Versatile workhorse in the satellite radio family

Having owned both the predecessor SkiFi and this newer SkyFi2, I can say they are both reliable workhorse radios. The SkyFi2 adds some significant features over the original. Best is the built-in FM modulator, making it a cinch to install in a car without wiring into the factory radio. If if used in the home kit, it rebroadcasts the channel to any FM radio in your home, so you can listen all over the house. The SkyFi2 built-in FM modulator is actually stronger than a $70 external one I had bought to use with the original SkyFi.

Also new to the SkyFi2 is the ability to buffer up to 30 minutes of audio--allowing you a minimal set of TIVO-like functions to pause and rewind the 'live' broadcast. Plus you can bookmark specific songs or artists to be alerted when they come on a different channel from the one you are listening to. Extra improvements include a higher contrast display and stock and sports ticker modes.

Both the SkyFi and SkyFi2 are versatile and have a variety of docking stations--a car kit, a home kit and various boombox units (including one that can run off batteries). So just one radio with several docking kits would cover you at home, work and in the car between.

Only a few minor weak areas in the design. The control knob is counterintuitive--it turns in the opposite direction that you want the menu to move. Manually entering channels as presets requires a lot of toggling though multiple preset modes. Hold a preset button too long and you accidentally overwrite that preset. The music buffering is lost when the power is turned off--a real disadvantage in a car. Bookmarking artists/song is great, but you are limited to only a global 'by artist' or 'by title' mode for alerts. And finally, the FM transmitter is disabled when used with the 'boombox' accessory. This is understandable for power conservation when the boombox is running off of batteries, but would have been nice when the unit was on wall power.