The Audiovox Satellite Radio Shuttle (SIRPNP1) was Audiovox’s response to the Delphi SKYFi but for Sirius Satellite Radio. The two models are very similar with the exception of display size. The SKYFi has a six line display to the Audiovox Satellite Radio Shuttle’s five line display. It is common these days to watch these two dueling radio companies introduce comparable product lines to try and blur the lines of difference and allow satellite radio competition to occur mainly along the lines of programming content. Don’t let the retail prices displayed here fool you, you can get better deals!

Price: $129.95
Use: Car/Home
System: Sirius Satellite Radio

Features

* Five line display
* The remote allows full control of the receiver minus configuration menus plus a mute button
* Best receiver control functionality in large part due to the large display and numeric keypad on shuttle
* Browse by category, channel, or presets
* Receiver stores up to 30 channel presets
* Receiver will save up to 10 songs with artist and title
* Receiver can scan the stream and locate your saved songs for listening

In the Box

Receiver, remote control, and manual.

Overview

The Audiovox Satellite Radio Shuttle looks sharp with its’ industrial metal finish and blue, backlit display. It is small enough to pocket and yet big on features. This Audivox did for Sirius Satellite Radio, what the Delphi SKYFi did for XM Satellite Radio - It introduced the masses to satellite radio. The shuttle offers a power button, buttons for changing the display layout (progressively larger fonts and scrolling), saving songs and also locating saved songs being played in the streams (Memo), toggle between direct and channel preset banks (Band), as well as category buttons for surfing channels by category and the ubiquitous tuner knob with a button in the center for selecting channels or menu options. Lest I forget about the numeric keypad, I will go ahead and mention it as well. The numeric keypad distinguishes the Audiovox from the first generation Kenwood portable. The Kenwood lacks a numeric keypad on the receiver.

The configuration menus offer all the usual choices including the ability to add/remove channels from the tuner, the ability to lock out channels, a display dimmer, audio level output control, and contrast controls. Pretty much everything you would expect.

The Audiovox Satellite Radio Shuttle is a great value and earns five stars. In combination with one or more of the home and car kits, you will be well served by this offering in the Sirius arena. I would have said it is my top pick for Sirius Satellite radio portables but then Audiovox went and did something strange - they introduced the Audiovox Satellite Radio Shuttle Receiver (SIRPNP2). It is definitely different looking and the additional features might warrant purchasing it instead of this unit. Prices fluctuate and sometimes one is cheaper than the other! It depends on how the channel is acting on any given day. The PNP2 is fully compatible with all three SIRPNP1 car and home kits and offers some neat new features. Have a look at the review tomorrow for more details.

Available Kits and Accessories

You will need to purchase at least one home or car kit to use the Audiovox Satellite Radio Shuttle.

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 w/RCA Patch - the car kit is available for $49.99 and includes a car dock, a power lighter adapter, a magnetic-mount car antenna, and a mini-stereo to twin RCA output cable for connection to your car stereo’s CD inputs. You mount your receiver somewhere convenient and then power it using a cigarette lighter adapter. Then mount the antenna and connect the RCA inputs to your car stereos CD inputs and you are in business. If you don’t have a car radio with CD inputs, you can purchase the FM Modulator option described below.

Car Kit w/FM Modulator - the car kit is available for around $99.99 and includes a car dock, a power lighter adapter, a magnetic-mount car antenna, and a FM modulator built into the dock. You mount your receiver somewhere convenient and then power it using a cigarette lighter adapter. You will need to mount a magnetic antenna. Your XM signal will be delivered on the FM station you choose.

This is Part 9 in a continuing series where I look at the current state of satellite radio technology, satellite radio services, and satellite radio hardware.