I just shipped my XM back..

[adz]

I ordered a SkyFi Delphi home boom box (with the car kit) thru an XM promotion right before the New Year..

No matter what I did, I could not get a signal..not even channel 1..putting the attenna in every corner of my apartment..I could not get any sort of signal..all I could get was a black bar next to the word ''Antenna''..

I was told I had a defective unit, and have since shipped it back this afternoon..

When I called Customer Care, and finally XMs technical troubleshooting folks, I was told I needed a ''Southern View'' to get a signal..

Nothing on XMs website, or in its printed literature, says anything about having a southern view with no obstructions..

Simply put, did I screw up? I have no Southern exposure anywhere in my ground floor Ohio apartment..I'd have to pull a ''DLR'' and knock down walls to get one..

I just shipped the thing back--UPS Ground--to their California return center via UPS Ground this afternoon..

How long before I get my new unit?

XM is supposed to reimburse me for my shipping the unit back..$15 and change at this point..how am I supposed to insure this happens?

What happens if I have the same problems? I've paid for three months of a subscription I can't currently hear..and the clock is ticking on it..and I have to reup in the second quarter of the year, or I get hit with a bill for the whole thing..what are my options if my second unit performs like the first?

Or did I really get a ''defective unit''...how common is this? Did XM ship out a bunch of lemons during the holidays?

You can tell I'm stupid if you like..I'd just like some sort of feedback, since this is keeping me up nights..

 

[Rick_E]

How could you miss that. The SkyFi I received clearly stated in the literature for the best reception place/point the antenna towards the Southern sky. (This has also been metioned many, many times on this board..same for Sirus) Fortunately for some reason I get a strong signal by having it on a shelf in the middle of the house. I live in South Eastern Pa. 40 miles NorthWest of Philly, so I believe I am not picking up a ground repeater. Question...Did you try the unit outside?



> I ordered a SkyFi Delphi home boom box (with the car kit)
> thru an XM promotion right before the New Year..
>
> No matter what I did, I could not get a signal..not even
> channel 1..putting the attenna in every corner of my
> apartment..I could not get any sort of signal..all I could
> get was a black bar next to the word ''Antenna''..
>
> I was told I had a defective unit, and have since shipped it
> back this afternoon..
>
> When I called Customer Care, and finally XMs technical
> troubleshooting folks, I was told I needed a ''Southern
> View'' to get a signal..
>
> Nothing on XMs website, or in its printed literature, says
> anything about having a southern view with no obstructions..
>
>
> Simply put, did I screw up? I have no Southern exposure
> anywhere in my ground floor Ohio apartment..I'd have to pull
> a ''DLR'' and knock down walls to get one..
>
> I just shipped the thing back--UPS Ground--to their
> California return center via UPS Ground this afternoon..
>
> How long before I get my new unit?
>
> XM is supposed to reimburse me for my shipping the unit
> back..$15 and change at this point..how am I supposed to
> insure this happens?
>
> What happens if I have the same problems? I've paid for
> three months of a subscription I can't currently hear..and
> the clock is ticking on it..and I have to reup in the second
> quarter of the year, or I get hit with a bill for the whole
> thing..what are my options if my second unit performs like
> the first?
>
> Or did I really get a ''defective unit''...how common is
> this? Did XM ship out a bunch of lemons during the
> holidays?
>
> You can tell I'm stupid if you like..I'd just like some sort
> of feedback, since this is keeping me up nights..
>

 

[jjjohnson]

If the SkyFi readout said "antenna" and you could not get it to work no matter what you tried, then you do indeed have a defective unit. XM will respond quickly and get a new unit to you. "Antenna" on the display usually means the SkyFi is not properly "seated" in the boombox or the antenna connection in the back is not firmly attached. You could also have a short in the antenna wire. In any case, you did the right thing returning it. As for the "Southern sky" thing. It is true. In an ideal situation, you'll need a clear view of the Southern sky. In most areas you can still get a signal far from a window, behind interior walls. This is true in my area and I live nowhere near ground repeaters. Some spots in my house are "dead" but the boombox works great in others. You'll have to do a little experminenting when you receive your replacement unit. For much more information and help with XM go to XM411.com. Best of luck with your replacement unit!




