XM Skydock Sat Radio (Review)

hampstenj

New Member
Oct 16, 2009
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I want to add in my own 2 cents on the Skydock. I bought mine at Best Buy the other day (Sorry TSS, I wanted it so much I just couldn't wait). So I take it home and set the thing up with my new ipod touch. So far so good. Let me take you thru step by step thru the install.

After opening up the box and looking at the easy to use user guide, trust me it's so simple a caveman could do it. so I take it out to my chevy silverado and figure out where i want to put it. This is where the first minor issue, which really was only an issue as where I tried to put it the first place was a bit of a blockage with the transmission shifter. when you get the skydock plugged in, trust me it is TIGHT real tight! there won't be any falling out of the plug in that's for sure. Plus in my silverado it has the door to the car adapter so it gives me a bit less room to twist and pull. Well I finally get it out and look and everything is still connected, i go to the next socket and it goes in tight and stays in, which is fine as that is where I am keeping it. So I plugged in the antenna and quickly got full signal in the app. I didn't activate it yet so I just listened to the XM preview channel for a minute while looking around the menus and what not. I tried audio with my mp3's and it sounds amazing. no static at all like with other FM transmitter applications and accessories for the ipod touch or iphone. sounds better than listening directly from the headphones actually.

Now comes activation. with the ipod's wifi the app allows you to activate thru the app using the web. It gives you the ID if you wanted to call but I wanted to activate without talking to someone from India thank you. So I fill out the info and it is exactly the same as if you went to xmradio.com on your computer. same site and everything so if you don't have perfect eyesight I'd just go ahead and activate it thru that. 10 minutes later after picking a password that will work for xmradio.com, they are a lot more picky on what you have for your online account password than sirius is. So I got the best of sirius package so that I wouldn't lose my NASCAR races or the NFL. I was in the joys of the xm satellite radio. no delays in getting channels, came thru right away. Then I did a test.. So I went to the nascar channel on my Skydock, and on my old sirius receiver, the Stratus 4. Boy was I shocked at the difference. The XM side not only was is actually AHEAD by a few seconds on broadcast compaired to the sirius receiver, the powerconnect fm really kicks out the signal. In fact the sirius receiver sounded like AM radio compared to the skydock. Now all I have to do is cancel the sirius side and I'll be done. but so far so well. adding my teams to the ticker couldn't have been any easier, and one thing if you are going to use it for ipod before the satellite radio make sure you go into the app and doublecheck that the fm transmitter is on, it saved me a few minutes of being scared I had bought a bad skydock...

Will try to add pictures soon but I think everyone else has got the pics pretty well covered, this by far has got me a hell of a lot excited about satellite radio again. the skydock just flat out rocks!

and here is a bit of advice to apple... get the skydock in the retail stores ASAP!!! when I was getting my touch there was 3 or 4 people in 5 minutes ask for it at the apple store I went to. yeah it's on applestore.com on the front page even but not in all of the retail stores, at least yet anyway.
 

TSS Taylor

DRC Fan
Oct 9, 2008
3,501
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Chicago, IL
www.tss-radio.com
I'm so glad you got it. I don't want to sound like we are begging but I'd really love to get the sales on these. Even if it's a price thing or faster shipping. It's ultimately the reason why we setup these reviews was to highlight certain products and sell them. Oh well.
 

hampstenj

New Member
Oct 16, 2009
14
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1
I'm so glad you got it. I don't want to sound like we are begging but I'd really love to get the sales on these. Even if it's a price thing or faster shipping. It's ultimately the reason why we setup these reviews was to highlight certain products and sell them. Oh well.

well I wanted to tell the folks in the apple store when I was there psst, buy it from tssradio you'll get it fast... But I thought against it, didn't want to get kicked out of the apple store for recommending people buy somewhere else :roflmao:
 

hampstenj

New Member
Oct 16, 2009
14
0
1
It's all good. It's pretty cool and I'm glad you are enjoying it and posted your review!

Anyone want to see an installation??? This isn't me, but I just found this video on youtube plus a free plug for tssradio...

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeaaK-eIWo0[/ame]
 

IdRatherBeSkiing

Sherbet is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
Oct 11, 2008
27,230
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Toronto, ON

DAB

Mod Emeritus
Oct 9, 2008
9,434
149
63
Louisiana
Good review hampstenj and great follow-up video installation and review by Sirius Rich!

I also agree that buying these things from TSS-Radio is the way to go.

Thanks guys! I was not aware that Sirius Rich wasn't posting anymore, I just figured he was taking a break from the Political Forum! It does get old after awhile!