Encore Pro Reader Program is (almost) Here!

[UmmYeah]

I inquired from cpap.com when they anticipated the Encore Pro software being available to the general public again and here was their response:

Greetings,

I am sorry, I do not have that information. However, Respironics will be releasing Encore Viewer. We should have that on our website within the nest two days.

Thank you for coming to us with your CPAP needs. If we can help further, please contact us by email at cpap@cpap.com or by calling us toll free at 800-356-5221, or on our direct line at 713-351-3414. We are here to help.

Regards,
Monica Padia
CPAP.com


In a message on Mon, 1 Oct 2007 12:24:21, you said...

> I am interested in getting the Respironics M Series Auto with A-Flex
but I
> would like to take a more active part in my treatment plan. I would
like to
> use the Encore Pro software that Respironics makes for the M Series
but I
> understand that only version 1.8 works with A-Flex and it is no
longer
> available. Do you know when it will be available to the public
again?
> Thanks.

Keep an eye on their site and keep those fingers crossed!

_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): respironics, cpap.com, Encore Pro, CPAP, auto

_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): respironics, cpap.com, Encore Pro, CPAP, auto

[aaronp]

I don't know when it started being available, maybe today, but I see the Encore Viewer software is available to order in the software section NOW.

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/respir ... e-1.0.html

I also notice that the user profile section of this forum no longer allows you to choose the Pro version of the software, and if you had that selected before in your profile, it is now blank or unselected.

[GreenIce]

The report screen shots looks like Encore Pro's report and it seems simpler to use. It also says "does not require installation of Microsoft SQL Database Server" which may also means can not be use with Encore Pro Analyzer.

[kteague]

Since with the release of this program to the end user there are no great secrets to protect, does this mean they will also make available a card reader so shoppers can get everything they need in one stop without utilizing outside vendors?

Kathy

[GreenIce]

Under Product specifications,

USB SmartCard reader (PN 1014352) or PCMCIA SmartCard reader (PN 1014353) to copy therapy data from the SmartCard to your computer.

I glad they did not bundle the reader together, Respirionic card read is expensive (listed on cpap.com, https://www.cpap.com/productpage/Respir ... r-USB.html $139.00).

[6PtStar]

Just looked at the specs on our hosts page. The only big thing that jumps out at me is that it does not have the ability to erase the card. Can some one write a utility to do this or am I going to have to take my card in to my DME every month to get it erased or maybe just buy a new card every month. The data gets pretty congested after much more than a month. Also if you change masks you can't start over

I am not sure I understood the chart at the bottom of the Daily Details page but the rest of the data looks about the same. I don't guess it will fix the 2 day vacation in the Da"M"n series machines since that seems to be in the machine software rather than the reader.

I will be waiting for a report from those who get it and see how it runs.

[GreenIce]

Just looked at the specs on our hosts page. The only big thing that jumps out at me is that it does not have the ability to erase the card.

Have you try erasing the card using smart card utility from http://www.mycpap.org/ ?

[kteague]

GreenIce - Hmmm, making separate purchases doesn't sound so bad after all.
Kathy

[6PtStar]

Have you try erasing the card using smart card utility from http://www.mycpap.org/ ?

No I have not thought of that. That might be a good option. Thanks

[geoDoug]

This shouldn't surprise anybody here. It's exactly what I thought it would be: a stripped-down version that's somewhere between extremely limited and completely useless, depending on how you look at it.

This is common practice in the software world. It's normal for the low end to equal to the more robust version with its arms and legs cut off. And make sure that the lower-end takes out features that would be REALLY helpful. (No matter what any company tells you, the reason for this is to suck you in and therefore buy the higher-end version. It's the software equivalent of "30-day money back guarantees" you see for everything.)

The cynic in me has two theories. Either:
a) this is Respironics throwing a bone to people who wanted the ability to read their data or
b) Respironics has plans to make a slightly more "feature-rich" version available to all for an even higher price. That will conveniently come out a year or so from now.

Doug.

[goose]

Ahhhhhh!!!! $140???? For a product that should be included in every box???

