XM/Sirius questions

Two quickies... Are there any major advantages/disadvantages between the two systems? Has anyone living in hilly/mountainous/foresty areas experienced bad reception? I have heard rumors that this can be a problem around where I live (Western Washington). Thanks! Stacie :p

Currently, XM has more stations. Sirius seems to be building up though. Basically, XM has O&A, Sirius has Howard. I need to make a choice.

XM is cheaper per month, but it will cost you more if you want Opie and Anthony(who are they?) or if you want to listen to streaming radio from your computer. Just took a trip into the smokies a few weeks ago. The reception was pretty bad(XM). Down here where everything is flat, no problems. The other thing is the built in transmitter in the roady2 is contantly competing with local stations. A modulator might be a good investment.

I have the Roady 2 (XM). I should have put the FM modulator more accessible. I noticed on long drives where the radio stations, so I had change the station for the modulator. There are 8 stations to tune into.

I've read blips of threads about XM/Sirius where people have mentioned FM modulators... Can someone briefly explain how these work...?

[quote name='Helfrick']Opie and Anthony(who are they?) [/QUOTE] They are radio hosts, they used to do the evening commute time slot. They started out in the boston area, haven't heard too much from them lately as they got kicked off the airwaves in and around boston. I know they moved to NY for a bit, now, who knows, i guess satelite. They used to do some crazy skits back in the day when those things were allowed on the radio. Some crazy prank phone calls. They got kicked off the air because of a skit they did to the Boston Mayor. They released all this information and reported "facts" or so, that the Boston mayor had basically been killed in some way or another. Well soon after news stations were broadcasting it as well. The mayor's wife found out her husband was killed through one of these reports. Long story short, it was a prank which went too far and they were fired from their station, etc, etc... They used to do phone calls where they would have some girl call her mom across country on mother's day or something and tell their mom that they were broke, had no job, and turned to making pr0n for their living. Then that they had been arrested for something related to their new jobs and needed help. You can only image how the rest manages to play out. Some very funny moments from those guys...

[quote name='Stacie']I've read blips of threads about XM/Sirius where people have mentioned FM modulators... Can someone briefly explain how these work...?[/QUOTE] Long story short, they basically emmit the XM / IPod over a radio signal / station # which you select and your radio can then tune into. It eliminates the device to have to be "hardwired" into your system. A good way to do it cheaply, but you certainly lose sound quality because now you are converting it to a lower frequency and treating it like a radio station. Kind of like going from a CD to radio type of quality difference. An aftermarket deck which has XM inputs though basically plugs into the correct slots kind of like a CD changer would. Then the deck toggles between input sources. By not filtering or changing the signal, its much crisper.

Opie and Anthony were kicked off the air for broadcasting a couple having sex in St. Patrick's cathedral and that was like a year or 2 before they moved to XM

[quote name='ih8vtec13']Opie and Anthony were kicked off the air for broadcasting a couple having sex in St. Patrick's cathedral and that was like a year or 2 before they moved to XM[/QUOTE] that was probably when they were kicked off the air for good, but they were run out of the boston area for the above mentioned. I lost track of them after that. Sounds like typical O & A though.

[quote name='D-2.5-GT']They are radio hosts, they used to do the evening commute time slot. They started out in the boston area, haven't heard too much from them lately as they got kicked off the airwaves in and around boston. I know they moved to NY for a bit, now, who knows, i guess satelite. They used to do some crazy skits back in the day when those things were allowed on the radio. Some crazy prank phone calls. They got kicked off the air because of a skit they did to the Boston Mayor. They released all this information and reported "facts" or so, that the Boston mayor had basically been killed in some way or another. Well soon after news stations were broadcasting it as well. The mayor's wife found out her husband was killed through one of these reports. Long story short, it was a prank which went too far and they were fired from their station, etc, etc... They used to do phone calls where they would have some girl call her mom across country on mother's day or something and tell their mom that they were broke, had no job, and turned to making pr0n for their living. Then that they had been arrested for something related to their new jobs and needed help. You can only image how the rest manages to play out. Some very funny moments from those guys...[/QUOTE] Sounds like quality entertainment. I'll stick to the music. Thanks for the info.

Get XM... Stern sucks. O & A are exponetially more funny. Listen to some past clips on the Internet and you will most liekly agree.

they are completely different types of radio guys. Hard to say now because its been a good 6+ years since i have heard opie and anthony on a regular basis. O&A are funny, but stern takes the cake in that one. You may not like what he says what so ever, but he does have very intelligent points on some issues.

