Delphi SkyFi2 XM Satellite Radio Receiver and Car Kit
By: Delphi Products Average Rating: 4.0 Total Reviews: 51
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 On: 2008-06-29
I bought a SkyFi2 a while back, for a song (pun) at $19.99 (special from XM). I already had a Pioneer Inno, but thought this would work great wired into my stereo. Drats, didnt read the small print and didnt understand that there was no remote control volume as on my Inno. So....after months of not really using it as I had intended, I discovered the bow tie boom box for the SkyFi2, here on Amazon. $24 for the boom box and $20 for the SkyFi, and now youre talking! Good sound, good sound--- not like $10,000 gear, but now I can carry great XM programming with me wherever I go- den, patio, picnic, etc. This is a fabulous combination!!!
 On: 2008-06-26
Bought this for a blind friend in a rest home. XM has more PG rated shows. It works great, the company who sold the unit was great. But since I am a Howard Stern fan and enjoy Sirius, for my old blind lady friend I think the PG version XM was better for her. XM and Sirius will merge soon then all the shows will be mixed and available on both XM and Sirius radios. Gotta Go Howards on.
On: 2008-06-15
Delphi did pretty well with the design and operational logic on this receiver. The display is big and clear, controls are simple and not crowded together like the itty bitty bead buttons you see on a lot of modern electronics. Menus are reasonably intuitive too. My only (small) complaint is rotating the dial moves the display cursor in the opposite direction you would expect.
On: 2008-06-07
This receiver has 3 preset channels A,B &C with 10 channel settings on each. It also has direct tune feature.
You can scroll through the channel settings with the remote or the dial on the receiver itself.
You can go back for the last thirty minutes of programing & play it again if you really like it or you were out of the room & missed it.
I have three of these & REALLY LIKE THEM!
On: 2008-05-29
Very nice receiver, the FM modulator is not very good, so I got a direct connect and it works a lot better.
On: 2008-05-28
I received this for Christmas 2004 and it is still going strong almost 4 years later. The receiver is easy to use and easily picks up a signal, even indoors. I have it docked with a Delphi boom box in my office, which has no windows, and still can listen to it most of the time. On the negative side, the display screen is a little difficult to keep clean and the silver finish easily scratches off. Overall, Ive been pleased with this item. In terms of the service provided by XM Radio, it bothers me that they have increased their pricing and I dont like the billing options but I will not let the service aspect influence my rating of this item. Service is, however, something you will want to consider and research a little before deciding to buy this.
On: 2008-05-12
Works well. Easy to get a signal. Solid performance. I use these in a business application, one has been in service for 2 years and has never been a problem. I have just bought this one, and will be buying another one soon. I havent been able to find one that comes with the home kit instead of the car kit, so I always have to buy the home kit and store the car kit. This unit, a home kit, and a set of wireless speakers is a good solution for using xm for business.
On: 2008-04-27
This product has worked very well but you have to read the description very carefully, it does NOT come with a home docking station, you have to purchase this seperatly. Once you get the home docking station, it is very easy to set up. I did have one question and had to call tech support, they were very helpful. This receiver works well in the house and in the car.
On: 2008-03-31
I am using this receiver plugged into the aux. plug on my car radio. The sound is great-much better than the FM radio. Have had it a few months now and no problems whatsoever. I also bought the kit for using in the home and it works great also.
Highly recommend
On: 2008-03-19
XM radio is absolutely brilliant. I cant put into words just how much I enjoy listening to their detailed selection of channels and there ability to find MORE obscure songs and place them on the daily rotation. They know how important it is to care about the people who listen to their music, and not just play the same small playlists over and over again.
When you turn to a station such as Deep Tracks on Monday, and Tuesday you hear COMPLETELY different songs, that has to be a very good feeling for you, right? It is to me. Its VERY important to me to have variety so we dont become bored with the same old songs playing all the time.
Many people whove been listening to typical FM classic rock for so many years might not even be aware just how *much* of an improvement XM radio is. Trust me, XM is worth every single penny. You have so much variety for whatever kind of music you like and you cant go wrong with it. You cant become bored with it. Its just a very fantastic thing!
