portable satellite radios
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Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2007
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portable satellite radios
Has anyone had experience with the portable satellite players such as the Pioneer Inno or similar. Looking for options besides my ipod, would like to listen to the radio as well have mp3 capability while riding. Just seeing if anyone has good advice on these products.
Thanks
Tac
Thanks
Tac
Road Master
Joined: May 2007
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RE: portable satellite radios
I have the first one that came out for xm, and it works fine. One thing about xm, if you get somewhere that blocks the southern skyexposure, you may not get a signal, like down in a canyon. I have got signal down in canyons, but I've had signal blocked bysitting on the north side of an overpass also.xm only has two satellites, rock and roll are what they call them. If you're out of their footprint you're outa luck. Don't know about serius except that they have more satellites. They may have a bit better coverage in certain areas cause of the expanded satellite coverage, but then their signals may have a less, or more, power. Dunno
I like riding with my xm. If I lose satellite signal I have 5 hours of recorded music in the chip inside of it, unfortunately it's still comedy christmas music that I haven't recorded yet, I need to record it and get it off the unit
I clip the mini antenna onto the leather pouch that's above my 'dash' and it works fine. No permanent antenna or anything like that, yet.
I like riding with my xm. If I lose satellite signal I have 5 hours of recorded music in the chip inside of it, unfortunately it's still comedy christmas music that I haven't recorded yet, I need to record it and get it off the unit
I clip the mini antenna onto the leather pouch that's above my 'dash' and it works fine. No permanent antenna or anything like that, yet.
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 44
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RE: portable satellite radios
I bought a Pioneer Inno XM radio at www.myradiostore.com and I absolutely love it. It came with a small leather (well, fake leather) carrier that I mounted to my handlebars with two nylon zipstrips. I put it in thecarrierwhen I'm on the bike and it works great. Reception isgreat and I can listen to the Opie and Anthony show along with the Ron and Fez show on XM 202 (shameless plug for my favorite radio shows).
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,272
Likes: 10
From: Orange VA
RE: portable satellite radios
I've got an INNO also. I have no complaints. Works great. I love it. And prices have really come down recently.
It performs very well. Certainly you have some low areas where reception fades but you get that with terrestrial (AM/FM) stations as well so I can hardly consider that a negative. They lead you to believe that you need the antenna headphones in order to use it outdoors, while running, riding, etc in order to boost recption. I just use the unit and have had no significant reception issues sans those that are related to the low areas aforementioned. But I doubt the antenna headphones would be any better in those areas so again, no negative there.
One complaint I have heard some people make about it surrounds the "small" amount of memory available. It only has 1GB flash memory. For the IPODians who like to have their entire music library with them at all times, this is hardly adequate. But for people like me, the ability to have live XM content available is more important.
The 1GB can be split between recorded XM content and also MP3/WMA files. Like other typical portable devices you can manage the INNO on your PC through a music manager. You can move MP3/WMA content to and from the INNO but not the recorded XM content. That is only available on the INNO and cannot be transferred to your PC because of copyright laws.
I bought mine from Circuit City for under $150. You can find good deals on them everywhere. Several refurbs are on Ebay for under $100. Came with home kit, car kit, leather case, and a $50 rebate for new XM subscribers. I lost out on the rebate because I am already an XM subscriber. I found a armband holder for the INNO like this one to use for running. I also can put it on my arm while riding for easy access: http://cgi.ebay.com/BLACK-SPORTS-ARM...QQcmdZViewItem
This is a great toy. No regrets. I am very happy with it and recommend it to anyone.
It performs very well. Certainly you have some low areas where reception fades but you get that with terrestrial (AM/FM) stations as well so I can hardly consider that a negative. They lead you to believe that you need the antenna headphones in order to use it outdoors, while running, riding, etc in order to boost recption. I just use the unit and have had no significant reception issues sans those that are related to the low areas aforementioned. But I doubt the antenna headphones would be any better in those areas so again, no negative there.
One complaint I have heard some people make about it surrounds the "small" amount of memory available. It only has 1GB flash memory. For the IPODians who like to have their entire music library with them at all times, this is hardly adequate. But for people like me, the ability to have live XM content available is more important.
The 1GB can be split between recorded XM content and also MP3/WMA files. Like other typical portable devices you can manage the INNO on your PC through a music manager. You can move MP3/WMA content to and from the INNO but not the recorded XM content. That is only available on the INNO and cannot be transferred to your PC because of copyright laws.
