satellite radio

[meo]

Ok, so we flew on airtran and they have xm satellite...I have to say, I'm likin it...LOL -- So I was thinking about possibly getting it for me...and it seems that the prices are the same for sirius or xm, they both seem to be doing the same offers on rebates etc. and the main difference is how many channels they offer, did I get that right or am I missing something? Sirius only advertised (to my knowledge) 65 channels...whereas xm has 160 channels...

 

anything else I need to know?

[jacquero]

Sirius has an NBA channel, XM has MLB.

[INDY]

I think the total channels are about the same.....Sirius has more then 65 channels. It might be 65 music channels, but they would then have many more news / talk / sports channels.

 

 

 

XM also has hockey, and Sirius may have the NFL but you would have to check their website. Sirius also has Howard Stern and XM has Opie & Anthony.

[Brad]

They both have nearly the same amount of channels - both music (around 70) and non-music (another 90 or so including news, sports, talk, traffic, etc...). Both have various sports content deals - XM has MLB, NASCAR, PGA, some NCAA, NHL. Sirius has NFL, NHL, some NBA, some NCAA. Music programming is about equal - some prefer XM, some prefer Sirius.

 

There are rumors that Sirius is going to be raising rates by $2/$3 per month, so that's something to consider. XM has much better hardware as their technology is about a year ahead of Sirius.

[BigBob]

snip ... There are rumors that Sirius is going to be raising rates by $2/$3 per month, so that's something to consider. XM has much better hardware as their technology is about a year ahead of Sirius.

Brad -- do you have a link or some other source on your rumor of rate increases? And, some more info on how/why XM's hardware is "much better"? Delphi is making a lot of the XM hardware and they are in serious financial trouble (maybe bankruptcy by now ?)

 

From strictly a consumer perspective, the decision of XM or Sirius is pretty easy. Look at both of their channel lineups and go with the one you like best.

 

Personally, I have both Sirius and XM. XM is in the house and Sirius in the car. I like both of them, but have to say that Sirius is my favorite with less "DJ chatter".

 

Another thing that might help you decide. If you have a good friend/relative with a subscription to either one ... you can add on additional receivers linked to their account for about a 50% discount. I'm tag-teaming on with my daughter's Sirius account for $7 a month.

 

Both Sirius and XM are losing money like mad. I wouldn't sign up for a 1 year, or longer term, deal with either one right now.

[Brad]

I don't have any links that I can find. I know Mel K. mentioned a couple months ago at a presentation that it was something they were considering. I'd imagine XM would match the price increase after a few months. I can't really see either company going above $15.

 

As for the hardware situation, Delphi really has nothing to do with it. Their bankruptcy problems are more related to their auto parts business - their technology divisions are basically unaffected.

 

XM has their own R&D department (Sirius outsources their stuff) which designs the hardware. For example the current portable units - Delphi, Pioneer and Tao all make them but the underlying hardware and software is basically the same. Same thing for the upcoming MP3 units from Samsung and Pioneer. The companies basically just manufacture them and market them - not much of the design is done outside of XM itself.

 

I don't agree about the long term deals. I really don't think either company will be out of business anytime in the next 2 years, and I know that at least with XM (and probably SIRI) that if you cancel any long term plan you get a pro-rated refund. If either company were to go out of business there would be warning signs and you can easily cancel. I signed up for a 2 year deal with XM a year ago before they raised rates and currently pay about $8/month for the base sub and then there are 3 other radios in the family plan for the $7/month.

 

For anyone considering either. both companies let you get free trials of their online streams to get an idea of the kind of programming each has. If you do your research online you'll find there are a lot of fiercely devoted subscribers of each service that constantly butt heads, not to mention the Howard/O&A battle, so it's usually better to get firsthand experience rather than rely on what people online say.