This receiver might not work for everyone though. Be careful of prices that are way too cheap and look suspicious. If theres another way to listen to XM radio, go for it, but if this is your only way, its not a bad decision either. Just a risky one perhaps.
On: 2008-03-11
I love my new Delphi SkyFi2 XM Satellite Radio. It is better than the previous model of Delphi I had. It makes my long distance commute to work much more interesting, and keeps me up-to-date on whats happening in the world and the stock market. I only wish the stock info display was a little larger, since my eyes are not what they used to be.
 On: 2008-02-28
The unit I received was defective from day 1. The only button on the receiver that worked was the on/off button. I called Delphi and they told me to return it to the retailer. That makes me mad, since I bought it on Amazon I have to pay shipping to/from the retailer for a unit that is defective.
I wonder why they dont test units before they ship them.
I noticed a few other Amazon reviewers had similar experiences, their units never worked. Unfortunately, their reviews were buried beneath a number of glowing reviews, so I never saw them when I was making my purchase decision.
On: 2008-01-16
The Delphi SkdyFi2 is everything I wanted. I can leave it in my car,and tune in my home stero and listen to the station that I have selected in the car. I move it to the boat and listen to it in the summer also. The Delphi SkyFi2 is portable and easy to move.
 On: 2007-12-26
... if price was completely taken out of the equation. Nice big display, fairly easy to install, (((XM)))s service (in my opinion) is second to none. Theres a lot of good here, just not at ninety-dollars. Quite honestly, thats just FAR too expensive.
You would do better to either examine the used items being sold here, or take the money you wouldve spent and purchase the XpressR from Delphi. For a comparable price (I think the R is about ten or fifteen dollars more) youll get a current unit with TONS of features and twice as many accessory options.
Highly recommend the service, but your money would be better well spent on a different, i.e. more current, model.
On: 2007-12-25
... if price was completely taken out of the equation. Nice big display, fairly easy to install, (((XM)))s service (in my opinion) is second to none. Theres a lot of good here, just not at seventy-dollars. Quite honestly, thats just FAR too expensive.
You would do better to either examine the used items being sold here, or take the money you wouldve spent and purchase the XpressR from Delphi. For a comparable price (I think the R is about ten or fifteen dollars more) youll get a current unit with TONS of features and twice as many accessory options.
Highly recommend the service, but your money would be better well spent on a different, i.e. more current, model.
UPDATE: This unit is currently marked at the $55 Range ... this would qualify as a price Id consider to be completely reasonable and a good value.
On: 2007-11-27
SINCE NOT WANTING TO BUY SIRIUS THIS IS A GREAT ALTERNATIVE TO SIRIUS. EASY TO PROGRAM BUT HARD TO DELETE FAVORITE CHANNELS AND SONGS.
On: 2007-09-24
[[A
SIN:B0009NMQ2I Delphi SkyFi2 XM Satellite Radio Receiver and Car Kit]]
Enjoy my product and have had it about 2 years. Use in home and auto. My problem is with reception in auto when in large city areas the FM reception is terrible. Local FM stations drown out XM signal and it is useless until I get out of the large city areas. Have tried using the other channels but to no success. What kind be done about this?
 On: 2007-08-12
I bought an XM (over Sirius) because I wanted MLB and ACC Sports coverage. If you are doing it for the same reason, be forewarned that XM only carries one broadcast of each game, which means that you will often be hearing the OTHER teams broadcast (and frequently be getting angry with the announcers).
Other than that, I LOVE XMs musical selection, although I assume it would be about the same for Sirius
As for the player, it is very easy to use and has good features.
As for complaints:
- First off, the sound quality is pretty bad. Its somewhere between the quality of FM and AM radio, which is not the way you want to listen to your music. I even got the $30 add-on that is supposed to improve your reception. Id hate to hear what its like without this piece! This is extremely disappointing.
- I used the "stick-on" pad to stick the player to the front side of the dash, however, it MELTS OFF in the summertime! So I ended up having to Krazy Glue it on, which will probably look terrible when I go to take this thing off.
