First of all, that offer apparently just became available within the last day or so, it wasn't there the last time I checked their webpage (2-3 days ago). So I have no idea what that cable actually is, if it's shipping, or not.
Our units began shipping today, which is why we started selling online today, unlike another unnamed online seller of a similar $160 system who have yet to ship a unit and keep bumping the expected ship date forward.:) We have been inundated with orders!
Furthermore, the whole reason many of us went to Open Source alternatives is we don't want to give TimeTrax, with their legal troubles, our personal credit card information, Radio ID, etc, since XM was looking to shut them down and get their purchaser list.
This is ancient history. The original letter from XM to TimeTrax asked for our customer list. We refused. We have since met with XM and have resolved those issues. There are no legal troubles, there is no lawsuit.
This unit is basically just a pinout converter, maybe with level adjustment and such. The software must use the XM Direct protocol, which is different from the XM PCR protocl and has not yet been published (by anyone, even those who created this system).
It's actually a bit more involved than just a pinout converter, and there was both software, protocol and hardware reverse engineering involved. But no, it's not rocket science.
Actually, the adapter in that picture is our own TimeTrax Connect adapter, engineered by us (well, by me, actually). It is NOT the Hybrid-Mobile adapter.
Actually, the protocol used by the XMDirect is slightly different than that used by the PCR, different enough that existing applications will not work with it.
We (TimeTrax) have released our own interface to the XMDirect, along with a version of TimeTrax that works with both the XMPCR and the XM Direct. Our interface is less than half the cost of other interfaces, so you might want to check ours out first. http://www.timetraxtech.com
XM has a low-pass filter that cuts out everything above 15 KHz, in order to mask compression artifacts. Listen to a song on XM, then listen to the same song on CD, and you'll hear a difference - the entire top end is missing on XM.
According to Delphi, XM has withdrawn the XM PCR from the market - the only ones still available are those still in the channel. As well, the "advanced home kit" for the forthcoming SkyFi2 radio, which includes a USB port which functions the same as the XMPCR, has been cancelled.
Both of these actions have been taken solely because of this third-party TimeTrax software.
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Actually, the adapter in that picture is our own TimeTrax Connect adapter, engineered by us (well, by me, actually). It is NOT the Hybrid-Mobile adapter.
We (TimeTrax) have released our own interface to the XMDirect, along with a version of TimeTrax that works with both the XMPCR and the XM Direct. Our interface is less than half the cost of other interfaces, so you might want to check ours out first. http://www.timetraxtech.com
Check out this one then: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&cate gory=14980&item=5718056425&rd=1
That's awfully close to $400 to me.
XM has a low-pass filter that cuts out everything above 15 KHz, in order to mask compression artifacts. Listen to a song on XM, then listen to the same song on CD, and you'll hear a difference - the entire top end is missing on XM.
According to Delphi, XM has withdrawn the XM PCR from the market - the only ones still available are those still in the channel. As well, the "advanced home kit" for the forthcoming SkyFi2 radio, which includes a USB port which functions the same as the XMPCR, has been cancelled. Both of these actions have been taken solely because of this third-party TimeTrax software.