Topic: Who's got satellite radio?

[Scott S]

 A few months ago, I won an ebay auction for a factory Sirius receiver for my car (only $5.88 out of pocket...and the subscription is active! Shhh!).
  I'm REALLY enjoying it. So much so that I'm considering getting a unit for the second car, but I'd like something that I can unhook and use with a jam box and/or plug into the stereo in the house.

 I've been surfing Craigslist and ebay and there are plenty out there for pretty cheap. BUT, some of them are older models and I'm having a hard time figuring out which receivers work with which home units, etc.

 Can someone with a Sirius subscription help me choose a receiver? Give me hints on which boom-box I can use and maybe what I'd need to do to hook it up as an auxiliary input on my Bose 3-2-1 system?
  I'd like to be able to use it in the car, on the deck and in the house.

[Bob Wessner]

I've had a portable unit in my car for several years, great for traveling. I agree on the portability. We use to move it to my wife's car if driving it, or even used at the cottage while up in the U.P. of Michigan where radio station selections were limited. All you need is a tunable receiver to sync channels. Can't specifically address the boom box issue, but if it has an FM receiver you shouldn't have a problem. The wife just bought a 2011 Ford Escape which has one built in, but I plan to keep my unit.

[Stev-o]

I have it on the boat, love it.
Not portable though, but would like one, so am "stayin' tuned"!

[333]

Stay away from ones that play through an FM radio(sorry Bob).  FM radio is clipped on the higher(treble) frequencies at 12,000 hertz, but audible frequencies can be heard up to almost 20,000.  Satellite radio is a digital service, so it is not limited in frequency response.  Most car stereos(even the newer factory radios) now have auxiliary inputs to allow attachment of units like IPods and other portable devices.

[Bob Wessner]

Stay away from ones that play through an FM radio(sorry Bob).  FM radio is clipped on the higher(treble) frequencies at 12,000 hertz, but audible frequencies can be heard up to almost 20,000.  Satellite radio is a digital service, so it is not limited in frequency response.  Most car stereos(even the newer factory radios) now have auxiliary inputs to allow attachment of units like IPods and other portable devices.

But I have a tin ear.  Definitely not an audiophile, so I never notice things like that.

[Scott S]

 Which ever unit I decide on, I plan on having it hardwired in the second car. I've heard the FM tuners suck.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

I have both a portable XM tuner and 2 built-in radios. Love 'em. The 2nd and 3rd radio subscriptions are less expensive than the primary. I use the portable in my 91 Acura Legend. Delphi SkyFi II or something like that. It has an additional base, antenna, and RCA patch cords for plugging in directly. I take the Leg on my work road trips and do some serious jamming. Really nice out in the boonies. When I get to work I can take the tuner from it's car cradle and insert it into the home cradle. It will operate through the FM frequencies without direct hook up or I can use the RCA patch cords and wire it directly. XM also states direct wiring is preferential. Interefence from FM stations in your vicinity is possible if you are within range.     

[333]

But I have a tin ear.  Definitely not an audiophile, so I never notice things like that.

Don't worry about it, Bob.  As we approach old fart age, our ability to hear the higher side of things diminish.

[BobbyR]

There are audio outputs on all of the Sirius Units. There are plug in boom boxes made for that purpose. In all but one car the Sirius is built into the car so I have no issues. In the 3rd I pump the Sirus FM output directly into the antenna, and it sounds pretty good with no breakthrough. I live near and travel through NYC and with 56 radio stations, it is tough to find an empty frequency.

For home use I bought a Tivoli Sirius Radio which is the best sounding table radio I have owned. Yes I have a KLH tube model also. The Tivoli was the last radio designed by Henry Kloss. They can be had new for $100 dollars. After you have bought AC adapters and all the other crap to use the portable unit at home, it comes out cheaper.