I bought mine from Circuit City for under $150. You can find good deals on them everywhere. Several refurbs are on Ebay for under $100. Came with home kit, car kit, leather case, and a $50 rebate for new XM subscribers. I lost out on the rebate because I am already an XM subscriber. I found a armband holder for the INNO like this one to use for running. I also can put it on my arm while riding for easy access: http://cgi.ebay.com/BLACK-SPORTS-ARM...QQcmdZViewItem
This is a great toy. No regrets. I am very happy with it and recommend it to anyone.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,847
Likes: 0
From: Missouri
RE: portable satellite radios
I have an older MyFi which I like better than the Inno. The FM modulator has more power than the Inno, in fact the Gov. wouldn't let xm use the same modulator in the Inno because it interfered with other radios around. The Fm mod. is in the car holder in the Inno so you have to use a holder with it, the MyFi you don't. With the MiFi you can buy a small adaptor that lets you plug a regular xm antenna into it. Buy a 4 ft magnetic antenna from a place called xm fan store and the adaptor and plug it in the side of the radio. You can either use earphones or Mod. it thru your radio on your bike. I very seldom lose a signal, xm uses repeaters with the sats. so you shouldn't have to many problems. One thing you can do with the Myfi you can't do with the Inno is Fm Mod. the signal to a radio on anothe bike as long he is within 25 30 ft. we use it in our boat an mod. the signal to 3-4 boats when we are tied up.
Road Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 847
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From:
RE: portable satellite radios
I don't know about 25 - 30 feet, but 8 or 10 maybe. You may have experience there though. I try to use the modulator on my radio in the garage while the xm is in the van and it doesn't work worth a crap, and it's only 12 or 15 feet away, but the xm I have in my bedroom will transmit to the stereo in the living room, so you may have a valid point there. Maybe just the shielding of the vehicle body that affects the garage signal.
I like the satellite radio thing though, and I find a large antenna isn't necessary for the places I ride.
I like the satellite radio thing though, and I find a large antenna isn't necessary for the places I ride.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,847
Likes: 0
From: Missouri
RE: portable satellite radios
ORIGINAL: azhole
I don't know about 25 - 30 feet, but 8 or 10 maybe. You may have experience there though. I try to use the modulator on my radio in the garage while the xm is in the van and it doesn't work worth a crap, and it's only 12 or 15 feet away, but the xm I have in my bedroom will transmit to the stereo in the living room, so you may have a valid point there. Maybe just the shielding of the vehicle body that affects the garage signal.
I like the satellite radio thing though, and I find a large antenna isn't necessary for the places I ride.
I don't know about 25 - 30 feet, but 8 or 10 maybe. You may have experience there though. I try to use the modulator on my radio in the garage while the xm is in the van and it doesn't work worth a crap, and it's only 12 or 15 feet away, but the xm I have in my bedroom will transmit to the stereo in the living room, so you may have a valid point there. Maybe just the shielding of the vehicle body that affects the garage signal.
I like the satellite radio thing though, and I find a large antenna isn't necessary for the places I ride.
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Road Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 847
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From:
RE: portable satellite radios
I have the first myfi they came out with. It doesn't have a feature that the second ones did, I forget what that feature was but it plays music, and that's what I bought it for I had a roadie and 2 roadie 2's before the myfi. I gave two of them as gifts to family. One roadie 2 is for the fan. The myfi goes where ever I want to take it.
I had a roadie and 2 roadie 2's before the myfi. I gave two of them as gifts to family. One roadie 2 is for the fan. The myfi goes where ever I want to take it.
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Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 158
Likes: 1
From: Petaluma Calif.
RE: portable satellite radios
Stiletto 100 Portable SIRIUS
is a good one the
Antenna is built in and it can recoard 100 hr of music [/align]http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....p;type=product[/align]
Kind of expensive @ $250 But I think it's worth it And you get Sirius programming IMO the better programming till they merge anyway [/align]Tread
[/align][/align]
is a good one the
Antenna is built in and it can recoard 100 hr of music [/align]http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....p;type=product[/align]
Kind of expensive @ $250 But I think it's worth it And you get Sirius programming IMO the better programming till they merge anyway [/align]Tread
[/align][/align]