Set up a PIXIE Blind Controller #
The PIXIE Blind and Signal Controller drives motorised blinds, curtains and awnings. The video below walks through the setup. The article underneath is the quick reference, with the 3-wire vs 4-wire motor distinction and the relay closure modes laid out clearly so you can pick the right configuration first time.
Two parts to get right. #
Setting up a PIXIE Blind Controller is a two-stage process. The first stage gets the device into your PIXIE Home (a one-off task per controller). The second stage configures the on-screen Control Panel buttons to match the type of motor you are driving (the bit that varies depending on the motor manufacturer).
Before you begin #
Confirm the PIXIE Blind and Signal Controller is wired in, powered up and connected to the blind motor wiring before you open the app. The setup process inside the app assumes the device is live and discoverable.
Add the controller to your PIXIE app. #
In the PIXIE or PIXIE PLUS app, go to the Devices section and start a scan. The Blind Controller will appear in the discoverable devices list once it is powered.
Open Devices and start an Add Device scan #
In the app, head to the Devices section. Tap the three dots (ellipsis) in the top right corner and select Add Device.
Wait for the scan to find your controller #
The app scans for new devices and lists every PIXIE device it can see. Look for the entry that identifies as a PIXIE Blind Signal Controller.
Add the controller to your PIXIE Home #
Press the Add button next to the discovered controller to add it to your home.
Choose a room and give it a useful name #
Pick the room the blind belongs to (or create a new one), then give the device a clear name (for example, Living Room Roller Blind). Press Save.
Verify the device is in your list #
Head back to the Rooms page and tap the All Devices tab at the top. You should see your newly added Blind Controller in the list, ready for the next step.
Create the Control Panel. #
Adding the device to the app does not yet give it any buttons to press. The Control Panel is where you build the up, down, stop and any other commands you want for this blind. PIXIE provides three pre-programmed configurations to make this faster.
Choose a starting preset #
Roller Blind #
The most common preset. Loads up, stop and down buttons configured for a typical roller blind.
Awning #
Pre-configured for motorised awnings, including a stop position for partial extension.
Press the button in the middle of the device page to begin. Pick the preset closest to your blind type. The pre-set Control Panel loads, and from there you can edit each function (and add new ones) to match the motor.
Up to 9 buttons per controller. The Control Panel supports up to 9 different commands per Blind Controller, so there is plenty of room for partial-position scenes, group commands or tilt functions.
Identify your motor type before configuring buttons. #
The way the PIXIE Blind Controller is used depends on whether the motor is 3-wire or 4-wire. This is the single most important decision in the setup. Get it right and the relay closure modes in the next section make sense. Get it wrong and the blind will not respond as expected.
PIXIE drives a manufacturer interface #
For 3-wire motors, the PIXIE Blind Controller is used as a short pulsing interface. The pulses go to a small interface unit supplied by the motor manufacturer, which in turn talks wirelessly to the motor in the blind itself.
PIXIE drives the motor directly #
For 4-wire motors, the PIXIE Blind Controller connects directly to the motor. The relay uses a closed-contact timed feature to drive the motor open or closed for a defined period of time.
Three closure modes per relay channel. #
Each of the two 6 Amp relay channels can be configured in one of three closure modes. The combination of modes covers nearly every type of motorised blind, curtain and awning available today.
Timed contact closure #
Closes the contact for a set period of time (for example, exactly 1 second). Used for 4-wire motors where PIXIE drives the motor directly.
Short pulse #
A single short pulse less than 1 second long. Used for 3-wire motors where the pulse drives the manufacturer's interface unit.
Double short pulse #
Two short pulses, each less than 1 second. Used by some 3-wire motor manufacturers where the interface expects a double-tap.
Configuring each button on the Control Panel. #
The general workflow is the same for every button: tap the pencil icon, name the button, set what each of the two relay channels should do, then save.
Tap the pencil icon to edit #
On the Control Panel, tap the small pencil icon on the button you want to configure (for example, the Up button).
Name the button #
If the default name is not quite right for your install, edit it to match. A clear name helps later when building scenes or scheduling.
Set Channel 1 and Channel 2 #
Each of the two 6 Amp relay channels can be set independently to one of the three closure modes (timed, short pulse, or double short pulse), or left to do nothing on this button.
Save and move to the next button #
Press Save when the button is configured. Repeat for every button on the Control Panel until each one does what it should.
The default Up / Stop / Down buttons. #
Here is how the standard three-button roller blind setup works. Channels are independent: each button decides what each channel does (or whether it does nothing at all).
Up button #
Stop button #
Down button #
The pattern. Up uses Channel 1 only. Down uses Channel 2 only. Stop pulses both channels at the same time. The exact closure mode for each (timed, short pulse, double short pulse) depends on your motor type. This is just the channel-assignment pattern.
What's possible once the buttons are working. #
With the Control Panel configured, the blind becomes a first-class PIXIE device. It can join scenes, follow schedules and respond to voice commands.
Scenes #
Include the blind in scenes alongside lights, fans and other devices. Movie Night, Bedtime, Welcome Home: the blind can move as part of the same one-tap action.
Schedules #
Open and close blinds automatically at sunrise, sunset or specific times. Useful for solar shading, privacy after dark, and morning wake-up routines.
Voice control #
With the PIXIE PLUS app and PIXIE Gateway, control blinds with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Siri or Apple Watch.
Specs, datasheets and related reading. #
For datasheets and wiring guides for the Blind Controller, head to the Partners site downloads. For more on what blind motors PIXIE works with, see the consumer-facing product page.