- The player is on a swivel-thing, that screws on to tighten. But no matter how hard I tighten it, it still manages to droop towards the floor so that I cant see the screen, and I have to readjust it once a week or so.
- The screen does not display the entire artist & song always, because it frequently fills up the screen, and doesnt scroll to account for this.
I have had this for about three months and thus far have had no issues with it not working.
On: 2007-07-26
The product has great channel selection features, and decent quality mounts. However, the air vent mount is kinda cheap, it broke after a fall of about 3 feet, without the receiver in it. The channel selection knob also came off for some unknown reason.
On: 2007-07-17
A nice kit for putting XM into any car using the SkyFi2 unit. Easy to install and everything needed is included. Remember that it can take over an hour to have your unit update for use after you sign up. During this period, the radio needs to be on and in a position where it can receive the XM signal.
On: 2007-07-16
Bought this for my son and he loves it. Very easy to install. He wonders why he did not have one before. Crystal clear reception and many choices of channels. I am buying one for me.
On: 2007-07-14
I have never been disappointed with XM radio and their products and this was no exception. It is easy to use and provides a lot of new features compared with the old SkyFi I used for years. I actually bought this one because I needed the mounting kit and could not find any others online as everyone seemed to be out of stock. It basically made the receiver a steal at $10 and full price for the mounting kit. I wouldnt be without my XM over air is for the birds. Delphi has done a great job.
On: 2007-06-27
The radio works great, strong FM transmitter, I enjoy the multiple line display. The pause feature is great but, if you want to backup to hear something you missed on a news channel, it skips back to a pause in the programming and you may go back 5 or more minutes. Though this works great for songs!! The docking station is quite large and creates a problem finding a good mounting location.
Overall I am very pleased with the radio, I have had it a few weeks and no issues or problems.
On: 2007-06-27
This item works really good. The only thing Im not happy with is the vent mounts in the car.
On: 2007-06-27
Bought this receiver for my Girlfriend and she couldnt be more happy. With its Tivo like features and its large, attractive display, its an all around good product.
On: 2007-06-08
Received all items necessary to instantly enjoy my satellite radio. All components were in the box and hook up was easy.
On: 2007-06-08
Great deal, prompt delivery. Easy to install and use. Like the large screen. The vent mount is of poor design.
On: 2007-04-25
I have been a subscriber for 4 years. Back in November my account was turned off due to a billing issue. The week prior to it being turned off I started receiving 3 calls a day for payment. I advised one of the reps to wait a week for the payment, payment was made. Calls stopped for another week. The radio was then turned off and the 3 calls a day started up again. I explained to the bill collectors I owed nothing and when offered to reactivate the radio I told them not to bother, at this point I wanted nothing more to do with XM. They offered me 3 months of free service to come back, anyone who cancels can get this by the way, and I refused. The 3 calls a day continued for the next week, I was informed that it simply takes a week for your name to fall out of their automated system....
2 more months go by and then I start receiving a bill saying that I reactivated my radio and owe for 2 months of service and all the late fees that go with that. 40 dollars. I call in and state I never reactivated my radio, thus I dont owe for reactivating my radio and the 2 months of service that would have followed. The customer service rep told me that it would be taken cared of, 2 weeks later I get another bill. I call back and the rep tells me the same thing and apologizes for my inconveniences. I even called back the next day just to make sure it was finally resolved, and that rep confirmed that I no longer owed anything. So then last month I start receiving COLLECTIONS NOTICES. YOU HAVE ONE MONTH TO PAY THIS BEFORE IT GOES TO COLLECTIONS. I called in and was promised they would look into it and call me back. This apparently has taken care of the issue, though I never received the call back. This week I called 6 times, 3 of which I was promptly hung up on for no reason, and was told each time that it had been resolved. So hopefully this time it really is... To anyone considering XM I suggest you just get an MP3 player.
On: 2007-03-27
My husband and I initialy purchased a SkyFi2 prior to a road trip last fall. We loved it so much that we got another for our other car. The XM variety and quality are wonderful and I have had absolutely no problems with the radio. I use my radio through the FM modulator and my husband uses an auxillary hook up, both of which work great. His auxillary hook up does have better sound quality, though. We live in Denver and I have had only a few problems in the past few months with FM interference. Overall, I would absolutely recommend these radios!!
