Pioneer Inno Portable XM2go Radio with MP3 Player

• Plays live XM radio content wherever you roam
• TuneSelect alerts you when favorites are being played on XM
• Also plays MP3s and WMA files from your personal library
• Full-color, 180 x 180 TFT display
• Holds up to 50 hours of content

I've been an XM subscriber since my first SkyFi when Opie and Anthony started in October 2004. I added a MyFi when those launched and appreciated its features (ability to store songs, built-in FM modulator, auto on/off in the car, more presets for all the great music channels), but found its on-the-hip portability sketchy.

I purchased an Inno a few weeks ago and am blown away by the improved portability over my MyFi.

1. The reception is better--I can even get a signal in the gym (lots of windows, granted, but the old MyFi reception broke up too much for usefulness indoors).

2.The styling is sleeker. This thing is less than half the size of the old MyFi--about the size of my cellphone.

3. The store-on-the-go/auto-recording features are great. I've been recording Bob Dylan's theme time radio hour when they air it during the night so I've got it the next AM. Only fluke is that recording labels are not always EXACTLY the start and finish of each song. Sometimes you get a second or two of the song before/after.

The negatives that keep it from getting 4 stars--I miss the preset buttons from the MyFi. I had 30 presets, so could always find the right music/comedy/news/etc. for the moment. The Inno doesn't have any presets (unless I've missed something). The XM/Napster software doesn't work on the Mac, which is frustrating. Also, I'd ordered a car kit and still haven't received it.

In the end, though, this little radio is a HUGE step forward.

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I've been an XM subscriber since just about the beginning. I've also had a number of different units, including the XM2go MyFi. I got sucked in by the hype, and bought one of these new Pioneer Inno units expecting the portability feature to be much improved over the XM2go MyFi. It wasn't! Reception is very erratic--you turn one way and lose the signal--turn another way and it starts receiving again--just like the XM2go MyFi. I suspect those reporting good reception are better served by terrestrial repeaters than I am.

What does improve reception considerably is the headphone/antenna accessory. So, plan to spend the extra $40 or $50 bucks if you want to listen while taking a walk. At one time I think this same (or a similar) accessory was available for the XM2go MyFi, but it sold out quickly and never seemed to reappear. Anyway, without it, the Inno is a very frustrating unit.

The Inno is much smaller than the XM2go MyFi, and I like that a lot. The screen is much more readable, even in sunlight, so that's a plus too. I don't know yet what the battery life will turn out to be, but so far it seems to be reasonable. The menu process for selecting different options isn't all that intuitive, so you will probably fumble around a good bit getting to the menu item you want.

All in all, I would strongly recommend that you "test drive" one of these gizmos before buying, if at all possible. They aren't cheap, and you may not feel you are getting your money's worth. The headset/antenna accessory is a "must".

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I wish to address the reception issues with this radio.

I just don't understand some of these negative reviews. A portable satellite radio is just that: a satellite radio that's portable. Satellite means it must have an open, unobtructed access to the southwestern sky. Try blocking a Direct TV dish and see what you get on TV.

That said, I live out in the country. If you place the Inno out in the open on a table (Therefore it is portable), it has excellent reception, just like a dish. However, if you put it on your side and you turn so that your body is blocking the southwestern sky, you will lose your signal (This may be different in a city with satellite repeaters). That's why they make a headset that has a built-in antenna (it's always exposed). Unless you are by a very large structure that obliterates the signal, it works great. Why, it's not included, must be due to price point. I would have included it rather than risk disillusioning some people with an otherwise great product.

I have a built-in XM radio in my truck. I bought the car kit for my inno and placed it in my mini-van. The reception is every bit as good as the one GM factory installed.

The home kit also works flawlessly. It's hooked into my surround sound and the reception and quality of sound is exceptional. Again, the antenna must have an open view to the southwestern sky.

If you want to use the Inno for jogging or walking, you must buy the optional headset -at least, it's a necessity out in the country.

If you really want to be happy with the Inno, you are going to have to purchase your satisfaction up front -that means buy now the accessories that will allow it to perform like you want.

If you do, I'm sure you will agree -the Pioneer Inno is a great satellite radio.

