I have to choose

Hello to all on the forum

I have to choose between two machines I have trialled. The first was the remstar m a - flex which i see a few people on this board have. The other choice is the Phillips respironics system a flex (supposedly newer and more wizzbang) To be honest the only difference I did note was that the remstar m had a more adjustable humidifier where as the newer respironics has 5 choices only one of which works for me. Is one system more reliable / better warranty?

I also note that the remstar m which i first used has settings that can be easily altered by some codes i have seen printed on this forum can the newer Phillips respironic settings also be changed easily. (this is important to me)

Suggestions? Ideas? recommendations?

Just for clarification it is the Phillips Remstar PR1 Automatic that I am trialling now - just realised there are from the same company

So any problems with the old or new machines? It is such a lot of money (and my health!) that making the right choice is important

Thanks in advance for any help or opinions

No available software for the Phillips Remstar PR1, That would make it a deal breaker for my use. Jim

There's a great big rumbl'n underground...
child asks, "momma, what is that?"
"That's just Staggerlee down in hell,
with his John B. Stetson hat."

Well, Stag says to the devil,
"Devil, let's us have some fun...
you stab me with your pitch fork,
I'll shoot you with my gun!"

Now, Staggerlee tells the devil,
"...put your pitch fork on the shelf,
I'm that BAaaad man they call Staggerlee,
I'm gon'a rule hell by myself!"

---a perspective.

StaggerLee wrote:Hello to all on the forum

I have to choose between two machines I have trialled. The first was the remstar m a - flex which i see a few people on this board have. The other choice is the Phillips respironics system a flex (supposedly newer and more wizzbang) To be honest the only difference I did note was that the remstar m had a more adjustable humidifier where as the newer respironics has 5 choices only one of which works for me. Is one system more reliable / better warranty?

I also note that the remstar m which i first used has settings that can be easily altered by some codes i have seen printed on this forum can the newer Phillips respironic settings also be changed easily. (this is important to me)

Suggestions? Ideas? recommendations?

Read this thread about the software for the PR1: viewtopic/t47395/Update-re-software-for ... hines.html .

StaggerLee wrote:It is such a lot of money

Are you aware that machines can sometimes be purchased from internet DMEs for less than the insurance deductible at brick-and-mortar DMEs?

Assuming you are new to CPAP, I would not start with a machine that does not have patient software. Patients are more likely to be successful and continue with CPAP if they have the software at the beginning (and all the way through).

Hi, Staggerlee, and welcome to the forum.

The PR1 is the newer Respironics line of machines, which are replacing the M-Series machines. People on the forum who have the PR1 are reporting good therapy results with it; the only downside is the software is not available yet. (PR is saying that patient software will be made available in the next six months or so.)

The M-Series is a good machine, but it's no longer being manufactured; so take that into consideration re: potential needed repairs or warranty issues.

It sounds like you're purchasing out-of-pocket. If that's the case, do check out our forum sponsor's prices, as you'll save lots of $$$ online vs. buying from a local DME. And cpap.com will price-match, so you can't go wrong.

Best of luck with your decision.

BleepingBeauty wrote: It sounds like you're purchasing out-of-pocket. If that's the case,

If that it is the case, then you need to seriously look at the ResMed machine.

Thanks for all the feedback so far, it really seems like this forum is a nice community

My clinic has the software reader and to be honest i don't yet understand all the jingo when they do a print out, However I do like to play with the settings of the PR1 till I get what I feel is right. Is there a way to unlock the settings without going back to the clinic every 2 days ... The staff there tell me I am naughty and won't tell me

rooster wrote:

BleepingBeauty wrote: It sounds like you're purchasing out-of-pocket. If that's the case,

If that it is the case, then you need to seriously look at the ResMed machine.

Rooster, are you saying that because with Resmeds you can get enough data from the LCD without the cost of having to purchase software? Any other reasons?

StaggerLee wrote:
My clinic has the software reader and to be honest i don't yet understand all the jingo when they do a print out, However I do like to play with the settings of the PR1 till I get what I feel is right.

I say get a machine with a card reader and software and learn how to do it the right way - members here will help.

Changing the settings without hard data is just guessing.

DoriC wrote:

rooster wrote:

BleepingBeauty wrote: It sounds like you're purchasing out-of-pocket. If that's the case,

If that it is the case, then you need to seriously look at the ResMed machine.

Rooster, are you saying that because with Resmeds you can get enough data from the LCD without the cost of having to purchase software? Any other reasons?

From what I read here, the ResMed seems to be a better machine than Respironics. I would insist on the software.

But ResMed does need to get their act together and make the software available from U.S. outlets.

StaggerLee wrote:The staff there tell me I am naughty and won't tell me

Now, Staggerlee tells the DME,
"...put your BS on the shelf,
I'm that BAaaad man they call Staggerlee,
I'm gon'a set this machine...myself!"

rooster wrote:...Changing the settings without hard data is just guessing.

I'm with Rooster on this. I went for 27 months with no data -- not good!!! I will always wonder how much faster my recovery could have been if I'd had data in order to tweak therapy...sure wodda prevented my backsliding into near full-blown apnea symptoms last Spring & Summer..the data would have shown my increased leak and likely increased AHIs. Even without software, my ResMed displays leak, pressure, event numbers, and hrs of use every single morning so I can log the data and watch for trends. Tweaking pressure shows the effect it has on my numbers...very important far as I'm concerned. Feeling better is one guage but with apnea, suble changes can produce significant changes in overnight numbers...it may take awhile for increased events to show up in how one feels.

StaggerLee does that mean they will be downloading all your data or were they offering the software and card reader to you for your own computer? I looked over all the posts in here even my own. We have all said no way, no PR1 for me unless I can get a copy of that software, but we all have a machine already and many have more than one machine.
My suggestion to you would be to read through some of the comments people have about both machines. Yes the PR is a new machine that is supposedly better that the old machine. Reports are that the new machine is great but no software is available, but it is a new machine has only been out a short time. The old machine had some problems and we complained about each problem.
You said your not familiar with this and don't know how to read the data anyway. Well, their are plenty of people here who can help you with that and help you understand what all those numbers mean.

Your decision at this point. Get the M series which is not made any longer and be able to download and read your data or buy a new PR machine wnd not be able to download and read the data. However you can if you are so inclined, write the numbers down daily off the screen, but that only gives you part of the data.

I am sure I will take flack for this but if it were me, I would go with the new PR series and wait for the software. The only reason I am waiting for teh software before buying a machine is because I already have one that works.

Gerry

Gerryk wrote: I am sure I will take flack for this but if it were me, I would go with the new PR series and wait for the software.

Why not buy the ResMed and order the software from Australia?