Sirius SP-TK2 Sportster Replay Satellite Radio with Car Kit Review

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(More customer reviews)I won't clutter up this review with pros and cons on Sirius vs. XM satellite radio service. You can sign up for a 3-day trial of each at their respective websites if you need help making that decision. Instead, I'll assume that you've already gone with Sirius and focus on whether or not the Sportster Replay is the right plug-and-play receiver for your needs.
INSTALLATION
The Sportster Replay is a plug-and-play receiver, which means that you shouldn't need to modify the existing stereo setup in your car or boat to use it. After plugging in the external antenna and the power cord, 99% of users will be ready to roll. I have read reports of a handful of users having trouble getting an adequate signal with this simple install, but I've not personnally experienced this (see more details under "Performance" below). It took me just under an hour to install mine in an SUV, with most of that time spent trying different methods for how best to hide those two cords throughout my interior. The only tools that I needed were a screwdriver and a butter knife. It's almost disappointing to discover how easy it is to disassemble your car's interior into pieces, but it really helps out here!
The antenna itself is a flat magnet about the size of a fifty-cent piece that attaches to your trunk or roof. The kit provides plenty of length; in fact, some car owners may have to find a place to hide the extra bundle of wire, either in the trunk or under the dash. The power cord plugs into your cigarette lighter or any other 12v socket, which becomes the only visible wiring sticking out of the entire install. It's also a bit on the short side, so you may have to get into a little bit of trickery through the glove box or a heating vent depending on your vehicle. I recommend searching the web for tips that others have to share based on their installation experiences.
While the receiver itself is portable, it docks to a cradle which stays in place in your vehicle and has all of the wiring connections. This design is one of the advantages of the Sportster over the comparable Starmate Sirius receiver. The Starmate plugs all cables directly into the receiver, meaning that you have to fumble around with wires whenever you take it with you or get back into your vehicle. The Sportster on the other hand just lifts right out of the dock with no such hassle. The docking cradle that somes with this kit is capable of lots of twisting and bending, so you'll be able to find the right spot on the windshield or dash (if your dash is very smooth) to affix it with a powerful suction cup.
PERFORMANCE
The Sportster delivers good sound and has good antenna reach as well. Remember that satellite radio is digital, so it differs from traditions signals in a couple of ways. First, all of the channels sound "compressed" because that's what all satellite providers must do to get 100+ channels to fit into one signal. Music sounds comparable to existing FM, not CD quality as some erroneously expect. Talk sounds a bit tinny, almost like a phone conversation, but you get used to it quickly. Second, the antenna is line-of-sight since it needs to maintain a direct path to the satellite signal. This means that you can forget about listening to any satellite radio in parking garages, tunnels and other covered structures. I've read about problems with other receivers being unable to reliably pick up good signals in downtown driving, but the Sportster has been very solid for me.
The Sportster Replay uses a wireless FM transmitter in the dock to substitute the Sirius signal for a particular FM channel of your choosing. This is a big improvement over earlier satellite receivers that had to be hard-wired to your stereo (i.e. professionally-installed) or else connected via a mess of wires going to a cassette adapter. I've read other reviews complaining that the wireless transmitter isn't strong enough, but I've not had any such issue. As a matter of fact, the default FM frequency that the unit ships with is an actual station in my area but the Sportster mowed it down with no difficulty. Only when I turned up the classical stations could I hear any hint of interference, so I easily configured it for a frequency that's pure static in my area and it's been rock-solid and very clean sounding ever since.
USE AND FEATURES
The unit's "Replay" capability is like a very limited Tivo for radio. Once you select a channel, it begins stockpiling that content into its 30-minute memory. You can rewind if you'd like to hear a song again or if you missed something said during the news. You can pause in case you get a phone call or have something else to do, e.g. a toll booth. Once you change stations, that memory is erased and the recording begins again. Recorded content is also lost when you power down the unit. If you are interested in true time-shifting of your Sirius content, look into the pricey S50 receiver, which is basically an mp3 player that not only captures but also stores Sirius content for later listening away from your vehicle.
One simple but very useful feature is the "memo" button, which allows you to tag a particular song and store its info for jotting down later. You can store up to 20 of these song and artist combinations, so you'll know who you liked next time you're shopping for music.
The receiver has 3 banks of 10 presets each. It also allows browsing by channel category (rock vs. country vs. talk, etc.) which is nicely-rendered on the big, easy-to-read display. Contrary to what earlier reviews indicated, it is possible to adjust the brightness and/or contrast; however, blue is the only color choice (sorry, amber fans). Also, the shiny cover over the display can make it difficult to see on sunny days as it reflects everything around it. This kit comes with a remote that is actually very handy unless you have a very long reach or manage to mount the dock on your dashboard.
ACCESSORIES
The Sportster is an established model for Sirius, and as a result, there are already many handy accessories available for it. You can immediately purchase a home kit that plugs into your stereo or PC, a boombox for mobile play, or additional car docks if you plan on sharing one receiver across multiple vehicles. This line of accessories is tops among the Sirius receivers because the others are either more limited (the Starmate) or way more expensive (the S50), making the Sportster the best value for a wide range of applications.
CONCLUSION
The Sportster Replay is a dependable Sirius receiver that picks up good signal reception and then blasts it wirelessly to your existing FM tuner. Installation is a no-brainer, mainly just tucking wires under your vehicle's carpet and weatherstripping. It's easy to use with a big, bright display and remote control. There are many available accessories for it, making it a good value if you want to use it in multiple locations. It's the ideal first receiver when you jump into the satellite radio arena.
If you definitely know that you're committed to Sirius and you want true time-shifting of content in an mp3 player, get out your wallet and take a look at the S50. Or, if you absolutely must have a more stylish-looking receiver, consider the Starmate, but you're really getting a lot less convenience for a little bit of savings vs. the Sportster.
PROS
* True plug-and-play makes both installation and everyday use very easy
* Unit is simple to use thanks to the included remote and big, easy-to-read display
* Full line of available accessories make the receiver usable in a multitude of places
CONS
* Rather big and plain, it's not the most stylish-looking unit out there (hello, S50)
* Replay functionality has rather limited usefulness since unit can't be powered on-the-go

