Remstar M-series, fifty cents....

harikarishimari · Post by **harikarishimari** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 2:14 pm

Remstar M-series, fifty cents more than the previous non-M line, according to cpap.com: $610.00 versus $609.50. Can it be true?

I am seriously pondering getting the "em" for a spare, but considering I would have to buy the EncorePro 1.6 for another $99 that makes it really $99.50 for the M. I actually don't think I should have to pay $99 for a dot-release, same price as a new customer, especially since I bought the ver 1.5 not very many months ago.

Question: has anybody been successful in updating from EncorePro ver 1.5 to ver 1.6 without having to pay full price? It seems that receipt-waving customers should be entitled to a simple update.

-HKS

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 3:08 pm

All the receipt gets you with Resperonics is the chanch for a cool breeze, however if you buy the full size version , like you have for a backup, you will have $99 and 50 cents, and you can add that to the receipt and make a breeze large enough to be worthwhile, and the 50 cents could go for a large Iced Tea. Jim

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 3:53 pm

harikarishimari wrote:Question: has anybody been successful in updating from EncorePro ver 1.5 to ver 1.6 without having to pay full price? It seems that receipt-waving customers should be entitled to a simple update.

-HKS

I'm afraid the only "customers" that Respironics recognizes are the DMEs, RTs and Doctors.
For those of the above-mentioned that are registered with Respironics, they CAN download the upgrades.
Hopefully, some day, they'll realize that there are actually end-users who DO buy their products.

Den

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:05 pm

I was surfing for the software the other day, one internet site wanted $695 for Encore Pro, it was probable a very old version. Jim

_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): Encore Pro

Like fine Wine, age improves the Product.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 6:10 am

Wulfman wrote:
harikarishimari wrote:Question: has anybody been successful in updating from EncorePro ver 1.5 to ver 1.6 without having to pay full price? It seems that receipt-waving customers should be entitled to a simple update.

-HKS
I'm afraid the only "customers" that Respironics recognizes are the DMEs, RTs and Doctors.
For those of the above-mentioned that are registered with Respironics, they CAN download the upgrades.
Hopefully, some day, they'll realize that there are actually end-users who DO buy their products.

Den

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 6:33 am

Wulf, just what exactly would you like to tell Respironics? Thank you.

Thank you for asking.

Actually, I already told them one of the things over a year ago. Come out with an "Encore Pro Light" version of the software that the end-users can use (and understand) to monitor their own therapy with. Either include it and the reader with the machines or else make it available at a more attractive price (everywhere....not just CPAP.COM). After all, it is OUR therapy.

Don't make machines that don't record sleep statistics. That way, the user will get more value and will be able to monitor their own therapy. I would also think it would cut the manufacturing costs by not having so many versions in the same basic case design. This would also limit what the (evil) DMEs can pass off to the users at high prices.

Don't be so oblivious to the ultimate end users....US. I DO think Respironics (for one) may be better at this than at least one of the others I can think of (that also starts with "R"). Again, it is OUR therapy.....WE are the ones who ultimately buy the products......WE pay the insurance premiums, the deductibles and co-pays.

Best wishes,

Den

Ric · Post by **Ric** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 11:52 am

Anonymous wrote:Wulf, just what exactly would you like to tell Respironics? Thank you.

Can it be? Is it the voices inside my head? I actually have the unmistakable impression that Respironics is listening.

-Ric

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 12:11 pm

Ric wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Wulf, just what exactly would you like to tell Respironics? Thank you.
Can it be? Is it the voices inside my head? I actually have the unmistakable impression that Respironics is listening.

-Ric

AND.....we could BOTH be delusional.....

(but, what the heck.....they asked)

Den

Ric · Post by **Ric** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 12:32 pm

I say BRAVO !\

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 7:11 pm

okay, we're still listening..........any other comments? Thanks.

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 7:54 pm

I think leaving a copy unsecured on their server was probably one of the smartest things they have done in a long time, it allowed them to build up goodwill and exposed many people to the value of monitoring their progress.

It allowed their customers to fine tune problems such as mask leaks and being given the wrong pressure settings by providers.

