06-28-2004, 09:00 AM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,060
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XM Radio On Your Pocket PC?
Here's a news item I missed when it first came out a couple of weeks ago: iBIZ Technology Corporation has announced its intention to begin licensing its Synosphere satellite radio technologies to qualified partners. What this means is that XM radio receiver accessories may one day be available for the Pocket PC. Bryan A. Scott, CEO of the Synosphere subsidiary, adds that "This also provides subscribers the ability to personalize their satellite radio experience by using a PDA's full color graphical user interface."
Now, I don't know if any of iBIZ's recent legal squabbles will have any impact on their ability to keep moving forward with their development rollout of this satellite radio program, but it sure seems like a neat idea.
What do you think? Would you be interested in someday using an XM radio CF or SD card in your Pocket PC?
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06-28-2004, 09:33 AM
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Sage
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 630
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Yes, it would be nice.
It seems difficult to believe this will be cost effective for XM. If you're already an XM subscriber, then a small cheap CF receiver would be great. But then you could plug your headphone output into other stuff bypassing the XM home setup. If you had a cf or SD receiver, you could plug it into a laptop or perhaps even a media card reader and use it. That would be cool. But once again, it would cut in on the 'other' XM equipment.
What's really interesting here is the wireless headphones and wirelessly connecting to a nearby FM receiver. I'm all for it.
I wonder if Sirius is considering this?
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06-28-2004, 12:23 PM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 559
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Are you joking? I'd LOVE an XM SD card! I'm not a subscriber now, but that would probably push me over the edge.
And, one has to wonder..if there licensing this, where else might we see XM receivers pop up?
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06-28-2004, 12:36 PM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 9
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I wonder if iBiz will think about maybe consulting the FCC a little earlier in this process than they did in the laser keyboard fiasco.  ops:
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06-28-2004, 01:06 PM
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Theorist
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 276
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I think this would be totally worthless. XM need line of site with the sky and does not work inside of buildings or cars with out an external antena. You would need to put your PPC in a window just to receive the music, or have a long wire going to an antena somewhere.
XM would have to work in buildings and cars without external antena's before I ever signed up for it...
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06-28-2004, 01:42 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 48
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Some cities have XM repeaters that allow reception even without line of sight of the sky. I'm pretty sure Atlanta has this setup since I was able to maintain reception even in a parking garage where I would otherwise lose the signal.
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06-28-2004, 02:25 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,060
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by egads
XM need line of site with the sky and does not work inside of buildings or cars with out an external antena.
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Really? I've never used XM, so I know very little about it. If the reception isn't at least as good as a regular FM radio, is this a market that will grow?
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06-28-2004, 02:27 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,060
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by BarryB
Some cities have XM repeaters that allow reception even without line of sight of the sky.
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That means that most cities probably will NOT have non-line-of-sight repeaters in the near future. It may be more likely that WiFi becomes ubiquitous and streaming from Internet radio sites makes more sense.
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06-28-2004, 02:40 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 56
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Configuration Issues...
As I look at my little Roady hooked up on my desk, I wondered at the physical configuration that XM would require to make a CF version...
We've got a power source plugged into the receiver. OK, it would get its power from the PDA. Hmmm...that sure sounds like a battery drain to me. So that would make the only real application for XM radio when it's docked and drawing power.
Antenna plug. As previously pointed out, most of us can only use XM radio with a line-of-sight antenna. Since I ran a 70 foot antenna to the window last Friday, it pretty much means I'm hard wired into a single location. OK, so maybe an internal antenna can be built into the CF card, but (again, as previously pointed out) it means you have to be near a window or outdoors to use it.
Finally, the output is via speaker or headphones. If it's like IBiz's FM radio card, the PDA's headphone jack doesn't get used, the card's version (maybe they'll learn from that one?) does.
Oh well, more power to them if they figure it out. It'll be interesting to see how it goes over the next year or two.
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06-28-2004, 02:48 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,329
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by BarryB
I'm pretty sure Atlanta has this setup since I was able to maintain reception even in a parking garage where I would otherwise lose the signal.
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I know the Twin Cities here in MN is setup that way. I can get XM in my garage with the garage door closed. I think they set it up here about 2 years ago. One day I couldn't get squat driving up the parking ramp at the place I work. The next week clear as a bell.
That being said I don't see this happening any time soon. The receiver would have to be pretty damn strong to receive a signal from inside a car or house and that would require more juice. I'm betting battery life on such a device would suck.
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