Can't read my data Encore ????

[moombeam]

My Encore Viewer says Available usage data ranges from 9/10/2008
to 5/10/2009
I can't get today's date. So does the smartcard need to be erased
or what. I am at a loss has how to proceed. I certainly don,t need software
I hope.

Moonbeam

[6PtStar]

Moonbeam, try reloading your card again. If you still can't get todays data you may have found the famous "M" Series lost data problem. Because of a glitch in the firmware (machine programing) "M" Series machines take a vacation for a day (sometimes 2 days in a row) that will show no data then thy will go back to working as if nothing happened. Respirionics is aware of it but does not feel it is not important enough to fix. Docs and DME's who only read the card every month or so don't care enough to complain to Respirionics.

I have been erasing my card every Saturday and have not lost a day in almost a year and a half. I won't promice this is a work around for the problem but it seems to be working for me.

Jerry

[moombeam]

Moonbeam, try reloading your card again. If you still can't get todays data you may have found the famous "M" Series lost data problem. Because of a glitch in the firmware (machine programing) "M" Series machines take a vacation for a day (sometimes 2 days in a row) that will show no data then thy will go back to working as if nothing happened. Respirionics is aware of it but does not feel it is not important enough to fix. Docs and DME's who only read the card every month or so don't care enough to complain to Respirionics.

I have been erasing my card every Saturday and have not lost a day in almost a year and a half. I won't promice this is a work around for the problem but it seems to be working for me.

Jerry

Thanks Jerry
I don't know how to erase the card. Your input would be very helpful.

[howkim]

The data for last night will be under yesterday's date. The data for the coming night will be under today's date.

[atomickitty3000]

I am having the exact same problem So frustrating that Respirionics doesn't think this is important enough to fix

Can someone post instructions on how to erase the data from your Smart Card please I think I'll try that and see if that helps me.

[Pugsy]

Can someone post instructions on how to erase the data from your Smart Card please

You must use a utility program to erase (reformat) the data on the Smart card. I have Vista and I never could get the utility program to load. Utility tool date shown is pre Vista so maybe simply doesn't work on Vista, I don't know.
Anyway, the utility tool is found here called Smart card toolkit.

http://www.mycpap.org/

[Hawthorne]

I use this utility to format (erase) my smart card weekly to avoid the missing data problem. I have not had any problems with this utility and am running Windows Vista 32 bit.

I understand that a lot of problems arise when trying to use some of the programs on Windows Vista 64 bit.

[Pugsy]

Hawthorne,
I am using Vista (32 bit). I get the tool downloaded and installed but when I attempt to open it, I get a brief "flash" of some sort of box and then nothing. I even tried changing it to XP compatibility mode. Same result.
I have tried multiple installs with same result. I simply gave up.
Unless there is some great advantage to use of this tool other than reformat the data card then I won't be putting a lot of time in getting it to work. It is not that important for me to reformat the card.
Brenda

[Hawthorne]

I don't know why I'm not having trouble with the utility and you are! I just not that computer literate to know. I don't know of any other use for the utility!

If the utility every stops working for me, I'll just live with the missing data days.

If Respironics can't or doesn't fix it and the utility quits, that's how it will be for me.

[Pugsy]

If the utility every stops working for me, I'll just live with the missing data days.

I have had only one episode of missing data and that was in the middle of the night for a couple of hours. No big deal.
I am not looking at each night's data under a microscope anyway.

[JoyD.]

Moonbeam,

Are you on Medicare? If so, you don't want to erase your card because it is necessary to provide compliance documentation. Medicare needs that proof that you are using your machine as they require in order to continue paying.

Just wanted to check, before you erased anything.

[DoriC]

Hmm, I've been erasing hubby's card every week or else it loses 2 days of data which bothers me. Respironics told me in Nov that "they're working on it". Doesn't the machine record blower hrs? Also, our prescribing Dr(our Internist) has copies of Encore reports on file which I bring for his 3month followup visits for other problems. I also have the downloads on my computer since April which I will not delete now until our 13months are over in Sept or Oct. We also receive new masks every 3months. Is this good enough? Our DME did download our card once during the first or second month but neither they or Medicare has asked for anything else. Thanks.