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I've used my Inno for a whole 48 hours, and can confidently say that THIS is THE revolution in personal music that I've been waiting for. The variety and quality of XM channels has matured, and the sheer breadth of choices is intoxicating. This unit makes a great way to listen at home, work, outside, and discover new music you haven't heard yet/before. If you want to hear more from the artist, or hear the song from the beginning, you can bookmark the artist or the song, and the player will alert you if they appear again, on ANY XM channel, while you're listening. So you can discover, replay, and enjoy new talent about as easy as microwaving a bag of popcorn.

This player (and the Samsung Helix, essentially the same player in a different casing) allow you to record songs or whole channels while listening -EVEN IF YOU'RE HALFWAY THROUGH THE SONG. Yes, if you're at the end of a song and think, "I want to listen to that again later" (or "I want to play that for my girlfriend"), hit the record feature. With most of the 1 GB memory available for a half and half split of your own MP3s/WMAs, and saved XM content, you can also configure the unit to use all the storage for XM content -allegedly up to roughly 50 hours of material. This is handy if you schedule it to record a favorite program (like, say, Sound Opinions, The Story, or This American Life on the XM Public Radio channel).

Though you might prefer having a dedicated antenna for one's home hi-fi (thereby utilizing the receiver's integrated display and preset functions), this will integrate fine with one of these or these (the supplied cable is laughably cheap). Be warned that the crisp, bright display is rather small to see and use across a living room. See my pros and cons below, and by all means read the caveats and visit if you're unfamiliar with their terms and offerings.

PROS

-Exposure to so much music an all-you-can-eat buffet of artists and songs

-Ability to keep a song you like (hit record at any time in the song, the whole song is recorded to My Music)

-Ability to watch for an artist (or a song) that you like, on ANY channel (TuneSelect)

-Ability to schedule recordings

-Favorites and channel browse mode display channel ID, Artist, or Song, so you can see what's playing on any channel right now

-After loading personal music from PC, Inno scans and indexes all music, .M3U play lists, and even examines meta-data within MP3s and WMAs

-"Antenna aiming" feature allows positioning of home antenna as well as radio on-the-go

-Bright, clear display

-Display backlight stays on when docked, even if set to extinguish (adjustable timeout) when operating on battery

-Spiffy, gun metal metallized casing

-Despite what docs say, the USB connection works with Linux (tested with RHEL5)

-Very easy to build playlists; you can browse/find music based on Artist, Genre, Channel (XM), Title

CONS

-Tricky interface takes practice to learn the shortcuts (favs vs. category browse vs. all)

-Headphone port is recessed, slightly curved, so some plugs (e.g. Bose Triport) can slip out resulting in impeded audio; examining the supplied ear buds shows that the port needs a very narrow shoulder on the headphone plugs

-Supplied ear buds are barely adequate.

-Interference during walking, or holding

-Discreet beep from unit on TuneSelect match can't be heard with headphones on, or from across the room.

-Scheduled recording can't be set for recurring schedule (e.g. Sunday 4 AM)

-Belt case isn't too great; might have to use this or look for iPod or cell phone cases that you like better (similar size)

-Mini-to-RCA home hi-fi cable is so cheap as to be disposable (get a better, longer Monster, AR or Belkin cable)

-No Bluetooth HDA profile capability (would almost elminate the complaint about the headphone port)

-No travel charger sold separately, so you have to disconnect from the dock to take with you (not easy if you've integrated the dock with your home hi-fi) ... or buy an additional home dock kit :(

CAVEATS

-$14.95 activation fee per radio, but $9.95 if done online

-Subscription to XM service required.

-Interference experienced during recording is incorporated in the saved version

-If you change channels, recording a song you just landed on mid-tune only records from that point on (you have to be on the channel at the beginning of the song for it all to cache)

-Some rebates available in 2007, but stipulate "participating retailers," which may or may not include your reseller

-Home dock antenna needs to be positioned carefully for adequate reception

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2009 UPDATE:

I've now used this for years, installed Delphi XM Signal Repeater with an extra antenna in my house, and have happily enjoyed XM in the living room, bedroom, and study (additional home docks and adapters were needed). Arguing with XM sales representatives to get a "secret" $77/year prepaid subscription rate robbed me 30 mins or more of my time each year, but then didn't have to worry about changes in their price structure. (Earlier this year they ceased the free online streaming service, making it a "value add" service for an additional monthly fee.)

