Encore pro vs. Encore whats the diff

[coonface]

what the difference and why is encore pro nowhere to be found, is one better then the other or just older

[mindy]

Hi,

EncorePro was the version Respironics sold supposedly just to DME's and sleep docs/clinics. There were several ways to get it but it wasn't easy. Our hosts at cpap.com apparently worked with Respironics (and passed along to them our collective frustrations) and they finally came out with EncoreViewer which is intended for patients.

The main differences:

1. EP could handle multiple patients, machine pressures could be set by the machine software and the software could also be used to erase the Smartcard.

2. EV cannot be used to set pressures and cannot erase the Smartcard. In addition, it doesn't use the SQL Server database that EP does. But .... drumroll.... it can be purchased by patients, legally.

Some of us still have the older EP software so you'll hear us refer to that.

Note that this software is for the Respironics machines only. Resmed machines have their own software and, if I remember correctly, that software is difficult to get also. Puritan Bennett and some others do sell their software directly to patients.

Hope that helps!

Mindy

[Gerald]

Coon...........

Your profile shows that your machine is an "M" series with AFLEX. If that's correct, then the version of Encore Pro that works with that machine is 1.8.49 or above.

The biggest benefit of Encore Pro 1.8 is that James Skinner's "Analyzer" software can be used with it. The work James has done is first rate.....and using it has helped many of us a lot. One particular chart that he makes available in "Analyzer" helped me find my sweet spot....the range of pressure settings (high and low) that give me the best therapy at the best comfort level.

"Viewer" is a "castrated" version of Encore Pro......made to be relatively impotent because of enraged DME's who want the "patients" to be "bovinely compliant". "Analyzer" will not work with "Viewer".

EP version 1.8 is available....from the "underground".....that group of mavericks who tinker with their equipment.....and who work hard to competently manage their own treatment. "Bovinely compliant" they aren't.

For "good little boys and girls" Santa sometimes makes special, post-season visits.

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[rested gal]

If a person does not want to use a supplemental program like Encore Pro Analyzer, then EncoreViewer gives the same detailed data that Encore Pro gives. I always used just Encore Pro. Encore Viewer gives me the same graphs and charts that Encore Pro does.

Many do like to use James's good Encore Pro Analyzer program in addition to Encore Pro. I understand their dislike of EncoreViewer since EPA can't be used with EncoreViewer. Since I never had a need for anything other than Encore Pro, EncoreViewer is ok with me. I get all the data I want to see -- presented the same way in either Encore Pro or EncoreViewer.

The only thing I personally like better about Encore Pro is that one can easily save a downloaded report as a PDF by simply clicking "Export PDF". I have to go through several steps using a free PDF program (PrimoPDF) to do the same kind of saving to PDF with EncoreViewer. Of course, EncoreViewer (like Encore Pro) saves the report on its own, but I've always liked to also save each report to a separate folder in my computer. That was easy to do with Encore Pro. It involves more steps and a separate print-to-PDF program to do that with EncoreViewer.

As for the feature that's in Encore Pro (and not in EncoreViewer) that allows a person to change their machine's pressure settings via the software....I don't miss that at all. I hardly ever used the software to tweak my pressure settings, anyway. It's quite easy to change every setting, including pressure, via the "setup" menu on the machine itself once you know how to access the machine's therapy menu. That info is easily found right on this message board.