[labgeek]

I know the local Wal-Mart has some of the receivers on clearance DIRT CHEAP... I saw one receiver portable with car mount included was like $149 now $35. I almost bought it. I just don't know about the monthly fees though. Mrs L just came back from N.O. via AirTran. Wonder if she had this on her flight. If I got buy in from her, then it'd be ok. I would have to do both vehicles but then we'd get a discount on the second monthly $... No, I'm not trying to justify spending $ on a new toy. Why? :)

[labgeek]

Sirius has an NBA channel, XM has MLB.

Doesn't Sirius also have the NFL?

[pkripper001]

one of the services has a deal i heard if you pay for four years you get lifetime free service. i think it was Sirius and hope it is XM. Any conformation of this deal true or not. XM has Coast to Coast with Art Bell on saturday and sunday nights and George N on weeknights.

[Gurnee Al]

I have XM and I love it. You can also listen to several of the channels online. I hear songs that I don't hear anywhere else, but unfortunately they repeat some songs on a daily basis. Most of the channels I listen to don't seem to have huge playlists. With the huge number of channels, I think it's well worth the price.

[Mike]

Ive tried both. XM for ~7 months and Sirius for around ~13 months now. Sirius is in my opinion the better option. Either company is better then regular FM radio, but I like Sirius music stations much more then I did for XM. With XMs, I found myself always switching channels like you do with FM. With FM, its becuase of the commercials, XM its becuase of too vague of categories.

 

Sirius has Stern, which I personally never listen too, they also have every NFL game and its broadcast for both teams, IE 2 channels for every game. Sirius also has NBA and NHL I believe. Not a hockey fan myself.

 

XM does have MLB, which is not a advantage to me personally.

 

Throw out all the extra stuff (stern, sports,etc) Sirius just has better music channels in my opinion.

[Guest bryan1090]

XM rocks: O & A rule. the MLB is awesome too anywhere I get signal so I love it. I also heard Sirius is going up too. George N. is awesome too but,

don't listen to it at 1 in the morning while driving through country roads with no lights. .

 

I have the sports caster model in my work car its clean adn sleek and I bought it for 5 bucks at salvation army. Best Buy installed it for 130 because

my work car has a fake radio unit in the front the real radio is in the trunk so it was added install expense.

[kselzer]

I have Sirius and love it! Sirius has great music channels that include channels that play pretty specific stuff, example they have an Elvis channel (which my dad loves). I personally like the Pulse which plays 90s and now and faction which is a combo of alternative, rock, and rap. I also program in my fav songs in my sportster and when any channel plays them I get an alert (up to 20 songs). My boss and I listen to Howard Stern each morning - he is way better on satellite than regular radio. I have the sportster hard wired to my stereo with speakers and then my boss picks up the signal on his fm radio. You can do this if both people are about 50 ft. or less from each other. So he's happy he gets free satellite radio I also tend to listen to the Martha Stewart and the Cosmopolitan channels.

 

sirius.com has a channel guide listing. They have NFL, NBA, and Nascar-coming in 2007, along with a bunch of other sports, talk, comedy, etc. channels.

 

Hands down I love my sirius and would never get rid of it I also only pay $7 monthly because I have my radio tacked onto my dad's account. My sportster was my main BF purchase last year, I paid a total of $75 for the unit with car kit and a home kit after the rebates. I'm hoping they have the home kits on sale this year too, because I need one for work and home.

[ms_mckenna]

We have XM and love it. They have different plans, and if you pay ahead you get a better deal. I don't remember how much the first one is a month but I know our other 2 are 6.95 a piece I believe. We got the 150 card the last time we bought an XM and I can't remeber the last time we actually had a bill. They will send me a new one when its time lol.

I thought it was the biggest rip off when DH first wanted it. Told him he was insane to pay for radio. Well now I only listen to regular radio from 6 to 10 in the morning because I have listening to the same radio show for well over 5 years. I really wish they would flip to XM as well .

