Satellite Radio

[Tdog]

Anyone subscribe to satellite radio? Does that mean I have to replace my car radio? How well does it work? How long a contract do you have to sign? Any other info would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Ivan1547]

Anyone subscribe to satellite radio? Does that mean I have to replace my car radio? How well does it work? How long a contract do you have to sign? Any other info would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Jack

I got XM radio free for a year when I purchased a 2009 Jeep Patriot.
A add on satellite radio usually just plugs into your cigarette lighter and you tune in your radio to a certain FM modulation.
It works very well and you get a ton of channels.
Is it worth it? If I was in the vehicle travelling for 8-10 hours per day, then yes. Otherwise no, I will not be subscribing when my subscription is over.
It has good music and good talk channels, but I do miss my local networks.
You usually have to sign up for a year contract.

Ivan

 

[tommu56]

I got XM radio free for a year when I purchased a 2009 Jeep Patriot.
A add on satellite radio usually just plugs into your cigarette lighter and you tune in your radio to a certain FM modulation.
It works very well and you get a ton of channels.
Is it worth it? If I was in the vehicle travelling for 8-10 hours per day, then yes. Otherwise no, I will not be subscribing when my subscription is over.
It has good music and good talk channels, but I do miss my local networks.
You usually have to sign up for a year contract.

Ivan

ditto except it was a ram 2500.

After that I did change stock radio to a hd radio to try that it is ok I must be on fring reception area and it switches back and forth from digital to analog on my drive to work in 20 miles.

The digital is crisper and cleaner but just like DTV it is on or off.

tom

 

[/pine]

The only problem with satellite radio is when it started out it was supposed to be "commercial free"...no endless car/fast food etc advertisements...

...but there was so much competition between Sirius and XM they both built up so much (Billion$) in debt...now that have merged there is almost as much advertising as there is on public broadcast radio...

 

[thatguy]

We have had satellite radio (Sirius) since 2004ish in two vehicles.. We love it and its hard to get used to regular radio now after satellite..

We have the receivers that play thru a FM modulator or a direct MP3 connection (also plays thru the cassette adaptor)..

As /pine mentioned they do have advertising on any station other than the music channels (before the merger XM had some music channels that played commercials, but I never found a Sirius music channel with any)..

I dont remember what they promised at the very beginning as far as commercials on channels though.. Also some ppl hate having a dj talk between songs - I dont have trouble with that.

Even with the commercials i still think it is well worth the $20/mth (2 receivers) for the service.. its nice to be able to drive anywhere you want and never have to find another station. We will stay subscribers until the company goes out of business - if that ever happens

Brian

 

[westcliffe01]

If you live in a location that has hazardous weather (tornado alley) it may be a better deal to get one of the XM weather recievers. That way you get the best possible weather information (with up to date dopler radar etc) and get a free satelite radio subscription.

I no longer think it is worth the cost for just the sattelite radio alone. I can fit 33000 songs on an Ipod and whatever you buy you own forever in digital. But if you add in the weather service and you avoid damage to your property or getting trapped in a blizzard or worse (tornados) it will have earned its keep.

 

[Ivan1547]

If you live in a location that has hazardous weather (tornado alley) it may be a better deal to get one of the XM weather recievers. That way you get the best possible weather information (with up to date dopler radar etc) and get a free satelite radio subscription.

I no longer think it is worth the cost for just the sattelite radio alone. I can fit 33000 songs on an Ipod and whatever you buy you own forever in digital. But if you add in the weather service and you avoid damage to your property or getting trapped in a blizzard or worse (tornados) it will have earned its keep.

I have not heard of that service before...that is part of what I did not like about XM...lack of weather/news reports.

Ivan

 

[Wayne County Hose]

I had at one time or another both XM and Sirius. I dumped them both and went back to FM. They kept changing the programming and channel locations. The last straw was when Sirius dropped Buzzsaw and picked up the XM equivalent. I called Sirius and told them I dropped XM because they stunk and now they are using the XM's programs. I bought an I-pod and now if I get sick of FM, I have any music I want.

 

[deereman64]

Currently listening to Radio 1's Weekend in Ibiza. Closest the wife will ever let me get to a hedonistc holiday

 

[Western]

I get the news on XM. about more channels than I like. I also get local traffic/weather in large metro's if I desire. I hear a few commercials but most are for other xm channels.

I like the 70's-90's stations mostly, and the Fox news network. I haven't found local news, but this isn't cable.

I travel allot and its nice to have the option of hearing the genre I like when the mood hits.

My son bought and receiver for $100 that looks like a gps thingy, it gets the xm/surius and works through his installed radio speakers, plug and play like.