XM XVSAP1V1 SkyDock In-Vehicle Satellite Radio for iPhone and iPod touch (Discontinued by Manufacturer)

This item worked right out of the box and I had no problems with the item.I have been an XM radio subscriber for many years and when my last radio decided to give up the ghost, I went looking for a replacement radio. While browsing the Sirius/XM radio website I found this little gem. I currently have an iPhone 4 that I use with the radio and an OtterBox Defender Case.Installation was a breeze. I had read where other users had problems with the tight fit of the unit into their car lighter/power source. We solved this by getting an external 3 plug cigarette lighter adapter plus USB. We figured this way, if the unit broke the external adapter, we wouldn't be having to take it to the dealer to get the cigarette lighter replaced since my car only has one cigarette lighter/power source (2004 Honda CR-V). This was the perfect solution for me since it allowed me to place the radio unit in a place other than just where the cigarette lighter was located. The unit is now located in a place that is easily accessible and allows me to keep my eyes on the road. I also picked up a dock extender to be able to use my iPhone in it's OtterBox case (it doesn't fit in the unit while in the case without the extender. I had to remove the phone from the case to get it to work in the beginning then I put the extender on the radio unit)The biggest selling point for me was to be able to listen to my XM music while using my GPS application to get me from point A to point B in a new city. With my old radio, I needed to choose between my iPhone GPS or my XM radio but I could not use both at the same time. The music plays in the background and my voice guided GPS app is audible over the music to give me instructions.One thing I would recommend is to go the Sirius/XM radio site and download the good frequencies in your area so you have them handy when installing the radio. This radio does allow you to store multiple FM frequencies for the XM radio. (My best frequency in the area was 94.9 so it does not force you only be at the very ends of the FM spectrum). It checks the valid frequencies by your zip code so you can find good frequencies in a crowded area. I had to try to find a free FM radio frequency in the Phoenix area and this site found a few good ones. (We have very few free channels in this area, none in the 88-89 or 106 areas where some XM radios force you to go if you play the satellite through your FM radio without an AUX jack)I would also recommend that you don't actually try to activate the radio until totally ready to do so. I made this mistake and it took a bit longer to get the unit activated. Since I already had an XM account, I just logged into the website and activated the new radio from there. Once I pressed the "activate" button, it took about 8 - 10 minutes for all of the channels to download. It was good to go from there. The user interface is very friendly and it is very easy to get around the "radio". I also like the fact that you can pause live music (or sports events).I found it valuable to go through the user reviews here on Amazon to find out what problems other users had when installing the unit. Even though we are in a major city with very few free frequencies, I did not need to purchase the DirectFM modulator to use the unit. The sound was crystal clear playing through the FM radio on the frequency I found on the Sirius/XM website (my old car doesn't have an AUX port).I love this radio. It charges my iPhone, plays music without static (unlike my old XM unit) and plays in the background while I am using other apps. It was just what I was looking for when I was looking for a new XM radio.

Purchased the SkyDock to primarily play music and audiobooks and have phone service through the car radio rather than listen to XM. The audiobooks and music work very well but my 3G iPhone does not work. Phone rings loudly through the radio for incoming calls but when the answer button is pressed the connection to the radio quits. I called XM Tec. Support several times without them solving the problem. One person billed as a Tec. Support supervisor put me on hold while he tried to use an iPhone in their SkyDock unit and reported that he also could not get the phone to work.One of their suggestions was to keep a Bluetooth headset connected while using the SkyDock. That won't work because when a Bluetooth device is connected all audio from the SkyDock comes out of the Bluetooth device rather than the radio. Another suggestion from Tec. Support was to take the phone out of the SkyDock when receiving a phone call and use it as a hand held phone. Two reasons that is not practical; First it is illegal in my state and many others to do that and secondly, that is not why I purchased the SkyDock.Probably the greatest frustration is that I called XM Radio before I purchased the SkyDock and the recommended cassette input adaptor for a total of $150 and specifically asked if the full functions would work with their unit. They assured me they would. It does not.If anyone has a solution to my problem I, and probably XM Radio, would appreciate feedback.

