Please set me straight -- CPAP Smart Card or SD Card ?

[carbonman]

Indy - which model do you have?

I just received my new Respironics CPAP machine.

btw - they ALL look the same.

I'm GumbyCT, damn'it, do I need to repeat the "fried brain" post??



....ah....we're standing by....Houston.

[indy-farmer]

Indy - which model do you have?

On the top of the unit in black letters it reads: REMstar Auto A-Flex. On the bottom of this unit in white letters it reads: REMstar Auto 550P.

Some replies on this forum really have me pegged as an engineer: I bought the S/W to simply address my curiosity, and not for something frivolous like my health. All of the kind and thoughtful responses here has caused me to revisit this thinking, though, but I'm not sure what to do about it. Of course, that's not for lack of suggestions offerred to me here. Ulimately, I'll want to take my own data just as all of you have suggested.

I visit the doctor for a follow up in about a month. I'll also see what he advises. Currently, my machine is a rental, but I'll have to buy "something" in a month. I certainly now have another important factor to consider.

Best,

indy-farmer

[Pugsy]

On the top of the unit in black letters it reads: REMstar Auto A-Flex

Software for this model is Encore Viewer or Encore Pro. With either software package you will need the card reader. In the back of the machine should be the smart card. It is about the size of a credit card.
So all you need is the card reader. Mako Infineer 3500

I have the Remstar Auto A Flex and I have both software packages. Don't know what you bought but with either you only need the card reader. Encore Pro is no longer sold on regular supply chains but Encore Viewer is readily available.

Mac users run into problems as the software is designed for Windows.

[carbonman]

On the top of the unit in black letters it reads: REMstar Auto A-Flex. On the bottom of this unit in white letters it reads: REMstar Auto 550P.indy-farmer

indy, you do have the newest machine.



One patient at a time.....
no available s/w....oh well......must be the way it is.

I'll just have to go back to the DME, doc or sleep lab to see my data.

$$$$CHA CHING$$$$$

Communique from the rebel base:

The probe droids are among us and are providing excellent intell to the DeathStar.

Better wake up....de lure of de machine will be the end of data sovereignty.

[indy-farmer]

Software for this model is Encore Viewer or Encore Pro. With either software package you will need the card reader. In the back of the machine should be the smart card. It is about the size of a credit card.
So all you need is the card reader. Mako Infineer 3500 .

Advice of this sort read on other forums was why I had confidence that I was buying the right stuff. I mean no offense of any sort, but I'm just trying to illustrate a point. It's my current understanding that the ONLY S/W that will work for me is Encore Pro S/W vr 2.0, currently only available at great expense to doctors or sleep therapists.

Indy, you do have the newest machine.

If by that you mean the one that takes an SD card rather than a smart card, I guess so. My uninformed newbie status makes it difficult for me to be certain beyond citing the aforementioned model number and the fact that it takes an SD card.

.....$$$$CHA CHING$$$$$........

Point taken!
Thanks,
indy-farmer

[carbonman]

My uninformed newbie status makes it difficult for me to be certain beyond citing the aforementioned model number and the fact that it takes an SD card.
Thanks,
indy-farmer

indy, this is the MO for the sleep industry.
Prey on the fried brain, uneducated newbies.

I know.
Be there.
Done that.
Have the Tshirt.

Continue to read and get educated.
Knowledge is power.

[Pugsy]

Remstar Auto M series with AFlex
this machine below will work with the available software that I mentioned.
https://www.cpap.com/cpap-machine/remst ... -flex.html

You mentioned Auto AFlex that is why I said what I did. It is the machine that I have and the software that I mentioned does work. The M series.

If you have the VERY latest Respironics machine, then no, there is no software available yet for the public and it does use a SD card instead of a smart card.
The name of the newest Respironics models are PR Systems
https://www.cpap.com/cpap-machine/respi ... -flex.html

Sorry, my bad but people often don't get the name right and things get confusing. You got me confused also. Easily done lately since I have been having some bad nights and days lately. My apologies for misinformation. It was not intentional. I thought you had the M series Auto with AFlex.

Encore 2.1 is available but not to the public. Encore 2.1 will work with the new PR series machines.

You can either try to get a machine (M series models) that your software will work with or wait and hope that you can lay your hands on Encore 2.1. All depends on which is more important to you. Data now or maybe later with the "latest" machine which some people always want the "latest".

[GumbyCT]

do I need to repeat the "fried brain" post??



....ah....we're standing by....Houston.

fwiw - this is what CM was talking about -
SB, it pains me so much as I see the same act
for the cpap play, acted out, over and over.
My friend at work, who started cpap about a month
after I did, continues to have problems and is
not feeling any better. I have tried to impress
on him how important it is to get educated and
become your own best therapist......

The rest is here -
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=41514&p=364639&hili ... in#p364639

Good Luck

[indy-farmer]

Data now or maybe later with the "latest" machine which some people always want the "latest".

