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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful.
XACT not User or -Friendly
By Larry
Sirius Satellite Radio is an splendid service, with extraordinarily rich and varied content, and consequently worthy of much more than XACT Communications offers in this “universal” kit. This review is ONLY affiliated to XACT’s equipment, and NOT to the Sirius service.
I’ve owned the receiver and kit for three months and I am now in the market for a replacement. Here’s why:
1. The keypad interface is the least intuitive of any I’ve ever encountered. Although I pride myself on being something of a technophile, I must contstantly refer to the user’s guide to figure how how to accomplish things with this keypad. You can’t even enter a station by number directly! (You must select each of the 3 digits from a displayed list of digits using arrow keys and the enter button). Although the receiver boasts storing 18 “favorites,” you may not get to any directly by way of the keypad; in all cases you ought to scroll through groupings (A through F) or lists first.
2. The user’s guide has a few substantial errors, such as how to store favorites channels.
3. The “universal” mount for vehicles comes with one little plastic disk with two-sided tape that adheres to the dashboard. The base unit without apparent effort detaches from this disk for use in the home. However, if you want to use it in a second VEHICLE, you need another of these little disks. XACT utterly refuses to trade the disk alone, and insists that you spend another $50 (!) for another finish kit if you want to move the unit from car to car.
4. The display is too small, and many times gets “stuck” with info from prior selections, requiring a reset.
5. Mobile reception is spotty, even in clear, unobstructed areas. I’m in the NYC suburban area, and lose the signal each ten minutes or so when on the road. A friend with an in-dash receiver for Sirius experiences no such problems.
6. In order to power this unit by batteries (for use like a walkman), you will have to buy a huge, clunky wrap-around battery kit for $100 (!).
I commend you unquestionably consider the Sirius service, but look for an substitute to any XACT hardware.
P.S. Since introductory writing this review, my XACT unit failed totally due to overheating, which I came across is a very mutual problem with XACT equipment. Although the store where I purchased it provided a replacement, I fear the problem recurring after the warrantee has expired.
6 of 6 persons found the following review helpful.
Okay Unit with Big Drawbacks
By D
I purchased the unit from a huge retailer in Dec 2004, having been “sold” on the premise that the XACT unit had the most functionality for the price and was more portable than other units available – without apparent effort transferring from car to home to boombox, etc., if I elected those routes (with further and added hardware). I liked the idea of portability and went with the XACT vehicle package.
I agree that the vehicle mounting unit is exceedingly limited. The actual mount has fixed tilt and is cluncky with a screw that fastens to the back of the unit, making mounting and dismounting somewhat difficult. I ended up building my own base for the mount that fits in a cupholder, because the basi mount wouldn’t fit anyplace else. With my homemade creation, the set up works rather well. I keep my antenna on the dashboard and haven’t had a big problem with reception. I even traveled 1200 miles throughout the region and the reception was fine. Of course, I did have to change FM modulator channels sporadically from city to city, but that will have to be expected.
The unit is very fixed overall. Scanning stations is very difficult while driving and I rely on my saved stations almost exclusively. However, the keypad only gives access to 3 saved stations at a time and this may be annoying. I still haven’t figured out the Memo/S-Seek button, even after reading the manual assorted times, and it seems usless.
Most troubling, in April, I returned to the big retailer where I purchased the unit (in Dec), to buy the home mounting dock. However, the retailer no longer carries XACT merchandise in it is stores. It is available on the web, but this is rather unsettling. I purchased the unit as the newest, best product less than 4 months ago and now I can’t find it in any stores. I purchased the unit for portability and skillfulness and it’s already difficult to find the further and added constituents for it.
In general, the redeeming quality of the XACT unit is that it allows me to listen to Sirius, which is an magnificent service. Other than that, XACT offers poor functionality and design. If I were to do it again, I’d get a unit from a more recognizable company and unquestionably one with a dial.
5 of 5 humans found the following review helpful.
Ok function and features – but not outstanding by any standard
By Steven W. Schenck
I have had the unit two weeks and worked hard to make it function as required. First the FM signal to my radio is so weak that there is too much noise, what occur to CD quality?
Due to the FM broadcast issue I had to have it mounted and setup with a hard wire into my system which cost an further and added $100.
The screen and functions are managable, but not great. This is a pull over and reset unit, it is way to hard to manage this unit while driving because it is not designed for ease of use and the screen is so little and hard to read.
The unit gets very hot so you have to mount it accordingly. Holding the unit and using the keys is uncomfortable because of the heat, so the remote is a required tool.
The antena had to be on the roof because through a window it did not get sufficient signal.
Overall I liked the low price and have fixed most of the issues, but would not buy this unit again if there were any other choice.
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