I suspect this is because
> there is a secret to tripping it into pairing.
>
> I have tried a suggestion of "set" and the down button. And I do see 3
> blue flashes. But then nada.

I've never used Tuya for BT - are you sure the Tuya app will speak directly
to BT devices? When I google 'Tuya bluetooth' it shows various BT gateway
devices - does it need Tuya to speak IP via the cloud to some gateway box
that you position near to the blind?

Theo

On Fri, 08 Mar 2024 17:16:25 +0000, Theo wrote:

> Jethro_uk <jethro_uk@hotmailbin.com> wrote:
>> (passim)
>>
>> after much research plumped for a cheapy Am43 "smart" blinds motor from
>> the middle kingdom.
>>
>> So far so good. Works with the proprietary app via BT.
>
> I had one of those. It sorta worked via their app and BT, but it was
> fussy about being within range which was only a few metres from the
> unit. Any further and the BT wouldn't connect.
>
> I decided it wasn't for me and ebayed it.
>
>> However, have no idea how to get it to work with Google Home - despite
>> it having the logo (but zero instructions).
>>
>> The chip inside is a BLUENRG1-FN01L-THA041 which is a BLE chip that
>> *should* be able to be controlled by my "SmartLife" app which controls
>> my thermostat and light switch. I opened it up to provide this detail,
>> but it hasn't helped me ....
>>
>> I can't seem to get the initial pair to work. I suspect this is because
>> there is a secret to tripping it into pairing.
>>
>> I have tried a suggestion of "set" and the down button. And I do see 3
>> blue flashes. But then nada.
>
> I've never used Tuya for BT - are you sure the Tuya app will speak
> directly to BT devices? When I google 'Tuya bluetooth' it shows various
> BT gateway devices - does it need Tuya to speak IP via the cloud to some
> gateway box that you position near to the blind?

I paired my smart switch as a BLE device to my Tuya "Smartlife" app.

This isn't the end of the world - at least SWMBO could open blinds she
can't reach. But I'm a litte sad-faced that it has a picture of Google
Home on the listing in aliexpress. As indeed *all* the vendors have.

If a sodding lightbulb can "just work" it's a little galling than
something with 10 times the space for circuitry won't.

It's looking like I need an explicitly WiFi enabled version for
GooglyNesty goodness.

However all is not lost, this little fellow can go where SWMBO can press
the buttons.

Interestingly it's a bloody decent piece of kit and can happily work our
heaviest curtains. Which makes me rethink the idea of getting blinds.

On Fri, 08 Mar 2024 16:18:40 +0000, Jethro_uk wrote:

> (passim)
>
> after much research plumped for a cheapy Am43 "smart" blinds motor from
> the middle kingdom.
>
> So far so good. Works with the proprietary app via BT.
>
> However, have no idea how to get it to work with Google Home - despite
> it having the logo (but zero instructions).
>
> The chip inside is a BLUENRG1-FN01L-THA041 which is a BLE chip that
> *should* be able to be controlled by my "SmartLife" app which controls
> my thermostat and light switch. I opened it up to provide this detail,
> but it hasn't helped me ....
>
> I can't seem to get the initial pair to work. I suspect this is because
> there is a secret to tripping it into pairing.
>
> I have tried a suggestion of "set" and the down button. And I do see 3
> blue flashes. But then nada.

Wee update:

Was pleasantly surprised to discover motor has enough grunt to work the
heaviest of our corded curtains, which are also the ones SWMBO can't
access to work herself.

So with a little bit of fiddling and 2x4mm holes in the wall, I fitted it
and showed her how to use the app.

It's a little bit clunky - the app always seems to need to connect when
you fire it up. But that's just one press. Then it's open/close no
problem.

I've hooked up the solar charger too. Seems a couple of open/close cycles
took 4% off the battery. But on the basis there will only be one a day, I
can't see there being a problem.

Meantime I have ordered another allegedly WiFi enabled version (for less).

Seeing it work our heaviest curtains means we may not need blinds so
urgently ...