Satellite Radio Reviews

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Satellite Radio Reviews Reviewed
Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Satellite Radio Ratings Comments on Reviews
1. CNet.com	Editors' top satellite radio receivers (XM) John P. Falcone As of Sept. 2008		CNet.com reviews Sirius and XM satellite receivers, with the best models making it to this list. Some of the radios listed here are now discontinued, including the highest-rated one. The most recently reviewed receiver, the Audiovox Xpress (XM), does not fare particularly well with the editors, and users seem to like it even less. The Tivoli Model Satellite is expensive, but this table radio for Sirius subscribers delivers "enviable" sound and style.
2. PC Magazine >> Details/Subscribe	Product Guide: Satellite Radio Editors of PC Magazine As of Sept. 2008		Like most reviewers, PC Magazine has not reviewed a satellite receiver in quite some time, though some of the products on this page are still available. The Pioneer inno (now the inno2BK) is deemed an Editors' Choice. However, editors note that the Samsung Helix is nearly identical, with only inferior earbuds and a plastic case (rather than brushed aluminum) separating the two. In an older review, Bill Howard calls the Delphi RoadyXT the simplest way to add satellite radio to a vehicle.
3. Orbitcast.com	Delphi SkyFi3 Editors of Orbitcast.net Dec. 5, 2006		Editors at Orbitcast say that the huge 2.8-inch screen is just one of the many great features on the Delphi SkyFi3. Editors also love the microSD slot, which adds the option of removable and expandable storage for MP3s, as well as pause-and-play ability. The editors don't like the monochrome display or the fact that a microSD card has to be purchased separately.
4. CNet.com	Sirius Stiletto 2 Jasmine France Aug. 15, 2007		In this brief overview, Jasmine France says that the Stiletto 2 remedies CNet's major complaint regarding the discontinued but still available Stiletto 100 -- its bulkiness -- noting that the Stiletto 2 is 25 percent smaller and lighter. Other improvements include enhanced Wi-Fi support for commercial hot spots and a microSD card for memory expansion. More than a dozen users (as of our last visit) also weigh in, and most say they are pleased.
5. CNet.com	Hands-on: XM XpressRC Don Reisinger Oct. 1, 2007		CNet.com blogger Don Reisinger notes at the top that he has little love for satellite radio. He comments, however, that as a piece of hardware, the Delphi XpressRC is very impressive. He says that the XpressRC jumps out at you with its full-color, easy-to-read display. He goes on to give specific details of the features that he loves. His only complaint is a small power button.
6. Sound & Vision Magazine	Pioneer Inno XM2go Portable Satellite Radio John Sciacca June 2006		John Sciacca compares the Pioneer inno (now shipping as the inno2BK) favorably with earlier options and notes that it is probably comparable to the similar Samsung Helix, but offers no direct product comparisons. He likes the inno's versatility and portability (in spite of some reception problems), but feels the price relative to other portable units is the inno's biggest drawback.
7. Digital Trends.com	Pioneer Inno Rebecca Day Aug. 7, 2006		Digital Trends' Rebecca Day says that the inno is considerably superior to earlier portable XM products. She concludes that reception dropouts were comparable to AM and FM where the product was auditioned. Day likes the inno's ergonomics and sound quality (in that order), but would prefer longer battery life.

Satellite Radio Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Satellite Radio Ratings Comments on Reviews

8. SiriusBuzz.com	Sirius XM News: Products Editors of SiriusBuzz.com As of Sept. 2008		SiriusBuzz reviews not only Sirius but also XM products in their Sirius XM News column, and also has reviews of some of the latest satellite radio products on the market -- even before they're available to the public. A great site to visit for information on the latest products, SiriusBuzz is strong in reporting product features. Their weakness is in omitting product pitfalls. They review each radio individually, not in comparison to others. Additionally, many of their products are sent to them from their sponsors, so the reviews do seem like you're reading advertisements.
9. Amazon.com	Satellite Radio Receivers Contributors to Amazon.com As of Sept. 2008		Amazon.com landing pages include the user ratings, and the site has information indicating how many reviews the product has received. Still, like all user reviews, the quality can vary greatly and is most useful for satellite radios that have accumulated a lot of feedback. Also, lots of reviews address the overall experience -- including the radio service -- not just the hardware, so it's important to read the reviews to put ratings into context.
10. CircuitCity.com	Satellite radio receivers & tuners Contributors to CircuitCity.com As of Sept. 2008		Like Amazon.com, Circuit City lets users post about their experience with a product after the sale. However, this site has advantages and disadvantages compared to Amazon.com. On the plus side, there are a large number of satellite radios listed here, navigation is simple and some satellite radios have hundreds of user reports. On the downside, visitors can't see how many users have reviewed a particular satellite radio without clicking though to the individual product, and the reviews themselves tend to be shorter than at Amazon.com.
11. Crutchfield.com	Reviews & Reports: Satellite Radio Editors of Crutchfield.com As of Sept. 2008		Crutchfield, a long-established mail-order reseller of consumer electronics, offers a considerable amount of free content on their website to help consumers choose among the products they sell, including satellite radios. All satellite radios here receive at least a handful of user reviews, and a few get considerable feedback.
12. The Wall Street Journal	Radio Daze Sarah McBride Aug. 24, 2006		Five WSJ employees audition XM and Sirius radio, comparing them favorably with commercial radio and portable MP3 players. They use the portable Pioneer inno for XM, but do not evaluate the unit. They're enthusiastic about the music and sports programming of both services, but annoyed by uneven reception and dissatisfied with the total costs of usage.
13. Sirius Backstage Forum	Radios and Receivers Contributors to Sirius Backstage Forum As of Sept. 2008		The Sirius Backstage Forum provides user-to-user information on everything Sirius -- including radio receivers. Most radio models have several threads, and there are separate sub-forums dedicated to the Sirius Stiletto, Sirius Internet radio and the now-discontinued S50.
14. Xmfan.com	XM Hardware and Accessories Contributors to XMfan.com As of Sept. 2008		XMfan.com bills itself as the XM Radio Community, and the wealth of discussions within its forums backs that up. The XM Hardware & Accessories forum includes many discussions about the ins and outs of various XM radio receivers and other equipment, as well as user reviews. Like all sites of this type, the quality of what's offered varies greatly, but there's enough feedback here to help users learn what works -- and what doesn't.
15. Consumer Reports >> Details/Subscribe	Satellite Radio Editors of Consumer Reports May 2008		Consumer Reports learned that most of its subscribers who responded to a poll are highly satisfied with satellite radio, but hate paying for it. Editors compare the two services, noting that sports programming -- and the sports followed -- could influence which service is best. Equipment is only addressed in generalities, and no recommendations are made.

Satellite Radio Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Satellite Radio Ratings Comments on Reviews

16. Gizmodo	Sirius Sportster 5 Goes Color Editors at Gizmodo.com Aug. 15, 2007		In this brief article, the Sportster 5's features are listed. The editors state that the only real upgrade from the Sportster 4 to the Sportster 5 is the addition of 15 customizable backlight colors.
17. Epinions	Satellite Radio Receivers Contributors to Epinions As of Sept. 2008		Product owners contribute their own reviews to this site. Although the reviews are helpful for identifying consistent complaints, reviewers have rarely used competing products, so they lack the frame of reference to compare products. Epinions has considerably fewer reviews of satellite radio receivers than either Amazon.com or CircuitCity.com, so it's the least useful of these sites.