Am I an idiot? Naive? re: Resmed software

Hya! Just slept my first night on CPAP, woohoo! I see good things in my future.

My surprise beef: My choice(s) of machine was highly dependent on the feature of full data availability. I've read time and time again how extremely helpful this is in tracking usage, problems, etc. etc. I was excited looking at others' screen shots and couldn't wait to see mine and learn how to interpret.

Well... just realized that the software is NOT included. Silly me, just made the assumption. Usually when you buy a piece of (xpap unrelated) equipment that can be used with/viewed on the computer, the company includes the flippen software. At $1400, I would have expected it to be in there. Never read anything to the contrary in the forum threads that I have browsed. The idea of it being excluded never even crossed my mind. Now that I've done further snooping, I see it could be bought for a fairly significant amount more on top of the machine, but mostly read that it is not legally available for patients. Arrrrgghh!

I'm an information junkie, am absolutely all about being pro-active for my health and was looking so forward to accessing my data and learning more about my results. Even if I did not have access to tweak settings on my own, I would have loved to see my progress or learn promptly about any potential adjustments I need to make.

Disappointed about this discovery. As a newbie, was it ridiculous to have assumed?

GumbyCT wrote:

6PtStar wrote:Why would they provide the software?

Because w/o the software and reader the therapy is INcomplete.

"I Have a DREAM - that one day ALL cpap manufacturers will supply software with the machine and a special card reader will no longer be necessary - I have Dream". Gumby

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=53902&p=501624&hili ... am#p501624

Sandra wrote:Hya! Just slept my first night on CPAP, woohoo! I see good things in my future.

My surprise beef: My choice(s) of machine was highly dependent on the feature of full data availability
Well... just realized that the software is NOT included. Silly me, just made the assumption. Usually when you buy a piece of (xpap unrelated) equipment that can be used with/viewed on the computer, the company includes the flippen software. At $1400, I would have expected it to be in there.

an information junkie, am absolutely all about being pro-active for my health and was looking so forward to accessing my data and learning more about my results. Even if I did not have access to tweak settings on my own, I would have loved to see my progress or learn promptly about any potential adjustments I need to make.

Disappointed about this discovery. As a newbie, was it ridiculous to have assumed?

Yep I felt the same way - my camera came with software, my printer too but not the piece of equipment most important to my health! And I paid a lot more then you!

Might be time to PM Uncle_Bob. He often has good advice about such things.

No, you are not an idiot. No, you are not naive. Some machines from some companies DO come with software: https://www.cpap.com/productpage/evo-co ... chine.html

Some find (with the particular brand of machine you have listed) that the info from the screen is enough for them if their AHI is low and their leak is low from the get-go. Others need software to troubleshoot their therapy.

I am also a newb....22 nights on therapy so far.

I also wanted more information than weekly or monthly averages so ordered the software and reader from this site. CPCP.com...no prescription required. Was $109 including shipping which was the best price I could find.

Major disappointment was the discovery that the software will not work on a 64 bit, Windows 7 system. That fact is well discussed in earlier posts on this forum but is not well advertised in the sales literature .....at least I didn't notice it.

I am traveling with a new Windows 7 laptop so will have to wait until I get home to try and load the package on an older Windows XP machine.

Just a heads up for you.

Sandra --

Place a post on this thread. Uncle Bob should respond.

Also, to be clear, while you need a prescription on file with cpapauction.com to purchase a mask, you don't need a separate prescription. A prescription for a machine is also valid for any associated item like masks.

The DMEs really don't like us having software and looking at our own data. But Philips Respironics DOES provide a patient software (Encor Viewer 2.0) just for patients. It does not come with the machine however but is readily available to buy - legally - on cpap.com and othe online suppliers. It gives quite good data too.

Sandra wrote:Hya! Just slept my first night on CPAP, woohoo! I see good things in my future.

