Silabs USB radio

**HiJackZX1** · 02-21-2008, 02:39 PM

From experience, i see that USB radios in a car enviroment are very very flakky. So I was doing research, but not sure if it will work on the Silab. Has anyone tried connecting a car antenna amplifier? Wonder if that will boost the signal enough that it works OK. If yes, how do you feel about the sucess, or was it a total flop?

**HiJackZX1** · 02-22-2008, 10:43 AM

Im guessing no one has ever done the antenna amp solution?

I ordered the Antenna amp, it is supposed to give me a 20db gain. Lets see how it works!

**HiJackZX1** · 03-07-2008, 03:16 PM

This did not work at allllllll. I decided to use the Silabs on my Media Center PC, and by a Visteon HD Radio reciever.

**fixerofallthing** · 03-07-2008, 03:42 PM

I did the solder job on mine and connected to a glass mount antena in my Scion xB and I get great reception all the time.

**HiJackZX1** · 03-08-2008, 02:26 AM

Originally Posted by fixerofallthing

I did the solder job on mine and connected to a glass mount antena in my Scion xB and I get great reception all the time.

I wish I could have gone that route.... maybe its the way the car is designed, and the fact that I took of my long wire steel antenna and replaced it with a small flexable european style antenna....... Plus HD is cool, alot of stations in Miami are HD and have sub channels. Plus it was fairly cheap, considering other options like HQTC. The reciever and cable cost me $86.00 total.

**ronjon228** · 03-08-2008, 02:32 AM

I also am using a USB FM radio and get fair to good reception from it. Really the reception is great, just looking for a way to remove the "scratches" that occur from time to time. My signal strength is great most of the time. I just used a regular car antenna and the USB radio from Brando. Sound quality is great really. Better than my regular head unit. Just need to work on getting rid of the scratches which I know are caused by electrical interference. I just made sure to run quality cables and ground the antenna right on the USB plug casing itself. Works great.

**HiJackZX1** · 03-08-2008, 04:01 AM

Originally Posted by ronjon228

I also am using a USB FM radio and get fair to good reception from it. Really the reception is great, just looking for a way to remove the "scratches" that occur from time to time. My signal strength is great most of the time. I just used a regular car antenna and the USB radio from Brando. Sound quality is great really. Better than my regular head unit. Just need to work on getting rid of the scratches which I know are caused by electrical interference. I just made sure to run quality cables and ground the antenna right on the USB plug casing itself. Works great.

The HD reciever autoamtically removes all scratches and most interference.