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sirius SP-TK2 Sportster Replay Satellite Radio with Car Kit

With the Sirius SP-TK2 Sportster Replay Satellite Radio with Car Kit, you'll never miss another play from scrimmage again. The ultimate plug-and-play satellite radio, the Sirius SP-TK2 lets you take all 120-plus Sirius stations with you wherever you go. For football enthusiasts, this means that you can do all your shopping while the big game is on and still catch all the gridiron action.With the Sirius SP-TK2, you get a radio with a built-in FM transmitter and enough internal memory to store the last 44 minutes of Sirius content. The radio features a six-line display, 30 channel presets, a 20-song memory that alerts you when one of your targeted songs is playing on Sirius, and a Sportster Replay's Game Alert function to let you know when your favorite NFL team is about to take the field. Because Sirius broadcasts every NFL game all season long, the SP-TK2 will quickly become indispensable. A "game zone" feature lists updates of your favorite teams' scores on-screen, and a convenient "jump button" gives you one-touch access to traffic and weather reports for your city or your favorite Sirius channel.The included with the car kit is a vehicle docking station with a suction mount, remote control, DC power adapter, and a roof-mount antenna with a magnetic base and a 20.5-inch cable. A wireless FM transmitter sends your satellite programming to your car's FM receiver so that you can listen to Sirius programming through you car stereo. In other words, this radio and car kit give you everything you need to keep connected to the full range of Sirius satellite programming any time of day or night. A Sirius subscription, sold separately, is required to access Sirius satellite programming.What's in the Box SP-R2 Sirius satellite radio receiver, remote control, CR2025 battery, SP-C2 mobile docking cradle, suction cup mount, car power adapter, antenna, FM transmitter antenna, installation kit, installation manual, and user's guide.

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Sirius ST2 Starmate Replay Satellite Radio with Car Kit Review

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(More customer reviews)I got my Starmate Replay about a month ago. Since then, I only listen to "normal" radio when Howard Stern is on in the mornings. After that, it's Sirius all day long. Come January, I'll be saying goodbye to terrestrial radio.
The good:
The size of the unit makes it a breeze to install. I originally mounted it on my dash in front of my steering wheel where I could see it and access it easily. I used velcro for that install, but it didn't work out as nicely as I wanted. I solved that problem with a vehicle specific dash mount from Crutchfield. Best $35 I spent. The unit is now mounted just to the right of the factory radio and is out of the way, yet still very accessible. The remote is a good size without being too small. The buttons are well placed and it works good without having to point it directly at the unit. That said, I rarely use it. The unit is well within easy reach without taking my eyes off the road.
Bad:
I dont really have anything "bad" to say. The unit does get warm, but that seems to be an industry wide side effect. I keep the brightness and contrast at a minimum and that seems to keep the unit a tad cooler. I do not have a fear that the unit will overheat. It just doesn't get that hot.
Overall I'm very satisfied with this unit. So much so that I just bought another one as a gift.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sirius ST2 Starmate Replay Satellite Radio with Car Kit

With Sirius ST2 Starmate Replay Satellite Radio with Car Kit, you never have to worry about missing that big play again. This compact unit may look small, but it delivers touchdowns every time. With an internal memory that stores the last 44 minutes of whatever you're listening to, you don't have to worry about being interrupted when you're listening to a game or your favorite program. Simply pause the live broadcasts, and when you're ready to listen again, rewind or fast-forward in order to catch up.The Sirius ST2 features a plug-and-play satellite radio that includes a built-in wireless transmitter that lets you transmit your Sirius programming over you car stereo. Thirty station presets give you one-touch access to your favorite programs, song alerts notify you whenever any of your favorite 30 songs or artists are playing anywhere on the Sirius network, and a "game alert" feature lets you know when your favorite NFL team is ready to take the field. An easy-to-read five-line LCD displays artist, song and channel information, and a satellite-updated clock. The Sirius ST2 also includes a car kit with a suction-cup mount, DC power adapter, and antenna that mounts on your car. What's in the Box ST2 Sirius receiver, remote control, antenna, suction cup mount, cigarette lighter power code, installation kit, and user's guide.

