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I finally got my DME to upgrade me to a 420S. I got Silverlining software and the download cable and I thought I was all set. Then I realized the cable is a serial cable and I have a laptop that doesn't have a serial port. I bought a USB to serial adapter and installed the driver. Got everything connected and the software running.

The problem is I can't get the software to establish a connection to the CPAP machine. When I open the connection utility and click connect nothing happens. I tried every COM port and speed setting. The manual says that you need to have the USB to serial adapter on notebooks without a serial port but in parens is says "except Windows XP" but they don't explain. Anybody have experience with using this setup that might be able to help?

Thanks,

TWolf

Hi TWolf"

I had the exact same problem. A friend of mine who lives in the US (I'm sure this must come as a huge shock to you all) figured out the problem and got my Windows XP machine talking to my 420E in a flash.

I don't know what the fix was, but I'll look into it and see if I can get an answer for you. The setup is such that I always have to use the same USB port on my confuser. If I plug the Serial to USB cable into a different USB port on the confuser, it does not find the 420E.

I'm leaving town tomorrow morning and won't be back for awhile so I won't be able to look into this for some time. Hopefully somebody else will have an answer for you sooner. If not, I'll try to figure it out for you.

some of those serial-to-USB adapters are not true RS-232, meaning they may be able to download data from a discontinued PDA but not comply with RS-232 standards.

I found that out the hard way with a Belkin brand USB adapter. I picked up a I/O Concepts one from CompUSA and it works fine, I had to do some manual tweaking with the device driver settings but after that it was fine.

Right click, my Computer, Manage, then Device Manager (mmm...you would ask that when I'm currently on a Mac), find your Serial-to-USB adapter (device driver) and assign it a designated COMx: port, I would set it to what the software is looking for COM1 thru COM4, it may find others higher but make it easy for it. I would set it for 9600 baud, don't worry about handshaking, doesn't take it long to download even at that slow a speed.

If you have a built-in modem it may be using and mapped to existing COMx: ports. Bluetooth may be using one, etc. Grab the one you want to use for the adapter (I use COM1:) and let Bluetooth or other device using that port find another serial port assignment. Bluetooth can map to any serial port it wants, it just needs 2 for seperate input/output.

Some of these adapters seem to not have a true 8259 chip in them and rely on software to emulate it, doesn't work so hot in my opinion. I use one on my Sony Vaio S-260 laptop, it works great.

once you get the serial port assignment working, you click on the SL3 icon, it will open to a painted screen, select the center machine connection option, it will then display another screen with a picture of your machine and the time. if it sees your machine it should show 420e settings at the top, you click on that and it gives a drop down menu, if you click on PC Hour, it will set the machine to the PC's time. IF you want to change machine settings, you select the Settings option at top, select Download Compliance then select the tabs for the type of report you want (Detailed etc.). You can also click on a single day and it will give you a pop-up window of details for that day only.

Use the Help menu, it will give you a complete manual of the software in PDF format of which you can print out if you want, it tells you how to use all the software. You can also copy that PDF manual over to another directory and rename it if you want.

Thanks for the responses, I appreciate the help. Snoredog, I'm fine right up until I get to the part where I open Silverlining and click on the middle choice on the painted screen. All I get is the SL "connection" box. The one where you can set the ports (COM 1 thru and the speed. I tried selecting the radio button for the port that I know the device is set to and click connect but nothing happens. It just sits there.

TWolf

Hi Tiberius

If it were seeing the connection, that screen would go away. Don't have a solution for you, just know how mine works every morning (Windows 95, COM1 port, 9600 Baud, straight serial connection).

Good Luck,
Cathy

Snoredog wrote:some of those serial-to-USB adapters are not true RS-232, meaning they may be able to download data from a discontinued PDA but not comply with RS-232 standards.

I agree with Snoredog. Make sure your adapter is a *true* RS-232 adapter.

I just connect mine to my desktop, though (it does have an RS-232 port), so I can't help you with the rest.

BTW That Godawful translation of the manual sure doesn't make it any easier, does it?

Yeah, I'm afraid the problem may lie with the adapter and the RS-232 issue. I'm moving into a new house in two weeks so I may have to wait a while longer until the desktop computer is unpacked. Hopefully that'll solve the problem. Thanks everybody for the suggestions.

Cathy, I do believe you've been reading the thread about where we got our names.

Tilly, sorry I missed your comment about the manual. You could not be more correct. The technical support on their webpage isn't any better.

Thank!

TW

like I said, I have 3 of those adapters at $30 a pop for a reason, only found 1 that actually worked, that was the one from CompUSA in the I-Concepts or IO Concepts, hard to make out the name. It has blue transparent plastic cover with components inside. I think Targus makes one that works also.

Under Device Manager, mine says Prolific USB-to-Serial Port (COM1), if you select Properties, then Port Settings tab, you can select 9600, N, 8, 1, clicking the Advanced button, you can select and change the COMx: port assignment. and I have a Sony docking station for this one and the adapter is plugged into it, it had problems with the Infineer reader but not the USB Serial.

Hmmm...Snoredog that's interesting. That's exactly the one I have. Clear blue plastic and it says Prolific etc in the device list. The settings are all the same too. I got mine off the internet. But alas, no joy.

Thanks for your help.

TW

TWolf wrote:Hmmm...Snoredog that's interesting. That's exactly the one I have. Clear blue plastic and it says Prolific etc in the device list. The settings are all the same too. I got mine off the internet. But alas, no joy.

Thanks for your help.

TW

mmmm... you are not plugged into any kind of Hub or anything are you? is there any other devices also plugged in that same hub like a printer or mouse? Those things need a good 5VDC to drive them. If your PC's buss is weak on supply power it could be the adapter is not getting enough power.

What does XP's Event viewer say? are there any device driver errors? I know you have to install the driver and reboot before ever plugging in the adapter.

I would look for and try plugging it into USB bus0 or bus1 directly no-hub or if you are already there and have an available 2.0 Hub with external power supply I would try that to make sure where it gets plugged in there is plenty of power via the hub. I have used mine with a D-link USB 2.0 hub before and it worked fine. I'm currently using it without any hub. But I have never been able to get Respironics Infineer reader to work with a hub.

Snoredog, I just finished typing a rather long message but the power flickered just as I was posting it and I lost it. So, in a nutshell, no I'm plugged directly into my laptop and I'm running on AC with nothing else plugged in. Tried all four USB ports and uninstalling/reinstalling the drivers and adapter twice. Nada.

Thanks again,

TW