Here it is - the new Somfy code keyboard in the RTS version.
Nicer design
The first thing that stands out is the new design. It looks a lot nicer than its predecessor and finished in stylish black.
The new one is a bit longer than the old keypad, but still about the same width.
So it is now 70 mm wide and 120 mm high.
Mounting and screw holes
Funnily enough, the screw holes on the back are just the opposite, so 2 below and one above for the new one and 2 above and 1 below for the old one.
Not really convenient if you had to replace it. Frustrating even when you realise that if you turned the back, the holes would match perfectly to re-use existing screw holes in your wall.
You open it with an Allen key #10, but that is not included, so it is a pity. The earlier version did come with a spanner, so that's no improvement.
What is an improvement is that the foam on the back is already glued and nicely integrated on the keyboard. This prevents water getting in through the screw holes.
With the previous version, you had to do that yourself.
Lighting of the keys
The illumination of the keys is also different. Now they light up white, whereas they were green on the earlier version. This looks slightly more contemporary.
Strangely, however, the light does not come on immediately on the new version. You would expect that when you press a key, the keys would immediately light up, but that is not the case.
The old version did, so it was much better in that respect. Maybe they thought to save battery life that way, but rather a battery you have to replace earlier than standing in the dark with keys that don't light up.
By the way, the keys of the new Somfy keypad make sound when you press them. This is handy, but if you don't like it, you can also turn the sound off.
Short guide
Another saving no one is waiting for is the concise manual. There is a quickstart version of the manual in the new version. The comprehensive manual is there though, so you can find it here.
The price
It will come as no surprise in times when everything just gets more expensive, but you will pay more for the new version than before.
The old one was around 85 euros, the new one around 100 euros.
We are offering it for 99.95 incl VAT and you can order it here.
Conclusion
Surely it remains difficult for designers to keep the good things and build on them. Something that looks better is chosen, but the strengths of the previous model are not sufficiently considered.
In the case of this keypad 2, it's not too bad, thankfully, but the malfunctioning light of the keys is a real downside. The lack of a socket spanner is also a miss and awkward when installing.
The design does look more stylish and keys with sound are also a plus. The foam is integrated into the design, which is a good step forward.
As usual these days, you also pay more and that's a shame.