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Sony XAC40 UniLink Multi-Changer Adapter Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this product because XM and HD radio adapters would not work together. With this product, the adapters work part of the time. The radio shorts out without notice and at any time, at start up or having been working for some time.
As soon as I get back to Phoenix where the product packaging is located, I will send it back.

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SIRIUS Sportster 4 Satellite Radio Receiver with Car Kit Review

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(More customer reviews)Long story short - Nice radio and programming with horrible FM modulation. Don't buy this unless you're going to wire it directly to your car's antenna or radio.
I bought this device last October to listen to college football games during long road trips. It is my first introduction to satellite radio. I've got mixed feelings about the product.
First of all, the unit was fairly easy to get working. I plugged the power and satellite antenna, turned it on, and selected an open FM station in the unit's setup menu. It's pre-tuned to a test station (national weather). I got a clear signal from the satellite just leaving the antenna resting on the dashboard. I activated it online after a couple of tries (didn't have the unit powered up the first attempt).
However, the FM transmission from the unit to my car stereo was awful, borderline un-useable. Even after choosing a completely clear FM station, turning off the car, waving the unit around until I found a sweet-spot, and crossing my fingers, there was always noticeable and very disruptive static interference. Based on what I've read, apparently the FM transmission strength for this unit way below previous models. I'm told the SP-TK2 model has a much stronger signal. I've not been able to determine whether or not that had anything to do with FCC regulations.
For my vehicle, I've overcame the FM transmitter shortcomings by connecting the unit directly to the Ai-net/Changer input on my Alpine radio and using the AUX function. This step eliminated all of the outside static interference and bypassed FM modulation completely. However, part of my attraction to this unit was the plug and play function. My friends and I have taken several road trips this year and I brought the Sirius unit with me. The cars we used did not have A/V inputs, so we had to make due with the lousy FM transmitter. We were able to fight through the static for the sports and talk radio stations, but music was un-listenable.
The unit itself is ok. It's easy to use and the screen has a lot of info. It keeps track of all the scores in sporting events, show and host for talk stations, and song/artist for music stations.It's awkward to mount though, because all of the wires plug into the back of the dock, not the bottom. You need clearance between the back of the unit and the mounting surface for these wires. My two options were to use an air conditioning vent clip or the windshield suction cup. I chose the vent because I didn't want the unit in the sunlight. At night, the unit is very bright. You can turn down the brightness of the screen, but the buttons are backlit with a piercing blue light that can't be adjusted. The rotary knob is especially bright. It looks like I have a big blue glow stick in my car at night.
The programming is pretty good. Sirius carries every NFL game, and nearly all the college football games, which is exactly what I was looking for. They also play a lot of the NBA and NHL games, but I've not paid much attention to them. They have three comedy stations, and several talk/news (including the BBC) radio and sports radio stations. On the other hand, all of their music stations do not meet my sound quality expectations. I have a decent aftermarket stereo, and the music stations sound worse than local FM. They're not terrible, but the difference between listening to a song on Sirius and on a CD is jarring. That said, they have a fair amount of genres represented. You'll hear songs on Sirius that you'll never hear on your local radio.
I've had limited customer service interaction, but it's been all bad. I chose the three month program to start off with. Sirius doesn't give you a very detailed invoice on the billing screen. It simply shows Subscription charge, Activation Fee, and Taxes. The Subscription charge on the invoice did not match what plan stated it should be, it was about $1 more. The Activation Fee was what I expected. However, Taxes came out to the 15% of the sum of Subscription plus Activation. There's not a state in the US that has a 15% sales tax rate. I called them to find out why it was so high. The lady on the phone had no idea what I was talking about. First she tried to explain why there was a charge for activation. It took quite a few minutes to get it across that my question was about the taxes, not the activation fee. Next, she tried to tell me that the tax rate was based on the Houston rate where she was located. The sales tax in Houston is 8.25%, not 15%. And besides, you are supposed to be taxed based on your local rates, not the location of the service center. After trying to get this point across (another 5 minutes) she went to speak to a manager. She came back and offered me a $15 dollar credit for the activation fee, without ever answering my question. I was tired of the conversation, so I took the credit and hung up. I'll try again to get an answer out of them when my three months are up.
All in all, the unit has sort of worked out for me. It works fine in my car, but travels poorly. I can listen to all the sports I want, but the music sound quality leaves much to be desired. It was easy to hook up, but looks silly just clipped onto my air-vent. If all of the short-comings I've described were addressed I'd be very happy with it.
**Update 12/19/2006**
Warning: The unit is dying on me less than three months after I purchased it. Sometime after around 10 minutes of use, the receiver will become locked into "acquiring signal" mode regardless of actual signal strength. Turning the unit off and then on again fixes it, sometimes. I've researched this issue online and apparently it's becoming a common problem. The recommended fix from Sirius is to either re-activate the receiver on-line or return it for a new unit. If I could, I'd knock another star off this review.
**Second Update** I eventually got SIRIUS to send me a replacement head-unit, free of charge. The second radio works just fine. However, I had to ship the original radio back to the manufacturer. A word of warning: if you ship something to Sirius, keep your tracking number. They tried to tell me that they never received my original radio and charged me for the second. I got on the phone and used the UPS website to tell them who in their warehouse signed for the package. The charge was later reversed.

