Choosing Your Sirius Satellite Radios

You've caved. Initially the idea of paying $13/month for radio seemed silly, since you already had a perfectly fine set up, but over time the idea of having 130 channels of commercial-free listening charmed you. Since you'll need a few items to get started, you may be wondering what kind of Sirius Satellite radios to look for at your local electronics shop.

Sirius satellite radios range from $20 to $1,049, depending on your specific needs. Most people will be perfectly happy with a $20 - $100 unit that can be used much like an iPod, moving from a vehicle mount to an in-home stereo unit.

The XACT Visor Sirius satellite radios, costing just $49.99, mount onto your visor or dashboard for easy access. The one-line sixteen character display is easily discernable in a quick glance while driving. There are 36 channel presets for fast searching, a remote control and a lighter adapter.

The Sirius One Radio is usually offered at $49.99 as well, but sometimes you can catch an online sale through the Sirius website for as low as $20! Many people like the high-contrast display with vivid turquoise writing, the built-in wireless FM transmitter and the four different mounting options with no professional installation required.

The In-V Sirius satellite radios are just $34, and need to be installed professionally. There are 10 radio presets and three-line display on the vivid orange face -- and an optional remote available.

For buses and public transport vehicles, you can get a hidden Sirius radio that will provide you with all the stations and none of the vulnerability that can come with the detachable units. The "SiriusConnect" units are available from $79 to $299.

Then there are a myriad of units that can be easily unplugged for both car and home usage. The Starmate 3 moves between home, car and boombox docks with ease. Priced at just $69.99, these versatile Sirius radios offer five-line display on orange faces, game alerts for sports fans, artist or song seek options, 30 channel presets and a slim vehicle docking cradle.

Similarly, the Stratus dock-and-play Sirius radio can move from car to home use without complex installation. It lacks some of the fancier features of the Starmate 3 and offers just 10 presets instead of 30 for around $40.

The Streamer Replay and Streamer GTR Sirius satellite radios come in brilliant blue display faces, with 30 channel presets, Game Alert, Game Zone favorite teams list, rewind and replay capability for up to 44 minutes of programming and six line display. Generally, these sell for around $120 full price, but the Sirius website frequently runs promotions where you can get the Streamer Replay kit for as little as $20!

Good news, sports fans! The new Sirius Sportster 4 is out for $119, which is designed with a "Sirius playback" function to pause, rewind and listen to the last play or 44 minutes of the game. "MyGameZone" lists all your favorite teams in one category. You can set alerts so you never miss your favorite games or shows. You also can remove and use this dock at home.

Before visiting your local electronics shop, first peruse the list of channels and ask yourself, "Am I likely to need just 10 presets or will I need 30?" Also, consider if you're likely to remove the unit and reattach it to a stereo indoors or if you primarily just need one of the Sirius satellite radios for your vehicle.

Do you like the orange or the blue interface? Do you prefer to look at the full artist, song title and station information on display, or is it easier to read one larger line at a time? Once you have an idea as to which Sirius radio you want, purchasing will be a cinch!