As satellite radio makes the transition from an "early adopter" niche market technology to a mainstream "gotta-have-it" service, the variety and sophistication of satellite radio products and programming continue to improve. XM Satellite Radio and SIRIUS, the two satellite radio service providers, continue to develop their programming in 2004, with each company adding instant traffic and weather service channels to their lineups. Satellite radio products are also evolving: antennas are getting smaller, user controls are getting more sophisticated, and satellite radio tuners are being integrated into in-dash CD receivers.

As the first aftermarket CD receiver to feature an integrated satellite radio tuner, Alpine's CDA-9820XM CD/XM receiver won a prestigious CES 2004 Innovations Award for Excellence in Design and Engineering. Alpine touts the CDA-9820XM as giving the user "an easier installation," "best in class sound performance," and improved navigability of XM channels. Having previously installed XM in my '96 Ford Ranger using an earlier generation of antenna, a separate XM tuner box, and an Alpine head unit, I was interested to see how the all-in-one CDA-9820XM would stack up in comparison.