Pioneer CD-INCAR2 Car Kit for Pioneer GEX-INNO2BK Inno 2 Portable XM Radio Review

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(More customer reviews)The main reason for this kit (instead of the INNO1 version) is because the FCC forced Pioneer to reduce the FM transmitter strength. This means that to get the signal to your car's antenna you have to use an extra cable that runs from the in-dash mount, OUTSIDE YOUR CAR, and is clipped directly to your car's built-in antenna.
There are problems with this approach:
1. The first time you go through an automatic car wash the clip-on cable will be stripped right off.
2. The clip-on portion only works with extremely thin "whip" style antennas. My wife's car has a short, thick "aero" style antenna (in the center of the very rear of the roof) that is totally incompatible with this kit. They don't tell you that before you buy it.
3. Who wants a cable strung through your car for passengers to trip over? Who is going to rip out dashboards and upholstery in a new car to run this underneath? Maybe a professional installer, but this kit was aimed at the home user, supposedly.
In my case I finally tried running the "sure connect" cable under the floor mats, into the back cargo area, and then ran it in a large loop around the inner edge of the rubber seal around the hatch back, leaving the clip-on tip dangling where it wasn't obvious. The only reason this kit gets two stars instead of one is that worked: the signal is strong enough to reach the external antenna without any wires going outside the car.
If you're going to use your INNO2 in a car, be warned, and you probably should save the $70 and give it to a professional installer who'll jack it into the back of your existing radio's FM input--except I bet you have to buy the kit anyway, to get the FM transmitter enabled through the cradle, don't you?

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Convenient close-at-hand mounting with Car Dock, In-car antenna for best reception, and keep inno fully charged with included Power Adapter. Compatible with GEX-INNO2BLK only.

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Pioneer CD-INCAR1 Car Kit for Pioneer Inno Satellite Radio Review

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(More customer reviews)I easily installed the Car kit in little time. Having a stereo though with no Auxiliary input I am relying on the FM transmitter. Living in a large but not to large metropolitan area I have trouble finding an open frequency thus giving interferance quite often. Even when having good reception I find that the trasmitter is quiter than a normal radio station (although you can set the transmition volume). Overall the kit is good.

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Enjoy your Inno XM satellite radio in any vehicle with this Pioneer accessorykit, which includes everything you need to start enjoying all the songs you'vedownloaded. The kit features a custom car dock for easy mounting, a cigarette lighterand cassette adapter that lets you power up and listen to the Inno, and a full-functionremote control for convenient passenger use while driving. The included XM antenna,meanwhile, is small but powerful, ensuring that you'll receive a virtually uninterrupteddigital satellite signal. The accessory kit, which also comes with swivel and vent mounts,is backed by a one-year warranty.
What's in the Box Custom car dock, power adapter, cassette adapter, full-function remote control, XMantenna, swivel and vent mounts.

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Delphi MyFi XM2GO Portable XM Satellite Radio Receiver with Home / Car Kits Review