Click Here to see more reviews about: SIRIUS Sportster 4 Satellite Radio Receiver with Car Kit

Get in the game with the plug-and-play Sirius Sportster 4 satellite radioreceiver, which sports a new slim profile while still maintaining the same great featuresfor which the Sportster series is known. Just like other Sirius-compatible receivers, theSportster 4 offers a large, easy-to-read display, a rotary tuning knob, and accessiblebuttons, but now moves seamlessly into your car, home, or boombox. More significantly,the Sportster 4 maximizes the listening experience of Sirius radio's broad sports lineup,with the ability to decode the incoming Sirius digital-quality signal from more than 120music, news, and sports channels. It's also easily transportable, and thanks to thebundled car kit, lets you listen to your favorite satellite radio programs while driving.
An easy-to-read, six-line display tells you the channel name and number, category, artistname, song title, and time simultaneously. The receiver also lets you program up to 30presets of your favorite streams, as well as search by stream, artist name, song title, orcategory. And with a quick press of the One-Touch Jump button, you can instantlyswitch between the traffic and weather reports for your city or any of the other music,news, or entertainment channels. Other programming details include an S-Seek functionthat stores your favorite artists and songs and alerts you when one is playing on any ofthe music channels, direct station tuning via the numeric buttons, and a channel lockoption. Time functions, meanwhile, include an onscreen clock, alarm, and sleep timer, aswell as a program alert that allows the unit to switch to a preprogrammed stream at aselected time.
The Sportster 4 really earns its stripes, however, with its variety of enhanced featuresdesigned specifically for sports lovers. The Game Alert feature prompts you when yourfavorite NFL or other sports teams are playing on Sirius. The Game Zone lists all of yourfavorite teams in one virtual category and lets you select a different team from each ofthe various sports leagues, including the NFL, NBA, NHL, and college sports. And whatsports fan could do without the Sportster's instant replay function, which lets you pause,rewind, and replay 44 minutes of live radio? As soon as you tune to a channel, thereceiver automatically begins storing the audio for later playback.
The Sportster 4 also includes a built-in FM transmitter that sends Sirius radioprogramming to your vehicle's FM tuner, so you don't have to make a direct connectionto enjoy the full array of channels. Simply set an empty FM frequency on your radio andtune the Sportster 4 to the same frequency. This function also works with other FMtuners, such as the one on your home stereo, but is easily paired with the car thanks tothe bundled vehicle kit, which includes everything you need for listening to Sirius whiledriving. Components include a vehicle docking station, a suction cup mount, a ventmount, a DC power supply that plugs into your car's cigarette lighter, a roof-mountantenna, and mounting hardware.
Sirius satellite radio is a subscription service that provides more than 120 channels ofprogramming, from digital-quality music to news, talk, and sports. It is available only inthe lower 48 states--not in Alaska, Hawaii, or U.S. territories. The Sportster 4, whichmeasures 4.5 by 2.9 by 0.6 inches (W x H x D), is backed by a one-year warranty.
What's in the Box Sportster 4 satellite radio receiver, wireless remote control, lithium battery, vehicledocking station, roof-mount antenna, suction cup mount, vent mount, cigarette lighterpower adapter, mounting hardware, installation guide, Sirius channel information card,user's manual.

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Audiovox Sirius FMDA25 FM Direct Adapter (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I must say I was pleasantly surprised by how well this product works.
I have an 07 Accord so it was a bit of a PITA figuring out how to get to the radio antenna in the dash. If you google around for your car and "remove radio" you will undoubtedly find directions for accessing it. That was the most difficult part and it only took me about 30 minutes from start to finish.
I recently got the Starmate 4 for my car. I had one of the old original Audiovox units from when Sirius was first starting up. It was huge, bulky, I had lost the mount for it, and it got VERY hot when in operation. Almost so hot that you couldn't touch it. Hence I decided to upgrade to a newer model. When I received and installed the Starmate I was surprised to see that the built-in FM modulator was horrible. And when I connected the FM antenna extender it came with, it made the sound WORSE. The static made it almost unlistenable through my radio. I googled around and found that the FCC had stepped in and regulated the amount of power the FM modulators were allowed to emit. So my Audiovox unit was better in that fashion since it was built before the FCC rules were established.
To fix the problem I got this Wired Relay Adapter. Basically you plug your car's antenna into it, then plug the wire into your radio. The other end routes through your dash and goes into your Sirius radio. The reception is 100% clear now. No more static. The downside is that you have to a) remember to turn off the Sirius radio if you want to listen to FM because it kills all of the stations, and b) regardless of whether it is on or off it kills AM reception. I don't often listen to AM and guess I don't have a need now (except for local TV stations).
All in all I am VERY happy with this product. It took a Starmate that sounded worse than an old Audiovox I had, and made it MUCH better in the end. 100% worth the $19.99 for this item if you have the know-how to get into your dash.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Audiovox Sirius FMDA25 FM Direct Adapter (Black)

