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" Get set: The radio revolution is upon us. No more static-filled AM news broadcasts or music stations with more commercials than songs. We&amp;#039;re talking satellite radio, and the options are clearer than ever. Launched in 2001, the first satellite radio systems offered 100-plus channels of crystal-clear, commercial-free radio but were designed only for high-end cars. Happily, these systems are now becoming standard fare in midlevel models and rental cars everywhere. Even better, home audio companies are getting into the act, launching home-based and portable units that move from car to boat to living room without a hitch. How It Works Satellite radio works like satellite TV; digital streams of information are beamed from broadcast studios to satellites in space and then back to a specialized antenna that connects to your stereo to deliver both sound and basic information, like the artist and title, on digital readouts. Two companies currently provide satellite service: XM Radio and Sirius. Because the sound is transmitted digitally, its quality is better than standard AM or FM broadcasts. And since satellite radio is a subscription-based service, commercials tend to be more scarce (on many of XM&amp;#039;s channels and Sirius&amp;#039; talk channels) or even nonexistent (on Sirius&amp;#039; music channels). What&amp;#039;s more, you can get original programming, such as live performances of varying musical genres. How to Get It To sign up, you&amp;#039;ll need to buy either a satellite receiver that integrates into your existing audio system, or an all-in-one satellite radio unit\u2014and then activate it with either XM or Sirius. The catch? The radio you buy determines which service you&amp;#039;ll get, so you have to do your homework beforehand. Radios that can receive both XM and Sirius service aren&amp;#039;t expected to hit the market for at least another year. So consider carefully how the two services differ. First, check out the basics, then surf to the companies&amp;#039; websites to hear samples of their broadcasts and read lists of the channels they offer.   When you have decided which system works best for you, sign up over the Internet. (Both companies charge lower activation fees if you register online.) Input the ID number of your unit, arrange to pay the bill, and off you go. (Service fees range from $10 to $13 a month.)  Because home and portable units are so new, only a few models are currently available. At the moment, your best home-based options come from XM Radio, which has had a portable unit on the market since the service was launched a year ago. Two simple systems? The Delphi XM SkyFi (radio: $130; adapter for home stereo inputs: $70; boom box adapter: $100) has a docking station for either home or car use and can plug into either your existing home stereo or a special boom box case. The Sony XM Satellite Radio Receiver for Home ($250; a newer unit with an advanced remote control and a more legible display\u2014 which we do recommend\u2014is $300) plugs into the audio jacks on your stereo. Both come with an antenna. How to Choose the Right Radio Regardless of which radio you buy, you&amp;#039;ll want to keep a few things in mind. For starters, look closely at the digital display on the unit you&amp;#039;re considering. A teeny display tends to scroll the artist and song information, which can be annoying if you are trying to channel-hop. Plus, most systems on the market today aren&amp;#039;t component-size, so they will not fit into that stack of stereo equipment you already have in your living room. Make sure you have room for a radio to perch on top of your existing equipment, or wait until later this year when more home units hit the market. If you don&amp;#039;t need to go portable, choose a stationary system, especially if you don&amp;#039;t live in a major metropolitan area. That&amp;#039;s because with satellite radio, the reception depends heavily on where its antenna is placed.  So a home stereo with a small antenna mounted near a window or on the outside of your house will fare better than a boom box. Major metro areas are a better bet for portable units, because they don&amp;#039;t rely solely on the satellites for reception. They&amp;#039;re wired with repeaters by the satellite companies, which boost the signal in places satellites have a tough time reaching (think urban canyons between skyscrapers).   And there&amp;#039;s another option: If you want to listen to satellite radio in only one location at home, and you don&amp;#039;t want to spring for a receiver, consider listening directly from the Internet. You can try out Sirius online at no cost for 20 minutes, but for a regular subscription fee, you have unlimited usage. Combine that with a good sound card (what your computer speakers plug into; you can upgrade them for better-quality sound) and high-quality computer speakers, and you&amp;#039;ll have a system that costs less than current in-home alternatives. XM offers repeating samples of its channels online, but not live feeds. How to Set It Up Home-based systems are generally less complicated to set up than those designed for cars. To get satellite radio in the car, you often need to buy three parts: the radio, a tuner (usually installed in the trunk or under the driver&amp;#039;s seat), and an antenna. Once you add installation, it can cost up to $700.  Fortunately, home-based units not only tend to be less expensive, they&amp;#039;re usually very much like boom boxes and include all three parts. Or, they come as standard stereo components. Two cables are included\u2014one to plug into the wall; the other has two plugs (red and white) that connect to your home stereo, just as a CD player does.  Depending on the unit and the service you choose, the antenna ranges from tiny blocks to miniature satellite dishes a few inches in diameter. The antenna can be located near either the radio or a window; it can also be mounted on the outside of your house or in the yard. If the antenna is not already built in, it plugs into the back of the unit. The wire running to the antenna is very small and low voltage, so it can run anywhere without any special installation.  Pssst....Although XM is leading now with more (and cheaper) home setups, reliable sources say these Sirius units are in the works and set to launch this year:  Kenwood Sirius portable unit ($150) - It&amp;#039;ll sell with a cradle for use in car or boat, or with home-stereo applications. - Includes a credit card-size remote. Audiovox Sirius plug-and-play portable unit (about $300 total) - You&amp;#039;ll need to buy separately the receiver (#SIR-PNP1) and home kit (#SIR-HK1), which includes a docking station, AC adapter, and antenna. - Features full-screen display (includes song title/artist, and category search) and adjustable backlight control. Audiovox Sirius Home/Commercial receiver and portable unit ($100 to $140) - Boom box style.  TV Tunes Satellite radio isn&amp;#039;t your only option for streaming high-quality audio at home. Most cable and satellite TV companies, including Comcast and DirecTV, offer (at no extra cost) music-only channels to subscribers of their higher-end digital services. The advantage: Those music-only channels are often free when you buy certain TV packages. The disadvantage: Few television companies offer the same range of channels and services, and, of course, TVs attached to digital cable and satellite boxes aren&amp;#039;t portable.  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