[razormoney]

Ive tried both. XM for ~7 months and Sirius for around ~13 months now. Sirius is in my opinion the better option. Either company is better then regular FM radio, but I like Sirius music stations much more then I did for XM. With XMs, I found myself always switching channels like you do with FM. With FM, its becuase of the commercials, XM its becuase of too vague of categories.

 

Sirius has Stern, which I personally never listen too, they also have every NFL game and its broadcast for both teams, IE 2 channels for every game. Sirius also has NBA and NHL I believe. Not a hockey fan myself.

 

XM does have MLB, which is not a advantage to me personally.

 

Throw out all the extra stuff (stern, sports,etc) Sirius just has better music channels in my opinion.

 

Mike is totally right here. We have both XM and Sirius -- one in each car. Sirius is "hands down" a better deal -- even if the unfounded rumors are true about a small price increase. Sirius is gaining listeners faster than XM and will probably overtake them in the next 18 months. A lot of this is attributed to Howard Stern. Personally I could do with or without Mr. Stern. Sometimes his show is funny, other times it is tired and boring. I can only handle so many prank phone calls. What does he care, he's halway to being a billionaire.

 

There are two major reasons Sirius is better -- 1) the NFL (they also have a great slate of NCAA football and basketball games and 2) NO COMMERCIALS on their music stations. XM has commercials on their music stations due to a court settlement. Sirius has no such constraint. Not to mention, the Sirius music channels just play better music. XM has a tendency to repeat songs too much, just like terrestrial radio.

 

Also, if the price increase bugs you, buy the lifetime plan -- which is what I will do before the end of January. For the cost of about 3 1/2 years of monthly service, you can buy a lifetime membership. Never have to worry about price increases again.

 

Razor

[freelow]

Well, I thought I would chime in on this discussion. I have had Sirius since December 2004. I received it as a gift for Christmas the month after Howard Stern announced that he would be going to Sirius - which helped me decide which satellite service I was going to get. For the full first year of having Sirius prior to Stern coming over, I kept asking myself how I could live without satellite radio.

 

Besides Stern, Sirius has every NFL game. So, if you are a Steelers fan living in New England, like me, you can listen to the Steelers game every week. Here's the neat trick, every NFL game is broadcast on 2 channels. One channel is for the announcers for the Home team and one channel is for the announcers for the Away team. So, if you are on the road, you can still listen to your hometown announcers anywhere in the country.

 

The music is varied and is pretty good. no matter what taste you have in music, you will find something you will like. From classic rock to alternative to metal to old school rap to country to jazz to classical, it is all there for you. And, ALL of the music is commercial free. The talk channels are the channels that have commercials.

 

I did not go crazy buying an expensive receiver - I have the SR-1. it is the model that looks like a radar detector. It is small and can hideaway almost anywhere.

 

If you are stuck in an office for half the day like me, you can listen to all of the music online, along with the Howard Stern show.

 

As for fees, the regular subscription is $12.95 per month. I purchased the lifetime subscription is $500, which is what I bought. If you are subscribing to Sirius for Howard Stern, this is the plan to buy. He is signed up for 5 years and the lifetime subscription pays for itself in just over 3 years.

 

And the rumors of the rates going up are just that - rumors. Sirius has no reason to raise rates. Since January 2006 to now, the subscriber level has gone from 510,000 to 5.1 million. They have gone from a gross revenue of $6.6 million per month in January 2006 to $66 million per month now.

 

 

Go Steelers

[Marcster]

I remember rumors from a few years ago of Best Buy going out of business too.

[carwork]

I have never listened to XM, but am a Sirius lifetime member due to Howard Stern.

After subscribing, there was much more than Stern. Bubba, the love Sponge, and Ferrall, are great radio talk host. The sports are great, and the music is excellent.

Sirius rules! Fire!

