Delphi XM Signal Repeater Available Now

[Chris Blount]

Delphi announced today that the company's XM Signal Repeater - the first wireless rebroadcast system - is available now and ready to send XM throughout your customers' homes.

Designed to include both a transmitter and a repeater antenna, the rebroadcast signal can be transmitted from any XM home antenna through walls and floors up to 75 feet. While in that range, the company says one or more repeater antennas can acquire and convert the signal just like the home antenna for any XM radio.

"The launch of the Delphi XM Signal Repeater is fantastic news for satellite radio consumers. It is a great way to get XM satellite radio throughout your home, eliminating the need for some listeners to use long antenna extensions," said Joseph A. Damato, Delphi's CE director. "In addition, it offers multiple radio households the ability to share the same XM antenna and signal."

The repeater is said to be easy to install and integrates well with modern home decor, and it is compatible with Delphi's complete line-up of satellite radio receivers, home kits and audio systems. The Delphi XM Signal Repeater will be available at major CE stores for a MSRP of $169, additional units at $69 MSRP each.

http://www.skyretailer.com

[mwgiii]

I ordered one Tuesday from XMFan (http://www.XMFanstore.com).

I will post a review on how it works.

[Chris Blount]

I ordered one Tuesday from XMFan (http://www.XMFanstore.com).

I will post a review on how it works.Awesome! Let us know how it works. It sounds like a great product.

[datwell]

I just wish Sirius had one!

--Doug

[Larry Caldwell]

I just wish Sirius had one!

--Doug

It's really simple to set up your own FM stereo repeater to retransmit audio throughout your home. First, just buy a stereo FM transmitter, like

http://www.ramseyelectronics.com/cgi-bin/commerce.exe?preadd=action&key=FM25B

The little FM adapters for MP3 players are too feeble to put out a usable signal, but a real transmitter is cheaper than the XM repeater, and can be received by any FM receiver.

If you are urban, you can set up a carrier current system by using an impedance matching transformer to get the signal into your house wiring. If you are rural, like me, you can just set up a broadcast antenna and cover many acres. All you have to do is keep the signal that leaves your property below FCC minimums, and you are golden.

[Chris Blount]

It's really simple to set up your own FM stereo repeater to retransmit audio throughout your home. First, just buy a stereo FM transmitter, like

http://www.ramseyelectronics.com/cgi-bin/commerce.exe?preadd=action&key=FM25B

The little FM adapters for MP3 players are too feeble to put out a usable signal, but a real transmitter is cheaper than the XM repeater, and can be received by any FM receiver.

If you are urban, you can set up a carrier current system by using an impedance matching transformer to get the signal into your house wiring. If you are rural, like me, you can just set up a broadcast antenna and cover many acres. All you have to do is keep the signal that leaves your property below FCC minimums, and you are golden.If I understand correctly, the XM repeater doesn't work that way. What it does is it actually repeats the entire XM spectrum so any XM receiver in your home can receive any of the channels. That is what is so cool about this product. It's kind of like a terrestrial repeater in your home.

[scooper]

It would be nice if somebody came out with a gadget like this for cell phones - this gadget would send/ recieve on all bands at 3 watts - it would make dropping the landline (except for DSL) a practical matter for me...

[DRJDAN]

The other day I was in an underground parking garage in Dallas at Westin Hotel. My XM signal contiuned while in my car. It did cut out some as I drove, but otherwise it was normal. How does the signal get into the underground garage?

[harsh]

It would be nice if somebody came out with a gadget like this for cell phonesMoving a stream around is one thing, but by definition, wireless would demand the ability to shift frequencies and negotiate encryption just like a full-blown tower. As such, consumer wireless repeaters are probably not forthcoming.dropping the landline (except for DSL) a practical matter for me...You can't have everything. Unless you are deathly paranoid of wiretapping, the land line is already there and you can get some pretty fancy long-range cordless stuff these days.

You might try VoIP.

[harsh]

The other day I was in an underground parking garage in Dallas at Westin Hotel. My XM signal contiuned while in my car. It did cut out some as I drove, but otherwise it was normal. How does the signal get into the underground garage?Perhaps that location has a VERY nearby terrestrial XM repeater?

[DRJDAN]

Are there a lot of terrestrial XM repeaters? Any idea how many if Dallas area?

[Chris Blount]

I believe our local repeater is on the 750 foot Tower Of Americas which is located in our downtown area. Whenever I drive in one of the nearby parking garages, XM comes in perfect.

[DRJDAN]

So are you saying that the one repeater covers all of Dallas? What is a repeater's range?

[mwgiii]

So are you saying that the one repeater covers all of Dallas? What is a repeater's range?

The repeaters have different power.

If you are real curious about Dallas, you can buy a listing of most of the DFW repeaters here: http://www.rbr.com/pages/repeaters.asp
It will give you long/lat. Some of the guys at XMFan have a plotter program to make a map for you.

[jci-joe]

Here is a link to a whole building repeater system. It rebroadcasts 400Mhz - 2.6Ghz using a leaky coax system. Probably more for commercial use than residential.

http://www.innerwireless.com/