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(More customer reviews)I've had my MyFi for a week now and I must say that it has exceeded my expectations. I do live in an urban area where reception is great (DC) but I find that I rarely use the live programming when on the run and just rely on my recorded content.
First what's great about the MyFi:
1) I'm new to satellite radio and was very impressed with the variety of music available. I've discovered lots of artists that while I had my Ipod I never knew existed. Add to that the great live events, talk radio, and other content.
2) XM2Go works flawlessly. But for the limitations (below) it works flawlessly. Pop your MyFi in the cradle at night and in the morning you have 5+ hours of content. Note, the box says 5 hours but in reality if you record any of the more compressed channels (talk etc.) you will end up being able to record more than 5 hours! I believe when I record music channels I actually get closer to 6 hours of recorded content. Once you have your content you can easily scroll from song to song. Skip the ones you don't like. Replay the ones you do.
3) It is truly portable. I go from pocket (headphones), to car (FM transmitter), to home cradle (line-in to the stereo) without ever interrupting listening.
4) It comes with everything you need, including a remote control so you can easily switch channels as your MyFi sits in its cradle across the room (you can't say that about the Ipod). Further, what it comes with is great quality. I love the swivel car cradle - not only do you not have to worry about plugging wires into the MyFi everytime you bring it into the car (they are plugged into the cradle), it makes reading the display a breeze for both the driver and the passenger (just swivel it between the two).
5) Replaceable battery. Unlike the Ipod the MyFi, like a cell phone, has a swappable battery. That means you can (eventually) either buy a replacement when the battery starts to lose strengh without conducting the surgery necessary on the Ipod (this is huge given the amount of use these devices get and the liklihood that batteries will only hold their full capacity charge for 6-12 months) or just have one handy to extend your listening time.
6) It's solid state. Unlike the Ipod you don't have to worry about a hard drive to go bad (like mine did in 8 months!)
7) Recording isn't limited to scheduled records. You can always nab a song here or there by just hitting the XM2Go button.
8) It feels solid in your hand. Yeah, it's bigger and heavier than an Ipod (think thick PDA, or perhaps the Dell MP3 player) but it's designed to fit in your hand well and works well for both left (me) and right handed people.
Now the things you should be aware of (though, knowing them I still would buy one):
1) Don't expect non-stop reception when you are roaming around. Even in metro areas you might drop a signal when you aren't using the home or car kits. I imagine it is difficult at best in non-urban areas to maintain a line of sight with the sats. Just expect that you will need to make use of the recorded content in those situations.
2) Don't expect the sound quality of a high-bitrate MP3 on the Ipod. I suspect that this has everything to do with the nature of Sat radio and nothing to do with the MyFi hardware, but, the quality is not the same. Although I would rate it great, you do notice that you are getting a compressed stream.
3) Don't expect to be able to control your content. Unless you save a recording session for days you won't likely get the same songs day to day (the playlists on XM are vast, rarely are there repeats) (notable exception is if you record the top 20 channel). That's a good thing if you like variety - that's a bad thing if you like the comfort of always having your favorite tunes handy.
4) The AV cable is a bit short (nothing an extension cord couldn't fix).
5) I would like to see a more sophisticated recording scheduler. Currently you can only schedule 2 record sessions and it limits you to recording within the next 24 hours (unless you schedule a daily recording session). With all of the great XM content it would have been nice to be able to set up a recording session several days into the future.
6) I would like to be able to lock or protect songs or even whole sessions from being recorded over by new recording sessions. Currently, the way it works is just a simple first in first out method. Fortunately, it is smart enough to merely delete a portion of an overwritten section as opposed to the whole section.
7) It doesn't buffer like a TiVo/ReplayTV. It would be nice to pause and/or rewind live content.
8) Fianlly, I would love a computer interface so that that XM can distribute updated software to fix some of the above issues.
This product is great.

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The Delphi MyFi, the first personal, portable XM2GO satellite radio that delivers XM's Ultimate PlayList™ anytime, anywhere - at home, at work, in the car and now, on the go.The hand-held MyFi gives users the personal freedom to enjoy XM Radio's Ultimate PlayList of more than 130 digital XM channels in two ways: a "live" listening mode and a time-shifting "memory" mode. The MyFi's live mode enables users to listen live to all of XM's 68 commercial-free music channels, plus premier news, sports, talk, traffic and weather channels. MyFi's memory mode - called "My XM" -- allows users to store five hours or more of XM's outstanding content with the press of a button, even when the unit is not in use. The MyFi makes it possible to enjoy XM Satellite Radio anywhere, anytime, effortlessly. Large, illuminated six-line LCD display. Up to 30 channel presets. Built-in alarm clock.

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Samsung YX-M1Z Helix XM2go Portable Satellite Radio with MP3 Player Review

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(More customer reviews)I am new to the XM/satellite radio world so I don't have any legacy relative value issues compared to past or competing XM radios (e.g., FM transmitters). I can only describe my view of this product on its own merits...and I must say I've been thoroughly impressed. Browsing channels and listening to stations is easy as can be, the content is pretty solid, and the moreover, this Samsung unit looks good and works well. It is a VERY hassle free way of discovering and saving new music.
I can't get enough of the feature where if you're listening to a song or program, at any time you can hold the center button for a second and it will record the entire song (since the beginning!) and save it to memory, for listening later. It's a great way to build a library! Never again do I have to hear a song on the radio and try to guess what song it is and hope that maybe I can buy the album later. With this, I've got a pure digital copy on here, ready to go on what is effectively my portable music player!
Only drawback is that, as a satellite radio, I find that you do need reasonable access to the sky to get a signal (it starts to cut out about five to ten feet away from a window, for example). So I can't use this in the middle of a giant office building (read: my workplace). But, when I'm home the "home antenna" is connected to the docking cradle. Once in the cradle, it's plug and play and I never worry about reception. Also, I can have it record programs and whatnot for listening later...kinda like a Tivo.