> I ordered a SkyFi Delphi home boom box (with the car kit)
> thru an XM promotion right before the New Year..
>
> No matter what I did, I could not get a signal..not even
> channel 1..putting the attenna in every corner of my
> apartment..I could not get any sort of signal..all I could
> get was a black bar next to the word ''Antenna''..
>
> I was told I had a defective unit, and have since shipped it
> back this afternoon..
>
> When I called Customer Care, and finally XMs technical
> troubleshooting folks, I was told I needed a ''Southern
> View'' to get a signal..
>
> Nothing on XMs website, or in its printed literature, says
> anything about having a southern view with no obstructions..
>
>
> Simply put, did I screw up? I have no Southern exposure
> anywhere in my ground floor Ohio apartment..I'd have to pull
> a ''DLR'' and knock down walls to get one..
>
> I just shipped the thing back--UPS Ground--to their
> California return center via UPS Ground this afternoon..
>
> How long before I get my new unit?
>
> XM is supposed to reimburse me for my shipping the unit
> back..$15 and change at this point..how am I supposed to
> insure this happens?
>
> What happens if I have the same problems? I've paid for
> three months of a subscription I can't currently hear..and
> the clock is ticking on it..and I have to reup in the second
> quarter of the year, or I get hit with a bill for the whole
> thing..what are my options if my second unit performs like
> the first?
>
> Or did I really get a ''defective unit''...how common is
> this? Did XM ship out a bunch of lemons during the
> holidays?
>
> You can tell I'm stupid if you like..I'd just like some sort
> of feedback, since this is keeping me up nights..
>

 

[AllForADeuce]

> I ordered a SkyFi Delphi home boom box (with the car kit)
> thru an XM promotion right before the New Year..
>
> No matter what I did, I could not get a signal..not even
> channel 1..putting the attenna in every corner of my
> apartment..I could not get any sort of signal..all I could
> get was a black bar next to the word ''Antenna''..
>
> I was told I had a defective unit, and have since shipped it
> back this afternoon..
>
> When I called Customer Care, and finally XMs technical
> troubleshooting folks, I was told I needed a ''Southern
> View'' to get a signal..
>
> Nothing on XMs website, or in its printed literature, says
> anything about having a southern view with no obstructions..
>
>
> Simply put, did I screw up? I have no Southern exposure
> anywhere in my ground floor Ohio apartment..I'd have to pull
> a ''DLR'' and knock down walls to get one..
>
> I just shipped the thing back--UPS Ground--to their
> California return center via UPS Ground this afternoon..
>
> How long before I get my new unit?
>
> XM is supposed to reimburse me for my shipping the unit
> back..$15 and change at this point..how am I supposed to
> insure this happens?
>
> What happens if I have the same problems? I've paid for
> three months of a subscription I can't currently hear..and
> the clock is ticking on it..and I have to reup in the second
> quarter of the year, or I get hit with a bill for the whole
> thing..what are my options if my second unit performs like
> the first?
>
> Or did I really get a ''defective unit''...how common is
> this? Did XM ship out a bunch of lemons during the
> holidays?
>
> You can tell I'm stupid if you like..I'd just like some sort
> of feedback, since this is keeping me up nights..
>


How does your cellphone work in your house? My XM antenna works best, ironically, under my bed and facing E/SE. BUT there is a major dead spot in the NE corner of my house. Neither my XM nor my cellphone work well in that area. I had trouble getting even a strong terrestrial radio signal in taht corner. But your problem doesn't sound like your house is in a dead zone.

 

[dampier]

> When I called Customer Care, and finally XMs technical
> troubleshooting folks, I was told I needed a ''Southern
> View'' to get a signal..

XM is far easier to receive indoors than Sirius. I can receive the signal without a clear southern view from satellite from a western window view. Just sort of aim the antenna on an angle from the window towards the south and that should be sufficient. I suspect you may have had a bad unit.

> What happens if I have the same problems? I've paid for
> three months of a subscription I can't currently hear..and
> the clock is ticking on it..and I have to reup in the second
> quarter of the year, or I get hit with a bill for the whole
> thing..what are my options if my second unit performs like
> the first?

XM should put your subscription on hold. Call them back. From home you can also access some of their streamed content as part of your subscription from the website.

 

[LocalGuy]

> When I called Customer Care, and finally XMs technical
> troubleshooting folks, I was told I needed a ''Southern
> View'' to get a signal..
>
> ...I have no Southern exposure anywhere in my ground floor Ohio apartment.


In an eastern window in Ohio with the antenna lying pretty much flat, I receive the second satellite with a 0.0-0.1% BER...

