Sirius SP4TK1VP Sportster Model 4 Bundle with Home Kit Review

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(More customer reviews)Inside this kit is everything you need to start listening to Sirius music in the car, and at home as well. The installation is really simple, and anyone should be able to do it. I did the install myself and it was easy and didn't take so long.

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Slacker G2 4 GB 25-Station Personal Radio Player Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought one of the first generation Slacker Radios, and while it is very cool, the form factor (similar in size to an iphone) was a little too big for the gym or even walking around. The G2 is a perfect size, while still maintaining a readable screen.
In case you are new to the Slacker concept, you create your own custom radio stations by selecting artists, and Slacker provides music from those and other similar performers. You can also select from the many Slacker stations. While listening to a station, you can push a "favorite" or "ban" button so that Slacker learns your preferences.
The best part of the Slacker player is the Wi-Fi feature. Before going to bed, I plug in my Slacker Radio to charge along with my other stuff. I hit the connect button, and I'm done. The Slacker radio makes a Wi-Fi connection, and refreshes all the radio stations with new music. Everyday I start out with a newly loaded mp3 player, incrementally better suited to my musical tastes due to the use of the favorite and ban buttons. If you subscribe to the premium service, hitting the favorite button also saves a copy of the song to the player.
Obviously you can "refresh" any mp3 player through the use of playlists, but I never have that kind of time. All my other players are basically static, loaded with the music I first downloaded to them. And unlike downloading music you have selected to an mp3 player, with the Slacker you are exposed to music that you may not know or did not think to download.
For me, with no time or desire to plug my player into a computer and juggle songs in and out, the Slacker is the perfect player.

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The Slacker G2 plays all of your personalized Slacker Radio stations on one sleek, ultra-portable player. Whether you listen to one of more than 100 expert-programmed Slacker stations or custom stations that you create, the music evolves as you listen. New songs are personally selected for you and automatically loaded on the Slacker G2 so your radio stations are always ready to play wherever you go.


Personalized Radio The Slacker G2 plays all of your Slacker Radio stations on one sleek, ultra-portable player. Whether you listen to one of more than 100 expert-programmed Slacker stations or custom stations that you create, the music evolves to match your tastes as you listen.
Effortless Create your own unique radio experience with Slacker Personal Radio. You know what you like--Slacker knows how to deliver it. Slacker's Internet radio offering is built on the expertise of DJs from all over the country, and just by listening, you make Slacker even better at delivering the music that you love.

Music Discovery Perfect your listening experience using Slacker's exclusive personalization tools. With different buttons, you can tell Slacker which songs are your favorites and which you never want to hear again. Fine-tune any station to get more hits or more fringe; request older artists over new. Album reviews and artist bios come with every song and are delivered right to your Slacker G2.

Advanced Radio Clocks Slacker DJs operate using a proven method of picking and mixing songs to deliver excellent musical variety that complements your tastes. This patent-pending DJ technology is embedded in the Slacker Portable to create the very best radio stations. The more you listen, the better it performs to deliver new music you'll love.

Slacker Basic Radio: Free Take the world's first-ever personal radio player with you for nonstop, customized music wherever you go. On the Slacker Portable, store thousands of songs for repeated listening, or connect to a Wi-Fi hotspot to get new music instantly. With hours of battery life, the Slacker Portable is built to go where you go.
To offer your favorite music for free, the Slacker Basic Radio service might play one to two ads an hour. That's significantly fewer ads than traditional radio, so you can relax and easily enjoy your favorite music.

Plus, it's all completely legal. Slacker has unique licensing agreements with thousands of record labels to give you free access to a variety of music. By working directly with the record labels, Slacker gets the latest content to ensure your radio stations always stay current.



Upgrade to Slacker Premium Radio If you want even more out of the service, pay just $7.50 per month for Slacker Premium, which puts you in control. What's the difference between Slacker Basic and Slacker Premium? First, Premium subscribers can avoid the ads that played in the Basic service. So, it's an ad-free listening experience.
Next, Premium subscribers have access to Slacker Request Song, which lets you add your favorite artists' songs to your station. Then, use Slacker's fine-tuning controls to indicate how often those requested songs should play.

Third, Premium subscribers have no limits on the number of songs they skip, letting listeners create the exact music experience they want. (Basic listeners are limited to six skips per hour, per station.)

