Not all cpap machines are data capable. Many times the machines do record compliance data, which means that it records the number of nights and how many hours the machine was used. Insurance companies and Medicare often want this information for compliance before paying for the machine. These machines are capable of providing good therapy and are cheaper, generally, than data capable machines. One of the downside to these machines is if your are not getting good treatment you can't narrow the reasons down as quickly and are left pretty much in the dark if you have excessive leaks, high AHI, etc. The machines will often have a "data card" in them so don't be fooled into thinking these are data capable.

A data capable machine is capable of providing detailed information on your therapy including (the following information is copied from www.cpap.com for the EncoreViewer software):
EncoreViewer is a software program that analyzes data recorded by Respironics CPAP and BiPAP machines and generates therapy reports. The information in the reports includes occurrences of flow-limitation events like snores, hypopneas or apneas, time at specific pressure levels (on auto CPAPs and BiPAPs), event histograms and mask leaks. The information is given in short-term detailed formats as well as in long-term trends.

Other data capable machines offer similar information.


Here is a list of data capable machines compiled by RestedGal and taken from www.cpaptalk.com post she made in October.

CPAP machines which record full data:
Respironics REMstar Pro M series
ResMed S8 Elite and Elite II
Puritan Bennett GoodKnight 420S and 420SP
Covidien/Puritan Bennett Sandman Info (not to be confused with the model named "Intro.")

The older pre-M Respironics REMstar Pro 2 (it must be the Pro 2 -- the original Pro didn't offer data except compliance) and S7 ResMed Elite also record full data, but DMEs are unlikely to be still giving out those. Note: "DME" stands for Durable Medical Equipment. On the message board we often use "DME" to mean a local home health care equipment store, or an employee who works for such a store.

AUTOPAP ("autotitrating cpap" or "APAP") machines which record full data:
Respironics REMstar Auto M series -- with or without "A-Flex."
ResMed S8 Autoset Vantage and Autoset II
Puritan Bennett GoodKnight 420E
Covidien/Puritan Bennett Sandman Auto
DeVilbiss IntelliPAP Autoadjust

The older pre-M Respironics REMstar Auto (with or without C-Flex) and ResMed S7 AutoSet autopaps record full data. Note: The pre-M Respironics machines (autopap and cpap) are often referred to on this message board as the "tank" or "legacy" or "pre-M" models.

BILEVEL ("bipap") machines which record full data:
Respironics BiPAP Auto with Bi-Flex M series
ResMed S8 VPAP

The older pre-M Respironics BiPAP Pro 2 with Bi-Flex and ResMed S7 VPAP III record full data.

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The following machines do NOT record full data (like AHI, Leak info.) At most, they record only hours of use.... basic "compliance"...how many hours someone is using the machine. They can give perfectly good treatment, same as the "full data" ones listed above, but if it's detailed data about the treatment a person wants to see, these machines can't record or yield that kind of information even if they have a "card" stuck in them:



CPAP - compliance hours only:
Respironics REMstar Plus M series, DS100, and "Sleep Easy"
ResMed S8 Escape and Compact
Puritan Bennett GoodKnight 420G
Covidien/Puritan Bennett Sandman Intro (not to be confused with the model named "Info.")
Fisher & Paykel "SleepStyle" CPAP machines -- no F&P CPAP machines record full data.
PMI-Probasics ZZZ-PAP "Silent Traveler"
Somnotech SomnoCPAP
Aeiomed Everest 2
Viasys BreatheX
Invacare "Polaris" cpaps

The older pre-M Respironics REMstar Plus and REMstar Pro without a "2" in its name, and ResMed S7 Compact, Escape, and Lightweight....none of those provide full data.

AUTOPAP ("autotitrating cpap" or "APAP") - no software available yet:

Fisher & Paykel has been developing an autopap. I don't know if it's out yet, and I don't know what kind of software, if any, they might be developing for it. There has never been any full data recording software (that I'm aware of) for any F&P CPAP machines.

BILEVEL ("bipap"):

Puritan Bennett 425 -- does not record "full" data even though the product description says it uses Silverlining software (which it does.) A review on the product page of that machine states:
"My biggest disappointment was with the software. It provides very little data. For example, respiration rate is about it besides the compliance data."

The product reviews for the bundle (PB 425/humidifier/software) seem to have some reviews mixed in from purchasers of the 420E auto (which does give detailed data via Silverlining software), so be aware that reviews for the PB 425's "bundle" can be inadvertently misleading.