I am new to the XM/satellite radio world so I don't have any legacy relative value issues compared to past or competing XM radios (e.g., FM transmitters). I can only describe my view of this product on its own merits...and I must say I've been thoroughly impressed. Browsing channels and listening to stations is easy as can be, the content is pretty solid, and the moreover, this Samsung unit looks good and works well. It is a VERY hassle free way of discovering and saving new music.
I can't get enough of the feature where if you're listening to a song or program, at any time you can hold the center button for a second and it will record the entire song (since the beginning!) and save it to memory, for listening later. It's a great way to build a library! Never again do I have to hear a song on the radio and try to guess what song it is and hope that maybe I can buy the album later. With this, I've got a pure digital copy on here, ready to go on what is effectively my portable music player!
Only drawback is that, as a satellite radio, I find that you do need reasonable access to the sky to get a signal (it starts to cut out about five to ten feet away from a window, for example). So I can't use this in the middle of a giant office building (read: my workplace). But, when I'm home the "home antenna" is connected to the docking cradle. Once in the cradle, it's plug and play and I never worry about reception. Also, I can have it record programs and whatnot for listening later...kinda like a Tivo.
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Almost 3 years ago, my wife got an iPod. Three weeks ago, I got the Samsung Helix. Already, I've listened to the Helix more than she's listened to the iPod. Why is that? My wife's too busy to load up her iPod. The dirty little secret to the iPod is that, although it holds thousands of songs, to enjoy thousands of songs, you have to spend hundreds of hours loading the iPod with thousands of songs. If you do it legitimately, it will cost thousands of dollars to load thousands of songs on the iPod. Contrast this with the Samsung Helix. With the Helix, you immediately have access to all the live XM content. You can record songs from radio broadcasts automatically, and you can use Samsung's Napster service for loading via computer, similar to iPod/iTunes.
The Samsung Helix debuted a year ago with a price near $400, video iPod territory, but now it's selling for about $100, the price of an iPod Nano. At the new price, the faults of the Helix are inconsequential, and compared to the Nano, it's a steal. Let's say your iPod budget for new songs is $12/month. At the end of a year, if you play fair, you have 144 songs. If you put the same money into an XM subscription, you have access to hundreds of songs practically immediately. If you're in a hurry to get a specific song, you can buy it or load it from your PC via its Napster software.
The Ownership Experience:
I unpacked the Helix, read the directions, and charged it up. I set it to record some stations overnight, and the next morning, I had hours of fresh music to listen to. I can also listen live to over a hundred streams of music, sports, news and comedy. I can keep the songs I like, and delete the ones I don't. No sweat, no problems.
I live in an area with good ground transmitters, so even without access to the southern sky, I usually get good reception, even indoors and in my car with just the built-in antenna. For the times that I can't get radio reception, I have hundreds of songs that I have pre-recorded and stored in the Helix's half-gigabyte flash memory. The display is excellent. The battery life is good, about 4 hours. The home dock is convenient and reception is improved with the indoor antenna attached to the dock.
Nitpicks: The earbuds aren't great. It could use some more sound-contouring options. The Napster software only works with Windows machines, and I have a Mac. More memory wouldn't hurt (but I haven't run out yet.) The car cord should come with the main unit, and they shouldn't have crippled the FM transmitter. Channel preset buttons would be nice. It would be nice if it picked up AM & FM radio.
Tips you won't find anywhere else: I replaced an old XM radio, a Delphi Roady2 (that bit the dust) with this one. Don't bother going to the XM website for instructions on how to replace one radio with another, you won't find the answer there. Call their toll-free line and select the option to talk to a live representative. The live representative can add the new receiver to your account in the place of the old one. By the way, the Roady2 antenna works with the Helix, but not the AC adapter or car cord. The Roady2 remote mostly works with the Helix.
Judging by the blow-out prices in May-June 2007, the successor to this first-generation Helix may be coming out any day now. Once it hits the streets, there will be a short window where you can compare the two and either get the old one on close-out or the new one. It makes a great Father's Day present.
Update: July 2007
Now that I've had the Helix for a few months. I've learned a bit more. Around town (Indianapolis IN), I can receive signal in the car with the built-in antenna. On a long trip, however, most of the time, I had to use an external antenna. Since I don't have the car dock, I took the home-dock with me. You need the home dock to connect the external antenna, but you don't need to connect AC power to the home dock. I used the mobile antenna to my defunct Delphi Roady2.
