MatterNews

Smartwings Introduce First Ever PoE Matter Smart Shades

In what must be a world first, smart blinds company Smartwings has introduced it’s first smart blinds to use Matter – but via Power over Ethernet (PoE), which has been conveniently dubbed ‘MoE’ (Matter over Ethernet). Matter over Bridge is similar in that some Matter bridges connect to Matter via the network using an ethernet cable connected to your router, but this is different; The blinds are connected to a device that provides power over ethernet (usually a suitable router or network switch), but at the same time connects to Matter this way too, transmitting the relevant data. Incidentally, Smartwing were the first company to bring Matter over Thread blinds to the market.



This method of both powering and connecting the blinds to your smart home bypasses a few potential ‘pain points’; The first is there’s no requirement to recharge an internal battery, although for those that do so (and I’m one) this isn’t such a pain as you might imagine. Still not having to think about recharging a battery at all does have its benefits. The second point is that whilst it doesn’t use Thread, it’s also not using WiFi. With an ethernet connection, it could be argued you’re generally getting a more consistently stable connection than any wireless method. The third point is that whilst permanently powered blinds are available, having a power supply near enough to the blinds is often not an option. Running an ethernet cable from a router or network switch to your blinds is going to be a lot easier to achieve, ultimately.



The motor includes a wired cable that ends with an ethernet connector, and an included Cat 6A inline coupler that then allows you to run an ethernet cable from your router/network switch and connect it to the other end of the coupler. Of course, your router or network switch must be capable of providing PoE, as not all devices do offer such functionality.



Smartwings offer custom made blinds that includes your specified measurements, as well as a choice of materials and fittings. This extends to the type of blinds too, with standard roller, zebra, cellular, woven wood, roman, dual, and even outdoor shades.

You can check out the company’s entire range of products via their website – smartwingshome.com

The Editor

Editor - Musician, graphic designer and HomeKit aficionado.

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