I just want to say I welcome anyone trying to bring to market more ZWave devices, especially window covering related ones. But I am really shying away from anything crowdfunded. Not because I have be burned before, but because I know they aren't really inventing anything and some of the ideas they do have would have existed in the market already if they really worked. Also be aware you are testing a knock-off product made overseas, it won't have the years of R&D and time-tested positive experiences from past customers.
I can respect your reasons and agree with them but my
main reason is actually the opposite
...
I now stay far from these because I've seen VERY FEW crowdfunded products come in anywhere close to on time or with the functionality promised. I don't mind someone trying to make something brand new, or as you stated not new - but improve on a design or function. I just have not seen any crowdfunded products do this properly.
I think most of the people running these operations don't really have the skills that are needed to make them come in on-time and as function promised.
A good example of something similar - in a different genre - is my very small room remodel at my home. It is only 130sqft space where we are tearing out a closet & flooring, and adding some minor electrical, plumbing a new sink, and installing new tile flooring. SUPER basic as far as remodel goes. It is a 64 hours worth of work (construction time that is about 2 people for 4 business/work days). Will be complete today, on work day 10 - and we have only run into about 2 hours of additional work due to unexpected things popping up in the walls which were super easy to resolve.
Things like this happen, just like the problems with crowdedfunded people, due to poor or lack of planning...
Forgetting tools, not buying proper materials for the job when they are needed, wasting time running to/from store, distractions from other jobs/calls/etc, and sometimes just not thinking things through when you run into something unexpected and having to redo them several times, not properly managing your workers/helpers, etc.