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Finally, a portable device that lets you play live XM radio content. That's right, wherever you roam the Samsung Helix lets you tap into more than 150 channels of satellite radio. It's a big step forward for XM radio lovers, but there's more. With the Helix, you can combine live XM radio with your personal digital music collection (MP3s and WMA). This means you can enjoy your own music library while being exposed to all the new music and content that XM radio has to offer.
So how did they get a complete satellite receiver into a device that measures 3.7 x 2.2 x 0.6 inches? By using an advanced satellite/terrestrial internal antenna that allows the device to receive signals from anywhere. The device is light, too, weighing in at just 4.5 ounces. The unit's full-color, 180 x 180 TFT display, as well as a user-friendly interface, make it easy to save and delete content. In addition to making it easy to find the music you want to listen to quickly, the interface lets you build your own playlists right on the device that consist of XM radio content and your own digital music. Another cool feature is the Helix's built-in memory buffer, which allows you to save an entire XM radio song even if you decide to save it in the middle of the song. The Helix's internal memory supports up to 50 hours of saved content.
Featuring a full array of programming -- from talk shows, comedy programs, and live Major League Baseball broadcasts to just about every musical genre from bluegrass to jazz -- XM Radio is the fastest growing satellite radio network in the world. All XM metadata is displayed on the Helix's display, including full song title and artist name, as well as information extras such as stock and sports score tickers. The device also sports a category list for saving and accessing favorite channels. Another great feature of the Helix is TuneSelect, which alerts you when one of your favorite artists or songs is being played on an XM channel. Plus, the Helix supports the XM + Napster music service. If you hear a song you like on XM radio, simply "tag" it and easily purchase and download that artist or song via Napster. It's a great way to discover and own the music you like. And last, but certainly not least, the Helix features an integrated wireless FM transmitter so you can beam XM content to any FM radio frequency, making it very easy to listen to XM content on any home or car stereo.
What's in the Box YX-M1Z XM radio/MP3 player, battery, earbuds, remote control, home dock/cradle, home XM antenna, AC power adapter, travel power cable, RCA audio cable, USB cable, carrying case/holster, user's guide, and software CD-ROM.

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Samsung YP-X5X NeXus 25 XM Ready Digital Audio Player with 25-hour Playback Review

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(More customer reviews)I spent a couple months looking at portable XM radios in search of one to meet my needs. I eventually chose this device and I've been more than happy with my decision.
My needs were fairly simple. I needed to be able to listen to new music daily from within the concrete installation that is my workplace, and be capable of delivering it for the duration of my day. I also wanted to listen to it in my car or through a stereo. I had no interest in playing MP3, nor did I care about online functionality or interface with my computer. The NeXus has met every one of my requirements(with the purchase of the car/FM transmitter), and has done so exceptionally.
The radio will only play live XM when it's in the cradle. This seemed strange at first, but made sense as I got familiar with XM and it's capabilities. The decoder is separate from the radio(likely to keep the radio itself small), which I imagine is needed to recieve the signal. You must plug the decoder into the cradle along with the radio to play live XM. Also due to the relative weakness of the XM signal, the antenna needs to be long. These factors are likely the reason for only having recorded content on the go.
The menus on the device are fairly intuitive, though not entirely elegant. You can navigate by artist, by recording session, or with a flat list of songs for your recorded content. Live XM will allow you to navigate through stations naturally. There is also additional functionality that I have yet to use that seems to allow you to keep an eye out for certain artists. Navigation from the device is fairly simple, using the arrows on the face to move around, and the middle XM button to select. The remote is more robust in functionality, but is less intuitive in spots. The remote is also fairly weak, and the display on the radio itself is small. This limits the distance you can be from the radio when using it and making the remote a little on the useless side.
Battery life for the radio is very good, and has performed better than advertised for me. I get over 8 hours of continuous play from a full charge. I haven't run the battery completely dead yet, but it lasts my entire work day and still has a bar or two left when I plug it into the cradle in my car on my way home. Charging time seems to be very quick as well.
Storage is very good, though it doesn't sound impressive with only 512MB. You can partition the drive into 50% MP3 and 50% XM or 100% XM. I have opted for 100% XM, as I am sick of my MP3 collection. I currently have over 200 songs on my XM player, 8 of which are 30 minute segments, and one which plays slightly over an hour and a half. Assuming the average track is 4 minutes, that puts my current load at about 17 - 18 hours of recorded content.
The device itself is put together well. It small enough to fit in the palm of my hand, and is about a half an inch thick. That makes it about the size of your average flip phone - which is easily pocketable. The earbuds that come with it are not good quality, and are uncomfortable. I already had a pair of higher quality earbuds that replaced those. The music quality is decent. I'm no audiophile, so if it doesn't sound crunchy, or like it's playing in a can I'm happy. The other pieces like the audio cables and the carrying clip thing are of average to below average quality, but get the job done.
All in all I'm totally satisfied with the NeXus 25, and have recommended it to friends who are in the market for a portable XM radio.