On: 2007-03-17
I bought my one-and-only SkyFi2 last year. I now have kits installed in two vehicles, and my boat. I also have the boom-box radio set in my bedroom, and a home-reciever station on top of my family-room stereo. I use ONE SkyFi2 in all of these kits. I can take the thing anywhere, its pocket sized. Its great because Ive got my Sports Ticker set how I like it, my favorite artists programmed in, my preset channels, and I never have to re-program anything.
Ignore other reviews posting that they get bad reception. I promise you that its due to a bad installation. I travel all over the country,camping,boating and driving somethimes in very remote areas, and this thing only loses signal inside a garage or under VERY heavy tree cover. Having installed these things in all the above locations myself Ill admit, the antenna wires are finicky. You really have to be careful not to twist or crease them when youre installing, or the internal parts of the wire break and you wont get a signal. Just be careful, or have a pro do it.
On: 2007-02-17
OK, I am on my second SkyFi2 receiver. One is now in each pickup. No complaints after 18 months of daily use. If you want XM raido in your vehicle (or house...I also own the home adapter), this is the receiver to use. Ive installed each one in slighlty different vehicles in less than 30 minutes each. It took that long because I am meticulous. I mounted one on a 2x4 pedestal and inserted it into the console tray on the floor. The other I attached directly to the dashboard. You cannot go wrong with this device!
On: 2007-01-27
So far I love the Delphi XM Satellite radio and havent listened to FM in about a month. Controls are pretty easy to use, however the screen is hard to read if it isnt pointed to you. Once or twice the remote acted like the power button was getting stuck but it hasnt given me any problems in a couple of weeks. Great reception in the NC mountains and at Mrytle beach. Installation took me about 20 minutes. All in all a great purchase.
On: 2007-01-21
This item was purchased as a Christmas gift for a loved one. Its been in use now for over a month and I couldnt be more pleased with my purchase. The SkyFi2 is not the most feature-packed XM receiver on the market but it is definitely the nicest in this price range. The included car adapter kit was very simple to install and came bundled with every accessory that I might ever need for another vehicle in the future. And on Amazon, I was able to find it for $50 cheaper that anywhere else. Thank you!
On: 2007-01-14
There are too many words to describe what a great product this is.I love the fact that if you hear one of your favorite songs you can "rewind" and hear it over and over.Plus pause live radio.LOVE IT!
On: 2007-01-09
SkyFi2 is an excellent satellite radio. Now I using these device 1,000 miles south of border line (in La Paz 24° 14 N and 110° 32 W). You can use when travel in Mexico, because the reception is excellent. Tested 100%.
On: 2007-01-09
I bought this receiver last Tuesday and installed it myself. My husband did most of the installation and it seemed to be pretty simple. On Saturday I had little to no signal everytime I got in the van. I finally took the antenna from the roof and the line had a break in it where it was entering van from the roof. Called Best Buy where it was purchased and they said it was my own fault for not having them install it and it was abuse on my part that caused the break(so, dont play jump rope with the antenna even though the wire is plenty long enough for that!). I then called Delphi and got some punk kid who kept repeating the same question over and over because I didnt understand what he was asking me the first time. I finally handed the phone to my brother in law who explained the situtation and they are sending me a new antenna. In the mean time I am using the antenna for my husbands Inno. I did the same thing as someone else mentioned previously and have the antenna on the dashboard of my van. I dont know if thats the problem or not, but I dont get very good reception most of the time, there is static or I lose the signal all together. It seems like I lose the signal about 25% of the time.
I do like the functions of this receiver. I really like being able to program my favorite artists in it and know when they are on any station. And, I am really looking forward to baseball season when I will be able to listen to all the Atlanta Braves games even though I live in Illinois!
On: 2007-01-08
SkyFi2 is an excellent satellite radio. Now I using these device 1,000 miles south of border line (in La Paz 24° 14 N and 110° 32 W). You can use when travel in Mexico, because the reception is excellent. Tested 100%.
