I've been curious about SageGlass myself—heard good things about their responsiveness and energy efficiency. How was the install process for your View windows? Did you run into any unexpected hiccups or was it pretty straightforward? I'm planning a DIY upgrade soon (fingers crossed...), so any tips on prep or common pitfalls would be awesome.
I've done installs for both SageGlass and View, and I agree SageGlass is pretty responsive—it's been solid in terms of energy savings too. But since you're specifically asking about View, the installation itself isn't overly complicated if you're comfortable with standard window replacement. Still, there are definitely some nuances you should watch for.
One thing I've noticed with View windows is that they require a bit more attention to wiring prep compared to SageGlass. View tends to have a more centralized system, meaning you'll need to plan carefully how you'll route and conceal wires for the control units. If you're doing a DIY install, make sure you have a solid electrical plan in place beforehand—nothing worse than realizing mid-installation that you need to redo wiring or drill additional holes.
Also, double-check your measurements multiple times (seriously, can't stress this enough). With smart windows, tolerances can be tighter. Even a small misalignment can impact the responsiveness or create issues with the seal. A buddy of mine did a DIY install recently, and he overlooked some minor discrepancies in his frame measurements. Ended up having to reorder one window entirely... not fun and definitely not cheap.
Another point worth mentioning: View windows need a stable internet connection for optimal performance. If your Wi-Fi coverage is spotty or your router is far from the window locations, consider running ethernet cables or setting up a mesh network beforehand. I've had clients frustrated by intermittent connectivity issues that could've been easily avoided with better planning.
Overall, I'd say the View system is reliable once properly set up, but it's not exactly plug-and-play. Just take your time with prep, wiring, and measurements, and you should be good to go. Curious though—have you already decided how you'll handle the electrical side of things?
We did View windows about a year ago, and honestly, the electrical planning was the trickiest bit. I thought I'd mapped everything out perfectly, then realized halfway through that the wiring needed way more space than I'd expected. Ended up having to cut some extra drywall... not exactly my favorite weekend project. Once they're in though, they've been pretty solid—just don't underestimate the prep work. Are you hiring an electrician or tackling it yourself?
We went with SageGlass about six months ago, and honestly, the electrical wasn't as tricky as you're describing. Maybe it's a View-specific thing? I mean, it wasn't exactly plug-and-play, but we didn't have to tear into drywall or anything major. The biggest headache for us was actually syncing everything up with our existing smart home setup—took a few tries and some colorful language, lol. But once we got past that hurdle, it's been smooth sailing. Maybe SageGlass just has simpler wiring requirements...
Yeah, your experience lines up pretty closely with ours. We went SageGlass about a year ago—no drywall drama either, just some minor fishing through existing conduit. The real snag was getting the firmware updates to play nice with our router... took a couple resets and some patience. But once dialed in, it's been rock solid. Maybe View's wiring is just more proprietary or something? Seems like SageGlass keeps things simpler on the install side.
Interesting to hear your experience with SageGlass went smoothly overall. I've worked with both SageGlass and View installations, and honestly, I wouldn't say View's wiring is necessarily more proprietary—it's just a bit different in approach. SageGlass does tend to keep things straightforward, especially if you're retrofitting into existing conduit, but View's system can actually be pretty intuitive once you get familiar with their setup.
One thing I'd point out is that View's firmware and software integration has improved quite a bit recently. A couple years back, yeah, it was a headache getting everything synced up, but lately they've streamlined the process. If you're comfortable with networking basics and don't mind spending a little extra time upfront, View can offer some nice customization options.
Either way, both systems are solid choices. Just depends on how much tinkering you're willing to do upfront versus ease of install right out of the box.
Interesting points, but I'm curious—when you say View's networking has improved recently, how recent are we talking? I had a neighbor install View windows about 18 months ago, and he still ran into some headaches getting the firmware updates to sync right. Granted, he's not exactly a networking guru, but he's pretty tech-savvy overall.
Also, I'm wondering about the long-term reliability of these firmware updates. Do you know if View has a solid track record for supporting older hardware? My main concern with systems that rely heavily on software is that they might leave you hanging after a few years. SageGlass does seem simpler in that respect—less dependent on frequent updates and tweaking—but maybe I'm missing something?
I like the idea of customization, but honestly, I'd rather set it up once and not have to think about it again...
I've had View windows installed for about 10 months now, and I can confirm the networking side has definitely improved from what your neighbor experienced. Initially, I did have a few hiccups syncing firmware updates—mostly due to my router's quirky firewall settings—but after a firmware update around 6 months ago, things became noticeably smoother. Not perfect, mind you, but definitely less finicky.
Regarding your concern about long-term support, that's also something I've been keeping an eye on. So far, View seems committed to regular updates, even for their earlier-gen hardware. But, of course, the real test will be how they handle it a few years down the road. SageGlass does have the advantage there—less software-driven means fewer potential headaches down the line.
Honestly, if you're the type who wants to set it and forget it, SageGlass might suit you better. View's customization is cool, but it does require occasional attention. Personally, I don't mind tweaking settings here and there, but I totally get wanting something simpler...especially when tech inevitably decides to misbehave at the worst possible moment.
I've been following this thread closely since I'm also considering smart windows for our upcoming renovation. Interesting points about the View updates and networking quirks. I'm pretty comfortable tinkering with tech, but my wife...not so much. She's more of a "why can't things just work?" type, so the SageGlass simplicity is appealing from that perspective.
One thing I'm curious about though—how noticeable is the difference in responsiveness between the two? I've heard View windows can adjust tinting pretty quickly based on sun exposure, but does SageGlass feel noticeably slower or less dynamic because it's less software-driven? We have a large south-facing living room window, and the sun glare can be brutal at certain times of day. I'd hate to invest in something that ends up feeling sluggish or inadequate when it comes to real-time adjustments.
Also, does anyone know if either system integrates better with home automation setups (like HomeKit or SmartThings)? I already have a bunch of smart home gear, and it'd be nice to keep things streamlined rather than juggling multiple apps or control hubs.
I've seen both in action, and honestly, View does feel a bit snappier when adjusting to sudden sunlight changes. SageGlass isn't sluggish exactly, but it's definitely more gradual. For automation, View integrates better with SmartThings—SageGlass is kinda limited there.