HOW TO: Disable Speaker on Philips Respironics System One

[jdm5]

I was really annoyed last night with my Philips Respironics System One unit...this is my first CPAP, and I've only had it a week. But I got up to go to the bathroom, turned it off, and BEEP. I got back in bed, turned it back on, and BEEP.

I hate it...why would a device designed to be in the bedroom BEEP at you for something as obvious as turning on and off?

I was so annoyed I got up early this morning and operated on it...I opened it up and disabled the transducer (speaker) by desoldering it from the circuit board. Just in case it was complicated I documented it and photographed the steps. I decided someone else might want to benefit from what I learned, so I put together a PDF of it. Link is at the bottom of the post (keep reading).

If anyone from Philips Respironics is reading this – please update your firmware/software so that the user has a “mute” option…no beeps! Or at least disable the beeps on startup/shutdown (leaving the mask alerts or anything else really necessary enabled). I will gladly volunteer to provide you a real CPAP user's input into future machine usability/interfaces...feel free to PM me.

Here are the disclaimers. Please read these. I'm not responsible if you break your very expensive machine!

NOTE 1: YOU ARE TAKING SOLE AND COMPLETE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR ACTIONS IN PERFORMING THIS PROCEDURE. WITHOUT A DOUBT YOU ARE VOIDING ANY WARRANTY EVER OFFERED BY ANYONE ON THIS MACHINE. THE PHILIPS RESPIRONICS SERIES ONE CPAP MACHINE IS A MEDICAL DEVICE, AND AN EXPENSIVE ONE AT THAT ($624 TODAY AT https://www.cpap.com)! BY FOLLOWING THESE PROCEDURES THERE IS A HIGH LIKELIHOOD OF YOU BREAKING/DISABLING OR OTHERWISE MESSING UP YOUR CPAP MACHINE…HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS MACHINE TO YOU? WHAT WILL IT COST YOU TO REPLACE IT IF YOU BREAK IT? AGAIN - $624 TODAY...ARE YOU PREPARED TO BE WITHOUT THIS MACHINE FOR SOME PERIOD OF TIME WHILE A REPLACEMENT GETS SHIPPED TO YOU? WHAT WOULD THE HEALTH IMPLICATIONS BE FOR YOU?
PLEASE CONSIDER THIS CAREFULLY BEFORE PROCEEDING – THE AUTHOR TAKES NO RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY IN THE EVENT YOU BREAK YOUR CPAP MACHINE! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

NOTE 2: IF YOU MESS THIS UP UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU ATTEMPT TO PUT IT ALL BACK TOGETHER AND RETURN IT TO YOUR SUPPLIER…IT’S NOT ETHICAL. OWN UP TO THE FACT THAT YOU BROKE IT AND BE PREPARED TO REPLACE IT.

NOTE 3: DISABLING THE SPEAKER OBVIOUSLY DISABLES EVERY BEEP THIS MACHINE MAKES. THAT MIGHT INCLUDE MASK WARNINGS , DIAGNOSTICS, OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT THIS MACHINE EVER BEEPED FOR. DON’T SAY I DIDN’T WARN YOU!!!

NOTE 4: READ NOTES 1-3 ABOVE AGAIN, TAKE A DEEP BREATH, AND RE-CONSIDER BEFORE PROCEEDING!!!


Restedgal was kind enough to host my document - it's available here: http://www.tnlc.com/Lara/laura/osa/PR-S ... y_jdm5.pdf

Feedback/updates/corrections are welcome. Complaints that you broke your machine are not.

[roster]

......
I hate it...

The beep wasn't designed for you. It was designed to let your bedroom partners know that you are turning the machine on and off.

[cinco777]

jdm5, thanks for sharing your "workaround" - your instructions and step-by-step photos (even with annotated arrows) are very comprehensive. Last time I saw something as Good were the easy-to-follow user-written ones I followed to upgrade my TIVO unit with much larger capacity HDDs.

However much I like the capabilities (3-level sleep detection algorithm for one) of the new Respironics PR1, I would never buy one without software available to patients/users. Since I use the SQL database created by EncorePro (which Respironics no longer sells to users), I will never own one.

[ozij]

You have to admit that adding an on off beep to a machine that you use for sleep is a revolutionary concept in sleep therapy.

Makes you wonder where the people with brains and imagination were when they planned and tested this machine...


O.

