USB adapter or SmartCard Reader for use with ResScan?

Hi, with advice from folks here I just got and quite like the S8 Autoset II. I plan to get ResScan software. My DME (which, as usual, won't supply me with software) did include the SmartCard but not the SmartCard Reader with the delivery. So my choices seem to be (1) get SmartCard Reader for the card I have or (2) get the USB adapter and connect the S8 directly to my PC when I want to download data. The price on cpap.com seems to be the same, since I have a card already. Any thoughts on advantages/disadvantages?

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Excellent point. It's a Lenovo Thinkpad X61, recently upgraded to Windows 7. Most but not all Vista-capable devices and drivers seem to work with Windows 7. Actual experience with either the USB connector or the card reader under Windows 7 would be nice to hear about. In general, though, I don't see from the basic descriptions whether there are things one can do that the other can't, or what the difference would be for ease of use.

secret agent girl wrote:If you post you computer flavor and operating system, people can respond more specifically with what their experiences have been. I have read several posts where results seem to be related to some of these factors (and others).

ResMed makes their equipment proprietary so it's tough to get a generic card reader to work (lotta threads-posts on this subject); ResMed also sees their customers as the sleep pros not us users, so they ensure users can't legally buy the software in the US...an Australian site sells it.

Several have reported the USB cable allows you to xfer your data one day less often. Good luck.

Remember to start logging your daily numbers (machine re-sets at noon, make sure it's set to your timezone), that way you have data until you get the software up and running.

secret agent girl wrote:I could not get the card reader to work on Windows XP service pack 3 on two computers, but finally had success with a Vista machine.

I guess that's a YMMV comment. I have Windows XP SP3 and have never had a problem with the reader or EV.

Unless your computer is alongside your cpap machine, get the reader or you will be carrying your machine to your desk daily. Also get the Rsmed reader. There are elsewhere on this site sad stories of members trying mightily to make a generic version work with limited success.
The reader and the USB connector are the same price from cpap.com

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I'd recommend the SmartCard reader. That's what I am using. I didn't really want to hover over my CPAP machine with a cable coming out of it and going into my machine while I ran the Rescan software. This way, I just stick the data card in and walk into the other room and use my machine comfortably with the card reader.

n0trab wrote:It's a Lenovo Thinkpad X61, recently upgraded to Windows 7. Most but not all Vista-capable devices and drivers seem to work with Windows 7. Actual experience with either the USB connector or the card reader under Windows 7 would be nice to hear about.

There are already numerous messages about ResScan operation with WIndows 7 on CPAPtalk

Anyway, I have ResScan 3.7 running under Windows 7 Ultimate x64 on a ThinkPad X61, using the ResScan card and card reader for data transfer.

Cheers,

Bill