Agata
October 10, 2024
MySmartRollerShades by Tilt
Product Review
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Smart Roller Shades and Blinds have been on our to do list from day one of moving into our new house. However, we had no idea how expensive blinds and shades can be until we started searching for options. We knew we wanted smart shades for the master bedroom, so we began the search for the best one without breaking the bank.
Last year, there was news about Ikea releasing their smart blinds/shades for an attractive price, so we waited until the reveal. Upon release, we found out that they were only making a few choices of colors and sizes, which would not work for us. There we were, back to the drawing board.
We have looked at the Shade Store and couple other places but they were either too pricy or they didn’t offer smart shades option. Then we stumbled across an ad for the Tilt Smart Roller Shades also known as MySmartRollerShades. After some research and reading a few reviews(which weren’t that helpful), we decided to move forward with Tilt. The main selling points for us were that:
There is one price for all sizes. We thought this was very clever and made things easier for us. $399 for all sizes.
The installation was super easy and did not require drilling or any tools whatsoever, which was another selling point.
Ordering from the website is a breeze. You will give the window size and other information after purchasing, which is unusual for online purchases of shades and blinds but made for a hassle-free quick order. Soon after ordering you will be sent an email with a link to input all your measurements and other options to customize your order; this step is also very simple and user friendly.
Must watch videos before buying
We ordered three White Blackout MySmartRollerShades for the three windows in our bedroom. The boxes come well packed and undamaged. They arrived after about two weeks of ordering online. Here is what we got:
This is how the boxes arrived. Very well packed with corner protection, so nothing got damaged. We ordered three windows of two different sizes. The bigger box is for the middle window, and the other two are for the right and left ones. We shared images of the windows below.
Here you can see the content of the boxes as well we the bridge. Bridge is the device allowing you to connect your shades to Alexa or Google assistant. The boxes come pre-packaged with everything needed to install the blinds/shades. You can also see the solar panel that is used to keep the shades charged at all times.
On the bottom left are the two brackets that stick to the wall/window and secure the shades in place. If you are installing on the inside of the window, you will not need to drill the brackets into the side of the window (see more details on the video below).
Installation Video by Tilt
As you can see from the video above, installing is a breeze. For us, we mounted on the inside of the window. So, all we had to do is use the stick-on bracket and “pop the shades in“. Here are some images of the install and setup:
Before
After
After – Closed
The installation of each window did not take more than 5 minutes. You can see the images above for the results. The White Blackout roller shade looks very neat and goes well with our windows. They do have almost an inch gap on the sides, as you can see on the last image, but I think some of it will go away after the roller settles. However, I do not believe it can get less than half an inch on each side; time will tell. Regardless, we are very pleased with the results and how dark the room gets throughout the night and early morning.
After completing the installation, it was time to set up the app and integrate it with Alexa. The MySmartRollerShades uses the Tilt App, which is straightforward to configure. They provide clear instructions for adding the shades to the app, calibrate, and configure them. You can operate the shades and create routines and schedules with the Tilt App alone. However, if you want to integrate it with Alexa or Google, you will need to purchase the bridge as well for $89.
Going back to the app, you will need to create your account, then add each device to your app by pressing the two buttons on the bottom of the control side of the rollers; the app will show you where they are. While adding the shades to the app, you get to configure the highest and lowest position of the shades, so they move between those two positions only.
The app will keep asking you to create Routines; you will need that to integrate with Alexa (I do not have Google Assistant, so I can’t comment on that). However, make sure you create your routines only after adding all your blinds to the Tilt App. I created two Routines: one called Good Morning, which opens all three shades, and another called Good Night, which closes all three shades. I confess I had to chat with a support technician at Tilt to properly integrate with Alex. By the way, they were very helpful and quick to respond to my issue.
On the Alexa App, you will need to install the Tilt Smart Home skill and follow the steps to authenticate with your previously created Tilt Account. This account has to be the one you created with the Tilt App and added your devices to. The roller shades will not show up as new devices for Alexa, instead, Alexa will see your Tilt Routines and add them as Scenes. You can find your Scenes by going to Devices and scrolling to the right until you see Scenes. If you see your Routines there as Scenes, you are all set. You can now create Alexa Routines and voice commands that control the Scene.
Agata
September 6, 2024
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