Great sound, well-built product...but you'll need a southern exposure.

A few days after buying an XM Roady XT satellite radio for my car, I realized that I enjoyed it so much I wanted it in my home as well. I had two options; the home kit, which would enable any home stereo to broadcast from the satellite radio, or the Belkin Audio System Boom Box. (It will also work with the Audiovox Express XM radio.) A little research told me the boom box would be a better bet, since my home stereo is not set up near a window with a southern exposure…something necessary for you to pick up XM's signal.

The first thing you notice about this product is the fact that it is not at all flimsy. This is a heavy (seven pound), solid piece of equipment. The handle is integrated into the box, which has a somewhat futuristic look to it.

Here's how it works. You simply press the door to the docking station and it flips open, then place your satellite radio inside and snap it in place. Close the door and you're ready to go. The box comes with a tiny remote to control it. This may be the only drawback; when operating the radio in your car, it is far easier to change stations. You can easily jump from station number 8 (the 80's) to 140 (ESPN.) With the boom box you have to scroll one by one through the stations to get to the channel you prefer. The makers have cleverly put a storage area in the back of the box for the remote, as such a small item could easily get lost.

As for reception, you'll need to either be close to a window to make use of the integrated antenna, or use the external antenna, which easily attaches to the box. I've found that placing either the box or the external antenna next to a southern exposure window works fine.

Of course you can take the radio outside (you can use either the AC plug or eight "C" batteries and you won't have to worry about finding a window. It will not, however, work in places like the inside of a garage. There must be a clear line of sight for the radio to pick up the satellite signal.

The sound is crystal clear and rich. It won't sound as great as a home stereo, but then, you wouldn't expect a boom box to do so. You can adjust the bass & treble with the remote, and both have good ranges. The volume is the one thing you can control without the remote, as there are plus and minus buttons on the box. You can crank it up to a level that would please a teenager. There is also a headphone jack. The company claims the box is weather resistant, but I'm personally not going to stick it out in the rain to find out.

One warning; this equipment contains powerful magnets, so keep it away from your watch and your wallet, or your credit cards could be rendered useless.

By the way, there was a $20 rebate on this piece of equipment. Just make sure you read the rebate form before purchasing, as it doesn't cover products bought in certain stores like Wal-Mart. I bought mine from Amazon, paying $99 in May, 2006. It comes with a one-year warranty.

Bottom line, a very nice product that let's me enjoy things like out of town baseball games and classic tunes in my home. The only drawback is that the radio will not work on one side of my house.