[jdm5]

jdm5, thanks for sharing your "workaround" - your instructions and step-by-step photos (even with annotated arrows) are very comprehensive. Last time I saw something as Good were the easy-to-follow user-written ones I followed to upgrade my TIVO unit with much larger capacity HDDs.

However much I like the capabilities (3-level sleep detection algorithm for one) of the new Respironics PR1, I would never buy one without software available to patients/users. Since I use the SQL database created by EncorePro (which Respironics no longer sells to users), I will never own one.

I'm an avid Tivo user...from the original series 1. I'm sure I followed the same documentation you're referring to and learned from them!

I do agree on the software availability...this was my first CPAP and I told the doctor I wanted to get one that had full capabilities. This is what he wrote up (and I didn't know any better). Based on the interest level I've seen here I'm sure Encore Pro 2.1 will be available at some point.

[GumbyCT]

Based on the interest level I've seen here I'm sure Encore Pro 2.1 will be available at some point.

[strikeout]WE[/strikeout] YOU can only hope.
Unfortunately, most docs don't know the difference. I am sure many think the latest and greatest is the best. But then they don't write that on the script.

No Software = NO SALE. No Sale = NO BEEPS

[rested gal]

You have to admit that adding an on off beep to a machine that you use for sleep is a revolutionary concept in sleep therapy.

Makes you wonder where the people with brains and imagination were when they planned and tested this machine...


O.

Well, when you regard DMEs as your real "customers" and you ask them what features they think a new machine should have...

[Autopapdude]

I was really annoyed last night with my Philips Respironics System One unit...this is my first CPAP, and I've only had it a week. But I got up to go to the bathroom, turned it off, and BEEP. I got back in bed, turned it back on, and BEEP.

I hate it...why would a device designed to be in the bedroom BEEP at you for something as obvious as turning on and off?

Makes no sense to me whatsoever. It is kind of like the "talking cars," reminding you that a door is open or your seatbelt is off. Electronic nagging!!

[Goofproof]

Congrats, you now have a machine that's mute, and can't warn you when it has a problem. Jim

[-SWS]

No Software = NO SALE. No Sale = NO BEEPS

True story: I put a complete stop on purchasing this machine.

The initial rumor was that software for this new APAP model was in the works. At that point I actually called Apria to order one---it's been at least seven years since my health insurance bought a CPAP machine for me, and I'm due for another.

All subsequent threads then revealed insider comments that there would be no end-user software after all. So I canceled the order.

[elg5cats]

Feedback/updates/corrections are welcome. Complaints that you broke your machine are not.

That was industrious....would think there would be an on/off option for the beeping beep!!!!!!! I enjoyed the tour through the machine interesting to see internal componets look like. Thanks for sharing.

elg5cats

[ozij]

OMG, I just remembered: They had blue lights on the previous version, and now they have beeps....

A very interesting tour, jdm5 -- and a wonderful description to accompany it!

O.

[blakepro]

As an alternative, you might consider attaching some dense foam to the "speaker" to muffle the sound and make it less loud..

OR, if you are feeling really saucy, you could wire in a physical toggle switch that allowed you to activate/deactivate the speaker whenever you wanted. You would probably need to bend the lead to the side instead of mounting it through the board and then just wire a switch in series between the lead and the board. You would probably need to use some hot glue gun or something to secure the speaker better since it would not have both leads to hold it in place any more...

I cant tell you how tempted I am to do this.. I really hate the beep as well. Why cant they give us the option to turn it off in the menu? its so flippin loud that it can really wake you up more and wake your partner as well.


The other option is to disable the automatic shut off and leave your machine just blowing air while you use the bathroom. This might be louder than the beep though.. Although, you could just leave the mask on your face, and do the quick disconnect thing, THEN just put a cap on the end of your cpap hose and it will be silent until you get back. Although the machine might think you are having an apnea episode while you are using the restroom...

[Guest]

man some of you guys need a LIFE! Gee whiz. Wow.

[tonytexas]

Jdm5,

I totally agree with you the beeps are sooooooo annoying, but I also find the loud clicking sound when you press the turning wheel to turn the machine on/off or to select the menu items. That loud click sounds plus the annoying beeps wake my wife up whenever I get up and go to the John in the middle of the nights.

The machine could be a great machine if the patient software is made available and the annoying beeps and clicks were eliminated. An option to have an on/off back light to the LCD screen would be nice too since i have to use a flashlight to read the LCD screen.