And fourth, as a Premium subscriber, you can save your favorite songs with the touch of a button. Saved songs are added to your library so that you can listen to them any time. You also can save your favorites to your PC using the Slacker Software Player. It's the ultimate personal radio experience.

Slacker Premium Radio at a glance:

Just $7.50 per month
No advertisements
Request songs
Unlimited skipping of songs
Save favorites



Slacker Radio: It's Everywhere With the Slacker G2, get easy access to millions of songs from thousands of artists wherever you are. All of the music you love is automatically delivered to your Slacker G2 at Wi-Fi hotspots or through your PC via USB. You can listen to your music anytime, even when not connected.
Pocket DJ The same personalized listening experience you love on Slacker.com is available wherever you go on the ultra-portable Slacker G2. Slacker DJs hand pick songs for your player and you can use the ♥ and ∅ buttons on the Slacker G2 to further customize your stations. The more you listen, the better the music gets.
Refresh On the Go The Slacker G2 gives you uninterrupted access to your music wherever you are. Thousands of songs are stored on the Slacker G2 to fill up all of your personalized radio stations. That means you can listen to your stations absolutely anywhere.
The Slacker G2 can automatically add new music at hundreds of thousands of Wi-Fi hotspots across the country. Each time you connect, songs that were hand-picked by Slacker DJs are added to your device. Plus, you can select new stations for your Slacker G2 on any PC or Mac with an Internet connection.

Built-in MP3 Player Already have your own personal music library? The Slacker G2 features a built-in MP3 player. You can store up to 1 GB of MP3s on the 4 GB/25-station Slacker Portable, or 3 GB of MP3s on the 8 GB/40-station Slacker Portable. Then, listen whenever and wherever you want. Check out all Slacker Portables.
On-The-Go Playlists Create personalized playlists with your MP3s using the intuitive controls on the Slacker G2. Enjoy the favorites you own in any order you want. As a Slacker Premium Radio subscriber, you also can save your favorite radio songs and play them whenever you like.

Manage your MP3s Use your Slacker G2 with popular applications, such as Windows Media Player, to manage your music collection and transfer your favorite MP3 files from your PC to your portable player.

What's in the Box Slacker G2 4 GB 25-Station Personal Radio Player, Slacker adjustable earphones, carrying case with sport clip, power adapter, USB cable, quick start guide, preloaded Slacker stations.

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C. Crane Twin Coil Ferrite AM Antenna Review

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(More customer reviews)To be honest, I tried an "orphaned" TCF antenna and returned it, though not due to any fault in the unit itself. The extra tweaking needed was just not justified given the area I listen in, which already has pretty decent AM reception.
If your radio is in the free and clear, like the top of a wood-structure house, the TCF might not be for you. Bear in mind that there's no magic with radio antennas, and a powered device especially will amplify signal and noise equally, often yielding little or no audible improvement in listening quality.
Where a unit like this really shines is in an environment with compromised AM reception - like a basement or a steel-framed building - where you are able to put the antenna head out in the clear and run a cable to it. In such cases the TCF is an excellent solution to an old problem, and because it was designed by Chris Justice of C. Crane Co., it actually works as advertised, not like those photo-op pieces of plastic injection-molded junk from Terk and Radio Shack.
ONE CAVEAT - bear in mind that if you tune around a lot, you'll always be tweaking this thing, so decide ahead of time if that's for you. For extended program listening it's not really an issue.
And by all means go to CCrane's website and read up on AM reception. Those people are on the level.
I'd give you my opinion of Terk, but I just ate.
Hope that helps.
Postscript, May 26, 2008 : I just re-read my own review and think it was potentially misleading of me to suggest that the TCF is primarily useful when the antenna head is located remotely from a radio-frequency-shielded listening spot. The antenna is better than that and can work wonders with many radios, from small portables coupled "inductively", all the way up to expensive communications receivers with direct connections for external antennas. The TCF is highly directional, and having the antenna head close enough at hand to manually turn it is a great advantage. I probably should have been less stingy and given 5 stars.

