Internal Memory/SD Card Question

[Kramden's Demise]

RESMED S8 Elite data collecting. I've poked around this site as well as read the on-line manuel but I've been unable to determine how to use the data card for my new (hand-me-down) S8 Elite. The unit came with a RESMED brand data card. It doesn't seem to have the capability to accept an off-the-shelf SD Card, nor does it have a USB port. What's the hardware link between this data card and my MacBook?

[robysue]

Hate to break it to you Kramden's Demise, but ...

The S8 series was discontinued as a model about 3 years ago. It was replaced by the S9 series back in 2010. So it's going to be tough to get data downloaded from the hand-me-down S8 Elite onto a computer.

The S8 machines use a proprietary data card rather than a standard SD card. The S8 card needs a proprietary card reader in order to be read. You can occasionally find them for sale on ebay from a seller in Israel. But even if you obtain the proprietary card reader, you will not be able to use a Mac to read the data off your S8 Elite: SleepyHead does not work with the S8 machines and ResScan does not work on the Mac.

So what are your choices?

1) Replace the S8 Elite with an S9 Elite. You can sometimes find gently used S9 Elites at really good prices from Supplier #2 on the apneaboard online supplier list.

or

2) Look for the proprietary card reader on Ebay, get a PC (or get a version of windows that works under something like Parallels on your Mac) and install ResScan under Windows.

or

3) Try to find a friendly DME or sleep doc's office that still has the card reader and regularly bug them to download the full detailed data (which will included everything except the wave form data) and make print outs for you. How often should you bug them? Well, that depends on how much they charge you for the privilege of downloading your data, how far away they are, how much badly they treat you when you ask them to do the download, and how well you're feeling. The better you're doing on PAP, the less you need to look at the data. But conversely, the worse you feel, the more important that data is for troubleshooting what's not working well.

or

4) Make do with the data that is available on the S8's LCD. The data available on the LCD is actually not that bad---it's full summary data and it is useful for determining overall efficacy of your therapy. You can certainly ascertain whether your AHI is consistently low enough through the LCD and you can tell whether your leaks are under control by looking at the 95% leak rate. If the 95% leak rate on the LCD is less than 0.4 L/sec then you can be pretty sure that your leaks are not adversely affecting the efficacy of your therapy according to Resmed's engineers. But if you need to do more serious trouble shooting, the LCD data may not be enough for you.

[me50]

RESMED S8 Elite data collecting. I've poked around this site as well as read the on-line manuel but I've been unable to determine how to use the data card for my new (hand-me-down) S8 Elite. The unit came with a RESMED brand data card. It doesn't seem to have the capability to accept an off-the-shelf SD Card, nor does it have a USB port. What's the hardware link between this data card and my MacBook?

The S8 is only for compliance information, i.e., how many days you used the machine for 4 hours or me, etc.. It does not show any data in reference to AHI's, leaks, etc.

[Kramden's Demise]

RESMED S8 Elite data collecting. I've poked around this site as well as read the on-line manuel but I've been unable to determine how to use the data card for my new (hand-me-down) S8 Elite. The unit came with a RESMED brand data card. It doesn't seem to have the capability to accept an off-the-shelf SD Card, nor does it have a USB port. What's the hardware link between this data card and my MacBook?

The S8 is only for compliance information, i.e., how many days you used the machine for 4 hours or me, etc.. It does not show any data in reference to AHI's, leaks, etc.

So the data will show the AHI history, hours of sleep, but not the respiratory wave data in relation to the apneas and hypotonias? If I find a card reader, what software is used. I do run Windows on my MacBook.

[robysue]

RESMED S8 Elite data collecting. I've poked around this site as well as read the on-line manuel but I've been unable to determine how to use the data card for my new (hand-me-down) S8 Elite. The unit came with a RESMED brand data card. It doesn't seem to have the capability to accept an off-the-shelf SD Card, nor does it have a USB port. What's the hardware link between this data card and my MacBook?

The S8 is only for compliance information, i.e., how many days you used the machine for 4 hours or me, etc.. It does not show any data in reference to AHI's, leaks, etc.

Not sure what me50 means here. The S8 Escape records only compliance data. The S8 Elite records what was considered full efficacy data at the time the S8 series were the current Resmed machines on the market. In other words, the S8 Elite records usage, AHI, and leak data. The AHI data is broken down into AI and HI, but the apneas are not classified as OAs or CAs because the FOT algorithm for determining the patency of the airway was introduced with the S9 series of machines.

So the data will show the AHI history, hours of sleep, but not the respiratory wave data in relation to the apneas and hypotonias? If I find a card reader, what software is used. I do run Windows on my MacBook.

As I said before: The S8 Elite records what was considered full efficacy data at the time the machine was the current machine on the market. If you can find the card reader for the data card you will need to install ResScan under the Windows system on your MacBook. With ResScan and the appropriate proprietary card reader you should be able to get the following detailed data off the S8 Elite:

Full leak data---i.e. a leak graph that shows you how much you are leaking at each point in the night.