After the Sirius merger, some of my favorite channels were removed in favor of Sirius content. This year I'm discontinuing my XM membership, and I and several colleagues have discovered their secret to customer retention: they won't let you cancel. In 3 separate cases, they have continued to "transfer" the customer to "the department that handles cancellation" and left the customer on hold for as long as 26 minutes. Yes, 26 MINUTES ON HOLD WAITING FOR A REP. When, in my case, a third rep stated, "I have to transfer you to that department," I told the rep that the call was being recorded, and three separate reps had heard me request my subscription to expire -refusal to comply would entitle me legally to receive the service for free. Within 30 seconds, the same rep accomplished the cancellation.

Another friend found a shorter route to terminating service -simply tell the first rep that you've sold your radio and wish to let your subscription expire normally. They can't argue with that.

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2010 UPDATE:

A very strong caveat about this device only became clear after I'd let my XM-Sirius subscription expire over the holiday season. I kept using the INNO as a 512MB podcast carrier for my commute to work. Only one problem...! After you haven't had a subscription for the radio, it starts complaining on power-on that it has to be tuned "to live XM for 10 minutes to confirm valid subscription." That hasn't kept me from listening to MP3 podcasts that I sync to the unit with Media Monkey 3.5. But in the last week, the INNO now refuses to return to the last playlist or song being listened to, but asserts "Scanning files..." then plays the first track it finds. This is really conspicuous annoy-ware meant to cripple the INNO's functionality for an owner who isn't currently subscribed to XM. Naturally, this device is meant primarily to be used as an XM radio, but the degradation of usability when your account expires is uncalled for.

I WON'T be buying a newer version of this device.

Disclosure: my radio is on firmware version 2.11.

I have to say, I LOVE my Inno! It's like an iPod, except it's got an infinite amount of music in it. Not all of it will be available in its hard drive because it's only 1 G big (or about 50 hours of saved music), but it's certainly available to me when I listen to any of the 170+ channels that are available through XM while I'm on the go. When I think about it that way, then that 1 G hard drive isn't so puny anymore, considering what I actually get when I have live satellite radio streaming into my player. It's actually BETTER than an iPod because I can get live satellite radio content on the go, then record on the fly when I hear something I like. I can make and edit my own playlists on the fly, too. Can't do that with an iPod (or other iPod-like devices for XM or Sirius that are available now). And then there are the advantages to having satellite radio in general. With XM, I get superior sound quality, compared to AM/FM stations--the music I listen to sounds as good as the AAC's/mp4's I have on my iPod. Four of the 170+ channels get commercials, but the rest don't--so if you really can't stand listening to commercials, then you've got plenty of alternative channels to listen to instead. XM's playlists also tend to be very deep. With XM's Broadway channel, especially, I've noticed that--they don't just play the most famous songs from the shows that are most famous on Broadway right now. They play such a wide variety of material, so I'm never disappointed when I tune into that channel. I'll always find something new. And that goes for the other channels that I love listening to on XM, too--the pop/hits channels, the "decades" channels for the 60's, 70's, 80's, and 90's, and the jazz channels. It's a real treat, turning on my Inno every day. It's like an adventure--either I find new things to listen to, or I end up hearing great songs that haven't played on the regular radio in years and years, if ever. It's really great. :D

I have a few suggestions, though:

1) If you have any friends or family who have an Inno already, see if you can use it yourself and see how well it works for you, particularly in terms of getting a reliable signal. Or go to an actual brick-and-mortar store and try the Inno out first, even if you intend to buy it from Amazon. XM's been pretty good at ensuring that people get a good, reliable signal anywhere in the country, but it sure doesn't hurt to make sure that you'll get a good signal on your own, anyway. You don't want to pony up $200+ for a great device that turns out to be very useless because you can't get a signal, then go through the hassle of sending it back.

2) You'll also want to buy a pair of antenna headphones from Belkin that are made for the Inno. If you look for accessories for the Inno here at Amazon, you should be able to find them. The packaging says that they're for outdoor use, but they're good for indoor use, too. These headphones are about $40 but can be cheaper if you look around first. They might be a bit uncomfortable at first--they do hurt the ears just a little--but after about a week or so of using them, they should become more comfortable.

3) Finally, as soon as you get your Inno and you're done admiring your Inno's full-color screen, you're going to want to set your backlight so it turns off in 15 seconds and the Inno itself sleeps after 15 minutes of inactivity. If you don't do that, your Inno's going to be running out of energy pretty quickly.

Enjoy your Inno! :)