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Xact XTR1 Sirius Satellite Plug and Play Receiver Review

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(More customer reviews)First off, the XACT is a very nice receiver. I have owned a PNP2 and this receiver and I prefer this one. The XACT, while not wearable, is very portable. You can even buy the Powerpod and take it anywhere you go. The size of the receiver does come with setbacks though, there are only 10 S-Seeks compared to 20 on most of the other receivers. The screen is smaller (although very nice), and the presets require a little more work to set. The greatest thing though is the service itself. It is great not to hear any commercials, and the music streams are top quality. The Talk, News, and Sports are also great. Sirius recently added a Maxim channel, which is quickly becomming one of my favorites. Sirius's sports are great, I am a fan of football and there is nothing like hearing your team that is normally not carried locally. In the end I recommend this receiver and Sirius.

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The Xact XTR1 Sirius Satellite Plug and Play Receiver is a palm-sized portable Sirius Satellite tuner that will give you endless hours of Sirius Satellite programming. With the XTR1, along with a subscription to the Sirius Satellite Radio Network (sold separately), you'll have access to 13 categories, including music, sports, talk, entertainment and more from Sirius.
The XTR1 features an 18-channel preset capability, a built-in wireless FM transmitter, wireless remote, and stereo headphone jack with volume control. If you have kids, a parental control will help you to control the content they listen to. Use the illuminated keyboard and control buttons to search by artist name, song title, or category. And a satellite-updated real-time clock, built into the receiver, will keep you on time wherever you're going.
Note: You must subscribe to Sirius Satellite Radio to receive the satellite radio signal.What's in the Box XTR-1 Sirius satellite tuner, wireless remote control, two AAA batteries, and user's guide.

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Audiovox Sirius SUPH1 Dock & Play Home Kit (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this after signing up for Amazon Prime. Received it in two days at no extra charge. Hooked it up to my Onkyo receiver and ran the antenna cable outside...I had to drill a hole through the wall to get the cable outside, behind my components. I put two screws onto the outside edge of the overhang of the roof and mounted the antenna. Came inside, hooked up all the wires to the dock and plugged in my Sportster 4.
I got the full 3 bars of signal strength and am enjoying my Sirius Satelite Radio as I'm typing this review. I am trully happy with this purchase and it's about $10 cheaper than Circuit City or Best Buy.
So long as you mount the antenna as the directions state, I don't think anyone should have a problem with the reception. The instructions included show what direction the antenna should be pointing depending on what part of the country you live...also...the optimum position for the antenna is pointing straight up.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Audiovox Sirius SUPH1 Dock & Play Home Kit (Black)

The Sirius SUP-H1 universal plug 'n' play home kit comes with everything youneed to play your Sportster 3, Sportster 4, Starmate 3, Starmate 4, and Stratus satelliteradio receiver through your home stereo speakers. The kit is designed around a handymounting cradle, which holds your receiver in a single easy-to-access location. Just slideyour Sirius receiver into the cradle and rest it on a tabletop, desk, bookshelf, orentertainment center. Once the receiver is mounted, users have two listening options:they can rely on the receiver's built-in FM transmitter, or they can run the included RCAaudio cable between the cradle's audio output and the stereo. The latter option deliversa better overall sound, but is slightly more cumbersome. The bundled antenna,meanwhile, is fully weatherproof, so you can install it indoors or outdoors depending onwhere the satellite signal is strongest. Finally, the kit comes with an AC adapter thatpowers your Sirius receiver and a spacer for the docking station (required for the non- Sportster models). In sum, the kit delivers access to more than 130 streams of originalSirius programming beamed coast to coast, including 65 streams of commercial-free,digital-quality music, along with multiple news, talk, sports, entertainment, and children'sstations. The entire kit is backed by a one-year warranty.
What's in the Box Home dock, indoor/outdoor antenna with 21-foot cord, AC adapter with 6-foot cord, 6- foot stereo audio cable (RCA to minijack), docking station spacer, user's manual.