My surprise beef: My choice(s) of machine was highly dependent on the feature of full data availability. I've read time and time again how extremely helpful this is in tracking usage, problems, etc. etc. I was excited looking at others' screen shots and couldn't wait to see mine and learn how to interpret.

Well... just realized that the software is NOT included. Silly me, just made the assumption. Usually when you buy a piece of (xpap unrelated) equipment that can be used with/viewed on the computer, the company includes the flippen software. At $1400, I would have expected it to be in there. Never read anything to the contrary in the forum threads that I have browsed. The idea of it being excluded never even crossed my mind. Now that I've done further snooping, I see it could be bought for a fairly significant amount more on top of the machine, but mostly read that it is not legally available for patients. Arrrrgghh!

I'm an information junkie, am absolutely all about being pro-active for my health and was looking so forward to accessing my data and learning more about my results. Even if I did not have access to tweak settings on my own, I would have loved to see my progress or learn promptly about any potential adjustments I need to make.

Disappointed about this discovery. As a newbie, was it ridiculous to have assumed?

What machine do you have? Please fill out your profile so we can see your gear!

crrroger2 wrote:Major disappointment was the discovery that the software will not work on a 64 bit, Windows 7 system.

If you are referring to the software for a Resmed S8 or S9, ResScan 3.10/3.11, you are incorrect. It runs fine with Win 7 x64 on both desktop and laptop system configurations, as has been well documented here.

Cheers,

Bill

n

Sandra wrote:As a newbie, was it ridiculous to have assumed?

xPAP machines are regulated therapeutic devices (aka medical equipment) in most countries. In the case of the USA, the regulator concerned is the FDA.

It is definitely a mistake to assume xPAP kit is generally like mass market consumer electronic devices. Perhaps we'll get there one day but I suspect not any time soon.

Cheers,

Bill

I guess I compare this situation to computer manufacturers who sometimes sell computers with no operating system or basic software.

A friend who is--let's say "technically challenged" got a grant to buy computers for her religious school. So she spent all the money on hardware, THEN found out that none of the computers had basic software like word processing. Oops!

In both cases it stinks.

Ooops, that it does janknitz!

Thanks for all the responses. Looks like I have it sorted out.

Sandra wrote:Hya! Just slept my first night on CPAP, woohoo! I see good things in my future.

My surprise beef: My choice(s) of machine was highly dependent on the feature of full data availability. I've read time and time again how extremely helpful this is in tracking usage, problems, etc. etc. I was excited looking at others' screen shots and couldn't wait to see mine and learn how to interpret.

Well... just realized that the software is NOT included. Silly me, just made the assumption. Usually when you buy a piece of (xpap unrelated) equipment that can be used with/viewed on the computer, the company includes the flippen software. At $1400, I would have expected it to be in there. Never read anything to the contrary in the forum threads that I have browsed. The idea of it being excluded never even crossed my mind. Now that I've done further snooping, I see it could be bought for a fairly significant amount more on top of the machine, but mostly read that it is not legally available for patients. Arrrrgghh!

I'm an information junkie, am absolutely all about being pro-active for my health and was looking so forward to accessing my data and learning more about my results. Even if I did not have access to tweak settings on my own, I would have loved to see my progress or learn promptly about any potential adjustments I need to make.

Disappointed about this discovery. As a newbie, was it ridiculous to have assumed?

Another "problem" with including the software is that there are (and have been) a multitude of computer operating systems (and it's gotten worse in the last few years). It would be a monumental task to write something that would work for all of them......and work with future operating systems.


Den

Wulfman wrote: Another "problem" with including the software is that there are (and have been) a multitude of computer operating systems (and it's gotten worse in the last few years). It would be a monumental task to write something that would work for all of them......and work with future operating systems.


Den

Den while I agree, I also disagree
Which manufacturer currently makes software compatible with an OS other than windows?

And even if there is one I think the software should be included with the machine. CPAP therapy is INcomplete without the software and reader.

JMMO - Just My Meaningless Opinion