I appreciate the fact that Respironics has FINALLY provided a user level software so that we can monitor our treatment so kudos for that!!! But making it about a quarter the cost of the machine (more or less) is a bit much to swallow.
And you can't save your reports in a file??? What's with that???

I tend to think GeoDoug is right -- this is just a teaser for a more comprehensive version (and more expensive) a year from now......

For now, I'll just continue to use the EP 1.8i that I already have -- I can save reports to share with the doc without killing trees!!!!!

I have to say I'm a bit disappointed in what's reportedly there (according to the write up -- all this is based on that -- I haven't got (nor will I acquire) the new package).
I await reviews on this board from those that do purchase and try.

cheers
goose

[6PtStar]

Doug

I have a feeling that what you see is what you are going to get. They are trying to making the pro version so scarce that at least you will get most of the data you need to make decisions on your treatment. Looking at the sample pages I really did not see anything that I would be missing except for being able to erase the card and with mycpap.org I can live with that. I would have like to have seen it a bit cheaper but it is at least in the ball park of what we have been having to pay for Pro. I certainly think doing away with the SQL data base will be a good thing and make it much simpler to install and keep running. I do hope ther will be some way to store the data but will also have to wait for someones review. Just my opinion however. And oh yes it has got to be as good as Silverlining. You PB guys can quit telling us that you were the only ones that could get the program.

[Wulfman...]

Ahhhhhh!!!! $140???? For a product that should be included in every box???

I appreciate the fact that Respironics has FINALLY provided a user level software so that we can monitor our treatment so kudos for that!!! But making it about a quarter the cost of the machine (more or less) is a bit much to swallow.
And you can't save your reports in a file??? What's with that???

I tend to think GeoDoug is right -- this is just a teaser for a more comprehensive version (and more expensive) a year from now......

For now, I'll just continue to use the EP 1.8i that I already have -- I can save reports to share with the doc without killing trees!!!!!

I have to say I'm a bit disappointed in what's reportedly there (according to the write up -- all this is based on that -- I haven't got (nor will I acquire) the new package).
I await reviews on this board from those that do purchase and try.

cheers
goose

No argument there. Then, you have to buy a card reader, too.
I e-mailed CPAP.COM with some of my thoughts and questions, but I'll hold off with commenting on that for the time being.

I suppose you could save your printouts (or do screen prints and save them to files so as to save the forests) and then copy the numbers into some spreadsheets (like Goofproof has been doing all along).

It IS version 1.0. Who knows what revisions they'll come up with?

I was thinking about getting it to evaluate.....but that's a lot more money than I think I want to spend just to say that I have it.

Den

[geoDoug]

And you can't save your reports in a file??? What's with that???

That one leapt out at me also when reading this thread. In fact, it was what first made me think about intentions. Unless there is an easy "backup" feature available from the menu, it makes no sense whatsoever.

Also, somebody who has the software will have to confirm this for me, I have no intention of buying the reader: can it create several formats of the report? Will it have the flexibility of creating the report in both Word and PDF formats? If it will only read PDF files and doesn't come bundled with Acrobat reader, what's the point of installing a program specifically to read the software? Why make people go to Adobe's site to download the free reader?

Doug.

[Wulfman...]

And you can't save your reports in a file??? What's with that???

That one leapt out at me also when reading this thread. In fact, it was what first made me think about intentions. Unless there is an easy "backup" feature available from the menu, it makes no sense whatsoever.

Also, somebody who has the software will have to confirm this for me, I have no intention of buying the reader: can it create several formats of the report? Will it have the flexibility of creating the report in both Word and PDF formats? If it will only read PDF files and doesn't come bundled with Acrobat reader, what's the point of installing a program specifically to read the software? Why make people go to Adobe's site to download the free reader?

Doug.

That's an existing function in Encore Pro.....being able to save the reports in .pdf files. I forgot about that function when I wrote my last post. Apparently, if they kept that, it wouldn't be too bad. The thing I've been wondering about is how long it will analyze "Long Term Trends" if there is no data base on the computer and the card will only hold about 7 nights of "detailed" data.

Den