For those who have satellite radio, which is better? Sirius has Howard Stern, but XM has more stations and seems to be offered by more manufacturers on cars...

I've got Sirius. It doesn't matter to me what car makers offer what because mine is portable. I know XM has models that are portable, too. I didn't choose Sirius because of Stern. I think he is a blowhard. Sirius says they have "over 120 channels" It's more like 200. They have loads of stuff but it can be like cable TV. 200 channels and nothing on! I mainly listen to uncensored comedy.

Hehe..Raw Dog is sweet! I like Siruis better, because of the way their programming is set up, and because I listen to Howard Stern.

Talk is better on XM, Music is better on Sirius. The Howard Stern thing is completely subjective to the individual.

Here's more on the subject, we talked about it recently:

http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=58214&highlight=sirius

and another discussion/poll abtou satellite radio

http://thestoneagelounge.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=19

I enjoy XM, the talk is much better which I usually listed to anyway. The music is about the same on both, and Howard Stern, as Play said, is completely individual. Just try both out at Best Buy and see which one you feel more comfortable with.

Opie & Anthony On Xm Satelite Radio America & Canadas # 1 Satelite Provider With Over 6 Millon Subs!

Raw Dog rules

I have Sirius and love it. My dad has XM and he loves it. Mine is added on, his is built in. I'd rather have Stern than O&A.

Talk is better on XM, Music is better on Sirius. The Howard Stern thing is completely subjective to the individual.



Basicly, I agree, with a *.

I use them both (xm 4years, Sirius 2 years)

*: The thing to consider is what type of music you will listen to. For more modern Music Sirus is better, but for folks who are older XM may be better. XM is what I give my Parents, they Like the 40's channel (music from that decade), Franks Place (Sinatra, Tony Bennet, etc) as well as Sunny which plays quiet music. They both have a 50's channel as well, I like the Sirius one better.

Both have a New Age type of channel, I think XM's is better. Both have a number of Country channels and are prety even there. Both have comedy Channels (XM I think now has added another making it 3 that they offer - 2 uncensored). Both have good Classical music channels as well as Old Time Radio channels, which are a favorite of mine, playing old radio shows like The Shadow, Gunsmoke, and such.

Sirius has Stern, XM has Coast to Coast. With the Exception of Fox News the news offerings are basicly the same. Due to a contract dispute Sirius has not been offering Fox since the end of last year. XM just started a channel that puts all the Fox TV hosts that also have radio shows under one channel.

Both offer decent traffic and weather channels for around the country as well.

Your best bet really is to go to the web sites and look at the channel listings, note which intrest you, then go to a store and listen.

If you know anyone with Sattelite TV listen to the music channels they have. DISH streams Sirius music and DIRECT TV streams XM's music channels.


FWIW

K

XM has better hardware. Its why I joined in April 03 and remain a customer.

i like sirius better i had xm and now i have sirius. sirius all the way

I vote XM. I chose them in 2002 and stuck with it.

I don't think Stern will save Sirius. NFL won't either.

XM just seems to be making better moves. Baseball is a "radio" sport. All those news channels are great to have when something big is going on.

I can't think of anything that's missing, but I would like to have regular network TV audio feeds so that you could listen to TV shows. A lot of the shows I "watch" I don't really "watch." They just happen to be on the TV while I'm doing something else.

XM has better hardware. Its why I joined in April 03 and remain a customer.

Hey there Jesda,

I can of course only talk about the hardware I have used, but so far I am more impressed with the Sirius radios in respect to the FM transmiters.

My XM is a old Delphi Skyfi, ina boom box & without a transmitter, but I have set up a couple Roadie 2 radios for family members and was not too happy with the signal strength and lack of stations availible on the them.

Where the XM had a limited number of station frequencies to choose from, both of my Sirius radios allow me to choose any channel on the dial. The Xm transmitter signal also did not travel around even the one floor of the house it was set up on.

The Sirius I have in the house is a sportster, with boombox, but when I listen in the house I use the FM transmiter and its signal is not only heard throughout the entire 3 floors of the house, but my entire yard and detached garage with regular FM radios.

I use the the smaller Starmate in my vehicles with the FM transmitter as well. I work in a large millwork building in CT. I park my vehicle on the other side of the cinderblock wall near where I am working and use the transmitter to send the signal to my FM adio on the other side. Not only can I get the signal but most of the radios in the shop as well.

As far as the bling factor I couldn't say, as I do not really care about that.

That is my experience.

K

I'm vehemently opposed to all FM transmitters. I'm okay with FM modulators that wire into an antenna, but I despise the interference and loss of dynamic range that comes from sending a signal over FM.

I'm vehemently opposed to all FM transmitters. I'm okay with FM modulators that wire into an antenna, but I despise the interference and loss of dynamic range that comes from sending a signal over FM.

:yeah: That's why I went out and bought a PAC adapter that let me use RCA cables to hookup my Sirius.

I vote XM. I chose them in 2002 and stuck with it.

