If you are having trouble connecting your DexCom continuous glucose monitor to a computer so that you can use the DexCom Clarity Uploader, you must use the USB cable that comes with it.
If you use another, standard, normal USB cable you’ll be able to charge the battery, but not transfer data because your computer will not detect the CGM when it is connected.
What is special about their cable? I have no idea at all. This drove me nuts for a while… as a computer nerd, the “U” in “USB” should stand for “Universal” but apparently not in this case.
I had different issue. I prefer to use the older Studio program for dexcom data load and analysis, but the clarity uploader message kept popping up once it was installed. But once I removed it from tasks, the studio worked fine. But the correct cable is still needed to load.
I try to put labels on all the cables I have, with slightly different device connectors. Then it’s easier to find the right one.
Label is a good idea, fortunately I have someone in my life who lives the Label Maker Life.
That’s the thing that drove me crazy - Dexcom seems to use a standard connector, but their cable is somehow different.
It is possible I’m mistaken and that I just had something that would fit in the Dexcom receiver but isn’t actually the same cable. Maybe I’m just going crazy. Anyway, definitely use their cable and not one that merely looks compatible and also charges the device.
There is nothing special about Dexcom cable, it’s just a standard USB-to-micro USB. I’ve just tried another two random cables, they all work fine transferring data with Dexcom uploader. Micro-USB connectors are not very robust in general, so it is not uncommon to have data or power failures, but this has nothing to do with Dexcom cable being anything special.
Hm, well, I did try 6 USB to micro USB cables before writing that post… -shrug-
I suspect on the MacBook Air the usb ports run at different voltages, but I’m not certain about that. Who knows. I do know it works with their cable and not with this pile of over cables.
Just in case anybody was interested, EH and I secretly share one brain between two bodies. (And I received the more functional pancreas.) When I read @MM2’s suggestion, I thought “I have a Label Maker! I will use the Label Maker for this! I love labels!” but he’s already beaten me to the punch.