I've owned several XM radios over the years, each progressively better than the last, but the SkyDock is my favorite.Start with downloading the Sirius XM iPhone app -- and make sure to power off/power on your phone. The app is free.With many XM car set-ups, you need to find a decent place to put it -- stick it on the dash, hang it from the vents, or some other scenario. The SkyDock just plugs right into the cigarette lighter, and that's done.If you're new to satellite radio, placing the antenna usually takes the most time, and with the SkyDock, there's no way around that. Take your time, do it right. But if you're already a subscriber and the antenna is already in place, then plug that in.To get the sound, you'll either need an AUX jack from your radio to the SkyDock, or use the built-in PowerConnect to broadcast it through an FM channel. I tried both, and while the AUX jack has better sound quality, the PowerConnect is decent and sounds better than the previous FM transmitter set-ups I've used in the past.Once you've got it set up, your iPhone (or iPod Touch) is in the dock and is on, and the app is running, you should be hearing channel 1. Next, get on the phone and call XM to activate the SkyDock. It is possible to activate it through the app, but that didn't work for me. The call should take 5 minutes. They'll ask you to leave the radio on, playing channel 1 and that it might take 15 minutes to an hour for all the channels to activate, but it should be closer to the 15 minutes.The SkyDock IS the XM radio -- the iPhone and Sirius XM app are only a channel changer, but besides listening to any of the 130+ XM channels, you can also listen to the music on the iPod, podcasts, audiobooks, and other music/radio apps you have on your iPhone/Touch (such as Pandora, Last FM, Slacker, Pocket Tunes, etc.) as long as you have a decent AT&T signal. I tested this listening to Pocket Tunes on a 10 mile drive and experienced no drop-outs . . . but I was in a heavily populated area with lots of 3G.Another "secret" benefit is my 160 GB iPod (you know, with the click-wheel) works perfectly in the SkyDock. I can listen to anything in my 16,000 song collection just by popping the iPod in the SkyDock.The SkyDock had a little trouble getting all the way into the cigarette lighter on my Camry, but this seems to be due to a rubber sprocket/gasket near the tip of the SkyDock plug which is apparently there to make sure the SkyDock fits snuggly and won't pop out. This caused the opposite problem for me, not letting it pop in. I had to gently yet firmly push it in, but I could sense the pushing came close to breaking the housing around the cigarette lighter. But, it didn't, and I did get the SkyDock in all the way.I previously used a Sirius XM Mirge plug-n-play radio, which I removed from my car each time I arrived at my destination so it wouldn't get stolen. So I was carrying around both the Mirge and my iPhone -- annoying. Now I just carry my iPhone, pop it in the SkyDock, press the button for the Sirius XM app, and get satellite radio in 10-15 seconds. When I park, I push the home button, take the iPhone out, and am on my way.I know a question some people may have is: What if I get a phone call? What happens? Can I listen to the call through my stereo speakers?When a call comes in, the app goes silent, and you'll hear the ringing through the speakers (unless you're on vibrate). If you answer the call by sliding your finger along the iPhone's bar, you will hear the caller through the iPhone's speakers -- not the car's stereo speakers. A Bluetooth headset would be recommended for answering calls.The only drawback I have experienced with the SkyDock is it is difficult to change channels while driving. While the app interface is great, you have to look at it to do anything, which is not easy (nor recommended) while driving. I usually wait for a stoplight, or just stick to what I'm listening to. The app does have an area where you can add up to 12 favorite channels . . . but you still need to look. I wish there was a remote control that worked with the iPhone and the SkyDock, as I was used to that with the Mirge -- the ability to change channels while driving without having to look down at the unit. But hopefully a remote will be available someday.If you're interested in satellite radio and have an iPhone or iPod Touch, then I would highly recommend the XM SkyDock. And if you add the "Best of Sirius" to your XM subscription, you'll get the added sports and talk channels from the Sirius side. But even without it, you'll never want to listen to regular AM or FM again.