Tired of relying on your FM transmitter to send your Sirius satellite radiosignal to your car stereo? Turn instead to this wired FM adapter, which provides a directconnection to produce a crisper overall sound. Unlike FM transmitters--which oftensuffer from static and interference, as with traditional FM stations--the FM adapter plugsdirectly into the rear of your factory or after-market stereo, thus requiring a bit ofinstallation expertise. But once connected, you can tune to your favorite Sirius channelsin seconds without searching for unused FM frequencies. More importantly, the signalwill be clean and uninterrupted, with no pops or fizzes as you drive from one part of thecity to another. The FM adapter, which works with all Sirius plug 'n' play and personalradios, includes plugs and wires for most installations, although antenna adapters may berequired for select car stereos. It's also backed by a one-year warranty.
What's in the Box Direct FM adapter, plugs and wires, user's manual.

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Sirius SV2-TK1 InV Satellite Radio with Car Kit Review

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(More customer reviews)Both other reviewers didn't rate the product. They rated amazon's service. The product is great for it's price. It's can be hooked up with it's built in fm transmitter or directly with it's headphone jack (which does not include the wire and requires you to have an aux in for your vehicle). Both work well and the sound is crystal clear. The missing features are easy indoor hookup (no compatible boom box) and lack of rewind/fast forward but neither are needed for car only use.

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One of Sirius's easiest to use and most affordable receivers, the Sirius InV is amust for satellite radio fans who want a less-expensive entry into the market. Just likeother Sirius-compatible receivers, the InV offers a large, easy-to-read display and anintuitive front control panel. But more significantly for people who spend a lot of time inthe car, the InV is designed to seamlessly complement your driving routine thanks to thebundled car kit. Note that the InV doesn't support Sirius's universal dockingarchitecture--unlike the comparably priced Stratus--so you'll have to connect it to yourstereo console via wires. However, the receiver does offer a complete in-car solution,with a design that's perfect for smaller vehicles with tight mounting locations. Inaddition to the receiver, the kit includes a power adapter that connects to your car's 12- volt cigarette lighter plug, a vehicle antenna for enhanced reception, and a dash mount.Once you're connected, you'll have the ability to decode the incoming digital-qualitysignal from more than 130 music, news, sports, talk, and entertainment channels, many ofthem commercial-free.
An intuitive three-line display tells you the channel name and number, artist name, andsong title. The receiver also lets you program up to 10 presets of your favorite streams, aswell as search by channel name and music category. And with a quick press of the One- Touch Jump button, you can instantly switch between the traffic and weather reportsfor your city or any of the other music, news, or entertainment channels. Otherprogramming details include direct station tuning via the numeric buttons and a channellock option.
The InV also includes a built-in FM transmitter that sends Sirius radio programming toyour vehicle's FM tuner, so you don't have to make a direct connection to enjoy the fullarray of channels. Simply set an empty FM frequency on your radio and tune the InV tothe same frequency (the transmitter supports up to 100 frequencies). The transmitter alsoworks with other FM tuners, such as the one on your home stereo, but is easily pairedwith the car thanks to the vehicle kit, which includes everything you need for listeningto Sirius while driving.
Other features include a real-time clock; a parental lock function that restricts yourchildren's access to off-color material; and compatibility with a separately sold wirelessremote control. The InV, which measures 4.5 by 1.9 by 0.7 inches (W x H x D), is backedby a one-year warranty.
What's in the Box InV satellite radio receiver, dash mount, car power adapter, roof-mount antenna,mounting hardware, Sirius station guide, user's manual.

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SIRIUS SV3-TK1 Stratus Plug-and-Play Satellite Radio Receiver with Car Kit Review

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(More customer reviews)The kit itself is simple to install and setup took only a few minutes. However, the FM transmitter on the unit is not as good as previous units I've had as it only goes down to 88.1. I live near D.C. and it is almost impossible to find a frequency without something being transmitted on it. My old unit transmitted down to the low 87's and I had no trouble tuning in. It also seems like the transmitter is too week to transmit over even partial signals (a guess a compromise for the small size of it). So I ordered the FM Direct Adapter to see if that helps. It would have been nice if Sirius had included this in their car kit as anybody that lives near a city is likely to need it.