On: 2006-11-28
I had a few issues with my Roadie 2 and I bought this to replace it. The transistion was simple to upgrade the radio and overall, I have REALLY enjoyed this new receiver. I like the remote and the pausing feature. It kind of reminds me of my TiVO at home in a way so I can fast forward through commercials. I would highly recommend this product!!!
On: 2006-11-06
I really like the SkyFi2. I had a Roadie before this and the SkyFi2 is a vast improvement. However, the Roadie had loud beep that came over the speakers when one of songs was found playing somewhere. The SkyFi2 does not send the beep sound over the speakers; it comes from the SkyFi2 and is not loud enough to hear. So, I miss a few favorites.
On: 2006-09-29
I would not recommend this unit. The reception is very poor. I am using it in an 06 car, so the electronics are up to date. I would say it picks up distortion free maybe 20 percent of the time. I had a XM Commander in my previous vehicle, it was great. I think I will get another for my current car.
On: 2006-09-14
We had this radio for about 6 months, when it completely quit working. During the 6 months the reception would go in and out, until finally the radio wasnt transmitting anything. To troubleshoot, we tried the Pioneer satellite radio that my husband has, and it works great in my car. So, I know it was not my car radio receiver or antenna that was the problem. Getting XM to help us with this was like pulling teeth! We originally contacted Delphi, and they told us to call XM. We kept getting the run around from XM for over one month, until they finally told us we needed to call Delphi for warranty refund! A big circular mess... Our opinion is to spend the extra money and get the Pioneer radio.
On: 2006-06-30
Ive had a SkyFi receiver in my home for over two years now, and am addicted to Satellite Radio -- its all I listen to now. When we leased a Lexus RX 330 that did not have Satellite radio pre-installed, we purchased this receiver and car kit for it. Initially, I was concerned about trying to install the antenna on the roof of the car (the instructions that come with the kit are necessarily vague concerning how to install the antenna on the car roof, because each car is different). I did not know if I could do it myself, or if I would have to pay a professional to install it. Well, I decided to try putting the antenna inside the car, on the dashboard, rather than trying the more complicated roof-top installation, to see if it worked. I placed the antenna on the dash as far forward as possible, and stuck it in place with a little museum wax. I hid the antenna wire easily in the seam between the dash and the side of the car, and then strung the wire below the drivers side floor mat. It works great! Every now and then, the signal drops off when you make a turn or go under a bridge, but its only momentary and no different than the drop off I got on regular radio. Indeed, it does not seem to happen any more frequently than in my other car, that had XM pre-installed with a roof antenna. The receiver plays through the tape deck in the car, and the reception is strong and crystal clear digital. (One of the other reviewers complains of poor reception when played over the FM radio -- that is only necessary if you dont have a tape deck, and I havent tried the FM broadcast signal myself.) All in all, were very pleased by this receiver and car kit, and wouldnt know what wed do without it.
On: 2006-06-23
I love my SkyFi2 but I primarily use it in the XM boom box. As far as quality, usability and setup, it couldnt get much easier than this. The only negative Ive found when using it with a boom box is the faceplate light stays on all night. It doesnt bother me but anyone sensitive to light wouldnt like this in a boom box, its pretty bright. Other than that, I love my SkyFi2 and couldnt be happier with it.
On: 2006-05-20
If your car radio is not satellite ready, this XM unit can not be wired in and you will not get a true digital signal. Instead, it broadcasts a weak FM signal your existing antenna picks up.
There are about six preset stations this unit can broadcast on; I got interference on all of them. The sound quality was terrible, worse tham AM.
I gave up on this unit and replaced the receiver in the car.
On: 2006-05-19
If your car radio is not satellite ready, this XM unit can not be wired in and you will not get a true digital signal. Instead, it broadcasts a weak FM signal your existing antenna picks up.
There are about six preset stations this unit can broadcast on; I got interference on all of them. The sound quality was terrible, worse tham AM.
I gave up on this unit and replaced the receiver in the car.