I don't think Stern will save Sirius. NFL won't either.

XM just seems to be making better moves. Baseball is a "radio" sport. All those news channels are great to have when something big is going on.

I can't think of anything that's missing, but I would like to have regular network TV audio feeds so that you could listen to TV shows. A lot of the shows I "watch" I don't really "watch." They just happen to be on the TV while I'm doing something else.

I had to chuckle when I read this. Really, baseball has a dying attendance and scandal and it will prop up XM? Baseball is called America's Pastime because no one cars anymore. Sure there are hardcore fans but if all XM has to offer is baseball I wouldn't go with them. Nothing is missing from Sirius. Each offer nearly the same content. One or the other offers a particular show you can't get here or there but unless you have to listen to Stern why pick XM? If you love baseball why pick Sirius?

I'm vehemently opposed to all FM transmitters. I'm okay with FM modulators that wire into an antenna, but I despise the interference and loss of dynamic range that comes from sending a signal over FM.

That's why I went out and bought a PAC adapter that let me use RCA cables to hookup my Sirius.

All that is well and good boys, however it really does not address the issue of getting the signal into a steel roofed windowless mill shop with cinderblock walls. Call me silly if you must, but dragging cables from the parking lot into the building does not strike me as a reasonable alternative.

When you are working in such an enviroment and your radio is competing with loud machines audio fidelity is hardly a issue. As well, any static interference is minor in comparison to, amoung other things, the saws, screw guns and fork trucks.

Myself, and the rest of the shop (most of whom have ridiculously expensive audio systems in their cars and none of whom have complained about my archaic FM transmitter) that share my FM signal transmitted into the building are very greatful for the ability to listen to the Sat radio at all.

As well, the set ups I created in our parents homes work very well for folks in their 60's and 70's who's diminished hearing doesnt quite require superb audio reproduction either.

I myself do enjoy a great sounding audio system in the home, however when mowing the lawn with headphones or working in the garage I am comfortable with what I get.

Basicly, to each his own.

K

I'm vehemently opposed to all FM transmitters. I'm okay with FM modulators that wire into an antenna, but I despise the interference and loss of dynamic range that comes from sending a signal over FM.

I've learned that lesson the hard way. :banghead:

I had to chuckle when I read this. Really, baseball has a dying attendance and scandal and it will prop up XM? Baseball is called America's Pastime because no one cars anymore. Sure there are hardcore fans but if all XM has to offer is baseball I wouldn't go with them. Nothing is missing from Sirius. Each offer nearly the same content. One or the other offers a particular show you can't get here or there but unless you have to listen to Stern why pick XM? If you love baseball why pick Sirius?

There are more baseball fans than there are Stern fans. I don't recall saying that it would "prop up" XM. But if I'm an exec and had to choose between NFL and MLB, it's a no-brainer. 162 games, 30 teams. They're going to pick up a lot of out-of-market fans. Hell, people in Detroit are buying portable XM units because WXYT has such a pathetically weak signal.

I'm not a hardcore fan, but it sure is nice to be able to listen to a game when I'm stuck in the car for a long time.

No doubt people will subscribe just to get B ball but Sirius experienced the same thing with Stern subscriptions. I personally find to great draw in XM programming over Sirius but that is just me. One huge benefit XM has of Sirius (and it is just a business standpoint) is that there recievers are installed in more car radios. All those GM cars with XM ready radios, all new CD decks being mainly XM ready, etc. Buy the car with the radio option or the new Alpine deck with XM ready and by default that is what you get.

I think because of this many people get hooked up with XM buy default, not because they made a choice due to programming. More radios need to be made to offer one or the other and possible provisions for a third. Of course this isn't likely to happen due to exclusive deals, etc.

I bought my first XM unit with my 2001 Christmas bonus money. I made my decision based on number of subscribers, the true value of the stock, and the fact that GM had already entered into an agreement with them. At that time there was no way to do a fair evaluation of the programming service. I really expect to see a merger or for Sirius to go belly up in a couple years.

You are one of the very, very few who made such an informed decision. Most do not and I'll repeat that XM wins in many cases by default. You could be right about the buy out but we will have to wait and see. Just because some like CSI Miami over Law and Order does not mean LO will be canceled and NBC will fold. Know what I mean?

You are one of the very, very few who made such an informed decision. Most do not and I'll repeat that XM wins in many cases by default. You could be right about the buy out but we will have to wait and see. Just because some like CSI Miami over Law and Order does not mean LO will be canceled and NBC will fold. Know what I mean?

Of course! I'm not saying Sirius sucks, I'm just saying they're a weaker company IMHO. The reason I picked XM is that I thought they had a better chance of surviving, and I didn't want $800 of worthless equipment on my hands. I bought within four months of when they started. It was all kind of "iffy."

I'm sure that if I had Sirius for a week I'd like it too.

I hear you there. When the stuff first came out I thought about it just like you describe. Hell, the equipment was huge, hardwired, etc and nothing like it is these days but that is technology for ya!