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Get ready for total music freedom with the Samsung Nexus digital audio device. The Nexus takes the concept of a personal digital audio player to the next level with the addition of XM satellite radio. Using the supplied dock, and an included XM Connect-and-Play antenna, you can record your favorite XM programming to the device. Then, listen to your tunes and talk radio while you're on the go. In addition to handling XM content, you can also play songs from your existing library of MP3 and WMA music files (including purchased downloads). Plus, you can mix your recorded XM content with your music files -- create a playlist with XM recordings and your own digital music.
Because the Nexus is an XM ready device, it's designed to interface with the XM Connect-and-Play antenna. Simply plug the home antenna into the Nexus and you're rocking to XM's 150-plus digital channels. No additional accessories or installation are required. In addition to charging the device's battery, the included home docking station lets you use the Nexus as an XM receiver to play live XM content through your home stereo (the dock features stereo RCA outputs).
Featuring a full array of programming -- from talk shows, comedy programs, and live Major League Baseball broadcasts to just about every musical genre from bluegrass to jazz -- XM Radio is the fastest growing satellite radio network in the world. All XM metadata is displayed on the Nexus' front panel display, including full song title and artist name, as well as information extras such as stock and sports score tickers. At 3.4 x 1.9 x 0.7-inches, the Nexus is pocket friendly and designed to go wherever you go. The embedded 512 MB of internal memory gives you ample space for storing your music -- up to 25 hours of content will fit on the device. Music is transferred between your PC and the Nexus via a high-speed USB 2.0 connection.
Another cool aspect of the Nexus is its support for the XM + Napster music service. If you hear a song you like on XM radio, simply "tag" it and easily purchase and download that artist or song via Napster. It's a great way to discover and own the music you like.
What's in the Box YP-X5X XM radio/MP3 player, XM passport, battery, earbuds, remote control, home dock/cradle, home XM antenna, AC power adapter, RCA audio cable, USB cable, carrying case/holster, user's guide, and software CD-ROM.

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Audiovox XM XMFM1 FM Direct Adapter (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)If you are installing an XM radio in your car and thinking about utilizing the XM radio's ability to broadcast music to a specific channel on your car stereo - FORGET ABOUT IT!!! Just assume you will NOT be doing it that way, and buy one of these instead. This unit doesn't require any external power hookup, won't require you to string thin fragile wires from the front of your car to the back, is fairly small and easy to install, and sends wonderful, static-free sound to your car stereo. On your XM radio, you will still have to select a specific FM channel for reception of XM music, but you won't get any static even if you select a strong local FM channel. And, if you turn your XM radio off, you will be able listen to the FM channel normally. The FM channel is only blocked out when the XM radio is turned on. Check to see if your car stereo has a non-standard antenna input that will require inexpensive adapters. My car, which has a Blaupunkt radio, required "Volkswagen style" adapters. All these do is change the shape of the plugs that connect to the car radio and antenna. Note that I say "adapters" (plural) because, if you DO have a non-standard antenna input, you will need 2 adapters: 1 to mate the Audivox plug to your non-standard car stereo antenna input, and another to mate the antenna wire that used to plug into your car stereo but now needs to plug into the Audiovox adapter. The Audiovox unit goes between your car stereo and the end of your existing antenna wire. So, you will need a standard-to-nonstandard adapter + a nonstandard-to-standard adapter.

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The Audiovox XMFM-1 FM Direct Adapter for Xpress XM7 Satellite Radio Receiver is designed expressly to turn the internal FM transmitter in Audiovox's XM7 receiver into a wired FM modulator. This unit plugs directly into the vehicle radio antenna jack in your car stereo, and connects to the XMC-10 cradle via the docking station's audio line-out jack. This is especially useful for when you are taking advantage of your XM7 XM satellite radio receiver's FM transmitter because your vehicle's car stereo does not have an audio line-in jack accessible, and you are driving through areas with strong FM radio signals that are interfering with your car's reception of the XM7's FM transmission. In order for this unit to operate, your XM7 receiver must be set to FM On in the Xpress XM user's menu.

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