Home control software developer Lagotek is forging into new territory: window coverings.
The company recently inked a distribution agreement with Budget Blinds, and international retail franchiser of window covering products. Budget Blinds will market Lagotek’s Home Intelligence Platform, that includes a motorized window covering application, at more than 1,000 franchise locations throughout the U.S. and Canada.
The arrangement will allow consumers to purchase motorized window treatments and have them automated to open and close according to predefined conditions, such as the time or day or the outdoor temperature.
Lagotek CEO Eugene Luskin offers the following example of an automated application: “A zoned Lagotek climate control system can determine an unusual rise in temperature in one part of the house on a hot day and automatically lower the window coverings to help regulate the temperature in that area, resulting in lower energy consumption by reducing air conditioning usage.”
The blinds will be sold and installed by a Budget Blinds dealer, then programmed into a control system by a Lagotek dealer. According to Ron Risdon, Lagotek president, certain Budget Blinds dealers will become certified Lagotek dealers so that only one contractor needs to be involved in the installation. He expects the inclusion of a Lagotek system to double the retail value of the motorized shades.
What about a simple two-12v trigger controlled interface (on/off, up/down) for typical home automation devices? That is what is lacking in this market, IMO. Everyone has their own control solution, but very few have simple integration-friendly control solution. The fancy manufacturer’s control solution can be bolted to the two-12v trigger controlled interface too, for a common component architecture.
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Rocky, Maybe I can suggest some glasses for you. Blu Ray will always look and… 
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This will be a total FAILURE.
Control4 owns this segment of business.