Digital Home Thoughts: Delphi's SkyFi2: Even More Music to Shake Sticks At!

Overview
The SkyFi2 is, as its name suggests, the next version of the original SkyFi unit from Delphi. They've kept the same shape and roughly the same size, and all previous SkyFi accessories are compatible with the new unit. This was handy for me as I was able to re-use all the existing wiring I'd tucked into my car for the original unit.


Figure 1: The new screen at night. It's no longer orange to match my car, but you sure can see the display clearly!

Even though the size is roughly the same, Delphi's managed to cram in a bunch of new features. Most notable are a vastly improved display (you can finally see it in the sun, which was a major problem with the original SkyFi), the addition of a 30 minute buffer, and an integrated FM transmitter. Along with the major new features are a host of other little changes, like an additional 10 presets, stock quotes and sports scores, TuneSelect, and channel scan.

It Ain't TiVo, But It's Still Useful
I've read several blurbs online that describe the 30 minute buffer as "TiVo" functionality. This isn't exactly accurate. A TiVo searches out for your favourite shows and tapes them behind the scenes so you always have a long list of programming at the ready. The 30 minute buffer in the SkyFi2 is just that: a buffer. It spools whatever you're actively listening to in the background, much like a TiVo spools live TV. It doesn't seek out stuff you like (or might like) and queue it up in the background from other channels.

Along with the buffer are three new buttons that allow you to skip backwards song-by-song, pause, and skip forward. Note the "song-by-song" comment: because XM radio broadcasts all the song information along with the audio stream you don't have to "rewind" to find the start of a specific song you heard. Instead you just whack the "back" button and jump back one song at a time until you find the one you're looking for.

When I first installed the SkyFi2 I figured the buffer was nothing more than a gimmick. I really couldn't see why it would be useful when it didn't look around in the background for other stuff to record. I was doubly-doubtful when I discovered the buffer is cleared every time the unit is turned off (i.e. every time I turn the car off). But over the course of a couple of months I was pleasantly surprised: I use the back and pause features quite a bit. Sometimes my wife and I will start chatting and a song will come on that I want to hear. I just whack pause and we can have our conversation, and then listen later. More often though a Kelly Clarkson song comes on and I want to hear it more than once. When the song's over I just hit back and voila: instant repeat (much to my wife's dismay!).