Although the included software does not work with the Mac, according to more than one website, the Mac will recognize a Helix attached via USB as a disc, and there is limited file management available. I haven't tried this yet.
Finally, it looks like prices are going up, not down, as Samsung works through its stocks. It could be that a planned replacement is being held up due to resistance by the powers that be that don't like portable satellite radios that store content.
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I purchased a Helix and find that it is a great piece of electronic hardware. However, out of the box it has a firmware glitch that causes the battery to drain overnight if it is off the cradle. The reason being is that even off, the unit is still powering the remote control receiver. A simple firmware upgrade at XM Radio fixed the problem.
Performance of the internal antenae is hit or miss. I have received great reception inside of a large grocery store while at other times it cuts out on the dash of my car. It just depends on where you are. The external antenae works great.
With 50 hours of recording time, I record channels overnight so I can listen when reception is spotty. The overall controls are easy to use. Sound quality is not CD quality, more like low grade FM. Channel selection is great.
I would recommend this product, but just be sure to update the firmware.
As a note, I learned after some research that the Inno and the Helix are made by a subsidiary of XM and sold under the Pioneer and Samsung label, so they are virtually identical. Technical support at XM was more helpfull than at Samsung
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Update. I bought the Helix and it is everything I imagined and more. Sure, the FM modulator has been changed, something that really angered me but after a month of use realized that I haven't even missed it. Stop complaining about it, if you can't live w/o the fm mod, don't buy this product. The reception is as good as FM in my area (Boston) and I've had no need for the car kit, the Helix pulls in a signal all by itself. I get a signal in my office which has no windows. I get a signal with it in my pocket. In fact, I've never had trouble getting a signal, it even works fairly well in the subway. I've saved and locked over 200 songs with only 16% of my memory being taken up.
I also can't overstate my experience with Samsung's customer service. It is the best I've ever dealt with by far. No, I don't work for them or know anyone who does but they don't outsource their call centers so you speak with an American who is fluent in English. I haven't experienced customer service like Samsung's in years. Their customer service is the reason I waited for the Helix rather than buy an Inno.
The Helix is also the same price as the Inno. You can find both products for much less than the $399 retail price. If you are paying more for the Helix than the Inno, you aren't doing your homework.
This is my 4th XM radio and by far the best.
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ok, I'll make it simple.
a. If you like to listen to XM radio on the go, this is the unit for portable listening.
b. Buy the headset to go with it as it improves the reception 100%, quality is good too. It works ok with the small antenna on it, but you need an unobstructed sky view.
c. You must have a clear shot to the southern sky. if you are in the area with lots of trees or buildings obstructing the southern sky, you will have issues.
d. you can listen to XM radio in Mexico or anywhere south of the USA. I just got back from Cancun and it worked great. PS XM wont' tell you that directly, but their satilite is over the equator.
e. Battery life on XM direct is about 4 hours, if you want more I suggest you get the spare battery. If you listen on My XM recordings it lasts about 810 hours. Will record up to 50 hours, depending on how you configure the memory. I recorded a mixture of channels and it was great, easy and simple. Basically I recorded live XM channels and listened to them when I was in areas of no reception with direct XM. I just set it up at night and let it record. You can also set up times for it to record.
f. Get the outside case for the unit as it will help protect it. A few dollars will help if you drop the unit.
g. It takes a few minutes to get use to how it works, but once you play with it awhile it becomes easy.
h. It states you can record songs after they have started and get the whole song, yes it can, but make sure you dont' lose satilite receiption otherwise it will not get the whole song and you have to leave it on that specific channel for about 5 mintues for it to catchup to the old song. But the function is pretty cool.
i. I use it for strictly portable use. I have a auto unit in my car with no complaints.
j. you have to have an XM subscription, and if you get the family plan, it's will cost you about $6.00 a month to have this unit. Plus you must listen to music on it at least 8 hours direct XM radio a month or it will lost any music you save from live XM.
k. you can record MP3 music of your own choosing too. instructions are simple and there is a CD that runs you thru the process. Suggest you get your XM subscriptions first before to install the software. Activiation is easy.
In general. if you are an advid XM subscriber and have XM to listen to mostly commercial free music, this is a great portable unit to use. If you think it will be used once in a while, then get a good MP3 player. Otherwise is a nice unit, durable, fun and cool... I've had it for about 6 months. Clear shot to the souther sky is critical to get good direct receiption, otherwise, don't buy it, as you will be frustrated in getting good reception.
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