# Omnipod 5 PDM controller **URL:** \ **Category:** Type 1 & LADA\ **Tags:** omnipod\ **Created:** [August 13, 2022, 8:31pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/omnipod-5-pdm-controller/13033 "2022-08-13T20:31:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 9
**Author:** ![jbowler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@jbowler](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/jbowler)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2022, 3:48pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/omnipod-5-pdm-controller/13033/9 "2022-08-15T15:48:33Z")
> [@John58](#): > > The question of the day is whether the Omnipod 5 PDM can start a Dexcom G6 sensor/transmitter without using the Dexcom receiver or the Dexcom phone app. It cannot; the O5 manual is completely silent on starting the G6, instead it says that the G6 has to be started following the manufacturers instructions. The O5 manual is, however, very firm on using the G6 receiver along with the O5 system, see my post in one of the other threads on this topic: > [@Omnipod 5 and dexcom newbie help](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/omnipod-5-and-dexcom-newbie-help/12993/11): > > Ah. I had blindly assumed when I flipped through [the manuals](https://www.omnipod.com/current-podders/resources/omnipod-5) that the pod could activate a new G6 sensor, but in fact the quick start guide says nothing about starting the G6 - just that you have to refer to the G6 documentation. The user manual states this, from page 272: Caution: You cannot use the Dexcom G6 receiver with the Omnipod 5 System because the Omnipod 5 System is compatible only with the G6 app on a smartphone. This has been discussed before in [other threads](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/my-review-of-omnipod-5) ([search for “rece…](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/my-review-of-omnipod-5/12775/22) I’m not going to repeat that post here because there is much more information in the whole thread. It is unfortunate but it does make sense that the O5, either the app or the O5 receiver, can’t activate a pod; neither app nor receiver talk to the G6, instead they talk to the pod which talks to the activated G6 sensor. The pod communication with the sensor is passive; it doesn’t stop or start the sensor. If the pod could do either of those things it would be a major extra factor in safety. The question that remains is: > [@John58](#): > > But starting the G6 with the G6 receiver will work, and once the G6 is started the BG data can be read by the OM5 PDM with no phone app needed. But remember that not only the manual but also all the Insulet representatives say, consistently, that the **G6 receiver** cannot be used with the **O5 system**. Now I suspect you must be correct; the O5 is completely agnostic on the issue of how to start the G6, however if it is started from the receiver it is going to be necessary to free the receiver slot up before the pod can connect. That’s going to require a period of disconnection, the 2 hour warm up may be enough, but maybe whatever starts the sensor has to be there to finish the job after the 2 hours? Logically it should also be possible to do manual mode with the G6 receiver; that sounds like something you might have tried @John58. The problem is that if the pod ever gets to know the **transmitter** ID it’s going to sit there trying to grab the receiver slot from the G6 receiver. That’s a point you made before. Insulet are definitely against using the receiver even in manual mode: > [@Omnipod 5 and dexcom newbie help](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/omnipod-5-and-dexcom-newbie-help/12993/18): > > No it is my understanding that in manual mode in Omnipod 5 you still cannot use the receiver. Unless anyone has gotten it to work then please let us know. My rep said it isn’t possible but I also have not tried it so I dont want to sound to final on it. I’m sure Insulet are simplifying, but given the convoluted and restricted setup the 2-slot G6 design has created I can see why they would want to simplify! Drawing in another point from that thread, and [your own post](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/omnipod-5-and-dexcom-newbie-help/12993/24) in yet another thread, while the O5 receiver does get and make available the CGM data Insulet reps are saying this: > The rep at Omnipod said that the Omnipod controller doesn’t replace the receiver - it doesn’t give you glucose level alerts and you can’t start/stop a sensor with it. That’s from @Lethean’s [post](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/omnipod-5-and-dexcom-newbie-help/12993/10) on the first thread. Apparently the O5 does give a 55mg/dL alert but it is said (same thread again) that it doesn’t give any other BG alerts and it doesn’t give lost signal alerts. This is somewhat strange; AndroidAPS in comparison gives lost BG reading alerts, lost pod connection alerts (I guess that’s really a lost phone alert; actually quite useful) and so on. --- _[View the full topic](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/omnipod-5-pdm-controller/13033)._