On: 2006-05-03
Hey Delphi, cmon... this is really not necessary. The radio features, looks and performance are great, but it is of a surprisingly poor manufacturing quality. The large turn dial has some hard spots when it becomes very difficult to turn, then loosens up again just to get hard to turn a little later on. The buttons on the radio are rubber and all sit crooked in their sockets. Because of that they rub on the case and are hard to push because of the rubber friction against the case. Besides the already mentinoed design flaw that the buttons are illuminated, but the labels are not (duh!). All buttons require a different amount of force to push and sometimes because of the friction, you have to push twice to complete your selection.
Next, the vent mount of the car kit does not match the radio base because the middle rib of the vent mount is too big for the radio base. It looks like there was a running redesign of one of these items and the other was not adapted, so the vent mount is entirely useless. Instead of the several, mostly flawed mounts included, Delphi should do away with them and just include one window suction cup mount like SIRIUS does in their Starmate Replay package. Too bad that a radio with great features is hampered by such a poor manufacturing quality.
We have Siruis on the boat and XM in the cars. Right now its hard to say which service gets the nod, since we are not interested in sports or Howard Stern.
I think form a music offering there is not much of a difference and the plans are costing exactly the same. It is really up to what service you already have sine a second receiver is always subsedised and costs less than one from the competing companies.
On: 2006-04-17
Ive owned this XM receiver with car kit for several months now and I can tell you that it has met or exceeded my expectations in every category.
INSTALLATION
The receiver mounts easily enough in one of my air vents in the front dash. From there I run a direct stereo line out into my AUX input jack on the front of my car CD player. The antenna has a strong magnet and is easy to get on the top of your car. The installation took me about 10-15 minutes total, with no tape or tools and it is completely reversible.
FEATURES
The receiver itself is great. The large jog-dial, in conjunction with the Menu button and XM button, controls most of the selections youll have to make. You can set 3 sets of 10 presents. You can display song info on the screen in two different ways. There is also a feature to run a real-time stock ticker or sports ticker with your selected stocks or teams at the bottom of the screen. All things and other receivers being equal, this feature sold me over other receivers and Sirius.
The last main feature in the SkyFi2 is TuneSelect. You have 20 slots to store artist and song info. Say youre listening to Nirvanas "Smells Like Teen Spirit." You just hold down the XM button for 2 seconds while its on and its stored into memory. You can then set TuneSelect to either "artist" or "song." If its on song, whenever Smells Like Teen Spirit begins to play on any of the 150+ channels, the receiver will beep and you can hit the XM button to jump to the channel thats playing it to catch the song from the beginning. If TuneSelect is on "artist," anytime ANY Nirvana song is being played on any of the 150+ channels, the receiver beeps and tells you which Nirvana song just started. You can once again hit the XM button and jump to that channel. You can store 20 songs or artists this way.
SERVICE
The XM service has been phenomenal, and better than I expected. I live around downtown Chicago, and I always get XM signal--even on lower Wacker Drive. This is because XM has set up terresterial signal emitters on the ground in metropolitan areas that are in the shadow of skyscrapers and tunnels. I have also taken it on 300 mile highway trips and always get XM signal. The service is great. After you have it, its like cable TV, you can never go back to just broadcast TV. Commerical radio is horrendous compared to XM.
The one caveat of signal quality is how you get the signal from your XM receiver to play over your car stereo. If you use a direct line-in like i do, your signal will always be perfect. If you use the FM modulator (set your car radio to 88.5 FM and the XM receiver to broadcast on that channel) youre in for a crapshoot. In downtown Chicago, there is so much interference that FM modulators for anything, satellite radio, iPods, anything--will not work. In fact, when most people complain that the XM or Sirius signal is lost, the receiver doesnt lose the signal; the car radio cant pick up the FM modulation signal. So if you can only use the FM modulator to get the signal from the XM receiver into your car radio, I would tell you to pass on getting satellite radio if you live in a dense metro area (NY, LA, Boston, Chicago, etc). Otherwise, I fully endorse this product, it is outstanding.
On: 2006-04-07
Ive had this unit for over a 1+ year and ran into problems with reception it would drop signal and it would eventual come back. I found out that this unit had a defect and the xm rep said I could get a replacement for $50!!! They didnt figure to tell anybody about this? If this is true I would not recommend XM Radio at all.