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SIRIUS ST4-TK1 Starmate 4 Plug-and-Play Satellite Radio Receiver with Car Kit Review

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(More customer reviews)Overall, the Starmate 4 is OK, but it has some significant design flaws that some thoughtful engineering could have easily fixed. I wish I had bought the Sportster 4. First, unlike the Sportster 4, this model does NOT incorporate the Auxillary Input feature for plugging in your MP3 player or other audio devices. Many of the online merchants advertise this, but it is not present on the Starmate 4 car dock. The addition of the Starmate 4 dock increases the size of the Starmate, which is thinner than previous models, but is now functionally larger in size because of the addition of the dock. A major design flaw (in my opinion) is that the antenna, power and auxillary output from the car dock are located on the back of the unit, rather than the bottom or sides. So, although the unit is physically thinner than previous models, by the time you install it, it is functionally thicker than previous models. In short, the footprint of the new Starmate is larger than previous models when you factor in the docking cradle and the location of the antenna, power, and audio connections. Since I bought this unit for a smaller footprint than the Sportster 4, I am dissappointed. I had hoped to install it flush with my dashboard by attaching velcro to the back of the unit similar to the way you could with the Starmate Replay.
The positive is that it DOES have a docking cradle which makes it much easier to move from the car to the home. If you don't need to move the unit around, then the Starmate 4 does not have any functionality that doesn't exist in the Starmate Replay. The addition on an auxillary input jack similar to the Sportster 4 would have offered a significant upgrade. If the designers for the next generation of radios are listening, I'd suggest spending time thinking about how people actually have to install these devices. Place the connectors on the bottom or sides of the docking cradle or provide a method of giving the user options. My 2006 Prius does not have any smooth surfaces for using the suction cup except for the windshield which slopes too much to allow convenient installation. Likewise the air conditioning vents don't work well in my vehicle for installation. Frankly, I'm sorry I spent the extra money for this unit. But, if you want a unit that can be moved easily from car to home, this is a good option. For flexibility, the Sportster 4 might be a better option since it does supply additional functionality for the same price.
Update: I've had this for 9-months now and it has worked flawlessly. However, I stand by my human factors design concerns stated in the initial review and think that a dock design could be created to give the user options for where the wires plug into the dock. We all jury-rig these radios into our cars, regardless of our personal preferences. The design of the radio, combined with the configuration of my car (Prius), required that I purchase an aftermarket windshield mount since the one that came with the radio would not work in my car.

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Audiovox SIRCMB2 Sirius Satellite Radio JamPack Combo (SIRPNP2 Tuner and SIRCK1 Car Cradle) Review

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(More customer reviews)You can connect this radio thru the 'Line Out' to a tape adapter and lose the FM radio transmitter - MUCH BETTER SOUND QUALITY. Also, you can do the same if your stereo accepts external connections (like for an MP3 player) or has an AUX input. The FM transmitter is ok, but direct connect sounds so much better.
I am a picky person when it comes to sound. This unit did not disappoint. Using the tape adapter (or direct connect) you truly get CD quality sound - awesome. I also think the bigger display is better than the smaller ones I have seen on other units. Easier to see while driving. My daugther can read the artist and title from the back seat of our van!
I have had this radio for over a year now - it is the best gift I have ever received. It is used every day. I tried XM in rental cars, wife got me Sirius for Christmas - very glad she did because the channel and programming are better. This thing has been a lifesaver travelling with kids - KidStuff and Disney Radio channels saved our sanity! I listen to Fox News during the commute to work. I loved this thing so much I bought the stock at $3/share - WOOHOO!!!
Buy it, you will not be disappointed.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Audiovox SIRCMB2 Sirius Satellite Radio JamPack Combo (SIRPNP2 Tuner and SIRCK1 Car Cradle)

Here's everything you need to begin enjoying Sirius satellite radio in your car: the SIRPNP2 radio tuner and the SIRCK1 docking cradle with built-in FM transmitter, plus a wireless remote control.
The SIRPNP2 features an LCD screen that displays radio stream information, artist, song title, and category title. The Memory Capture feature saves up to 20 artist and song titles for later recall, while the S-Seek feature constantly searches all radio streams for the saved songs/artists. The Look Ahead feature allows you to stay on and listen to the current radio stream while browsing other streams to see what's playing.
The SIRCK1 docking cradle connects to your in-dash car stereo with the included RCA audio cable. If your car stereo doesn't have an audio connection, the FM transmitter can send the Sirius radio signal to one of four FM frequencies (88.1 MHz, 88.3 MHz, 88.5 MHz, or 88.7 MHz). The base has a swivel ball for adjustment of the dock, and it can be mounted to your dash using the included adhesive strip or included screws. The antenna has a magnetic base that enables you to mount it on your car's roof or trunk; it connects to the docking cradle with a 20-foot antenna cable.
Sirius satellite radio is a subscription service that provides up to 100 channels of programming, from digital-quality music to news, talk, and sports.
What's in the Box SIRPNP2 Sirius radio tuner, remote control, 2 AA batteries, and SIRCK1 docking cradle package (cradle, base with adhesive pad, audio cable, vehicle antenna, DC cigarette lighter power adapter, screws and washers).

