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I’m reposting this with the moderator’s permission and despite a regualr poster who bullied me when my orginal post was up. It’s a review of a satellite radio system and generally favorable : with that said - I do not work for or have any interest in XM or Sirius radio. Satellite radio may not be a high priority for you – I would ask that this doesn’t turn into an old cranky guy thread : ) yes it's new technology – yes it’s a new unproven market - yes it’s a subscription service – yes this service could even fail.
I love my 2002 9-5 however since the day I took delivery I planned on adding an XM or Sirius satellite system. The Pioneer Unit with FM modulator was going to be my Christmas gift to myself however last Monday after seeing the SKYFI system on the XM site I quickly changed my mind.
SKYFI is a new generation XM radio manufactured by Delphi (owned by GM) allowing one to use the unit and subscription in both your car and at home. XM technology is not purely satellite based and terrestrial repeaters all over the United States rebroadcast the signal over the air boasting the line of sight.
After unpacking the small boxes and setting up, I quickly came to the conclusion that SKYFI will have a major impact on the XM business. If you’re willing to put up with a less than streamlined installation one can have a system setup in your car within 10 minutes with no tools required. It’s truly plug and play. After logging onto the XM website I was listening to Sounds of 70’s within 15 minutes. I’ve heard horror stories of minimum wage kids ruining Saab head units with poor installations – or – installations costing $500+ The ability to quickly do it yourself ( if you do not mind a streamlined look ) was a plus.
I choose to place the magnetic antenna on the trunk hood. The provided SKYFI antenna is very sturdy and the wires fished through the backseat ski hatch easily. ( wish I could figure out how to fish less obtrusively ) So far reception has been excellent in that location with little drop out. The great thing about SKYFi is the fact that it does not have a suitcase sized back-end (like the Pioneer unit – essentially it all fits in the palm of your hand. I mounted the cradle next to the steering wheel and the car kit provided everything to make this task completely painless. The cassette kit is the only option for input. I say the only option as FM modulators - no matter how well installed will drift and add noise into the signal – my cassette adapter as cheesy as it looks provides the best sound quality. Depending on what XM station sound quality is as good as one would hear on most CD’s ( Yes - Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture from Sony Classical is not match for XM – but Rolling Stones 40 licks is certainly on par. )
As for the XM service itself – I love it. The service costs about 10 dollars a month – a ridiculous amount to pay for some but as I commute and radio reception is terrible where I live it seems on par with a couple magazine subscriptions. The reception has been excellent in an area with tons of trees and overpasses. What a surprise to learn that satellite radio also uses ground repeaters and my home unit antenna works indoors.
It was a huge disappointment to realize that Saab will not be adding XM technology to the 2003 lineup or perhaps even the 2004 lineup (what I’ve been told) This should be standard equipment and the fact that I have to add a second antenna on my roof when a new all in new 'sharkfin' could be designed is ridiculous.
Some cons include the lack of an equipment subsidy tight now ( signing up for year does not get one any sort of discount ), absence of local news and overall dash clutter as this does not integrate perfectly on the great 9-5 dash.
If you’re thinking of adding XM to your Saab its very do-able and I believe worth it for those of us who commute. The entire package cost under 300 dollars and I was up and running in no time.
I love my Saab and love my XM too.
posted by 68.63.16...
, Sun, 20 Oct 2002 03:31:39, Mon, 21 Oct 2002 13:16:53
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