It has no doubt influenced more than a few new machine purchases.

Now that we are faced with, Resmed's Pricing Rape, It would let them widen the market gap even more, in Respironics favor.

As far as increased liability, having the program setting there, wouldn't be counted as selling it or condoning it's use to the general public. It could be just setting on the server.(In plain sight) Jim

cchase · Post by **cchase** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 9:40 pm

Anonymous wrote:okay, we're still listening..........any other comments? Thanks.

Hi Respironics Guest-

I've enjoyed my M-Series Auto and EncorePro software very much. I purchased the system to do my own titration study and look for patterns between how I feel in the morning and my CPAP data. I need to do this on my own, as the DME available to me through my insurance is unreliable (lost my paperwork for 3 weeks), inflexible about machines and masks available for me to use (maximizing their profit to my detriment), and unavailable for therapeutic follow-up.

I have a couple of suggestions on new features for EncorePro. There is considerable detail in the database that isn't available in the report, for example, the length of each apnea episode is recorded. Details such as this may make the difference between feeling great and just OK the next morning and help me figure out if there are circumstances associated with the longer apnea episode (e.g. leaking mask). For example, you could add a 'right-click' feature to the sleep therapy flag graph so that I could click on an episode and get specific information about the time, pressure, leak rate, and length of the episode at the time it happened.

I'd also appreciate a more complete set of descriptive statistics on each measure in the summary tables, including not just the average, but the mode, range, and standard deviation as well.

The standard deviation with reference to time could be used to determine if my treatment plan and body's response are producing stable results. I could imagine, for example, that the standard deviation of my AHI may increase during a stressful time period or travel, but if life circumstances are not affecting my sleep, then I may need to try a different mask, treatment pressure, or other life-style changes to help stabilize my response to treatment.

Thanks for a great product and keep innovating.

Chris

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 10:35 pm

Anonymous wrote:okay, we're still listening..........any other comments? Thanks.

Good. (I truly hope you are who you have alluded to be.....or be from)

Yes.

Like so many others here, I like my machines and the features.
I do have at least a couple of thoughts concerning the technology which would probably have to wait for future machine releases.

One has to do with the limitation of storage on the Smart Card. In view of the fact that USB memory "sticks" will hold lots of data, how about adapting that technology to the machines? Eliminate the card, card reader and substitute that storage technology. It could then be unplugged from the XPAP and simply plugged into the computer and downloaded.....whenever it was convenient for the user, doctor or DME. All of the data would still be there for a longer period of time rather than the 6 to 7 days as is the current limitation of the Smart Card (for the "detailed" info).

Another has to do with the internal time clock in the machines. The present technology with the wafer battery that can only be changed (apparently) by the factory and then the time needing to be reset by the same people with specialized software and card link.....REALLY SUCKS!!! Put the battery in a user-accessible compartment on the outside of the machine and allow date and time setting from the setup buttons (or something like that). I'd be willing to bet that almost every REMstar machine that has the internal clock feature and was sold within the last year or so is losing time.....either from weak batteries or calibration......and there's only ONE way to fix it. What do we do after the warranty runs out? We'll have perfectly fine machines that won't know what time it is or will be putting erroneous times in the data. If we can set the time on a digital watch with a couple of buttons, we should be able to do the same with something the size of these machines.

Don't follow in the (apparently) greedy footsteps of your competition (that also starts with "R"). What they're doing is only going to hurt them......in many ways.

Best wishes,

Den

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 10:39 pm

cchase,

Are you using MyEncore? Length of apneas and a whole lot of other stuff is available from it.

Den

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 1:39 am

Wulfman wrote:cchase,

Are you using MyEncore? Length of apneas and a whole lot of other stuff is available from it.

Den

yep, avg. apnea duration/length is shown on the very last page of a long term report entitled "REMSTAR Auto Statistics".

Gives:

AUTOCPAP Mean Pressure:
AUTOCPAP Peak Avg. Pressure:
Average Device Pressure <=90%:
Average Time in Apnea per day: (avg. duration of the apnea)
Average Time in Large Leak per day: