Advice on Software

[Jahbulon]

Thanks for your efforts I have not tried erasing the SmartCard, yet, and will need a URL. What does one do with a pencil? I have a second smart card on order.

[Pugsy]

Thanks for your efforts I have not tried erasing the SmartCard, yet, and will need a URL. What does one do with a pencil? I have a second smart card on order.

Just sent you a private message.

Pencil trick...take the regular rubber eraser end and gently rub it across the gold box on the smart card...it acts as a cleaning agent...gently rub and remove the tiny rubber bits. Old fashioned way of getting skin oils off a disc. Improving contacts hopefully. It's a stretch though...not holding a lot of faith in it resolving issues.

Encore Basic will also erase the card...top line in that choice of what to do after download but it doesn't reformat the card.

I don't know of anyway to check Smart card's sectors or files like we can with other media. PITA is what Smart cards are.
New machines use SD cards and so much easier to work with.

[waudio1]

Now I have another question. I have the 560. I'm having a bit of trouble with rainout in my mask. I haven't tried a hose cozy yet but I will. My unit is a bit lower than my head but the hose runs up over my headboard. Room temp is set at 72 degrees (we just turned the air conditioner on). I called me DME and they said that a heated hose option is not available for my unit and even if it was that insurance wouldn't cover it because is is a "comfort" item. Is this correct? Thanks so much.

[Pugsy]

I called me DME and they said that a heated hose option is not available for my unit and even if it was that insurance wouldn't cover it because is is a "comfort" item. Is this correct? Thanks so much.

Well...he maybe lied about one thing...it definitely is available if you have a 60 series machine of some sort. Model number is on a sticker on the bottom of the blower unit. A 3 digit number with last 2 digits being 60.
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/pr-hea ... e-kit.html

Now your equipment profile is showing a PR System One Auto CPAP machine model 550..that model doesn't have a heated hose option like the 60 series machine...so check your model number to make sure what you have. We can't do the upgrade kit on a 50 series machine. Wish we could but it won't work. I know because I have a 750 machine and would love to make it a heated hose 60 series but I can't. I do have a 660 model though and just recently added the upgrade kit to it. Simple to do.

I don't know about your insurance because I don't know which you have and what plan and all that.
When in doubt call the insurance company directly. Never take the word of a DME about insurance coverage. They don't know because all plans and companies have all sorts of differences.
Medicare covers heated hoses though.

So figure out if you have a 550 or 560 model first.
If you have a 550...there are options like a stand alone heated hose.
Like the Hybernite 2300 which can be found on EBay. Works great.

I will tell you this that even with a heated hose that we can have rain out in the nasal pillows (or any mask really) at the mask level that is from the moisture in our own exhaled breath. Routing the hose won't help at all and in fact if you route it up over your head...guess where that condensation will go because it sure can't run uphill.. You either snort it or get a cold spray out the vent holes.
If bedroom temp is cooler and thus causes the air in the nasal pillow to cool..and if there is enough moisture in the nasal pillow coming from the humidifier and our own exhaled breath...it will condense even with a heated hose...I have a heated hose and I still get rain out in the nasal pillow itself.
This is the best thing I ever found to help with nasal pillow condensation.
http://www.padacheek.com/PACSwiftII_Barrel_cozy.html
The barrel cozy. Helps insulate the nasal pillow to prevent the cooling of the air plus it is so darn comfy up against the nostrils. I used it year round just from the comfort aspect. Best money I ever spent for a comfort item.

[Jahbulon]

I apologise: the problem seems to be that I did not leave the Smart card in the Respironics machine, so it did not have any data. Previously I used a ResMed S8 which tells one to remove the card after 30 seconds or so.

Learn something new every day I suppose.

[XYZ123]

New user here.

I read this and a few other threads. I have the latest version of SleepyHead with the patch installed. The machine is System One RemStar Auto with A-Flex (560P).

Sleepy Head works on my computer but it is buggy. The labels on the graphs change their range, say from 0 to 2; to 0 to 10. The curves stay the same. The computed mean, min, max do not make sense sometimes (mean exceeding the max, for example).

I could not find a way to contact the developer directly, or indirectly (through forums). Any suggestions?

What are the other software options?

[SleepingBetty]

I was too tired yesterday after getting only a couple of hours of sleep due to pain to try to comprehend much of what I was doing. I'm not sure I'm much better today, even though I slept like a log for about 7 hours straight last night! But... I just got SleepyHead installed along with the patch. I'm pretty computer literate, but my brain just didn't want to work to figure out what I needed to do. But, it's done and Encore Basic is also installed, so I am ready to roll when I get my machine! Thanks for your help, Pugsy!

[XYZ123]

Thanks, Pugsy, your PMs were very helpful!

[Pekoepup]

Hi Pugsy or Anyone else that can help,

I have had my machine for almost 5 years and use it diligenty. I have Encore Viewer, version 1.0 that I purchased at the same time I received my M-Series Auto. The software worked fine with an old computer we had but not with our newer computers, running on Windows XP or 7.0. The old computer has died and I am wondering what I need to do at this point.

Can I buy a newer version of the software that will still work with my older machine? I had stopped monitoring my daily data but will soon be seeing my Sleep doc for the first time in almost 4 years. I would like to have a look at my charts before I go in for the appointment.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Pekoepup

[Pugsy]

I have had my machine for almost 5 years and use it diligenty. I have Encore Viewer, version 1.0 that I purchased at the same time I received my M-Series Auto. The software worked fine with an old computer we had but not with our newer computers, running on Windows XP or 7.0. The old computer has died and I am wondering what I need to do at this point.

Check your PM box. I forgot to tell you to read the Help section as it does a decent job of explaining how to use the software.
If/when you get maybe a new machine..if one of the PR S1 machines...what I sent you will also work with the PR S1 machines including the 60 series.

The DT3500 card reader stuff should be included with the install but if it won't work just go to the Mako website and get their updated driver software for the DT3500

[Pekoepup]

Thanks so much Pugsy. I will check out your PM.

I needed some replacement supplies and my doctor's RN called to say that he would not refill my script unless I came in for an appointment. It is kind of strange as he saw me a couple times after I started therapy and then at one year. He told me I did not need to come back and just to call for equipment needs. That was four years ago and I had not heard "boo" from him. Now, suddenly, he wants to verify the efficacy of my APAP and the quality of my sleep. I am not sure why he did not care about it for the last 4 years.

I was wondering if I would get a new machine at the 5 year mark but my old one is going strong and looks brand new still. Crazy but I just looked and it has 10,670 therapy hours on it now. I had an HMO when I was given this machine but now I have a PPO with UMR, which is not known for their generosity.

The appointment is in 2 weeks so it will be interesting to see what he has to say.

Thanks again.

[Pekoepup]

Hi Pugsy,

The software worked great and I am now looking at my data for the last year. I couldn't have done it without you and some help from my older son.

Thanks again, Pekoepup