The third new radio released by Sirius XM has made its appearance. The Sirius Starmate 8 appears to be a Sirius branded XM Onyx with a few bells and whistles. It is unclear whether or not the Starmate 8 will be capable of receiving the new channels offered by Sirius XM, but it is the first Sirius branded receiver released by the company in some time.

Product Features Include

  • Pause, rewind and replay up to 30 minutes of live satellite radio.
  • View artist name, song title, and channel information on the large color display.
  • Listen at home, at the office, outdoors or in multiple vehicles with optional accessory kits – all with just one subscription.
  • Hear SiriusXM through your existing vehicle radio with easy, do-it-yourself installation.*
  • Browse other channels while listening to the current one.
  • Store up to 10 of your favorite channels for one-touch access.
  • Choose from six different display colors to match your dash lights, and personalize with the trim rings.
  • Lock and unlock channels with mature content using easy-to-use parental control.
  • Optimize PowerConnect performance with easy FM tuning.
  • One-Touch Jump to traffic and weather for the city of your choice, or back to your previous channel.
  • Includes PowerConnect Vehicle Kit.
  • Supports A La Carte programming selection.
  • Works on the Sirius network.
  • *Requires an FM radio or Aux In capability. Use the included Aux In cable if your vehicle has Aux In capability for best performance. Will also work with cassette adapter (sold separately)

The pause, rewind, a-la-carte, and some new labels appear to be the distinct characteristics that make the Starmate 8 a distinctly different radio than the XM Onyx. While rumors of the Starmate 8 have been around for a few months now, it has not really been a confirmed. Best Buy lists the Starmate 8 for $139 including a vehicle kit.

Position – Long Sirius XM