Homebridge Somfy RTS v2

A Homebridge plugin to control Somfy RTS roller shutters, blinds, and awnings using a Raspberry Pi and a 433.42 MHz RF transmitter.

Requirements

• Raspberry Pi (any model with GPIO)
• 433.42 MHz RF transmitter module (note: standard 433.92 MHz modules won't work!)
• pigpio C library installed on your Raspberry Pi
• Homebridge v1.8.0 or later

Hardware Setup

1. Connect your 433.42 MHz RF transmitter to your Raspberry Pi:

   • VCC → 3.3V or 5V (depending on your module)
   • GND → Ground
   • DATA → GPIO pin (default: GPIO 4)

2. Install the pigpio C library on your Raspberry Pi:

   sudo apt-get update
   sudo apt-get install pigpio

3. Enable the pigpio daemon (optional, but recommended):

   sudo systemctl enable pigpiod
   sudo systemctl start pigpiod

Installation

sudo npm install -g homebridge-somfy-rts-v2

Or install via the Homebridge UI by searching for homebridge-somfy-rts-v2.

Configuration

Add the platform to your Homebridge config.json:

{
  "platforms": [
    {
      "platform": "SomfyRTSv2",
      "name": "Somfy RTS",
      "devices": [
        {
          "name": "Living Room Blinds",
          "id": 12345,
          "prog": false,
          "gpioPin": 4
        },
        {
          "name": "Bedroom Shutters",
          "id": 12346,
          "prog": true,
          "gpioPin": 4
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Configuration Options

| Option | Required | Default | Description | |--------|----------|---------|-------------| | platform | Yes | - | Must be SomfyRTSv2 | | name | Yes | - | Name of the platform | | devices | Yes | - | Array of Somfy RTS remotes to create |

Device Options

| Option | Required | Default | Description | |--------|----------|---------|-------------| | name | Yes | - | Name of the remote (e.g., "Living Room Blinds") | | id | Yes | - | Unique remote ID (1-16777215). This ID is used for pairing. | | prog | No | false | Show the "Prog" button for pairing/unpairing | | gpioPin | No | 4 | GPIO pin connected to the RF transmitter data pin |

Pairing with Somfy Motors

Each virtual remote needs to be paired with your Somfy motor, just like a physical remote:

1. Enable the Prog button in the device configuration by setting "prog": true

2. Put your motor in pairing mode:

   • Using an existing paired remote, press and hold the "Prog" button (on the back of the remote) until the motor jogs

3. Pair the virtual remote:

   • In the Home app, tap the "Prog" button on your virtual remote
   • The motor should jog to confirm pairing

4. Disable the Prog button (optional):

   • Set "prog": false in the configuration to hide the Prog button and prevent accidental unpairing

How It Works

This plugin creates virtual Somfy RTS remotes as HomeKit accessories. Each remote has 3-4 stateless switches:

• Up - Raises the shutter/blind
• Down - Lowers the shutter/blind
• My - Stops movement or goes to favorite position
• Prog - Used for pairing/unpairing (optional)

The switches automatically reset after 500ms to simulate the stateless behavior of a physical remote button.

Technical Details

This plugin implements the Somfy RTS protocol as documented at pushstack.wordpress.com.

Key features:

• Rolling code storage (persisted between restarts)
• Manchester encoding of payload data
• Proper frame timing and synchronization

Troubleshooting

Plugin not working

1. Make sure you're using a 433.42 MHz transmitter, not the more common 433.92 MHz
2. Verify pigpio is installed: sudo apt-get install pigpio
3. Check that Homebridge has permission to access GPIO (may need to run as root)
4. Verify the GPIO pin configuration matches your wiring

Motor doesn't respond

1. Ensure the virtual remote is paired with the motor
2. Check that the RF transmitter is properly connected
3. Try moving the transmitter closer to the motor
4. Verify the rolling code hasn't gotten out of sync (try re-pairing)

Rolling code out of sync

If commands stop working, the rolling code may be out of sync:

1. Unpair the virtual remote from the motor
2. Delete the rolling code file: ~/.homebridge/somfy_rts_<id>.txt
3. Re-pair the virtual remote

Credits

• Somfy RTS protocol documentation: pushstack.wordpress.com
• Python implementation: Nickduino/Pi-Somfy

License

Apache-2.0