Test Strip M-44 Error

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I agree with Pellicle -- the InRange doesn't add much except the ability to upgrade the firmware (millions of XS have been used for MANY years without a firmware upgrade) and a spiffy color display (also unnecessary for running a test). My advice is to get an XS (there are some on eBay for about $30 -- they don't have a strip guide or battery cover, but there are workarounds for the strip guide issue if the one from the InRange isn't interchangeable).

The XS should be able to use your current strips and will probably last for many years.
 
Hi

well thanks for the added details ... btw it helps if you at least quote the person because we get a notification (like you did), I sort of think of that as a courtesy to the person who is voluntarily helping you . I had to search to follow this up.


thanks for the picture, that helped.

As an electronics guy I find it frustrating that they call the code on the bottom of the chip a bar code when indeed its more like a Bee Code or a QR code.

Your above test is interesting and shows that the machine does have a problem. Sadly at that age its probably out of warranty. If I was you I'd replace the machine with a used Coaguchek XS (such as I have).

When the INRange was released (I think you must have one of the first production models) my initial thoughts were this:
  • wow, lots of unnecessary fluff on that
  • looks fragile both from the physical and electronic perspective. As a technician of some years experience I felt it would be a quick throw away unit
  • almost nothing on the units new side benefits home users (sorting of multiple patients, connection with a base station to centralise readings with a database)
My first experience with one was trying to help a friend here in Australia who had one. You can find a number of posts here if you search (but that's vexed because of the lack of good and correct key words used in the text by the posters)



you're welcome.



given its age that response does not surprise me. Also as my nearly last job in electronics (back in 1991) is exemplary of this. We went to a new line of gear that was made in China, had more failures (and yes, we did commercial Nurse Call and Duress alert systems), and could not be repaired by me anymore. I became only an installer. I saw the writing on the wall and left. I went back to Uni and did another degree (I love it when people talk about ongoing education) but as a software engineer instead. That degree lasted (but I digress). My point is that there will be no repair facility for these things now because its only a $500 unit and if its not a board swap or a new battery or a display it'll be dumped and a new unit issued.

For what its worth there are many types of codes, and bar code is a linear (therefore 1D code)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcode#Matrix_(2D)_barcodes
The code Roche are using is clearly a 2D code and compared with other 2D codes is **** because it doesn't have a reader guide (those other things which help the machine to see orientation. I've marked these in red below
View attachment 889317

So if you look at your strip, you can see that the code is read right up on the top of the machine, not down at the bottom under the blue cover. Thus if something is blocking your reader (unusual but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ) then this will explain your problem.

To inspect that you'll need to try a few things and thus risk destroying your INRange meter.

Let me know if you want to proceed by reaching out in a PM and we can discuss this

Best Wishes
Hi

well thanks for the added details ... btw it helps if you at least quote the person because we get a notification (like you did), I sort of think of that as a courtesy to the person who is voluntarily helping you . I had to search to follow this up.


thanks for the picture, that helped.

As an electronics guy I find it frustrating that they call the code on the bottom of the chip a bar code when indeed its more like a Bee Code or a QR code.

Your above test is interesting and shows that the machine does have a problem. Sadly at that age its probably out of warranty. If I was you I'd replace the machine with a used Coaguchek XS (such as I have).

When the INRange was released (I think you must have one of the first production models) my initial thoughts were this:
  • wow, lots of unnecessary fluff on that
  • looks fragile both from the physical and electronic perspective. As a technician of some years experience I felt it would be a quick throw away unit
  • almost nothing on the units new side benefits home users (sorting of multiple patients, connection with a base station to centralise readings with a database)
My first experience with one was trying to help a friend here in Australia who had one. You can find a number of posts here if you search (but that's vexed because of the lack of good and correct key words used in the text by the posters)



you're welcome.



given its age that response does not surprise me. Also as my nearly last job in electronics (back in 1991) is exemplary of this. We went to a new line of gear that was made in China, had more failures (and yes, we did commercial Nurse Call and Duress alert systems), and could not be repaired by me anymore. I became only an installer. I saw the writing on the wall and left. I went back to Uni and did another degree (I love it when people talk about ongoing education) but as a software engineer instead. That degree lasted (but I digress). My point is that there will be no repair facility for these things now because its only a $500 unit and if its not a board swap or a new battery or a display it'll be dumped and a new unit issued.

For what its worth there are many types of codes, and bar code is a linear (therefore 1D code)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcode#Matrix_(2D)_barcodes
The code Roche are using is clearly a 2D code and compared with other 2D codes is **** because it doesn't have a reader guide (those other things which help the machine to see orientation. I've marked these in red below
View attachment 889317

So if you look at your strip, you can see that the code is read right up on the top of the machine, not down at the bottom under the blue cover. Thus if something is blocking your reader (unusual but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ) then this will explain your problem.

To inspect that you'll need to try a few things and thus risk destroying your INRange meter.

Let me know if you want to proceed by reaching out in a PM and we can discuss this

Best Wishes
Hi Pellicle
I am new to this forum and not sure if this is how to send a PM ?

John
 
Remove the blue lid and clean with a cotton swab and a little alcohol the socket where the tape enters, cleaning that point is the first thing they do at the service. Also see the code on the chip with the box being the same.
Be careful not to leave any remnants from the cotton swab when you clean the contacts.
 
IIRC, the XS throws up only a short list of error codes. The InRange, with more memory (and probably a lot more diagnostics) probably has the smarts to report more error codes.

I wonder how many of these can be cleared just by resetting (or maybe restarting) the meter.

It's interesting that the XS has fewer codes - and still works well.

I haven't looked at the list that Athens1964 sent, so I can't really comment on what's on it -- and I won't.
 
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