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Pioneer Inno XM2go Portable Satellite Radio/MP3 Player (Pink) Review

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(More customer reviews)in our rural area the inno works pretty well. indoors, you have to move it around a little and then hold it still once you've found a good spot. I can usually find a good spot in each room. this is without the docking station antenna. When you use the docking station antenna, the reception is perfect. Outside the inno gets a signal most of the time. Somtimes I have to put it on a different side of my body to keep a signal. Overall i'm pleased with the Inno. I cant wait for the antenna technology to improve. I may try the antenna headphones.

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Pioneer's Inno is the complete entertainment package!! And now, it's available in pink. The Inno is a satellite radio that lets you listen to live XM broadcasts at home, on the go, and even in the car! The Inno lets you store individual songs or entire blocks of XM programming and listen to them anytime you'd like. Or you can upload some of your favorite MP3 and WMA files, and create playlists that include MP3s/WMAs and the songs you've recorded from XM. The Pioneer Inno offers the long-awaited combination of MP3 and live XM Satellite Radio reception in a sleek, handheld device. The wearable radio delivers XM's 160 digital radio channels of commercial-free music and premier sports, news, talk, and entertainment programming live and nationwide. It plays MP3s and WMAs, and it has a time-shifting memory mode for storage and playback of XM content. A particularly innovative feature of the Inno allows the user to ?bookmark? songs heard on XM, connect the Inno to a personal computer, and instantly purchase the songs from the XM + Napster online service. The Pioneer Inno has 1GB of memory storage capacity for MP3 files, WMA files, and XM programming, which can store up to 50 hours of content. At only 4.4 ounces and 3.4in. x 1.9in. x .67in., the Inno is extremely light and easy to take along anywhere. In addition to the XM + Napster feature of the Inno, it has a full-color 180 X 180 pixels TFT display and a user-friendly interface for saving and deleting content. Users can build personal playlists using a mix of XM content and tracks from their own digital music collection. The Inno has a memory buffer to make it easy to store an entire track heard in XM, even if the user starts storing it in the middle of a song. Inno also has a built-in, wireless FM transmitter that beams XM to any car stereo radio. It offers a personal stock ticker and sports ticker. XM Radio is a satellite based radio system. It requires a monthly subscription fee for reception.

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Pioneer CD-XMHOME1 XMp3 Home Kit Review

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(More customer reviews)I love this kit. It is perfect for home use. The antenna works everywhere in my house.

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Sirius S50 Portable Satellite Radio Receiver with Car Pack Review

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(More customer reviews)I've waited for three months for the S50 to come out. I finally found one and had it installed professionally in my car. I love what the S50 can do, and I'm overall very pleased, but I have some problems with the S50. First the good stuff. It's a great design with an awesome LCD display. The station, artist and song are always visible. None of the scrolling stuff. The base has a rotating know to change channels, replay songs, press to record a song you like while it's playing and a host of other options. Very cool. The removable lightweight unit is about the size of 2/3 of a deck of playing cards. With this unit, you can remove it from your car, plug in the headphones and play your downloaded MP3's and recorded content from sirius. The rechargeable battery is supposed to last around six hours. I haven't drained it yet. It recharges automatically when plugged into the base unit. Additionally, it will automatically download music from your three most listened to stations...ingenius. Also, if you like a song you're listening to, you simply press the rotating knob, and the song is recorded for you onto the portable unit...awesome! Additionally, if you like a song you just heard, you can click the knob, and it plays again. You can then skip ahead to the current song playing or keep listening. You can also pause the broadcast and unpause without a hitch. As you turn the knob to change channels, a voice tells you what channel you're selecting which is a cool feature if you want to keep watching the road.
I love the selection of music that is available for my taste (alternative stuff). Some stations are lame, the all Elvis channel or all Bruce Springstine channel for example, but that's a matter of taste. Besides, there's plenty to choose from no matter what your taste in music.
And now, the bad stuff. 1) I was disappointed with the sound quality. I would describe the quality as somewhere between good FM radio and AM. Voices often sound like they're speaking or singing through a tin can. I thought it may have been the FM broadcaster in the unit, but when I play MP3's in the car through the unit, they sound great, so I guess it's not enough band width in the broadcasts. 2) The portable unit does not have an equalizer option. You can't adjust the bass or treble which even the cheapest MP3 players have. That was poor oversight on their part. 3) My biggest gripe is that the removable unit will sometimes vibrate loose, causing a loss in the transmission. This is very annoying, but I'm getting used to tapping my unit from time to time to prevent it. I think part of the problem there is that my unit was installed so that it lies in a flat position. I may have to get that changed, despite the fact that I love the way it's positioned right now. Sirius should have designed it so that the unit locks in. However, when you lose the signal (not from the unit vibrating loose), the voice asks if you'd like to switch to downloaded content which can be done very easily.
UPDATE: I had the unit re-installed so that it's not flat, no problem now with the unit slipping out.
Moreover, I'm very pleased with the S50. If you're aware of sound quality issue I'd definitely recommend the unit.

