M Series data continues to fail me

[kwikwater]

I'm losing the battle with my machines. Getting harder to tell if it's the CPAP, the card reader or the software. They're all suspect!! I don't discount operator error along the way as well.

As you can see, I started this quest wondering why one gets only partial night data, usually after an interruption for the bathroom. As someone suggested I reformatted my card on the evening of Mar 3. Next morning I got NO DATA(3/3/10) not even blank data(2/10/10) or a red line part night(2/19&23/10)! I tried one more night and got a half night's data. I formatted again, checking if I'd made a bad choice during Format process. On the 6th, I got a full night's data, YEA, I thought maybe I was on my way. Now, this morning the 7th, I got NOTHING. No acknowledgment of the date even, let alone poor quantities of data.

It's getting frustrating. It's hard to review, let alone wonder if changes need adjustment!! Any and all suggestions are welcome!

Thanks
Kelvin

[BleepingBeauty]

Sorry to hear you're still experiencing this problem, Kelvin. Perhaps your card slot is defective and needs to be replaced.

You may have tried this already, but perhaps using a pencil eraser (gently) on the gold contact point on the card will help. Sorry I don't have any other ideas for you, but I hope others do...

[Guest]

Is your machine set for a split night study?

[kwikwater]

Split night study??? I don't see it in the clinicians setup or patient setup menus. Is my machine capable of such. M series (400) Firmware V.5.63.

I just reread posts on this and will runn the eraser on the contact area of the card. It was new Dec. 17. I hope that's not it, as I'll wear the thing out by cleaning it, soon! I'm also calling Respironics Monday. I'm not sure that warranty things can be addressed by the online store I got the machine from. I hope this doesn't take me back to the DME that does live here in town, but has proven repeatedly they are totally incompetent at a local level, plus two levels of supervisors and RT's....ARGH!!!

Thanks folk!!

[Hawthorne]

"Split night study" is there in the setup menu of an M Series Pro. It should be set to "off".

It's worth a try to check to see if it is off!

[kwikwater]

Well, I'm still fighting the contraption!!! I got no acknowledgment there was even a card in for 2 nights now. I called too early for the tech folks at my supplier this morning so will hear from them tomorrow.

1. I have no place that Split Session is an option. No display screen. No adjustment screen.

2. Can somebody tell me if there is an icon for the SmartCard, in the upper right corner of the screen?? Tells you the card is in. Seems like it used to have that. I thought there was, but now I wonder, as it's not there. I wonder if the card module died???!! It's only 3 months old, next week, but maybe??

Thanks. It's SO frustrating!!
Kelvin

[kwikwater]

And the saga is still alive!! At least this morning I can tell the whole card module hasn't died. It mustered up enough energy to record until the 2nd potty break at least. I have a tech calling from my online provider this morning. Maybe he can help. I'm so desparate I'm thinking of seeing who the new hired employee for this month is at my only local DME. They've been through 4 people since October when I last tried them!!!

Thanks for listening all!!!
Kelvin

[Snorkler]

I suggest you obtain a new SmartCard and initialize it. Try using that for a couple of days and see what happens. A couple of things that I always do to make sure I do not loose data:

To remove SmartCard from the apap, I always unplug power to my apap before I remove the SmartCard.

I always plug in my SmartCard reader, then start EncorePro (EP). Only when EP is running do I insert the SmartCard into the reader.

Once I have done performing the download, I exit from EP. Then I remove the SmartCard. Finally, I unplug the SmartCard reader.

With the power still off, I insert the SmartCard back into my apap. Then I plug the power back on to the apap.

I only do this process once per day, usually about an hour or so after turn off my apap and get out of bed.

Hope this helps.

Jeff

[Sleeprider]

None of that power on or off stuff is necessary. I pull the card, the machine beeps. I can put it in the card reader, with EncorePro running or not, and as long as the SQL is started, it will read the card. Do not pull the card when the green light is on for the card reader (usually when reading a report). As long as the red light is on, the card is not being read, and it can be pulled. Card can be inserted into machine on or off.

Are you getting any kind of error message like card not found?

[kwikwater]

No, it seems fine on the reading end of the equation. It's the writing that sucks!! If the data is on the card it should pick it up on the second day if it was a mechanical problem with the card reader. I pull it every morning. I've got an old card around here somewhere, but can't lay my hands on it. It only got read 3-4 times in it's life. It might be an improvement if it's in the card. Otherwise I have to order one and wait. I'm not real keen on using the only DME, since 4 of their employees including the RRT indicated my last machine was fine when it didn't even register my breathing, just blower ON.
KW