Satellite Eyes for Hunter Douglas PowerRise Shades

Number 250 | April 21, 2006
© 2006 Designer Blinds

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Launch A
Satellite!

Using Satellite Eyes With PowerRise® Products

It's easy to launch a Satellite -- a Satellite Eye, that is. For Duette Honeycomb shades, Brilliance pleated shades Silhouette® window shadings or Vignette modern Roman shades with PowerRise™ the Satellite Eye can be specified for new products or it can be added later for any PowerRise product and installed with a minimal amount of effort.

Satellite Eyes are particularly helpful when additional soft window treatments are placed around the headrail in such a way as they block the standard infrared eye receiver at the left or right side of the shade.

Aside from the use of soft window treatments, in certain situations PowerRise products may not operate properly with the standard built in receiver eye. The position of a Satellite Eye, once it is attached to the wall can be angled to better "see" the signal from the remote control transmitter.

If you are careful to check everything when the shades are specified, you will be able predict when PowerRise shades or shadings will need a satellite eye. The things you need to watch for while specifying are shown below. The good news is that if you neglected to order a Satellite Eye and run into unexpected trouble, it's easy to retrofit a Satellite Eye to any PowerRise product. It's a little different for the different products available with PowerRise and the techniques for each are described below. But before we see that, let's prevent the need for a retrofit by watching for situations in which you'll want to specify Satellite Eyes from the start:


WHEN THE VERTICAL ANGLE IS TOO STEEP On high windows, if the angle is to steep, more than 55°, you will have a difficult time getting PowerRise products to operate using the built in receiver eye. This happens often in foyers and other small rooms with high windows where you can't back up enough to get a sufficient angle on the receiver eye, or the receiver eye is more than 30 feet away from the transmitter (remote control). A satellite eye can be used to bring the receiver closer to the transmitter. They can be ordered with a cord length of 20-inches, 4-feet, or 8-feet. The Satellite Eye may also be positioned to obtain a better angle, making it much easier for the shading to operate properly.

WHEN THE SIDE ANGLE IS TOO EXTREME In narrow rooms like foyers or hallways, it may also be difficult to get the proper angle from the side. Even in larger rooms, the room arrangement can make the angle too extreme to operate shadings from a comfortable position. If the angle from which you want to operate the shading is more than 45°, it will not be possible to operate shadings. The Satellite Eye can be placed to reduce the angle if operating from different positions is inconvenient or impossible. Again, by adjusting the position to angle the receiver eye will make it much easier to operate the shade from the desired position.
WHEN BUILT-IN EYES ARE TOO CLOSE TOGETHER If the receiver eye of a PowerRise shading is placed too close to the side, above or below another PowerRise shading, it will be difficult to get individual operation of the shadings. Satellite Eyes can help you get greater separation. In most cases specifying channels is the best way to deal with receiver eyes that are too close together. But if you prefer to keep the same channel selection, Satellite Eyes may be used to increase the separation between the eyes.	See also: Changing Channels for Silhouette/Vignette Changing Channels for Duette/Brilliance

Retrofitting To Add A Satellite Eye To Silhouette or Vignette

The satellite eye connects to the Vignette or Silhouette shading very easily, using a modular connection. This picture shows Silhouette. The attachments for Vignette are similar.

Remove the product from the window. Before proceeding it is best to disconnect the power supply. The way to disconnect will depend on how the shade is powered. Either remove the battery wand, remove one battery from the satellite battery pack or unplug the AC adapter from the wall outlet.

On the back side of the PowerRise assembly at the right or left side of the shading you will find the ports, one for the power supply and a wider slot opening for the Satellite Eye. The connector and receiver are offset, so it will only fir one way. If you are having trouble connecting rotate the plug 180°.

After the connection is made. The button on the Satellite Eye and the button on the standard Receiver Eye are both active and provide an operating alternative to the remote control. Each press of the button toggles it to the next function, up, down, open vanes or close vanes.

Retrofitting To Add A Satellite Eye To Duette or Brilliance Shade

To retrofit a satellite eye to a Duette Honeycomb shade or Brilliance pleated shade with PowerRise is a little different, but also very easy. Raise the shade and remove it from the window. Then, lift up the headrail cover. Before going any further it is best to disconnect the power supply. The way to disconnect will depend on how the shade is powered. Either remove the battery wand, remove one battery from the satellite battery pack or unplug the AC adapter from the wall outlet.

You may find it easier to use a needle nose pliers or tweezers to maneuver the wires, but be careful not to squeeze too tightly. Remove the four-pin modular connection form the "on-board" eye on the inside of the headrail cover. The eye will remains on the shade, but it is rendered inactive in the retrofit process.

Follow the wire back to the motor housing to disconnect the other end from the position marked "SAT" in raised letters. Keep in mind that raised letters, black on black are is very difficult for some people to see, so note the position in the middle and that it is the only four-pin connection. This is where you will be plugging in the modular connection that is attached to the satellite eye. Notice that the plug is offset so that it will only fit one way —so if you can't make the connection, just rotate the connector 180°.

Once it is connected, reconnect the power, install the shade back into the window and attach the satellite eye in a position from which it can clearly "see" the signal.