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Orbital tunes: Audiovox Sirius satellite portable tuner

What it does: Plays 120 channels that include 65 streams of commercial-free music along with 55 channels of sports, news and talk radio. The digital quality programming can be heard coast-to-coast over Sirius Satellite Radio. The featured SIR-PNP2 tuner features a song-seek and program alert that looks for 20 favorite tunes chosen by the user. The six line display shows artist name, song title and time simultaneously. A sports ticker shows scores on the selected channel when tuned to live play-by-play events. Also has a satellite updated real-time clock with alarm, sleep mode and auto shutdown.

How it does it: Sirius programming is broadcast primarily from New York City, where its studios uplink the main signal to its three satellites orbiting earth. Picking up the signal requires an FM receiver and/or speaker system configured one of two ways. Either connect the Audiovox audio cable directly to the sound system or use the unit's wireless FM transmitter to hear programming through an unused channel.

When to use it: Anytime. FM radio signals fade as the listener leaves the station's broadcast area. With satellite radio, the listener can tune in to any station at any time, regardless of the location, a real plus on a long trip or when you simply want consistency with your radio programs.

Where to use it: In the truck, boat or at home. Like most "plug-and-play" satellite tuners, the SIR-PNP2 is available with optional home and car kits. A marine antenna is available for boats rigged with FM radio.

What it costs: Suggested retail price is $99.95 for the basic tuner. Add another $49.99 for the magnetic roof-mount antenna and car mounting kit. The Sirius monthly subscription fee is $12.95. For more information: www.siriusradio.com.

Cool features

  • Transportable Sirius tuner with optional home and car kits for use at home, office, truck, boat or car

  • Six line display shows stream name, number, category, artist, song, title and time

  • Look ahead feature allows you to listen to current stream while browsing other channels

  • Satellite updated real-time clock with alarm, sleep mode and auto shut down

  • Song-seek remembers and searches for 20 favorite tunes

  • Search by stream, name, artist and song title while listening to current stream

  • Program alert remembers and searches for favorite
    programs

  • 30 stream presets with preset scan

    More satellite solutions

    Sirius Sportster — The ultimate satellite connection for the sports fanatic, the Sportster comes with all the capabilities Sirius receivers are known for and then some. The "Game Alert" feature includes a prompt when a favorite sports team plays on the Sirius network. "Game Zone" lists all play-by-play games and scores on Sirius by league with easy access to the games. The "Jump Button" is a one touch connection to traffic and weather reports by select city. Suggested retail price for the tuner is $99.95. For more information: www.siriusradio.com.

    Delphi XM MyFi — Touted as the world's first portable for XM Satellite Radio, the MyFi comes with a home and car kit that also enables it to play in a vehicle or boat rigged with an FM tuner. That is achieved through the wireless FM transmitter, which plays the XM satellite signal through an unused radio frequency. No external antenna is required because it's built inside the unit. Store up to five hours of XM content and record it even when the unit is off, or listen live to any of XM's 117 channels. Suggested retail price is $349.99. The monthly subscription to receive XM Satellite Radio is $9.99. For more information: www.xmradio.com.