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ActiveTrax™ Multi-charge Deluxe Audio Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this so I could carry talk radio or podcasts around the house with me while I do chores, and it works beautifully. Includes a cable for connecting to your MP3 player. The quality of the speaker is not much better than a musical greeting card, so I would not recommend it for music.

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Arkon SF150A SoundFeeder Wireless FM Transmitter Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a great product if you do not want to move the cd player or mp3 player far from the radio you are using to transmit. I use this for my mp3/cd player and my sisters ipod on my stereo instead of wasting batteries on my media speakers and it worked well when I had the transmitter inches from the stereo, anything more than that and it gets very staticky with a lot of white noise. It does it's job but it doesn't do it well

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Play your portable music player in the car without upgrading to an expensive new stereo system with the Arkon SF150A SoundFeeder. The wireless FM adapter is designed to transmit the music from a portable CD player, iPod, or MP3 player to an empty frequency on your FM dial. All you have to do is plug the SF150A into your player's 3.5 mm headphone jack, and then tune the radio to any one of the blank FM stations between 88.1 and 95.9 MHz. (The transmitter works best when the station plays nothing but static.) Once you find an empty frequency, the SF150A plays your music directly through your car's stereo speakers. The sound quality is solid and reliable, though it does require precise manual tuning for best results.
Listeners can also use the SF150A on other radios as well, such as home stereos or portable boomboxes. And at a mere 3.38 by 1.62 by 0.88 inches (W x H x D), the SoundFeeder takes up very little space, letting you store it in a cup holder, pocket, or other location. The SF150A runs for up to 60 hours on two AAA batteries (not included) and boasts a transmission range of 10 to 20 feet, depending on conditions. It also comes with a 6.5-inch audio cord.
What's in the Box SF150A SoundFeeder, audio cord, user's manual.

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Sangean ATS-404 AM/FM Digital Shortwave World Band Receiver Review

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(More customer reviews)Being an electronic product designer myself, I usually end up wishing I could offer some design change orders to the manufacturers of the gizmos I buy. However, after a month of use, I haven't come up with much that I want to change here. I did find it rather awkward to set some of the time keeping functions such as zeroing the clock to get it sync'ed with WWV, but managed to get it done. The little bells and whistles such as station memory, auto scan, dual time zones, sleep and alarm functions are the sort of thing we nerdy types appreciate. However, if you don't like programming your VCR, this radio is probably not for you. The manual is written in a far eastern interpretation of British english, and consequently, for Americans, adds something to the challenge of understanding how to work all the features. Also, the radio's designers had an odd understanding of common english parlance in referencing shortwave bands to wavelengths in meters, and carried that quirky english through the radio display design, as well as the manual. However, only HAMs and avid Shortwave listeners will likely notice that.
Reception: FM sensitivity is excellent, seemingly the equal of my home stereo receiver, with excellent stereo and fidelity when listening through the included "earbuds." Those earbuds are the better quality type, too. Medium wave (AM) broadcast reception is OK. Shortwave is good. I listen routinely to BBC, Deutche Welle, Radio Switzerland and Austria, Taiwan and others, all with only the built in telescoping antenna. SW Band coverage is complete, so you can chase the BBC World Service up and down their various operating frequencies as propagation conditions vary through the day.
The only significant technical weakness of the radio, and the primary reason I didn't give it 5 stars, is battery life. I use Rayovac rechargeable alkalines and get about 20 hours per charge, which is OK, but not great. If one were buying non-rechargeable AA alkalines, the battery drain would add up to about $.25 per hour, which is a bit much, I think. A simpler radio, perhaps analog rather than digital, could be expected to go quite a bit longer on a set of batteries. I think Sangean should consider including an AC adapter with the radio, given the battery life. There's a jack to plug one in, but Sangean leaves it to the customer to find an adapter elsewhere.
Overall, after a month of daily use, I'm happy with the purchase. The radio met my expectations.