Thanks John
On: 2006-03-30
We were very happy with the sound quality and the ease of installation of this product. We especially like the scrolling scores option at the bottom of the receiver. We have factory installed XM in our other car so it doesnt do that! Anyway, great product. Worth the $.
On: 2006-03-20
I got a great deal on this radio and with the rebate, paid about fifty bucks. Had it installed at Best Buy (would recommend professional installation) and it was activated in minutes. There is a plethora of news and sports stations (my main reason for getting satellite radio) so I am never without something interesting to listen to. Very easy to operate and lots of features. Im very happy with my SkyFi2. This is a gem.
On: 2006-03-20
I researched a number of XM radios prior to purchasing this one and have found this to do everything that it said it would. It is easy to use, the screen is easy to read and it does not take up much space on the dash. The menus are simply to navigate and user friendly. I like that you can play back songs, I use this feature a lot. I wish it could store them somehow for future playback. It seems to be a good value for the price. You get a lot of features packed into a small unit for a very decent price compared to some of the other models I have looked at. The only drawback is that at times if the titles are long they dont get shown on the screen.
On: 2006-03-10
I dont know what I did before satellite radio. With this one you can play the song over if you like it. The only bad thing is...if you happen to catch the song towards the end...you cant replay the song from the beginning. The memory only remembers the music you heard. I dont think you will be disappointed...with so many channels to choose from...there is always something good on. :)
On: 2006-03-10
I purchased this product for my son to put in his car. He has a 2002 Grand Am. We had a little trouble finding a flat spot to mount the product. It will not mount using the vent mount. His vents would not allow this. We finally mounted it below the vents on the dash, but it is not on a flat spot which the directions recommend. Not all cars have an easy spot for mounting. The product works great however and he absolutely loves it. The reception is fine and we purchased a 12 month contract with XM radio. Great product!
On: 2006-02-10
My son purchased the SkyFi2 for me as a Xmas gift. Had the unit installed at Circuit City (all day affair ~ $80). I have a Honda so the unit installed in the empty compartment below the radio. I agree with the previous reviewer...the unit is not as tightly connected to the base as I would like...moves a bit when pressing buttons, however, I use the remote control so it is no problem. The on-board memory (30 mins) is great. If you like the song you hear, play it again (5 times if you want). The unit gets great reception and sounds better than my radio (little or no static). Remote is easy to use since there are 30 presets and a direct access for just typing the channel you want. Direct access works well...go to the channel you want and hit the up and down button to increase or decrease the channel selection by 1. XM sorts the music in ranges so its easy to find what you want. The display has several modes to scroll the channel and artists name...no more wondering who the artist is. If you are buying this as a 2nd XM radio for a family member, be sure to check out the discounts for 2nd account user....you can save up to 50% on the monthly fee. My son has built-in XM (in his new Honda radio)and he likes my SkyFi2 better then his own. The remote control feature is great !
by: elizh77 On: 2006-01-13
After much research, I finally decided that this was the receiver for me! So far, so good.
I am primarily using this in the car, so I grabbed this version that included the car kit. If you only want one receiver but want to use it in two cars, you will need an extra car kit. Its too annoying to try to move the antenna between cars. I had looked at a few portable units, but I chose this one since it was designed primarily for those in the car, and I wanted the a unit that was going to be easy to use when Im in the car.
Installation was very easy. I did it myself, and my antenna is on top of my roof near the front. The antenna cord is about 24 feet long, so there is plenty of extra cord if you are in a sedan like me. I ran my cord right under the weatherstripping on the front windsheild as was suggested at cruchfield.com, then through the door and around the door jam. The kit also includes one of those little tubes that you can fit around your cords, as you will have three: antenna, power and the cassette. All cords plug into the base.
I used the air vent base installation instructions (the kit also comes with dashboard mount and a swivel mount, but both can damage your car when youre ready to remove the mounts). The only thing is that I wish it were a little more steady from side to side when I am pushing the buttons. It takes some playing around with to get just right.
