Finally got sirius about my music

[Inkara1]

Well, since no one got me Sirius Satellite Radio for Christmas, I went and got it myself. Radio Shack's been out of the receiver for a long time, so I broke down and got the Xact one at Best Buy.

So far, so good. I haven't set the thing up in the car yet, but I've got it running in the house. My receiver unit has an FM transmitter built in, and it will transmit on any frequency on the spectrum. For shits and giggles, I set it to 107.9 and left it in the living room with the home kit, and then tuned the boombox in the bedroom to 107.9, and found out that not only is the transmitter strong enough to reach the boombox, but the signal is quite clear in there. I'm hoping that means I'll be able to mount the tuner low in the car instead of on top of the dashboard in full view of theives. I do know it means I can also have Sirius in the bedroom without having to move the unit. I would have to get up and walk into the living room to change channels, but still, it will be nice to know I can fall asleep to Sirius if I want (both the boombox and the Sirius unit have sleep timers).

I thought about going for the $499.99 lifetime service option (pay that once and then never pay a bill again), but my dad talked me out of that. So I went with the one-year subscription.

 

[SouthernN'Proud]

After you've had a chance to play with it some, let me know what you think of it. I've been moderately curious about satellite radio for awhile. Just seems like a big cash outlay for something like that.

If you happen to run across a bluegrass music only setting on it, please let me know. That would absolutely tip the scales for me.

 

[Gonz]

Dishnetwork is carrying some of their programming. There is a bluegrass station.

 

[SouthernN'Proud]

 

[HomeLAN]

Yep. Bluegrass is channel 37. All bluegrass, all the time.

I've had mine since September, and I'm NEVER going back. BTW, get Sirius, not XM. The content is much better.

 

[abooja]

BTW, get Sirius, not XM. The content is much better.

And, come next year, you'll be able to listen to Howard Stern on it too.

 

[HomeLAN]

I could actually give a damn about Stern. The music channels are better, they've got every NFL game every week, yadda, yadda. Everything I hear about XM's music channels makes me thank God I went Sirius.

 

[abooja]

Well, I couldn't care less about football.

That's the beauty of this thing. The two can happily coexist on satellite.

Of course, were it not for Howard, Sirius stock would not be doing as well as it is.

 

[tonksy]

they've got every NFL game every week.

i want it for that sole purpose. every texans game...and the music would be nice too.

 

[SouthernN'Proud]

Thanks y'all. Now I gotta check it out for sure. Wonder if where I live will interfere with the signal? 90% of people can't get a cell phone to work from our yard because of the mountains.

Balance the cost of subscription with the amount of money I spend on music and it pays for itself in about three to four years. Yes, I am an addict...

This will most definately be investigated by yours truly after the tax check hits the bank. I can handle me some 24 hour bluegrass, static and commercial free...

 

[HomeLAN]

No sweat on the reception, I'd bet. I just spent a weekend near Blue Ridge, in the mountaisn 20 minutes from the nearest paved road. Reception was flawless.

Oh, I'll agree on the stock price. I just paid for 2/3 of a new car on the profits therefrom.

 

[Dave]

I could actually give a damn about Stern. The music channels are better, they've got every NFL game every week, yadda, yadda. Everything I hear about XM's music channels makes me thank God I went Sirius.

i have XM in the car and i love it.
whats the difference between the two? besides Stern and those idiots Opie and Anthony.

 

[HomeLAN]

Sirius - NFL
Stern (in 2006) (included in package)
NHL
Tony Hawk
Eminem
Streaming internet included in package
2 NPR channels
Large range of talk channels, both conservative and liberal

XM - Major League Baseball (in 2005)
NASCAR
Streaming internet ( for $4 a month)
Opie and Anthony (for a fee)
Limited talk
Same type of music channel lineup, but my understanding is a shitload of repeats, not as much variety between channels.

 

[SouthernN'Proud]

I'd prefer the MLB over the NFL...I could care less if Howard Stern lives or dies...NHL and Tony Hawk can kiss my Dixie ass as far as I'm concerned...Eminem, don't even get me started...NPR is a joke....NASCAR can blow me...WTF are Opie and Anthony anyway?...Hmmmm.....tough call.

 

[Gato_Solo]

I'd prefer the MLB over the NFL...I could care less if Howard Stern lives or dies...NHL and Tony Hawk can kiss my Dixie ass as far as I'm concerned...Eminem, don't even get me started...NPR is a joke....NASCAR can blow me...WTF are Opie and Anthony anyway?...Hmmmm.....tough call.

Don't be a Jeff Gordon hater... I don't particularly like him, either (Sterling Marlin fan here)...

 

[Dave]

question.
does Sirius allow multiple recievers for each account or do you have to pay monthly fees for each reciever?
i know about the portable ones they have. my XM is part of the stock stereo system in the Honda. if i wanted to get the GF an XM, i'd have to pay an additional monthly fee for her reciever.

 

[chcr]

Thanks y'all. Now I gotta check it out for sure. Wonder if where I live will interfere with the signal? 90% of people can't get a cell phone to work from our yard because of the mountains.

No worries on the reception, dude. Cell phone signal is transmitted from towers, satellite radio is broadcast from geosynchronous orbit (a little more than 22,000 miles up). The only way a mountain could block a signal is if you were under it.

 

[Dave]

lot of hilly terrain around here. so far there are only 3 spots i've found where reception is lost. all 3 are in those deep grooves they make in the hills to keep the road from being too steep.

 

[chcr]

Hmm, that's interesting. Maybe my info on the satellites is wrong. From 22,000 miles away the earth is almost smooth. You shouldn't be able to block the signal by any geographic feature. Ah well, geeky research time. Maybe it's over the west.

XM will utilize two high-power HS 702 satellites built by Hughes Space & Communications Inc. The XM satellites will be positioned in geostationary orbits at 85 degrees West Longitude and 115 degrees West Longitude to deliver clear contiguous transmission across the continental U.S

Sirirus will utilize three satellites in inclined elliptical orbits rather than geostationary orbits over the equator. The elliptical orbit places the satellite about 16 hours a day north of the equator with two satellites over the U.S. at all times. The elliptical orbits enable the satellites to broadcast from a higher angle than geostationary satellites.

Ahh, now I see.

 

[Dave]

i think it may have more to do with trying to get a signal from 22,000 miles away to get into a crevass wide enough for a 2 lane road.
i'm guessing the signals would be transmitted on a rather wide frequency to better blanket a large area. even if the full signal got in there, i imagine it would get deflected all over the place from the v-shape of the passageway.
but what the hell do i know. i'm a nurse. not one of those electrical-radio-satallite type people.