Getting tuned in to satellite radio retail

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The biggest things in radio lately aren't happening here on Earth.

While satellite radio has been around for years, Sirius Satellite Radio created much ado last year with its announcement of a five-year deal with Howard Stern, whose show went satellite last month. The company also recently created shows, and Martha Stewart is set to begin airing in September. The company's major competitor, XM Satellite, has Oprah Winfrey in a three-year deal for a channel called Oprah & Friends, which also will debut in September.

Sirius and XM satellite radio both offer service plans starting at $12.95 per month, and a vast selection of music, sports, talk, news, entertainment and traffic and weather channels. Many programs, like Stern's and Winfrey's, are brand specific. (Sirius boasts more than 125 channels, and XM has 160.)

There also are differences in sports and music programming between the companies, so a quick spin on the Internet (www.xmradio.com and www.sirius.com) to check out the offerings is probably a good idea before committing to a subscription with either brand.

Many new cars have XM (auto partners include General Motors, Honda, Toyota, Audi and Nissan) or Sirius (auto partners include BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Ford, Jaguar and Volvo) satellite radios already installed, but you don't have to buy a new car to get your extraterrestrial radio fix.

Both companies' Web sites carry many options, but you can find the same systems at stores like Best Buy (www.bestbuy.com) Fry's Electronics (www.frys.com) and RadioShack (www.radioshack.com) if you'd prefer to hand-pick your new toy.

The radios are available in a fairly wide range of prices. The Sirius One radio with car kits goes for $49.99, while the Sirius S50, a portable unit capable of storing 50 hours of content, complete with a full color display screen, 30 channel presets and a rechargeable battery that lasts up to six hours, will run you $329.99. The S50 works on the go with headphones or plugged into a car or home stereo. The Delphi XM Roady XT with car kit is $79.99, while the Delphi XM MyFi is $224.99, and boasts a built-in XM antenna, complete home and car accessory kits, the ability to store up to five hours of content, and a built-in wireless FM transmitter for use with any FM radio speaker system.

Tivoli's Sirius Table Radio ($299.99) is designed for home use, and has the look of a '70s-era wood-encased radio, with the exception of its blue digital screen. The Tivoli table radio also is equipped for FM radio.

The XACT Sirius Satellite Radio Plug-and-Play Receiver with Car Docking Kit ($49.99, Best Buy) has a built-in wireless transmitter for FM radio, and the Starbase Universal FM Modulated Sirius Satellite Radio Tuner ($169.99) brings Sirius to any car. The receiver can be mounted in the dashboard or on top of it, and you also can listen to regular FM through the receiver.

The Delphi SKYFi Portable Audio System ($104.99) for the SKYFi XM Satellite Radio Tuner ($149.99) is a set of speakers that turn a receiver into a portable boom box. The Sirius Sportster Portable Boombox Audio System ($104.99) also turns a satellite radio receiver into a portable device, and connects to MP3 players. Accessories such as car antennas and docking kits that allow the radios to go from car to home to wherever also are widely available.

For now, my own radio will remain Earth-bound, but several friends have been saying good things about their satellite radios.

Uh-oh. That's how my obsession with iPod started.

Maria Phelan is a reporter for the Green Valley and Henderson Views. Retail information appropriate for mention can be sent to mphelan@viewnews.com.