superstringtheory

I was wondering if anyone out there has either one installed. I like thae fact that Sirius has NO commercials on their music stations and the antenna is less noticeable. I know it is $2 more than XM but they seem to have the same amount of channels.

What do you think? Thanks!

Giles

my main question is when if at all will XM (or Sirius) have home units, I dont have a car and listen to the radio more at home.

superstringtheory

This is definitely a plan in their future I know, but when exactly I don't know.

Giantrobo

I do believe SONY makes an XM unit that can go in the home and with a kit can go in the car.

Sony DRN-XM01H

SirPablo

There was a magazine this month that had a really nice, big article pitting the two against each other. Can't remember then name of it though...er. They ended up taking XM because the quality was better than Sirius. I am more inclined to get Sirius though, I like the no commercials better. Anyone have any actual input, first hand use? I want to decide before I get new car audio equipment in the next few weeks.

superstringtheory

See I read differently that XM has more eclectic stations (they both have 100 stations)but only uses 2 satellites vs. Sirius' 3 so it has more repeaters.

SirPablo

I believe XM has around 800 repeaters, while Sirius has around 60 (yeah it was that big of a difference).

fazeem

I went with XM, mostly because it was the first and I think a better chance of surviving. i can't compare the 2 since I have not heard Sirius, but I am very happy with XM.

The commercials are really non-obtrusive. I read somewhere that they have about 6 mimutes of commercials per hour vs the 22 that regular FM has. Most of the commericals that I have heard are just promo spots for the same station you are listening to.

I really love the programming, the station XMU is by far the best college type station that plays all the music I love from British rock to underground hip-hop to big beat techno. Radio Taj, the Indian station, is also good although the play list seems to be extremely random. BTW I had a problem with my XM radio (it's the installers fault) and the XM service staff was very helpful and they said they will not charge me until the problem gets resolved and I can use the service again.

Honestly I don't think you can go wrong in picking either one of these services (provided both stay in business).

superstringtheory

Fazeem, One of the retailers in my area (of both products) says he has XM and is disappointed he hears the same songs daily (he says he also is in his car a lot of the time) on the mainstream channels he listens to...do you notice this at all?

I think he is somewhat unbiased at least because they don't make commission and he happens to have an xm system himself but who knows!

ChiTownAbs, Inc

I don't use either, but my concern would be more financial than anything -- you want to make sure whichever one you choose will survive as a company.

Nothing like buying a $300 receiver to only see the company go belly up and you're then the proud owner of a shiny new doorstop.

fazeem

superstringtheory,

there is one station, "20 at 20" that just seems to play through the top 20 at the time, repeatedly. You definately hear the same songs on this station. But I have not found this on other stations. I have heard a lot of the new Red Hot Chilli Peppers songs on different channels, but not enough to get annoyed (It actually happened over 1 long road trip).

On regular FM there was maybe 4 stations I liked and when I heard the same song on those stations I got annoyed, I felt like I could not escape that song, but with XM, there are so many different stations I like, that switching the station to a different genre when you hear a song you don't like or don't want to listen to is no big deal.