Satellite Radio: XM or Sirius
Do we really need it?; Which is better, XM or Sirius?; and What kind of radio do I need? Answers: Of course we need it!; Well, it depends; and You have to ask yourself a few questions. Do I listen to the radio? What kind of radio do I listen to or would like to listen to? Where do I spend most of my time? The first question is an easy one. Most all of us listen to the radio, but do you listen to music, news, sports, etc…? I will point out some basic facts about the two players in this arena (North America) and give you my two cents on the pending merger.
Both providers offer coast to coast, digital, uninterrupted coverage with lots of music, news, sports and more for about the same price. So whats the big deal, just pick one, right? Well, possibly. Here are the highlights.
Price (basic packages)
- XM - $12.95 per month
- Siruis - $12.95 per month
Channels
- XM - 170+
- Sirius - 130+
Content
- XM - 69 commercial free music channels, excluding live concerts and original programming; News; comedy, talk, drama and variety, and kid’s programming; sports — MLB, NHL, college and PGA.
- Sirius - 69 commercial free music channels with live performances, artist interviews and exclusive channels; sports — NFL, NBA, NASCAR, college, soccer and more; News, talk, comedy and variety.
Subscribers (as of end of 1st quarter 2008)
- XM - 9.3 million
- Sirius - 8.6 million
So what’s the deal? You really can’t go wrong with either. Both offer a wide variety of music, news, sports and more. If you are a sports fan go with the one broadcasts your favorite sports and if your into talk radio or comedy check out their sites to see who’s where.
Pending Merger
As many of you already know XM and Sirius were given the go ahead from the U.S. Department of Justice to shake hands, but still needs approval from the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) before we are able to share channels. The word is that subscription prices will not increase and we will be able to pick and choose the channels we desire from the other provider (for a fee of course). The downside is that a receiver that accepts signals from both providers will be needed if you want channels from both. I think if they join forces indeed, subscribers will benefit and we can all listen to the stuff we want too without subscribing to both.
Receiver picks
Whether you need tunes on you while you exercise, commute or at home will influence the player you need. Here are some that I like.
XM
Features
- Large full color split screen display
- Pause, Play, and Replay up to 60 minutes of your favorite programming
- Save 10 of your favorite songs
- Set up to 10 favorite channels
- Easy-to-Use 5-way navigational control
- TuneSelect finds your favorite artists or songs and alerts you when they’re playing
- GameSelect finds your favorite sports event or team and alerts you when they’re playing
- Easily view channel, artist, song title & info extras via a large high-contrast full color screen
- A universal connector lets you easily move between car, home and audio systems, with compatible accessories
Pioneer Gex-Inno2Bk Inno Portable
Features
- Listen at home, in your car or on the go
- Record your favorite channels
- Mix recorded XM with your MP3s and WMAs
- Hear a great tune! Tag it then go online to own it
Sirius
Features
- Large multi-color display for easy viewing and use
- Selectable colors to match your dash lights and mood
- Universal docking capability
- Pause, rewind and replay up to 60 minutes of live radio
- FM transmitter or stereo audio output to connect your vehicle’s radio
- FM preset function: Store the best FM frequencies in your area for optimum integration with your vehicle’s radio
- 30 presets
- Alerts allow you to catch your favorite artists, songs and sports
- Personalized sports ticker for real-time updates of your favorite sports
- Track your favorite sports team and race driver
- Parental controls
- Alarm clock with snooze wakes you up to your favorite channel
Features
- Enjoy Sirius plus your own personal MP3s anywhere
- Schedule and record up to 100 hours of your favorite music, shows or programs. Store up to 10 hours of individual songs with one touch of the ‘Love’ button
- Bookmark favorite songs them go online to own it
- Pause, rewind and replay up to 60 minutes of live radio
- Track your favorite sports action with a Personalized Sports Ticker, Sports Alert and My Game Zone
- Lock and unlock channels easily with parental controls
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