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The Sangean ATS-404 digital AM/FM stereo receiver is a portableshortwave radio with a built-in digital clock. This radio can receive anexpanded number of radio frequencies, which makes it an ideal radio for eitherurban or rural use.
The illuminated time display, which also includes seconds,can be set to show the time of day in either 12-hour (AM/PM) or 24-hour timeintervals. The alarm for this receiver has a repeating beep tone which increasesin volume once every 15 seconds, for up to 1 minute. The radio has an adjustablesleep timer and snooze control.
The radio frequencies can be tuned in eitherautomatically or manually. The auto memory scan will run through and play eachpreset station for seven seconds. The auto preset system will hold up to 45frequencies in memory.
The radio includes a carrying case and stereo earbuds,along with a manufacturer's warranty for one year on parts and labor.

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Delphi SkyFi2 XM Starter Kit - Includes Receiver, FM Transmitter, Remote, and 2nd Generation Vehicle Kit Review

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(More customer reviews)This is one of those gadgets that everybody raves about it, but you are not quite sure if that hype is beter that the product. Well in this case I'm very happy to say that DELPHY Skyfi2 is an awesome product & XM radion has a great radio line-up. A big plus was that you do not need to be an electronic wizard to hard wire the unit. The unit was very easy to install & with the exception of one trip to the local electronic store for an FM modualtor & the atena "piggy tails" the whole instalation took me approx. an hour & 1/2. My favorite feature of this unit is "play back" mode. In conclussion, go & get your unit & have lots of fun with it.

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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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Visual Land V-Motion Pro 4 GB Video/Music/2.4-Inch MP3 player with Camera (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I just purchased this for 39.99 at Fry's after the salesperson recommended it. I did not want to spend too much. It works okay for someone who doesn't know that much. The battery life is a little short for me but I am getting the hang of it. I found a better manual online and that helped out a lot. THe one that came with was pathetic. It syncs with my Windows media player well. I think for the money, it is great.

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Griffin Technology RadioShark AM / FM Desktop Radio with Time-Shift Recording Review

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(More customer reviews)I already have a couple software programs that will automatically record and save radio programming but when the Radio Shark was announced, I couldn't resist. Mac elegance, simplicity and functionality. Or so I thought. The product is solid, well made and the software is easy to use. Unfortunately, the reception is unacceptably poor in my suburban, residential area. Every radio I own from clock radios, a couple Tivoli Pal's, a built in-whole house system, mini-systems and so on receive programming easily. The Radio Shark's reception is inferior to even the lowliest of portables. I've tried everything I can think of. Coiling the USB cable, moving it to every place within reach, using a high dollar shielded usb extension cable which also allowed me to move the Shark further from the computer), using the Radio Shark's headphone input with a pair of ear buds and a minijack to rca cable (as Griffin's website suggests). Nothing seems to help. I have two other radios within 18 inches of computers and they were pretty easy to set up and receive clear, static free programming. The Radio Shark has been a huge disappointment. I should have learned my lesson after purchasing the Power Mate from this company. The Power mate (ditto for the Radio Shark) is very high quality piece of hardware from a fit and finish standpoint but the software was glitchy with a pc. Maybe it would have been better with a mac. But I digress. Perhaps if you live far from all urban and suburban interference or live on a hill with better line of site to the towers you want to receive from, the Radio Shark might be fine. For the rest of us, the Radio Shark is likely to disappoint. If you want to time shift radio programming, I can recommend two excellent pieces of software. High Criteria's Total Recorder Pro (for the pc) and Rogue Amoeba's Audio Hijack Pro for the Mac. I don't work for or profit from either comany. I use both on a daily basis. Both are rock solid. All you need to do is connect a radio to your pc or mac and you're set.

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The RadioSHARK adds a software controlled AM-FM radio any PC or Macintosh computer -- and that's only the beginning! The RadioSHARK records AM & FM broadcasts. Record a scheduled show or use Time-Shift Recording to "pause" live radio, so you can return to right where you left off moments, even hours later.