A table of events graph that shows you when each event occurs and what kind of event it is. The apneas will not be classified into CAs or OAs however, because the FOT algorithm for determining patency of airway was introduced with the S9 series of machines. I believe the S8 detailed data will tell you how long each apnea lasted. It will not tell you how long the hypopneas lasted.

Full summary data including median, 95%, and max leak rates for various time periods of your choosing.

I don't know if the S8 Elites record snore data and I don't know if the S8 Elites record flow limitation data. I think they do, but I just don't know.

However, the S8 Elites (and AutoSets) do NOT record the wave flow data. The wave flow data is the record of every breath you take all night long. The S8 Autos do use this data, but the S8 machines just don't have a way of making a permanent recording of the data to the card or to the internal memory of the machine.

The data available on the S8 Elite's LCD includes AHI (and the AI and HI subindices), the usage hours, and the 95% leak rate. I believe you can look at this summary data for 1, 7, 30 day periods on the LCD, but I am not sure about that.

[me50]

my bad. my eyes saw escape.

[Kramden's Demise]

The S8 is only for compliance information, i.e., how many days you used the machine for 4 hours or me, etc.. It does not show any data in reference to AHI's, leaks, etc.

Not sure what me50 means here. The S8 Escape records only compliance data. The S8 Elite records what was considered full efficacy data at the time the S8 series were the current Resmed machines on the market. In other words, the S8 Elite records usage, AHI, and leak data. The AHI data is broken down into AI and HI, but the apneas are not classified as OAs or CAs because the FOT algorithm for determining the patency of the airway was introduced with the S9 series of machines.

So the data will show the AHI history, hours of sleep, but not the respiratory wave data in relation to the apneas and hypotonias? If I find a card reader, what software is used. I do run Windows on my MacBook.

As I said before: The S8 Elite records what was considered full efficacy data at the time the machine was the current machine on the market. If you can find the card reader for the data card you will need to install ResScan under the Windows system on your MacBook. With ResScan and the appropriate proprietary card reader you should be able to get the following detailed data off the S8 Elite:

Full leak data---i.e. a leak graph that shows you how much you are leaking at each point in the night.

A table of events graph that shows you when each event occurs and what kind of event it is. The apneas will not be classified into CAs or OAs however, because the FOT algorithm for determining patency of airway was introduced with the S9 series of machines. I believe the S8 detailed data will tell you how long each apnea lasted. It will not tell you how long the hypopneas lasted.

Full summary data including median, 95%, and max leak rates for various time periods of your choosing.

I don't know if the S8 Elites record snore data and I don't know if the S8 Elites record flow limitation data. I think they do, but I just don't know.

However, the S8 Elites (and AutoSets) do NOT record the wave flow data. The wave flow data is the record of every breath you take all night long. The S8 Autos do use this data, but the S8 machines just don't have a way of making a permanent recording of the data to the card or to the internal memory of the machine.

The data available on the S8 Elite's LCD includes AHI (and the AI and HI subindices), the usage hours, and the 95% leak rate. I believe you can look at this summary data for 1, 7, 30 day periods on the LCD, but I am not sure about that.

Many thanks for your detailed information. You've filled in the gaps perfectly and I'll be on the search for a card reader to fit this device.

FYI- this S8 Elite hand-me-down came from a family member under constant medical care, where-as I am not. My old 2004 Respironics brick left me wondering why I never got any better.....I'm attempting to find the correct solution on my own.

My current AHI is below 5.0, down from 23. However, I still sleep only 4-5 hours a night, feel better, but not great. I have about 2.5 months of data collected on a spreadsheet with pretty consistent results. I need to know what my next steps should be to be able to sleep 6-7 hours a night and feel awake in the mornings. Hopefully the data software will help in that quest.

Thanks again and CHEERS!

[zonk]

Hi Kramden's Demise, welcome to Apnea Board
Check on ebay for the S8 data card, its available from seller in Israel
The clinical manual is available via email, scroll down to section three
http://www.apneaboard.com/adjust-cpap-pr...tup-manual

S8 setup video http://vimeo.com/19565675

S8 management guide tells you what data available on LCD and on the software
http://www.resmed.com/us/assets/document...er_eng.pdf

[vsheline]

Before investing in the card reader, I suggest keeping in mind that a powerful and advanced used S9 AutoSet or used Philips Respironics System One Auto sometimes can be picked up cheaply. I picked up a used S9 AutoSet on CraigsList for $250.

Supplier #2 (on Supplier List located at top of all forum pages) advertises "Gently Used DS560 REMstar Auto AFLEX Machine" for $389, and can get Heated Humidifier later for $70 when saved up more money.

Take care,
--- Vaughn

[zonk]

My old 2004 Respironics brick left me wondering why I never got any better.....I'm attempting to find the correct solution on my own.

How long have you been at the current pressure and whats 95% unintentional leak shown on the LCD?
For some sleeping on the side and avoiding sleeping on the back can reduce number of apnea events