As an engineer, I'm torn....I'd love to see the data now, but engineers always like the latest gadgets. I've been told by Respironics that we should see S/W available for the patient in the 1st quarter of 2010.....perhaps in January. I'm not holding my breath. I'm just now getting used to this gadget...it seems somewhat adaptable and responsive to me. I like that, and I'm not sure what I'd lose with an earlier model. I know I'm taking a chance of getting hosed.

Best,
Indy-farmer

[Pugsy]

As an engineer, I'm torn....I'd love to see the data now, but engineers always like the latest gadgets. I've been told by Respironics that we should see S/W available for the patient in the 1st quarter of 2010.....perhaps in January.

I hear you and I know how you feel. I also have been looking at the new PR machine and drooling a bit. I have the M series Auto AFlex and I do have the software. It would drive me nuts not to see what was going on even though now I pretty much know what I will see before I plug in the card.

Here's a thought. If money permits get the M series Auto with AFlex and the software and have it for a backup machine. Use it every now and then to get some data. Or another thought, if the DME has Encore 2.1 ask them to print off copies of the report for you. The new software is available to DMEs. I would imagine that Respironics will eventually offer a Patient version of the software. Heck, it is a fine opportunity to make a ton of money by selling it. I can't see them passing up a chance to charge an arm and a leg for the software.

[Hawthorne]

Indy-farmer - I'm glad you talked to Respironcs (or maybe it was your DME who told you) and discovered that the patient software for the PR System 1 may well be available in early 2010. That's a little more definite than whe have heard so far.

I guess we will have to wait and see if this actually happens. It does sound promising. Maybe Respironics had heard all the complaining about no patient software!!!

[indy-farmer]

Here's a thought. If money permits get the M series Auto with AFlex and the software and have it for a backup machine. Use it every now and then to get some data. Or another thought, if the DME has Encore 2.1 ask them to print off copies of the report for you.

You and I are certainly thinking alike. I have no problem in asking (Nay! Demanding!) copies of my Encore 2.1 report. I hear you about a backup machine. If I were to do a backup machine, that's exactly the road I'd take. Is it so true that a backup machine is needed? How often do they go bad?

Indy-farmer - I'm glad you talked to Respironcs (or maybe it was your DME who told you) and discovered that the patient software for the PR System 1 may well be available in early 2010. That's a little more definite than whe have heard so far.

It's true that Respironics has their 800 number well hidden. I got connected to a "patient advocate" of all things. This person was 100% certain that they are working on the enduser S/W for the purpose of "compliance", whatever that means, but "company policy" does not permit providing release dates for this S/W. Hmmm. She gave me an impression that they know they are at a competitive disadvantage without this user support.

Regards,
indy-farmer

[Hawthorne]

Thanks indy-farmer but I HOPE they mean end user (patient) software for MORE than "compliance".

"Compliance" will ONLY tell us how many hours a night we use it! We don't need software for that!

Encore Pro and Encore Viewer software give us compliance but ALSO how many events (apneas, hypopneas, snores and flow limitations) we have during the night and when they happened. These softwares also give a good leak chart to really see what is happening there.

That's what I want in software for the PR System 1. Anything less is a waste of money!

[indy-farmer]

Thanks indy-farmer but I HOPE they mean end user (patient) software for MORE than "compliance". "Compliance" will ONLY tell us how many hours a night we use it! We don't need software for that!

I agree with you. But, I'm an optimist: It doesn't take this long to write crippled S/W that does only one thing. Also, they'll want an excuse to charge more than 100 bucks. I figure "hello world" is only worth $3.50.

--Indy-farmer

[1putt]

A big Hi from Australia to all on the forum. I am a newbie to xPAP but an oldie to technology.

I am currently at the mercy of my highly paid specialist sleep team (DME / Dr). I am currently using a dumb, low-end fixed CPAP machine.

I'm looking to purchase a new APAP machine and would like to be able to capture and record detailed data from the machine, as a technical user.

My current view is to go with the M series Auto A-Flex since the PR System one software (Encore Pro 2.1+) is not 1) economic and 2) readily available to end-user plebes

Assumptions about the M series:
It has a smart-card (not a standard SD card) that requires a special (read expensive, one-off) USB card reader.
The smart card holds only a small amount of detailed data and is overwritten if not downloaded.
There are 2 software products, Encore Viewer and Encore Pro.
Encore Viewer does not allow the saving of data (although one forum user has provided a tantalising look at the XML data; I wonder if a data capture program is being written by the same user
Encore Pro is expensive.

Now to the questions:
Can any of the knowledgeable forum users confirm or refute the assumptions above?
Will a generic smart-card reader work with the M Series card and software / drivers? If so which models have been tested?
Is Encore Pro available to mere affected users or only specialists?
Is Encore Pro available at a reasonable price than what I'm told (around $600).

If I get the machine I plan on tinkering with the data capture side of the device and providing feedback to the forum.

Thanks in advance for your input and here's to successful input into our own therapy.

1putt