I am a BIG fan of both, and it was awesome there for a while to listen to Howard in the morning & O&A in the afternoon. I didnt like O&A in the beginning. I thought they were a Howard rip-off. But after a while I realized that these guys are funny as hell! When they went off the air, it sucked. But now both are on the same time, and on competeing pay services. I do not know which way I will go. I have been a Stern fan since I was 14, and listened to O&A from 1998 when they came on the air here in NYC until the last show.

[size=2]Stern and O & A are much more similar in their formats than they are different. Stern views O & A as competition. As far as who is funnier I would have to say you need to listen to both of them and make a determination. I listed to both shows for years. It was an easy call for me... I gave O & A the nod on having the better show. It's funny that Stern went to Sirius right after O & A went to XM. I think we can see who is setting the trend here.[/size] [size=2][/size] [size=2]It's funny to hear that Stern had "gag orders" placed on O & A while they were still in standard broadcast radio. Why would he be so scared of them?[/size] [size=2][/size] :confused: [size=2][/size] [size=2]Did you like the invasion of Xm / O & A fans at the Stern / Sirius rally in NY?[/size] [size=2][/size] [size=2]Is there anything better than WOW?[/size] [size=2][/size] [size=2]By the way... XM has better hardware and a better network in place as well.[/size] [size=2][/size] [size=2]Sorry to go on like this but I was just sick of the tired Stern routine and I woke up and found O & A some time ago.[/size]

[QUOTE]They got kicked off the air because of a skit they did to the Boston Mayor. They released all this information and reported "facts" or so, that the Boston mayor had basically been killed in some way or another. Well soon after news stations were broadcasting it as well. The mayor's wife found out her husband was killed through one of these reports. Long story short, it was a prank which went too far and they were fired from their station, etc, etc...[/QUOTE]hahah I remember that...i miss O&A i might have to get sirius...opps an go with XM!

i would highly reccomend sirius over XM. unless you like christian folk music, siris has more music stations, better customer support, i beleive they use a more reliable satelite technology (in orbit), and overall just less bullshit. its worth the extra few dollars u have to pay each month, trust me.

I love my XM - had to listen to the Va Tech-Virginia game on XM in my car this afternoon because the local ABC station carried the BC-Syracuse game instead. Thank goodness for my XM radio. - And Go Hokies! I have XM in the car and Sirius via Dish Network in the house. I prefer XM.

[size=2]Take a look at the two systems below:[/size] [size=2][/size] [url="http://radio.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.sirius.com"][font=verdana, geneva, helvetica][size=-2][u][color=#236eb5]SIRIUS[/color][/u][/url][/size][/font][url="http://radio.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.xmradio.com"][font=verdana, geneva, helvetica][size=-2][u][color=#236eb5]XM[/color][/u][/url][/size][/font][font=verdana, geneva, helvetica][size=-2]Streams[/size][/font][font=verdana, geneva, helvetica][size=-2]65 Music (commercial free) 50 News, Sports, Talk & Entertainment [/size][/font][font=verdana, geneva, helvetica][size=-2]68 Music (commercial free) 33 News, Sports, Talk & Entertainment 21 XM Instant Traffic & Weather [/size][/font][font=verdana, geneva, helvetica][size=-2]Online Listening[/size][/font][font=verdana, geneva, helvetica][size=-2]Yes (part of monthly fee)[/size][/font][font=verdana, geneva, helvetica][size=-2]Yes (additional monthly fee of $3.99[/size][/font][font=verdana, geneva, helvetica][size=-2]Cost[/size][/font][font=verdana, geneva, helvetica][size=-2]Monthly: $12.95 1 Year: $142.45 2 Years: $271.95 Lifetime: $499.99 [/size][/font][font=verdana, geneva, helvetica][size=-2]Monthly: $9.99 2 Years: $199 3 Years: $289 4 Years: $369 5 Years: $449 [/size][/font][font=verdana, geneva, helvetica][size=-2]Satellites[/size][/font][font=verdana, geneva, helvetica][size=-2]3[/size][/font][font=verdana, geneva, helvetica][size=-2]2[/size][/font][font=verdana, geneva, helvetica][size=-2]Customer Service[/size][/font][font=verdana, geneva, helvetica][size=-2]24 Hours[/size][/font][font=verdana, geneva, helvetica][size=-2]Mon - Sat: 10AM - 11 PM EST Sun: 12 PM - 8 PM EST[/size][/font][font=verdana, geneva, helvetica][size=-2]Activation Fee[/size][/font][font=verdana, geneva, helvetica][size=-2]On the SIRIUS website for $5 Over the phone for $15.[/size][/font][font=verdana, geneva, helvetica][size=-2]On the XM website for $9.99 Over the phone for $14.99. [/size][/font][font=verdana, geneva, helvetica][size=-2]Cancellation Fee[/size][/font][font=verdana, geneva, helvetica][size=-2]Cancel monthly anytime. If you cancel your Subscription prior to the expiration of a prepaid Subscription (that is not a lifetime Subscription), you will receive a refund of any unused Subscription fees based on the number of days remaining in your Subscription. Lifetime Subscriptions are nonrefundable. [/size][/font][font=verdana, geneva, helvetica][size=-2]Cancel monthly anytime Receive a prorated refund of the unused subscription. If you cancel your Subscription prior to the end of a prepaid Subscription or committed Subscription period, they may charge you a cancellation fee of up to $75.00. [/size][/font][font=verdana, geneva, helvetica][size=-2]Additional Radios:[/size][/font][font=verdana, geneva, helvetica][size=-2](2-4) $6.99 per month[/size][/font][font=verdana, geneva, helvetica][size=-2](2-5) $6.99 per month[/size][/font][font=verdana, geneva, helvetica][size=-2]Customer Service[/size][/font][font=verdana, geneva, helvetica][size=-2]1-888-539-7474 [email]customercare@sirius-radio.com[/email] [/size][/font][font=verdana, geneva, helvetica][size=-2]1-800-XM-RADIO (1-800-967-2346) [email="listenercare@xmradio.com"]listenercare@xmradio.com[/email] [/size][/font] It is still an easy choice to get XM... O & A are there. :)

