Reviews for Samsung Helix XM Satellite Radio Receiver

Samsung Helix YX-M1

Strengths: Fairly compact and records easily, Connects easy to PC, Plays variety of wma and mp3 formats

Weakness: Disappointing reception, FM Modulator requires $60 car accessory, Bulky and pricey for a mp3 player that doesn't hold much, Organizing files could be easier, Lousy battery life, Limited accessori

Overall the device is user friendly. Moving between XM channels is easy and recording is straightforward. Transferring files between the device is as simple as copy -> paste. Organizing saved music isn't complicated but editing a playlist could be more intuitive. I deleted more than a few files permanently before figuring out how to just remove it from the playlist. The stock quotes and sport scores scrolling feature is pretty cool, not necessary but comes in handy.


The overall sound quality is pretty good. Obviously you're listening to an XM signal but mp3s come through good. However, many of my friends have mp3 players with much better quality and acoustical range.


For an XM receiver it is compact but you need to live near several repeaters. The overall reception quality is disappointing. I've used it stand alone, with the car adapter and home adapter. No matter where the antenna is positioned or I'm driving the reception is random from day to day. Sitting at home (Orlando) in the cradle the reception is all over the place. I've spent just as much time listening to XM recorded songs as I have to XM.


I've mainly used the device in Orlando, FL and travel frequently to the coast and WPB, FL. I've also used it at Lake Tahoe, Gatlinburg and Andros Island, BI. Surprisingly, the reception was pretty good in Gatlinburg using the car cradle and FM modulator. Lake Tahoe was disappointing especially since it's a mountain which is closer to the satellites and free of obstructions (buildings, overpasses, etc). I have several friends with XM at Andros Island where I frequently travel for work. One of my main reasons for getting XM was to listen there. The Helix doesn't work there. I've tried it with cradle, antenna and standing in a field. Other XM units get much better reception there. However, I did find the Helix gets good reception on the plane from PBI until about 10 miles out from Andros. It works good in most planes if you hold it against the window. Move it away from the window and the signal is completely lost (which makes sense).


The internal storage could have a higher capacity considering the unit size and be more reliable (get to that later). The battery life is terrible. I tried several methods including screen brightness and recorded songs vs satellite but I was never able to get more than a couple hours without plugging it in. I think my standards are pretty realistic, for a road trip the battery in my mp3 player should last longer than a full tank of gas in my car (13 gallon tank). My old mp3 player (actually my Sony Clie) was able to play 4 hours of recorded music. The Helix couldn't play satellite radio for that long.


Now the death of my Helix. I turned it on two days ago and was welcomed by a "Scanning Files screen". It hasn't left that screen since. I'm trying to get the device repaired but the outlook isn't good. I've read a couple blogs with discussions and usually the Helix/Inno become a paperweight. This is seriously disappointing since I haven't owned it a year and typically enjoy being the person to break something I bought. In this case, it just decided to break...not cool.


So, the Helix is pretty neat but it isn't worth the money. I would seriously recommend buying a cheaper XM receiver and a separate mp3 player. This device doesn't have many accessories available and the overall performance is disappointing.

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Helix review

Strengths: The recording capabilities and mp3 capability works great hook it up to your USB port and you can put MP3s on without converting them.

Weakness: Built in FM modulator does not work without optional car kit which costs around ~$60 Limited space for MP3s around 512MB. Lacking video playback

Overall the unit is better than a standard MP3 or a basic XM radio. The unit will record music from the start of the song no matter when during the song you decide to record. Recordings get compressed so you can store more than MP3s. The news that the FM Modulator did not work unless you have the car kit was a big disappointment. Evidently it was turned off due to some interference issues or something found by the FCC. I recommend the unit overall.

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Great Unit

Strengths: Compact, nice display, very good MP3 sound decoding

Weakness: Headphones aren't that great, FM transmitter does not work without car dock. No option to upgrade MP3 memory beyond 512mb

I have had a Samsung Nexus 50 for over a year, and bought the Helix when the price came down. No regrets. The quality of the sound is better (not alot mind you, but better) then the Nexus unit.

I use this unit in the office, so the lack of FM transmission without the car dock is not much of an issue for me. I have an XM car radio. As stated previously, the transmitter was turned off in a later firmware upgrade due to some sort of FCC requirement. So now you can only use it with the car dock.

There is no difference really between this unit and the Pioneer Inno. The Pioneer does look a little nicer, but the Samsung is nice. With rebates, you should be able to find these for under $100 easily now.

It would be nice if the unit had an option to upgrade the memory (with a SD card or something) for MP3's, but that is not much an issue for me since I have a ZUNE 30GB unit anyway.

My receiption has been excellent, with or without the anntenna. I live in an area where there a are XM repeaters everywhere, so reception is not much of an issue for me.

Battery life has been very good for me.

It isn't likely anyone will be issuing newer/more advanced hardware for XM subscribers until the merger is given the thumbs up/down with Sirus. Until then, the Helix/Inno are pretty much the top of the line for XM fans.

Overall, very pleased based on the price I paid.

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great portable XM with limitations

Strengths: small size price now coming down to reasonable levels. ability to record XM radio MP3 player

Weakness: limited storage space memory not expandable reception when moving not great unless you have optional headphones

Overall I would recommend the Helix, especially if you are looking for a versatile XM radio. It is a nice touch to be able to use it as an MP3 too. I only wish you could expand its memory (ex through mini-SD card).

Its ability to record XM radio is great. It will even record the whole song if you start recording in the middle. This is a great feature as I always hear a song after it starts, and then want to record it. The Helix also has the ability to tag an artist or song and tell you when it is playing on any XM station.

On the downside, the reception is not the greatest when you are moving (especially if you block the little antenna on the unit). So, if you plan to use it like this I would suggest getting the headphones.

Overall, I'm satisfied with the unit, especially as the prices are starting to comedown(with rebates).

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ReviewGist for Samsung Helix YX-M1Z 1 GB MP3 Player

Audio is Average according to 4 MP3 Player experts. -- "The player is able to record content from the XM satellite feed."-geek.com -- "the Helix has a ten minutes buffer which will allow you to record entire song even if you issued the record command after the song began."-geek.com Read more to find expert opinions on more features like Interface, Battery, Image, etc.

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samsung helix yx-m1z - xm radio tuner / digital player

Samsung Helix Yx-m1z - Xm Radio Tuner / Digital Player receives an overall TopTenREVIEWS score of 1.42 out of 4.00. It is ranked the #165 flash drive MP3 player of all time. The overall rating represents an intelligent balance of features, value as a function of price to features, and a summary of reviews from a variety of sources. The TopTen REVIEWS' formula gives a picture of important consumer...

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