I have a Switchbot Curtain and just ordered a Tilt with the hope that I can make it work with some vertical blinds that twist but don’t need to slide open. I would probably not buy window treatments that have the automation built in. I prefer to be able to change the curtain bit without having to re-buy the technology. The only time I might buy a pre-existing setup is if I could reconstruct it to create my own custom window treatment.
It is actually incredibly easy to DIY the curtains, roller shades and Roman shades themselves. There are roller shade kits that I think just require spray glue to attach fabric to the shade piece. For curtains and Roman shades you really just need to be able to sew a straight line and follow instructions. Small local fabric shops (and maybe places like Joann Fabrics) often have classes or will teach private lessons, and you can sometimes rent time on the sewing machine (plus have staff nearby to troubleshoot and answer questions). If the guys out there think it’s not manly to sew, take a cue from my hammock camping friends and call the sewing machine a “thread injector.” (And if you’re looking for a date, the odds are in your favor when you’re the only guy in a class of 8!) My only caveat is that home dec fabric is NOT cheap.
My Switchbots open the curtains at sunrise and start closing them as it gets dark. I live in a fish bowl, and I don’t love the idea of people being able to see everything I’m doing at night. The most important thing they do, however, is close the curtains when the inside temp gets to 74, because that means the sun is baking my south-facing glass front doors and the dog is suffering. In the summer they will also turn on the AC.
Ooh, I like that. I have two 4-up USB “outlets” in the house, and who woulda thought that’s not enough! Being 100% on solar/batteries, I’d much rather plug directly into the USB (wired into the 12V system) rather than run 12V --> inverter --> 110V --> brick that tamps the voltage back down.