A Note to Consumers

Just because two electronic devices can be combined into one doesn’t always make it a good idea. And if those electronic devices are dependent on an alliance between two different companies it makes it all the more complicated. I recently ran across a surround receiver that belonged to a SSAV client of mine. It was a Marantz SR5001 installed about 6 years ago. Not a bad receiver at all and it is works very well, all except the integrated XM radio.



Surround Receivers from that era with a “XM Ready” label had a special little port in the back of them that would allow a XM “Connect-and-Play” antenna to connect directly to the receiver through a mini USB connection(not the mini USB of today).  This made it quite simple to integrate a satellite radio subscription into an entertainment system without having to add additional components. But it also meant you were relying on proprietary technology that must be supported by two different companies.

Fast forward a few years and as to be expected neither one of those companies are supporting that technology anymore. And with very few third party companies making aftermarket parts for the system (probably because so few people were using the feature) what you end up with is a very expensive fix to a rather silly problem.

What I found after a dozen or so calls to local suppliers was that the original antenna intended for these types of receivers had a built in tuner and it connected to that strange adaptation of a mini USB port as a means of communicating the information and audio back to the receiver. That antenna with the built in tuner… it no longer exists. The only solution I found was to purchase an adapter kit that included an external tuner that a standard satellite antenna connected to, which effectively made the feature of XM Ready in the receiver obsolete.

So, moral of the story is, the next time you are tempted to purchase the all-in-one techno-gizmo-thingy… stop and consider, what will happen if a part of it stops working. If you can separate your electronics you will likely save yourself time hassle and money in the future, and you will likely have a much more enjoyable experience in the long run.