[huseboy]

Ok, here's my question. I was wondering if you could get the same adapter for the cd players as you could for tape players. My hubby likes to take with him over the road and since we cannot install it into the companys big truck I was wondering if this was possible and if so where. Would be a great Christmas present for him. We gave our sirius away because I did not now if this was possible. Thanks

[duls89]

You can get the s50 from sirius, it just plugs into a cigerrette lighter and you can move it from any car to another

[guilliam]

Ok, we are looking into buying Sirius, but are confused about the radios. A co-worker has one that he can record STern then he replays it the next day at work through a radio (no reception inside the building we work in to listen live.) But we can't figure out which radio records so you can repley through fm transmitter! The only one we see is the Stilleto and we know that's not what he has cause he had his before the stilleto came out. Anyone know one that records hours?

[alwayslookin]

Ok, we are looking into buying Sirius, but are confused about the radios. A co-worker has one that he can record STern then he replays it the next day at work through a radio (no reception inside the building we work in to listen live.) But we can't figure out which radio records so you can repley through fm transmitter! The only one we see is the Stilleto and we know that's not what he has cause he had his before the stilleto came out. Anyone know one that records hours?

A co-worker of mine listens to Sten through the internet. If you can't find the receiver that records, this may be an option.

[kselzer]

Ok, here's my question. I was wondering if you could get the same adapter for the cd players as you could for tape players. My hubby likes to take with him over the road and since we cannot install it into the companys big truck I was wondering if this was possible and if so where. Would be a great Christmas present for him. We gave our sirius away because I did not now if this was possible. Thanks

I think what you're asking is whether you can use a satellite radio without hardwiring it to the vehicle? If so the answer is yes for sirius (don't know about xm - don't have that). I have a sirius sportster and I have it mounted on a suction cup thing from my front windshield (they also have ones to mount on a console or the like). I then have it plugged into my cigarette lighter and have the antenna wire going under my seat and then through my back sliding glass window of my truck. There is also a short cord coming out of the sirius that is maybe 6 inches long that is for the fm transmitter. Basically you program the sirius to a certain radio station, say 89.7 and then you put your radio on that station and you can hear the satelitte radio through your stereo with out any hardwiring to the vehicle I hope that didn't sound to drawn out of complicated, it is quite simple. There are also other types besides the sportster that can be hooked up this way in your vehicle - the sportster is just what I have.

[kselzer]

Ok, we are looking into buying Sirius, but are confused about the radios. A co-worker has one that he can record STern then he replays it the next day at work through a radio (no reception inside the building we work in to listen live.) But we can't figure out which radio records so you can repley through fm transmitter! The only one we see is the Stilleto and we know that's not what he has cause he had his before the stilleto came out. Anyone know one that records hours?

Have you tried to get reception in the building. The only reason I ask is because my dad said there was no way I was going to get reception in a downtown high rise building with all the metal, glass, and network stuff there....but guess what I did - live stern every morning and then some awesome music afterwards.

 

I'm not sure what radio the co-worker is using, at first I would have said the sportster replay, but I went to the website and it only records 44 min I believe there was another previous version to the stilleto that could only record and then playback, no live feed. I think it came out about a year to year and a half ago and it was similar to a mp3 player type of set-up. Of course it is "out-dated" now so maybe check ebay or such to find it, I could not find it on sirius.com.

[Guappo]

A lot of people I know have switched from Sirius to XM.

[hpowers]

A lot of people I know have switched from Sirius to XM.

I've tried XM and hate it.

[scrabbler]

It all depends on what you are looking for. We have had 3 XM's for about 3 years and love em all.

[bleyso]

I love Sirius:)

[smartshopper]

We recieved XM for a year free with DH's new truck and absolutely love it!!! We will definately have to purchase it when the year runs out!

[Trishy]

We just bought a new Honda Element and it has XM in it already. They give you 3 months free. I have it at home also but never really listen to it. I hear that Sirius will have NASCAR on it next year but I can't seem to find that anywhere. I'm sure I read that it was going to move from XM but now that I am looking for it of course I can't find it. Anyway, I guess its just a matter of preferance on which one you get.