The Delphi SKYFi portable system arrived late 2002 and helped to propel XM Satellite Radio into the big leagues, literally. Numbers are not available to determine the true impact the Delphi SKYFi had but the introduction of this multi-purpose portable XM radio receiver opened the market to low-cost home and car installations that heralded the true arrival of satellite radio in the United States. First, the unit provided an interface that was a vast improvement over the Sony Plug-n-Play. Second, the ability for users to purchase one receiver and one monthly subscription and use the receiver in multiple places effectively reduced the price of XM Satellite Radio and allowed users to literally take XM radio anywhere. Finally, the receiver was compact and sexy. With its’ bright orange display and silver finish, it screamed of the promise of digital radio to prospective buyers.

Price: $129.95
Use: Car/Home/Boombox
System: XM Satellite Radio

Features

* The remote allows full control, is small, and includes a mute button
* Best portable display
* Best receiver control functionality in large part due to the large display
* Browse by category or channel
* Receiver stores custom configurations per docking device allowing input level to vary according to location
* Receiver stores up to 20 channel presets in two banks

In the Box

Receiver, remote control, manuals, and battery.

Overview

Small, ergonomic, sexy, and cheap. All valid adjectives to describe the Delphi SKYFi receiver. The display is large with six lines to display the maximum amount of information including station number, station name, category, signal strength, and current artist and song. The receiver also offers three display modes accessed using the handy display button. The first display mode shows only the station number in large numerals, the second display mode offers a large, continuously scrolling display including the current artist and song name. The third display mode is useful for closer viewing and offers the artist and song name in smaller letters in a non-scrolling format.

The controls offer the ultimate in simplicity. You can scan by category and artist, you can scan by station ID, or you can simply enter the station number using the numeric keypad. The category display is accessed using the category buttons, one for up and one for down. Each category is displayed with the current artist and you can scroll through the stations in the category using the scroll wheel. The scroll wheel alone allows you to scroll through the stations by station name. In the center of the scroll wheel is a button. Once you locate a station you want to listen to you press this button and the receiver tunes to the channel you have picked.

There are also buttons for accessing the receiver’s menu system allowing various configuration items to be accessed and manipulated, a memory button that allows you to save the current artist and song, a power button, and a preset/direct button. The preset/direct button provides access to two banks of 10 channel presets.

The Delphi SKYFi receiver offers maximum portability at a small price. It absolutely rocks for home use. Car use is a little more complicated. A clean installation is most effectively achieved using the FM modulator option which removes the need for the cassette adapter and cigarette lighter power adapter. This is the major trade-off with the Delphi SKYFi receiver, a clean installation is harder to achieve. However, careful thought during installation can result in a very pleasing system.

The Remote

The remote has all buttons present on the receiver itself except for the menu button. The remote also includes a handy mute button.

Available Kits and Accessories

You will need to purchase at least one home or car kit or a Delphi SKYFi boombox to use the Delphi SKYFi receiver.

Home Kit - the home kit is available for $69.99 and includes a home dock, a power supply, an antenna, and a mini-stereo to twin RCA output cable for connection to standard RCA input sources. For connection to most computer soundcards, you can purchase a mini-stereo to mini-stereo cable from Radio Shack and the like.

Car Kit - the car kit is available for $69.99 and includes a car dock, a power lighter adapter, a small magnetic-mount car antenna, and an audio cassette adapter. You mount your receiver somewhere convenient and then power it using a cigarette lighter adapter. You will need to mount a magnetic antenna and the satellite signal is delivered to your radio using a cassette adaptor so your car radio will need a cassette player unless your car stereo has CD inputs but does not have a CD player. This is typically indicated by the presence of a CD button in car without a CD player. If you don’t have a car radio with a cassette player or CD inputs, you can purchase the FM Modulator option described below.

Mini-Stereo to dual RCA Cable - The Delphi SKYFi Car Kit allows for connection to your car stereo CD input assuming you don’t have a CD player but they decided not to include the cable. An annoying oversight. You can pick this cable up from Radio Shack and the like for a couple of dollars.

Boombox - certainly not your home stereo but the tunes sound nice with the boombox, anywhere! The boombox retails for $99.99. The boombox includes a power adapter and an antenna. The box itself has a battery compartment for six D cell batteries, a headphone jack, a volume control, and a handy wrap for your antenna cable.

Boombox with AM/FM/CD- Those guys at Delphi just won’t stop! First, they offer the original boombox and now a sleek AM/FM/CD boombox that you can plug your Delphi receiver into. The boombox retails for $179.99. The boombox includes a power adapter and an antenna. The box itself has a battery compartment for six D cell batteries, a headphone jack, a volume control, a handy wrap for your antenna cable, and full AM/FM reception as well as a CD player.

FM Modulator - the FM modulator provides rebroadcast of satellite radio signals on either 87.9, 88.1, or 88.5 MHz and is priced at $49.99. The FM modulator is an option for car installation and requires the Delphi Car Kit as well as the Delphi SKYFi receiver. Its’ benefit is it removes the need to use the cassette adapter/CD inputs and cigarette lighter power adapter with the Delphi Car Kit resulting in a much cleaner installation. The downside is that your signal clarity will only be as good as FM signals since the modulator broadcasts the satellite radio signals on an FM frequency to your car radio. You may notice a very slight difference. For most people, it doesn’t matter. It is important that you insure that one of the frequencies listed is not in local use. While weaker stations on these frequencies will be easily overpowered, strong stations broadcasting on all three frequencies will preclude the use of this option.

50 ft. Cable Extension - this cable extension retails for $49.99 and connects to your home antenna and extends it to provide 70+ ft. of cable length allowing for those tricky interior installations. Typically, you will be able to get a three-bar signal in the interior of your home and will not require the antenna to be placed in a window. I have two antennas mounted on interior walls within 15 ft. of windows and I get three-bar signals with no problem. However, many office building installations will require window access and the cable extension and some interior home installations may also require the cable extension.

This is Part 6 in a continuing series where I look at the current state of satellite radio technology, satellite radio services, and satellite radio hardware.