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Sangean SG-622 FM 12 Band Shortwave World Band Radio Review

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(More customer reviews)There are basically three rules for a shortwave radio to keep the interest of the beginning listener. It should be cheap, simple, and good. Cheap enough to purchase without feeling like it's a major commitment. Simple enough to operate intuitively. And good enough quality to satisfy the listener's ears. A listener with a good radio will want to repeat the listening experience again and again. But finding a radio that's inexpensive AND good has always been elusive for the beginner, and for radio makers.
This is that radio. The Sangean SG-622 is unquestionably the best value in a shortwave radio, not just for beginners, but for any listener of any experience level. It offers nice performance, and it's a totally painless introduction to shortwave listening. It's very easy to tune, and with a simple longwire attached to the antenna, it's easy to find listenable stations. It practically pays for itself with just the first few hours of listening pleasure, and it leaves virtually no excuse not to enjoy it for years to come. This is an ideal gift idea for children or just about anybody you want to share this fun hobby with.
Personally, I want to have mine when I travel overseas. It's very small and packable, and shouldn't attract scrutiny in customs (it doesn't look "dangerously" hi-tech). If it gets lost, stolen, or damaged, I won't fret about it because it can be replaced easily and cheaply. I couldn't think of a more carefree way to maintain my connection to the world at large.
When I began listening to SW many years ago, I couldn't find a halfway decent radio that wouldn't make a serious dent in my wallet. I never thought I'd see a major manufacturer sell a good shortwave radio for less than a third of what I might have paid back then. For the beginner and experienced listener both, this is simply too great a bargain to pass up. The Sangean SG-622 proves the age-old concept that cheap, simple, and good equals fun! It can't be anything but five stars.

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Sangean America SG 622 Radio Tuner SG-622 FM Transmitters

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JVC KV-K1017 Professional Car Installation Kit for KT-HDP1 Transportable HD Radio Tuner Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought the HD tuner in a package that included the DIY car kit (KV-K1018). Reception was poor and would fade in and out especially when travelling into a new area that had strong FM stations near the broadcast frquency I had the HD tuner set to. This then necessitated changing the frequency setting on the HD unit to reduce interference. Overall I was unhappy with the experience and didn't think the HD tuner was going to work out.
Then I got this kit, marketed as the Professional kit. If you can get to your car radio, you can do it yourself. I had to google to find out how to get to my radio. It was simple from there.
The difference with this kit and the DIY one is that this kit uses your car's existing antenna for a signal and uses your car radio's antenna input to feed that signal in. Of course if your lucky enough to have an aux-in jack on your car radio, better yet. Conversely, the DIY kit uses a separate antenna for reception and another antenna (if you don't have an aux-in jack) to broadcast the signal wirelessly to your radio. Both of those antennas must be adhered to your windshield or rear window. A windsheild antenna does not get as good reception as the external antenna installed on my car.
The biggest advantage with this setup, in addition to a stronger signal by using your car's antenna, is that by intercepting the antenna signal to your car radio, your car radio receives only the HD unit's signal thereby eliminating interference which in turn means never having to adjust the HD unit's broadcast frequency. And when you turn off the HD unit, your car radio will receive the same reception it always did.
As for the HD tuner, I wish it had an aux-in jack for an MP3 player like some other brands have.

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Griffin Navigate In-Line Controller for iPod and iPhone (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I just received this product an hour ago and I'm already in love with it. I have an iPod touch 1st generation and I was concerned that it wouldn't work since I purchased another controller that did not work with it.
I'm happy to report that this product has exceeded my expectations. It lets me have full access to the songs on my iPod without having to open and unlock it, and it also lets me select playlists, artists, songs and albums with simple buttons that are self-explanatory. It also lets you control volume without having to chance the iPod volume at all.
Then you just push the mode button and you get the FM transmitter. It gets most of the main stations, though there were a few I couldn't get, but the strong ones come in clear with only a little static when the signal cuts out like when I go into a closet for something. It has four presets that you can change and easily switch between your favorite stations. My favorite feature is that it displays what song you're listening to on the radio, with the title and the artist, along with the radio station you're listening to (by name, KIIS-FM, not just 102.7, though it lists that, too).
Another thing I was concerned about was it draining the battery on my iPod, but it doesn't drain it any quicker than it would to play regular music straight from my iPod touch. I've been playing the radio for an hour now and using all the buttons and the battery is still 100% full.
This is a quality product which exceeds my expectations and is reasonably priced. I would recommend this product to anyone with an iPod touch or an iPhone. Already I don't know what I did without it.

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