SANYO debuts the CRSR-10 Sirius Radio receiver

[electron]

LAS VEGAS, JANUARY 4, 2005, CES, Booth #9834 – The Sanyo CRSR-10 is a Plug `n' Play SIRIUS satellite radio receiver that can be easily moved between vehicle and home for access to more than 120 channels of cutting-edge programming, including news, sports, information, entertainment, and 65 channels of commercial-free music.

The sleekly styled main unit features a built-in transmitter, allowing music to be heard through an existing car or home radio. There are 20 available channel presets, and the versatile device provides Category Search Capability, User Selectable Menu Options, selectable Time Functions, and Direct Channel Access.

Users can easily capture and store up to 10 artist names and song titles, and the CRSR-10 alerts you when your favorite artist/song is currently in play. Three interchangeable color rings let users change colors to fit their décor. A quick-release suction cup car mount and home stand makes it easy to move and re-mount. Also included are two antennas and two power adaptors for car and home/office use.
A 2005 CES Innovations Award recipient, the CRSR-10 is available now, at a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $149.99. The CRSR-10 requires a subscription to SIRIUS Satellite Radio in order to tune in to the digital satellite signal.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

What would be really cool is if it had a serial interface so you could "run" the receiver via Main Lobby or whatever program you wanted.

Some receivers have this already, but I'm not sure if they are ready for prime time. There is some discussion on these receivers over at Main Lobby (Cinemar) land.

So is "SIRIUS" the way to go now for satellite radio? Wasn't there some battle to have some format "standard"?

 

[smee]

The XMPCR did this. Nice little box with mediocre software and USB interface. A number of alternate control programs were written.

The box was pulled from the market (price went from $35 online to $350 on ebay when this happened). No one knows why it was removed. Rumor has it that it was done when software that could record music and break the recordings up into individual mp3 files came out.

There's a new XMDirect box that people were working with the last time I looked into it. I believe it cost more.

The situation was discussed a bit in this thread.

I played around with the XMPCR for a few months. I never got a user interface that I liked working (i.e., something I could control from HS or a web page). The music wasn't bad and audio quality was acceptable but not great. I decided it wasn't worth the $10 a month for the service.

 

[electron]

The XMPCR was pulled because of one single software package named TimeTrax, it allowed one to timeshift/record the audio. Few days after there were some reviews on this software, the hardware was pulled off the market.

As for the standard, there really isn't any, there are 2 major players, Sirius and XM, both having their own advantages, eventho both are working hard to incorporate features which makes the competitor stand out. I guess it really depends if you want Howard Stern or not

 

[smee]

XM has "NPR" (and Bob Edwards) and will have MLB (baseball)

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Thanks for the clarification. It seems like it may be to soon to buy any satellite unit then? What happens if I purchase something now and the standard changes, or will the two major players be around for a while? (I know its not a simple answer to this question).

 

[electron]

Both XM and Sirius are being put in cars by the major auto manufactures, so I have a feeling both will be around for a while, but if I am not mistaken, one of them is (or was) having financial trouble, I just don't remember which one, I would have to check news.google.com.

 

[DavidL]

I don't think either are making money yet. If I remember, the payback on the infrastructure was based on many more subscribers - which is still growing.

I have both XMPCR at home (XMLobby / MainLobby) and Sirius in my Dodge Durango (wife's car).

MediaStorm got the new Polk XM reciever serial protocol and was going to build a plugin for MainLobby to support it. But, if I remember right, it would not provide information to do coverart lookup like the XMPCR does. It is reported that the Polk reciever has better quality audio than even the Toslink XMPCR version (which I have).

 

[electron]

Mediastorm, isn't that the guy who hangs out on the mp3car forums? I think I have seen his product, looked pretty good.