I haven't had any problems with the radio itself and have had it for nearly a year now. I installed it myself in just about 10 minutes or so, which was pretty surprising to me since I'm not very good at any type of electronic install or setup.
The subscription is about $15 a month. I'm not sure why people are complaining about commercials? I listen to all sorts of stations, alternative, classical, cinema soundtracks, symphony, 90's, hip hop, old school rap, current main stream, Rosie O donell in the morning etc.. there are no commercials. The only commercials are on the actual TV stations that broadcast on the radio, like CNN, MSNBC, Oprah radio, headline news, etc. Those have commercials because they are actual TV show's, not technically XM or Sirius stations. The stations that are generated by sirius or XM have no commercials.
Anyways, if you want satellite radio, this is the one to pick. It has great graphics and great options. You can save up to 10 songs. There is a rewind button, you can hit rewind and go back to previous songs you listened to. I also bought the docking radio station for it, so I can listen to my radio in the car and in my work and home. The docking station is awesome (An AudioVox XMBB1)!! It gets so incredibly loud and has deep bass, almost sounds like a surround sound system. For such a small monthly fee, this service is totally worth it. XM XDRC2V1 XpressRCi with PowerConnect Vehicle Kit
Like most reviews show - the screen failed at about a year. I was driving to work today, and watched as it flickered from bright to dark, and then died completely. The radio still works, and my presets are just fine - I can only tune at night when I can see the display. XM radio is just okay - not great, and despite the hype commercials are taking up most of the air time on popular channels.
This is a very reliable receiver and gives you plenty of the bells and whistles you need. Menu is easy to navigate and get started. Tune/Artist select is easy and the notification was a bit loud and obnoxious at first..but my old SkyFi2 alert was not noticeable at times depending on the volume of our music so I don't mind the volume of the beep.
One slight downside, the info extra scroll at the bottom has text that is a bit small to read with the radio set on the dash, but the screen overall is very clear, crisp, and colorful. When not looking at the remote it can be difficult to know where certain buttons are. Would have been nice to add a slight nick/bump to the home key of 1, 2, or 3 for where the numbers begin.
This is a very nice radio but I have noticed a small quirk with the remote that I wasn't aware of and actually had a replacement sent before I was able to find the solution to the problem. The remote works fine except for turning the radio on. Hidden on page 130 of the instructions is a Tip that states: "When the XpressRCi is in the PowerConnect Vehicle Dock, the Remote Control will not be able to turn it on." This was not what I expected and would have expected this to be stated in remote instructions instead of in a Tip. Other than this nuisance it works great.
I'm afraid it might die in a year like many other's experiences with it but I will try to keep it out of sunlight. Regardless, got it new for $95 received the day after I ordered it. XM/Sirius customer service ROYALLY sucks but look for a code and you can even save $15 on activation. It's been awesome so far and addicting, but then again I've loved XM for years now...
Installation and setup was a breeze ~ however I have to say that Sirius/XM makes it MUCH easier to ADD a radio than to REMOVE a radio!
The function, operation and audio quality of this unit is very good and is a step above what my previous unit was.
No negative experiences what-so-ever!
I love it because it's the model that allows you to have both sirius and XM which is a bonus. The only thing I don't like is that you dont have a memo button like my old starmate which allows you to save artist you like and will alert you when they are playing so you can switch is you want. But all and all a great buy. Also I got the free install card so thought I would let tweeter install it so it looked nice in the new car and hide the wires. I paid extra to have it hard wired to the stereo thinking it could have no wires showing. No such luck. It's looks nicer then the other car's sirius but still a little junkie. Cost an extra $70 to do it too. Boo on that. But unless I wanted to drop $800 on a sirius ready factory radio for our new jeep, this was the best thing to do. I miss the old days when radios would fit all cars. Now you can't find anyting aftermarket radio at bestbuy to fit a newer model.
My husband bought this for me to put in our 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee. It mounted easily, stays put, gets great reception, and is easy to use. I absolutely love the option to have XM in an older vehicle. You can also take it inside and use an XM dock to play your favorite stations inside the house or whereever you are.
GREAT product!
Despite the reviews that said the screen died after a year, I decided to buy this radio (albeit a slightly different model) a couple of years ago. Just like the reviews, the backlight began to flicker, then completely go dead within days.
Because I am lazy and wanted the easy way out, I decided to then buy this model so I could hook everything up to existing wiring. Also, I hoped maybe since it was a newer model, the previous problem would have been fixed.
Wrong! Just like the last one, the backlight began to die within weeks of the warranty expiring. It's my own fault, but I figured the least I could do is warn everyone else.
Sure, the screen is pretty and it does all sorts of things, but your screen WILL die in about a year. The radio (and presets) will continue to work, but you will not be able to see the screen.
And all of those great reviews ... they're all from people who just got the radio. Ask them a year from now if they're still happy, and I'd be willing the vast majority would say no. - Xm Receivers - Xm Radio - Caution - Xpressrc'
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