SiriusXM Onyx Satellite Radio Review

Mungo Darkmatter reviews the SiriusXM Onyx satellite radio.
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[@Skyefuego]

Love the intro!

[@chaisonoma3690]

I can accept Sirius XM compressed sound quality not being the best, because I can lower the volume to a happy medium. But the tone gets amplified with Sirius XM self serving commercial bursts. Annoying sound effects shatters the calm. I'm already a payed party member. It's like after paying for a hotel room on the 4th floor, there are never ending blasting ads for their 3rd floor. The XM self-serving ads are not like Tide Soap. The XM commercial tones are intense, stressful shouting.

[@daveygivens735]

So, dumb question probably. I had one of the old XM boomboxes years ago...used it by the pool, loved it. I got away from my subscription for awhile, started using streaming. Now I'd like to get another boombox but, will the old pre-merger units still work with the post-merger Sirius XM service? I'm just looking for a beat up unit to use outside, I'd rather pay $40 for one on ebay than $150 for a new one.

[@mungodarkmatter]

That is a good question. There are two things to consider. There are at least two different mounts on the boombox cradles that I am aware of, so if you get an old boombox without a radio, you need to make sure your radio uses the same mount. According to the SirusXM Web site there are Sirius radios, XMRadios and SiriusXM radios and each have different packages listenercare.siriusxm.com/app/answers/list/p/901 So it looks like the old radios are still compatible, but you might be limited as far as packages and what channels you can pickup. So some premium channels might not be available. Also, the firmware updates on the radios, so I am not sure if that is still supported on all radios. You might be able to do a Google search on a specific model and see if it is still supported if you find one on Ebay. Another thing to consider is that you can get an SiriusXM Internet subscription and play SiriusXM over a computer. I use SiriusXM in my car, but I ended up switching my home subscription to Internet when I discovered I could play SiriusXM over my Alexia. Finally, I believe all or most of the home cradles have a audio jack to connect them through a stereo or other device. So you might be able to connect a radio directly to an old or new boombox that has a line in.

[@daveygivens735]

So Mungo, response for you. I actually found my old boombox, stored away. Now I have the original unit-remember the Sportster? and the white box. I put them together, they cleaned up nicely. I took a shot and activated with SiriusXM and success! It appears to be the same lineup as I have in my car with SXM, so it's all good! @@mungodarkmatter

[@mungodarkmatter]

Excellent. I am not sure if I remember the Sportster specifically, but some of the old XM radios had some nice features the newer ones do not have for some reason. Thanks for the update. I am glad the old radios still work. I hate when they transition into new technologies and leave older equipment useless.

[@tomdunn2583]

how do you scroll thru channels? you didnt say crap

[@spacetrucker2952]

I had no idea I could change the color on my radio!!! COOL!!!

[@elguapo7298]

what do you have you have your radio plugged into while in your home? I'd like to buy this, and have a skullcandy speaker dock, could I plug it into that?

[@mungodarkmatter]

It has a standard stereo mini jack out so you could plug it into any amplified speaker, or into a Bluetooth audio transmitter etc. If you Google the manual for any satellite radio you are interested in, you can actually look at the manual for outputs and specifics which is a lot of help. For example, this radio will broadcast to an FM radio, but only when it is plugged into the car cradle, but the manual states this although the description of the item on the Web site does not.

[@elguapo7298]

Mungo Darkmatter thanks fore the help

[@marythompson-jackson8314]

I would like to install onyx radio in my house, can I do that, I no longer need it in the car

[@mungodarkmatter]

Yes, you can, but you need to get the home kit if you do not already have it. The home kit includes a cradle that the Onyx sits in. The cradle has places to plug in power, the antenna and to connect the unit to a stereo or audio amplifier (line out). You can even get a third party Bluetooth transmitter if you want to use it with a wireless Bluetooth speaker.

[@arnulfogrijalbagarcia8647]

Porque no dan la explicacion en español.

[@toneyclayton485]

Es americano

[@arnulfogrijalbagarcia8647]

@@toneyclayton485 centroamericano, de guatemala, yo tengo una caratula sirius y todavia funciona, lo unico que aqui no ay señal.

[@traceyhobbs8331]

This radio sucks, old ones seem better made.