 

[Ivan]

Yes, it does say southern sky... but

It does say to point it to the southern sky. However, I live in the boonies, I have my home antenna in the middle of my house pointing towards a wall and it comes in perfectly. The only time it gets flaky is when I use the microwave.

My home unit in the bedroom has the antenn hidden inside a lamp that is never used and it too works fine.

 

[CrankyYankee]

Re: Yes, it does say southern sky... but

It's interesting how just a little moving of the antenna will make a difference.

I've got mine on the top of the window frame(where the latch is).

Putting it on the window sill two feet down kills the signal.

Go figure.

<P ID="signature">______________
"What's That?" "French Horns!"

</P>

 

[smashedcd]

i had that problem with my boombox. the word antenna meant the radio wasnt in good. you have to press down on both sides. it will come on even if it is not in good. if it was a bad signal it would say no signal. not antenna. same problem here. but i figured it out and kept my boombox




> I ordered a SkyFi Delphi home boom box (with the car kit)
> thru an XM promotion right before the New Year..
>
> No matter what I did, I could not get a signal..not even
> channel 1..putting the attenna in every corner of my
> apartment..I could not get any sort of signal..all I could
> get was a black bar next to the word ''Antenna''..
>
> I was told I had a defective unit, and have since shipped it
> back this afternoon..
>
> When I called Customer Care, and finally XMs technical
> troubleshooting folks, I was told I needed a ''Southern
> View'' to get a signal..
>
> Nothing on XMs website, or in its printed literature, says
> anything about having a southern view with no obstructions..
>
>
> Simply put, did I screw up? I have no Southern exposure
> anywhere in my ground floor Ohio apartment..I'd have to pull
> a ''DLR'' and knock down walls to get one..
>
> I just shipped the thing back--UPS Ground--to their
> California return center via UPS Ground this afternoon..
>
> How long before I get my new unit?
>
> XM is supposed to reimburse me for my shipping the unit
> back..$15 and change at this point..how am I supposed to
> insure this happens?
>
> What happens if I have the same problems? I've paid for
> three months of a subscription I can't currently hear..and
> the clock is ticking on it..and I have to reup in the second
> quarter of the year, or I get hit with a bill for the whole
> thing..what are my options if my second unit performs like
> the first?
>
> Or did I really get a ''defective unit''...how common is
> this? Did XM ship out a bunch of lemons during the
> holidays?
>
> You can tell I'm stupid if you like..I'd just like some sort
> of feedback, since this is keeping me up nights..
>
<P ID="signature">______________
note to the NAB..satellite radio..its worth paying for!!</P>

 

[titoisradio]

> I ordered a SkyFi Delphi home boom box (with the car kit)
> thru an XM promotion right before the New Year..
>
> No matter what I did, I could not get a signal..not even
> channel 1..putting the attenna in every corner of my
> apartment..I could not get any sort of signal..all I could
> get was a black bar next to the word ''Antenna''..
>
> I was told I had a defective unit, and have since shipped it
> back this afternoon..
>
> When I called Customer Care, and finally XMs technical
> troubleshooting folks, I was told I needed a ''Southern
> View'' to get a signal..
>
> Nothing on XMs website, or in its printed literature, says
> anything about having a southern view with no obstructions..
>
>
> Simply put, did I screw up? I have no Southern exposure
> anywhere in my ground floor Ohio apartment..I'd have to pull
> a ''DLR'' and knock down walls to get one..
>
> I just shipped the thing back--UPS Ground--to their
> California return center via UPS Ground this afternoon..
>
> How long before I get my new unit?
>
> XM is supposed to reimburse me for my shipping the unit
> back..$15 and change at this point..how am I supposed to
> insure this happens?
>
> What happens if I have the same problems? I've paid for
> three months of a subscription I can't currently hear..and
> the clock is ticking on it..and I have to reup in the second
> quarter of the year, or I get hit with a bill for the whole
> thing..what are my options if my second unit performs like
> the first?
>
> Or did I really get a ''defective unit''...how common is
> this? Did XM ship out a bunch of lemons during the
> holidays?
>
> You can tell I'm stupid if you like..I'd just like some sort
> of feedback, since this is keeping me up nights..
>

In the manual it says you should have a southern veiw in order to receive the signal. If you live in a major city (Cincinnati, Cleaveland, Columbs, etc.) you should have terestrial repeater towers that will not make it as necessary to recieve a signal.