Hook CMS50I's latex finger-pulse sensor to laptop's USB

Only the first four short paragraphs that follow are on Subject in this long post. The rest of it, if not the whole, may only be of interest to nuts like me who too often insist there must be an explanation and a better way.

The Silicon Labs CP210x USB to UART Bridge "SpO2 Assistant" software (Vsn 2.7.0), that came with my CMS50I oximeter seems to indicate one can feed the finger-pulse sensor's data directly into a computer's USB connector and use that software for display and analysis without using the wrist-worn CMS50I oximeter's data processor-recorder unit (with its "dashboard" opening screen which displays time, a beat-by-beat strength bar, a pulse waveform presentation and a PMI indicator). It could be that the software's real time display feature is there to accommodate a different, non-recording Contec oximeter.

Unable to scare up anything else by googling sleep fora and the net I bought what I thought was a Mini B female to Type A male adapter to convert/adapt the finger-pulse sensor's male Mini B to a Type A male or female connector. But there is a very slight difference between the (narrower maximum) width of the adapter's female Mini B opening and the pulse sensor's wider male connector (seemingly a Mini B).

The directions for the CMS50I stress that one should not use others' cables; the almost invisible mismatch may be a safety feature (or maybe I got an inferior adapter).

Has anyone solved this problem or conclusively established that one cannot hook the sensor to the computer directly to display (on a larger scale) the pulse waveform in real time--as the software seems to indicate would be possible? Ideally one could record heart data (on the wrist-worn device, if not on the computer, too) while looking at the wave form on the much larger computer screen when awake.

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[TMI, maybe :There may be those who question why I want to do this. Fine. I can simply say it has been good to be able to show a thoughtful MD info that is irregular as well as to personally discover and modify patterns that are common to habits of diet, caffeine use, irregular night owl sleeping patterns, exercise intensity, medications, yada, yada. Thanks to Sleepy Head and so much intelligent (pattern sensitive) guidance from this and the ApneaBoard forum's moderators and users--and no thanks to my former sleep MD--my home test AHI starting point of 68 has  improved to the point of having very frequent--even simultaneous--zeroes for AHI and max LL; these good results have come while flow limitations still seem horrific, often with little or infrequent Snore indications. I do not understand why there is such high flow resistance in light of my being able to continually exercise at a 5.7 MET level, having a BMI of 22.4 and only a 15 inch neck.

Maybe it's my Charcot Marie Tooth, if there is no other (say, a Arnold-Chiari) neural disorder, and consequences of my past ice-cream sins. I bordered on being obese for a few years-BMI nearly 30, some 40 years ago. An upcoming appointment with a highly recommended neurologist, who deals with sleep disturbances, may lead to answers for (mostly) earlier extremely long apneas (frequent and all the way up to 172 seconds). Unfortunately, my very good neurologist, who diagnosed CMT nearly 20 years ago and  who I last saw 7 years ago, retired 4 years ago and has not been available after my PCP's diagnosis of severe sleep apnea fall of 2015.

This side sleeping mouth breather's present and most successfully used apnea treatment tools that have evolved in the course of many struggles: Airsense Autoset pump and a spare using 9.6-15 cm pressure and "Passover" humidity; P10 pillows; Lansinoh (sealer/lubricator); a cervical collar (only started using and getting leakage zeroes a couple of weeks ago), Silipos "Gel-E Rol" mouth sealer (a clinging but non-adhesive silicon/mineral backed, Ace Bandage-like wrap that is held in place by my improvised elastic and Velcro retainer); improvised use of an F10's anti-asphyxiation valve; SleepyHead (gotta reinstall It after ca June 1, 2017 Windows 10 update killed it) and ResScan; a Kill A Watt power use monitor, U1 Battery, Deltran 5A maintainer, Power Out alarm, and ResMed 24 VDC inverter. Here's the maddeningly leaky litter I have left behind (but hold for possible later use with colds): AirFit F10 FFM, Amara View Hybrid FFM, FP Forma FFM and chin strap , Deluxe Chin Strap, the DME's simple black strap, and an improvised de-billed baseball cap with velcro straps; and lots of time and lost sleep making small adjustments and applying "perfect mask fitting" techniques for 18 months. (I have one or more still sealed F10 (overly) Large masks I'm told cannot be sent back or be transferred but have given away two sealed Medium AV cushions.)]

"Large masks I'm told cannot be sent back or be transferred" - where on earth did you hear that? I've heard so much nonsense here over years, but that's a new one! Sorry I can't respond to all your other tech stuff though.

Btw, have you ever just called and talked to Kevin at Cooper Medical.com? He's very helpful (and knowledgable).

A standard USB cable doesn't work with the CMS501 oximeter. Their cable has circuitry built into the connector. That circuitry is needed to facilitate the communication with the computer.

Use the cable that came with the oximeter. Take your laptop to bed with you and don't roll in your sleep. Then you can record the data from your overnight session on your computer.