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If you're serious about keeping your music with you at all times, the Sirius S50 Satellite Radio Receiver and MP3/WMA Player System Pack may be just what you're looking for. Small enough for your shirt pocket, and loaded with all the accessories you need to play it over your car stereo, the Sirius S50 offers an intoxicating blend of satellite radio and digital music capabilities that are certain to transform your portable listening experience. For starters, when the Sirius S50 is set up in your car, or in the optional home docking station (sold separately), it's ready to capture more than 120 channels of Sirius satellite radio programming. But don't feel intimidated by the scale of all that programming; the Sirius S50 has several automatic and one-touch features that will help you get the most out of your satellite-radio experience in no time flat. Game alerts automatically prompt you when your favorite teams are playing, and a sports ticker gives you up-to-the-minute scores throughout the day. The unit's 30 channel presets offer one-touch navigation to your favorite Sirius stations as well as to Sirius traffic and weather reports. The Sirius S50 also boasts an internal memory that can store up to 50 hours of digital content, either from your favorite satellite programming. With a simple push of the unit's easy-to-spot heart-shaped "love" button, you can save the Sirius program you're listening to for future playback. So when it's time to work out, or when the beach is calling, just slip on the earphones and enjoy the commercial-free programming and music files of your choice. (A belt clip for the player is included in the kit.) Note that while live satellite radio content is available when you're in your car or at home--using either the included car cradle or the optional home cradle--it is not available when the S50 is in portable mode. You'll also get the accessories you'll need to play the Sirius S50 over your car stereo -- a cradle that allows the unit to receive live Sirius broadcasts, a car mount, a DC power adapter, a remote control, and a roof-mount antenna. The car cradle's media dial makes it super easy for you to surf through 120 channels of Sirius programming, and a voice-assisted navigation announces the name of the channel you've just tuned into, so you can find your favorite channels without taking your eyes off the road. The unit's built-in wireless FM transmitter "broadcasts" the sound over an unused frequency on any FM stereo, so there's no complicated installation process. And if your in-dash stereo has an auxiliary input, you can connect the Sirius S50 directly to it for even better sound. The unit's bright 176 x 220 TFT color display makes it easy to read programming data and sports scores. And at a mere 1.9 x .9 x 3.9 inches (WxHxD), and with rechargeable batteries that will give you six hours of play per charge, the Sirius S50 is ready to go wherever you take it. Note: Sirius Satellite radio programs require a subscription that's sold separately. What's in the Box S50 satellite radio, AC adapter, cigarette lighter power adapter, car antenna, car mount, earbuds, remote control, USB cable, belt clip, and PC software.

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JVC KT-SR1000 Sirius Satellite Radio Receiver Review

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(More customer reviews)I've had the JVC Sirius receiver for about 6 months now and have had no problems with it. I like the large screen and the feel of the buttons. Easy to see and use while driving.

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JVC's PDA-styled KT-SR1000 Sirius satellite radio receiver brings a wealth of music and news programming to your car and/or home audio system in a plug-and-play device that's as easy to use as it is to transport. The receiver offers accessible buttons and a large, bright LCD with multiple options for enhancing legibility. Artist names and song titles are presented in large type to enhance safety by minimizing distractions. Use of the receiver requires activation of a subscription to Sirius Satellite Radio ($12.95 per month or a one-time fee of $499.99). You'll also need a car or home docking apparatus, sold separately.The KT-SR1000 lets you enter a desired channel/stream number directly, or you can search for programming by scrolling through a list of channels or even a list of currently playing artists. For one-touch access, you can set up to 30 stream preferences, or presets, with the option to lock or unlock a given function. For example, you can store a list of preferred categories and stations without fear of alteration until you decide it's time for a change.Memory Capture stores 30 favorite songs in the form of PDTs (Program Definition Text, with artist name and song title), and, when activated, the unit's S-Seek feature will search all incoming streams for those songs.Time-based functions include an alarm, a sleep timer, and program alert, which switches the KT-SR1000 to a preprogrammed stream at a selected time. The KT-SR1000 features a 132 x 65-pixel dot-matrix FSTN LCD with separate controls for brightness and contrast.The KT-SR1000 must be used with one of the following adapter kits:
JVC KS-K6003 home kit
JVC KS-K6002 vehicle kit (with wireless FM transmitter)
JVC KS-K6001 vehicle kit (without wireless FM transmitter)
Sirius satellite radio is a subscription service that provides more than 100 channels of digital programming, from music to news, talk, and sports. It is available only in the lower 48 states--not available in Alaska, Hawaii, or U.S. territories.What's in the Box Sirius receiver, a remote control, remote batteries, and a user's manual.