Whoops! Try this link instead. [url="http://radio.about.com/library/blsatellitechart.htm"]http://radio.about.com/library/blsatellitechart.htm[/url] My bad. :)

[quote name='emlevins']I love my XM - had to listen to the Va Tech-Virginia game on XM in my car this afternoon because the local ABC station carried the BC-Syracuse game instead. Thank goodness for my XM radio. - And Go Hokies! I have XM in the car and Sirius via Dish Network in the house. I prefer XM.[/QUOTE] Hokie = some type of castrated fowl? What's that all about anyways? :confused: :confused: :confused:

[url="http://www.udel.edu/main/about/bluehen.html"]http://www.udel.edu/main/about/bluehen.html[/url]

My wife and I have Sirius in our Outback and it has been great. We have been to Moab were you are deep in canyons and it still works perfectly, we also live in Denver and are always going to the mountains to go mountaining biking or to go skiing or snowboarding and we have never had a problem. The times when we have lost a signal is when we are in the parking garage at the mall it goes in and out- searching for the signal - and sometimes if you change the station to quick -if you change the station and change the station again -meaning if you chage the station and change the station again before you hear anything from the first time you changed the station within 2 seconds it will take about 20 to 30 seconds to find the signal for the station. We also have the antenna mounted on the roof above the back hatch. The installer told us it would interfear with our Yakima roof rack that we have -we have three bike trays on the rack- and said it would get bad reseption, because when we first piked the car up after the install the antenna was mounted on the roof above the reaview mirror and it looked like CRAP and I told them when I dropped it off to mount it in the rear, so they changed it and has worked fine. As far as Stern and the other guys between Sirius and XM I listen to music not talk shows. We bought a Kenwood deck with a CD player and removable face and with install and all the goodies we paid $375. with the first years service -the first year you have to pay in full after that you can go month to month we pay for the whole year it's much easier. One year service was $120. We have some friends who have XM and they don't seem to get as good as recetion as we do, well one of them has a STi and his antenna is in the mounted in the center console on the dash so it has a lot of delays when changing stations. Sorry could keep going and going and.......

[url]http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=hokie[/url] ?????

Regardless of which on you choose, how can you possibly mount these HUGE units in the Legacy interior without it looking crappy? I have my SIRIUS receiver (from my old WRX) still sitting on my nightstand simply because I can't bring myself to clutter the slick interior. Any thoughts?

I'm with you on that if it. I don't have the in home system -don't listen to music in the house to much anymore- I have car only and it's a deck unit and if we had to mount something else on the dash we would not have bought it.