AmSleepnBetta wrote:The Silicon Labs CP210x USB to UART Bridge "SpO2 Assistant" software (Vsn 2.7.0), that came with my CMS50I oximeter seems to indicate one can feed the finger-pulse sensor's data directly into a computer's USB connector and use that software for display and analysis without using the wrist-worn CMS50I oximeter's data processor-recorder unit

it does not work that way, you're misinterpreting the meager docs.

if you have one of the F models that has a separate usb and sensor plug, you can look in real time, or if you have the 50IW model, you can bluetooth to the computer and get realtime data. (I've done that).

you can't with the regular I model, there's no USB circuitry in the fingertip sensor, just wires for two LEDs and a photo receptor.

HoseCrusher wrote:A standard USB cable doesn't work with the CMS501 oximeter. Their cable has circuitry built into the connector. That circuitry is needed to facilitate the communication with the computer.

your comment is correct for the D+ and E models, not for the F and I models, those latter two use plain usb cables.

Thanks for all replies, including hosecrusher's, that flushed out and gave me a clear understanding of the Subject situation and possible alternatives. As suspected and in my post, it appears that my SpO2 Assistant software would accept real time finger pulse input from the IW, D+ and E models of the Contec oximeters in two, if not three, of each one's differing ways. As palerider noted, my meager I model's documentation could be clearer on that point.

I'll look into getting one of the other appropriate models to enable real time display or, better yet, maybe both real time display and making a recording of pulse and spO2 (and maybe PI) data recorded in sleep that can be reviewed later as waveforms. First, another question, is there some other better, low cost (under $100 USD, say) alternative?

Written by Julie on Mon Jun 26, 2017 3:40 am:
"'Large masks I'm told cannot be sent back or be transferred' - where on earth did you hear that? I've heard so much nonsense here over years, but that's a new one!"

ASB responds: In my view, many regs and laws have nonsense aspects. And, yes, one can put CPAP stuff in others' hands, as I have face to face with a new friend (who uses and took my exact, too small for me, Amara View M cushions and from whom I bought a low hour A10 machine with its 120 AC power supply and water tank to have a spare). Further, I think this Forum has a mask swapping/trading thread.

Google the following exact phrase inside the quotes and read the whole thread you'll see within the hit that displays this exact phrase: "While some countries do not require a prescription for CPAP machines". There you'll see it's murky whether private individuals can sell or even freely give away Class II medical device without breaking laws/regs. True, there are (many?) US based vendors who traffic in these items without Rx's--maybe just selling parts, a possible "structuring", as mentioned in that thread, to avoid potential law/reg enforcement or legal costs. At any rate, I once asked there how I might offer the sealed parts to others, gratis, or get them to a charity that does domestic or international missions work and I was prevented from posting an offer by the site's OK keep-your-head-down rules : all of this was after a DME would not accept a return of the sealed items because I did not arrange to return them for exchange, or get permission to do so, within 90 days of receiving them. In another instance, that DME did not want me to return still-sealed items (within the 90 day limit) when I called about an incorrect shipment for which they were re-sending the correct cushions with no additional charge. Nonsense (and other issues). Again, TMI.

Written by palerider on Mon Jun 26, 2017, in two posts:
"it does not work that way, you're misinterpreting the meager docs."

"if you have one of the F models that has a separate usb and sensor plug, you can look in real time, or if you have the 50IW model, you can bluetooth to the computer and get realtime data. (I've done that).

"you can't with the regular I model, there's no USB circuitry in the fingertip sensor, just wires for two LEDs and a photo receptor."

ASB reponds:
Thank you for your squarely on-point and succinct answers that authoritatively dispose of the unworkable approach I wanted to try. Also, you indirectly point out plausible alternatives in clarifying what pathways the output of the pulse sensor follows in different Contec oximeter models. Will the IW model record the sensor output during sleep so one can review the waveforms later and will SleepyHead import and display the oximeter data as it does for the I model? Would one of the other (cheaper than IW) models record the sleep data on the computer for later review?

Many thanks to the three of you.

ASB

AmSleepnBetta wrote:Thank you for your squarely on-point and succinct answers that authoritatively dispose of the unworkable approach I wanted to try. Also, you indirectly point out plausible alternatives in clarifying what pathways the output of the pulse sensor follows in different Contec oximeter models. Will the IW model record the sensor output during sleep so one can review the waveforms later and will SleepyHead import and display the oximeter data as it does for the I model? Would one of the other (cheaper than IW) models record the sleep data on the computer for later review?

Many thanks to the three of you.

ASB

quoting the messages you are responding to, individually, makes it easier to respond to you, just a thought.

the I model (regardless of Wireless feature) doesn't record the plethy, it just records pulse and spo2, and perfusion, to get plethy, you have to get the real time data out, with wireless. the rest of the models are the same, though only the I records perfusion.

so, you need one that you can hook up to your computer, one way or another, and record from there.

building your own might be a better course for what you want, I think I saw someone's home made oximeter on hackaday some time back.

palerider wrote:

HoseCrusher wrote:A standard USB cable doesn't work with the CMS501 oximeter. Their cable has circuitry built into the connector. That circuitry is needed to facilitate the communication with the computer.

your comment is correct for the D+ and E models, not for the F and I models, those latter two use plain usb cables.

Thanks for that information. I guess it is time to upgrade and get past the dedicated cable models.