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Pioneer CD-XMPCAR1 XMp3 Car Kit Review

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(More customer reviews)I got the XMP3 radio for Christmas '08 ( a LOT cheaper now if you're thinking about it, and about the best Sat Radio available!) and I wanted to get the car kit for it also. I just waited a few months for the price to come down and now I have one. If you want to listen to your new XMP3 Radio in your vehicle you'll probably need this too! If you've had previous XM radio car kits this includes the same stuff, extra remote (good thing), antenna etc., except no cassette adapter this time, just a stereo to stereo adapter cable for direct input, if you have that in your car. The owners manual says that if don't have an input into your radio or are still using a cassette player stereo and don't have a cassette adapter, you need one of the two FM modulators for XM to hear it as the FM modulator capabilities are supposed to be in the base for this car kit, not in the radio. I actually got this car kit for my Gold Wing motorcycle. I already had my SkyFi2 set up on it and it was just swap it out for this base and change the power adapter for the 5 Volt XMP3. I already have the in line FM modulator on the motorcycle and it all works great. To be honest though the SkyFi2 display is easier to read in the bright sunlight, and it's a bigger display. In a car/truck the XMP3 color display would be fine though.

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Sirius One SV1 Satellite Radio with Car Kit Review

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(More customer reviews)A friend of mine gave me an Amazon Gift Certificate for Christmas and I used it to buy this little Sirius radio. Though other radios have more bells and whistles I am very happy with this one.
First of all, price-wise it cannot be beat. It includes everything you need to use it in your car (mounting bracket, power cable that plugs into the car lighter, antenna, remote control). At this time there doesn't seem to be a home kit for it. That was not a deal breaker for me since I was planning to really only listen to it in the car anyway. Plus, when you joing Sirius you can listen to all the music channels online.
Though this is a simple unit, it does include some nice features. There are presets that work great. You can set the display to show the channel you are on or have it scroll to tell you the artist and title of the song that is playing.
It has a built-in transmitter that transmits over the car's FM radio on an unused channel. This has worked great for me and I think the sound is very good. I did need to change the FM channel it was transmitting to (easy to change and you can have up to five presets for this as well) once or twice but once I found a truly open station it was crystal clear. It should be noted that I live in LA which is a very crowded radio market. Still I was able to find a clear FM slot to tune the Sirius radio's transmitter to. If you are not in a major market that should not be a problem at all, and really wasn't that big of a deal for me here in LA.
I think it is a sharp little unit and very solid. I am happy with it and if you are looking for a nice, low price unit this is a great choice. I am also very happy with the Sirius service. The music channels are great and I enjoy the sports and talk radio.

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Streamline the way you listen to Sirius in your car with the low-profile SV1 satellite radio. Just like other Sirius-compatible receivers, the SV1 offers an easy-to-read display and an intuitive control panel. But more significantly for people who spend a lot of time in the car, the SV1 is designed to seamlessly complement your driving routine thanks to its mounting versatility and bundled car kit. In addition to the receiver, the kit includes a power adapter that connects to your car's 12-volt accessory outlet, a vehicle antenna for enhanced reception, a remote control (with battery), and two mounting options: a suction cup mount that attaches to your windshield and a dash/visor mount.
Once you're connected, you'll have the ability to access more than 130 channels of digital-quality satellite radio, with a breadth and depth of programming unavailable on regular radio. Among the programming options are dozens of genre-specific music stations, full coverage for every NFL team (including live games), live coverage of UEFA Champions League and English Premier League soccer matches, Howard Stern and Martha Stewart radio shows, NPR and other news sources, and just about everything else.
The SV1 tuner is equipped with a one-line, 12-character dot matrix display that switches between the channel name and number, channel number and category name, channel number and artist name, and channel number and song title. The display also offers a sports option: simply press the Display button while listening to a game to toggle between the team names and the current score. You can even flip the unit over for reverse mounting without sacrificing readability or functionality. Other control panel details include 30 presets of your favorite streams, with six banks of five streams each; a preset scanning function; and direct channel tuning via the remote control.
The SV1 also includes a built-in FM transmitter that sends Sirius radio programming to your vehicle's FM tuner, so you don't have to make a direct connection to enjoy the full array of channels. Simply select an empty FM frequency on your radio and tune the SV1 to the same frequency (the transmitter supports up to 100 frequencies). The transmitter also works with other FM tuners, such as the one on your home stereo, but is easily paired with the car thanks to the vehicle kit.
Additional features include an adjustable audio level that matches other sources in the vehicle; a parental control function that restricts off-color material to children; adjustable brightness and contrast controls; a 3.5 mm mini-jack line output; and a 2.5 mm sub-mini jack FM output for use with an optional wired FM switch-box accessory. The SV1, which measures 2.75 by 0.94 by 4.5 inches (W x H x D), is backed by a one-year warranty.
What's in the Box SV1 satellite receiver, wireless remote control, lithium battery, magnetic antenna with 21- foot cord, visor/dash mount, suction cup mount, 12-volt power adapter, hook-and-loop tape straps, Sirius channel guide, user's manual.

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