The receiver itself has been pretty easy to use. I definitely recommend actually reading the instructions on how to use all of the different buttons. There are 30 memory buttons available. There is also a neat feature that will alert you to when your favorite artist or song is playing, and the alert will allow you to go straight to that channel if you so desire.
One downside is that only the buttons have a backlight. The labels above them do not have these lights. So, until I get to remember exactly where the "jump," "memory" and "menu" buttons are, its going to be to difficult to use them in the dark.
There is also a 30 minute record/replay function on this receiver. However, anything you save is erased when the unit is turned off.
I tracked this item for a few weeks before I bought it, as I noticed that the price occasionally would change from day to day. Amazons price when I bought this three days ago was $93.99, and today it is listed about $3 less. Some third party merchants have dropped the price below the Amazon price from time to time, but generally, the Amazon price has been the lowest.
If you buy this item before the end of April 2006, there is also a $30 rebate available from XM.
Although I have not actually been a Sirius subscriber, I took advantage of the online trials with Sirius and XM. I also read some reviews of both and examined their channel guide. Their offerings are very similar. If you are interested in sports, XM has great college ACC/Pac 10/Big 10 channels (I am a UNC grad, so I have to have my ACC sports!), NASCAR and MLB. Sirius offerings are more towards NFL/MLH fans. One review I read said that the music on Sirius tended to be what he phrased as "riskier," which the reviewer defined as playing more deep cuts, etc. I have been very, very pleased with the XM offerings, playlist, variety, talk, etc. No complaints with XM here!
by: elizh77 On: 2006-01-12
After much research, I finally decided that this was the receiver for me! So far, so good.
I am primarily using this in the car, so I grabbed this version that included the car kit. If you only want one receiver but want to use it in two cars, you will need an extra car kit. Its too annoying to try to move the antenna between cars. I had looked at a few portable units, but I chose this one since it was designed primarily for those in the car, and I wanted the a unit that was going to be easy to use when Im in the car.
Installation was very easy. I did it myself, and my antenna is on top of my roof near the front. The antenna cord is about 24 feet long, so there is plenty of extra cord if you are in a sedan like me. I ran my cord right under the weatherstripping on the front windsheild as was suggested at cruchfield.com, then through the door and around the door jam. The kit also includes one of those little tubes that you can fit around your cords, as you will have three: antenna, power and the cassette. All cords plug into the base.
I used the air vent base installation instructions (the kit also comes with dashboard mount and a swivel mount, but both can damage your car when youre ready to remove the mounts). The only thing is that I wish it were a little more steady from side to side when I am pushing the buttons. It takes some playing around with to get just right.
The receiver itself has been pretty easy to use. I definitely recommend actually reading the instructions on how to use all of the different buttons. There are 30 memory buttons available. There is also a neat feature that will alert you to when your favorite artist or song is playing, and the alert will allow you to go straight to that channel if you so desire.
One downside is that only the buttons have a backlight. The labels above them do not have these lights. So, until I get to remember exactly where the "jump," "memory" and "menu" buttons are, its going to be to difficult to use them in the dark.
There is also a 30 minute record/replay function on this receiver. However, anything you save is erased when the unit is turned off.
I tracked this item for a few weeks before I bought it, as I noticed that the price occasionally would change from day to day. Amazons price when I bought this three days ago was $93.99, and today it is listed about $3 less. Some third party merchants have dropped the price below the Amazon price from time to time, but generally, the Amazon price has been the lowest.
If you buy this item before the end of April 2006, there is also a $30 rebate available from XM.
Although I have not actually been a Sirius subscriber, I took advantage of the online trials with Sirius and XM. I also read some reviews of both and examined their channel guide. Their offerings are very similar. If you are interested in sports, XM has great college ACC/Pac 10/Big 10 channels (I am a UNC grad, so I have to have my ACC sports!), NASCAR and MLB. Sirius offerings are more towards NFL/MLH fans. One review I read said that the music on Sirius tended to be what he phrased as "riskier," which the reviewer defined as playing more deep cuts, etc. I have been very, very pleased with the XM offerings, playlist, variety, talk, etc. No complaints with XM here!
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