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Most of you by now, know I have a Respironics Remstar Plus M Series machine. This was given to me by my local hospital sleep clinic, Walsall Manor Hospital. I was refered by my G.P. on the 20th February 07. First and only specialist appointment 20th March 07, picked up the machine from the clinical measurement unit on the 4th June 07. I average 10 O.S.A. events an hour which I am told is mild and the machine is set to 10.
Thats the background out of the way, the machine comes in a nice well made, black padded shoulder bag which has a large front pocket with velcro fastener. Inside the main compartment is a removable partition attached to the walls by velcro. this comparment is zip closed. Bag size is approx. 14" by 10" by 4". Carrying is by shoulder strap, though a carrying handle would be nice as I have round shoulders so bags do not stay put. The bag comfortally handles all you need to transport and use your machine.
The machine itself is compact and well designed with no strange styling bits to date it. Dark gray in colour, measuring approx. 8" by 5" by 3". All sizes are from memory, so don't quote me. The controls could not be simplier, three buttons, one of which has been locked out by the hospital. Power is continuous, once pluged in. The machine would benefit from a power supply cut off switch as a green option when not in use, as unplugging is a pain. The centre button turns the air flow onto full, which has been pre-set by your clinic. The third button with the printed triangle is the ramp button. This basically turns the air flow down to start with, which in my case is 4. After 20mins the air flow slowly increases to your prescription, by this time you are hopfully asleep, if not just repress the ramp button again. You do not need to press the main start button as breathing via the mask will active the machine. The other bits that concern the user is the hose attachment port, which is just push fit, the jack plug hole and the sponge air filter, the latter just pushes in and pulls out with light finger pressure. There is also an LCD screen under a flap on the top of the machine. This gives a read out for the hospital techs. and it shows the user the air flow setting during use. The buttons glow in the dark a nice blue colour but rather bright, you don't need a night light.
The power supply is a basic kettle lead connector into a transformer, in this case 240v AC to 12V DC at 3amp max. The transformer does get warm, so be careful were you put it. The air hose is just a push fit, rubber grommet ended, wire reinforced, 6ft tube. The reinforcing prevents the tube kinking and collapsing while you sleep. One end just push fits onto the port on the machine and the other end onto a suitable mask.
In use nothing could be simpiler, put the mask on press the air button followed by the ramp button, go to sleep!
This is were the clever bit happens. As already stated, the ramp works by slowly increasing the pressure. But as you breath the machine senses your breathing patterns and matches its reponse to you. In other words, you breath out it reduces the air flow, breath in and it increases the air flow to suit. You don't feel like you are working against the machine after a short while. It works so well, that, if you wake during the night, it feels like the machine has stopped working. Just try lifting the edge of the mask to get a full blast of air! The machine noise is minimal, mainly air flow in the tube and from the vent port on the mask, this, you soon get used to.
Points rated out of 5
User friendly 5
Portability 4
Does it do the job it was intended for 5
Basicaly I like it, but then, I have not had another machine to compare it with.
Pictures 1. Basic contents of bag, sans mask. 2. Machine with flap open. 3. Machine end showing port, power socket, and foam air filter.
Thats the background out of the way, the machine comes in a nice well made, black padded shoulder bag which has a large front pocket with velcro fastener. Inside the main compartment is a removable partition attached to the walls by velcro. this comparment is zip closed. Bag size is approx. 14" by 10" by 4". Carrying is by shoulder strap, though a carrying handle would be nice as I have round shoulders so bags do not stay put. The bag comfortally handles all you need to transport and use your machine.
The machine itself is compact and well designed with no strange styling bits to date it. Dark gray in colour, measuring approx. 8" by 5" by 3". All sizes are from memory, so don't quote me. The controls could not be simplier, three buttons, one of which has been locked out by the hospital. Power is continuous, once pluged in. The machine would benefit from a power supply cut off switch as a green option when not in use, as unplugging is a pain. The centre button turns the air flow onto full, which has been pre-set by your clinic. The third button with the printed triangle is the ramp button. This basically turns the air flow down to start with, which in my case is 4. After 20mins the air flow slowly increases to your prescription, by this time you are hopfully asleep, if not just repress the ramp button again. You do not need to press the main start button as breathing via the mask will active the machine. The other bits that concern the user is the hose attachment port, which is just push fit, the jack plug hole and the sponge air filter, the latter just pushes in and pulls out with light finger pressure. There is also an LCD screen under a flap on the top of the machine. This gives a read out for the hospital techs. and it shows the user the air flow setting during use. The buttons glow in the dark a nice blue colour but rather bright, you don't need a night light.
The power supply is a basic kettle lead connector into a transformer, in this case 240v AC to 12V DC at 3amp max. The transformer does get warm, so be careful were you put it. The air hose is just a push fit, rubber grommet ended, wire reinforced, 6ft tube. The reinforcing prevents the tube kinking and collapsing while you sleep. One end just push fits onto the port on the machine and the other end onto a suitable mask.
In use nothing could be simpiler, put the mask on press the air button followed by the ramp button, go to sleep!
This is were the clever bit happens. As already stated, the ramp works by slowly increasing the pressure. But as you breath the machine senses your breathing patterns and matches its reponse to you. In other words, you breath out it reduces the air flow, breath in and it increases the air flow to suit. You don't feel like you are working against the machine after a short while. It works so well, that, if you wake during the night, it feels like the machine has stopped working. Just try lifting the edge of the mask to get a full blast of air! The machine noise is minimal, mainly air flow in the tube and from the vent port on the mask, this, you soon get used to.
Points rated out of 5
User friendly 5
Portability 4
Does it do the job it was intended for 5
Basicaly I like it, but then, I have not had another machine to compare it with.
Pictures 1. Basic contents of bag, sans mask. 2. Machine with flap open. 3. Machine end showing port, power socket, and foam air filter.
), just figured a CPAP machine review fits better here than uhm... in the masks section 
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