OT: What's this digital satellite radio nonsense? Do I need it? Will you have to subscribe (pay)???

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Sep 21, 2001 | 12:52 PM

RTinNYC(again)

Thread Starter

Elder Member

Joined: May 2001

Posts: 13,206

Likes: 0

OT: What's this digital satellite radio nonsense? Do I need it? Will you have to subscribe (pay)???

Does it require special equipment? Will that equipment just plug into my other stuff, like in the car, or does the whole friggin' wheel have to be re-invented? What happens to AM/FM/SW/LW because of this advent? Will I still get the NPR? Are we all going to be listening to the same broadcast, in disparate places, at the same time, in ten years???

This has got my goat, dammitt all... I hate it when new technology antiquates my a$$, in seconds flat. I still don't even have a stooopid MP3, 'm not even 85% clear on how it works, and here they go, friggin' introducing THE NEXT BIG THING!!!

Arrrrgggghhhh!!!

Sep 21, 2001 | 01:32 PM

Absolut Todd

Junior Member

Joined: Jul 2000

Posts: 1,761

Likes: 0

There are two competing services - each requires a new head unit and antennae. Monthly fees too.

It will be like HBO vs Showtime. Each will probably cost $9.95. First generation systems support either Sirius or XMRadio. Second generation systems will support both services. To get both you will need to pay $9.95x2xmonth.

Each will have around 80-100 channels of music ala DMX. The music will transfered in encrypted 384kbps MPEG2.2.

At my old job, I worked with XM to encode 100k CDs of music for their programming library. Personally a 30-40GB MP3 system ala phatnoise for $600-1000 is another great alternative.

Sep 21, 2001 | 02:45 PM

RTinNYC(again)

Thread Starter

Elder Member

Joined: May 2001

Posts: 13,206

Likes: 0

Thanks Todd

Sep 21, 2001 | 04:34 PM

Voice of Reason

New Member

Joined: Jun 2001

Posts: 116

Likes: 0

New head unit isn't necessarily required.

I have XM in my Saab via an FM modulator. Go to their website and check out the multitude of different radio applications. Mine works for the car and home - the Sony "Plug and Play."

XM service is 9.95.
Sirius is $11.95.

100s of digital quality music stations that you can listen to from coast-to-coast. No more fading radio stations when you're passing from town-to-town. For some Red-neck reason, they also have a 24 hour Nascar channel?!?!? They have a large variety of different genres. They're not re-broadcasting someone else's canned chatter - it's all original stuff from their studios in Washington D.C.

Check them out on the web. I haven't listened to local radio since I got it... and it saves me the hassle of ripping MP3s or downloading from WinMX.com.<ul><li><a href="http://www.xmradio.com">More XM info. here</a></li></ul>