Satallite radio questions

[jmarie]

My main car has the antenna in the rear window and it has lousy reception. We don't have any real strong radio stations, here(that I like) and so I end up listening to a lot of static. I could listen to CD's but get bored with them and I do like talk radio, too. (Can't get that on CD...although I have purchased Prarie Home companion and liked those)

I was told to turn on my rear defroster and if the radio got noisier at that time, then that was the problem as opposed to the radio being no good.

It finally occurred to me that I could do satallite radio....do you have it? Do you like it? How expensive is it? I would appreciate any responses!

[fci5767]

I'm thinking about getting satellite radio, as well. My old car gets really bad radio reception, especially when I'm driving to my sister's in VA. I don't have a CD player in my car so my listening choices are really limited.

My sister, in Roanoke, has had it for a few years and just added my stepfather to her plan. They all really love it and the cost isn't bad at all. I'm hoping I can add on to their plan, too.

Beth

[caregiver50]

Have it/Love it! You can listen to the same station where ever you go and never have to mess with the radio. I have Sirius and they are always adding new channels.

[cminmd]

I have XM, you can get the roadie for less than a hundred dollars (lower than 50 if you catch a sale at the right time) and 12$ a month for the family service.
I just love it! Between Tivo and XM I never have to listen to commericals! I have the NPR station with Bob Edwards, the mix- which is current hits, Sudio 62 for when I'm feeling funky!, 80's channel, comedy channel (the one I can't listen to with the kids), Radio Disney (which I wish they could listen to without me) 90's channel, DC traffic, Classical station, one news channel and one talk radio channel. I only use about a third of my presets because that selection works for me!

I think both services are about the same- we have XM, but have had Sirrius in rentals cars before and we thought the channel options were about the same. I wouldn't listen to Howard Stern, so that was no biggie for me. My husband likes listening to baseball and XM has that contract for - well forever I think. You can get the family plan which is what we have- two tuners for 12 bucks, I think one might be 10 a month, but it has been a long time since we ordered our first so check that out. So if your husband wants one as well, it is worth picking one carrier.

My roadie just stays in my car, but my husband has the My Fi that he takes out of his car so he can listen to XM in his office. He likes it because he parks down in Anacostia DC so he doesn't want to leave it in the car all day.

[Jazzmatazz49]

I have XM and also like it a lot. I listen to a lot of talk radio, and there are tons of commercials on XM talk channels. The music channels have a lot fewer commercials. You can listen for free as a trial deal at xmradio.com, although you can't get all the stations.

[green1]

I have Sirius in my car and one in our office, so we can listen during Monday office days and DH can take it on the road. I absolutely love it! We can not get enough of Howard Stern (love him) and the other great music channels. When I drive for work, it can be long and boring...But with Sirius, I don't have to worry about packing CD's or radio static. By far the best investment we have made in a while. :D

[masimmons]

I have had Sirius for over a year and love it. My husband has XM and loves it too. Sirius has the football contract (and Howard - the selling point for me) and XM has the baseball contract. It really really makes my 45 min+ commute better. I recommend looking at Best Buy or on the XM or Sirius websites for equipment. I think both services are about the same monthly price - around $12.00.

[aggie94]

Last year for my b-day and DH's b-day, my brother bought us both an XM Roady2 with the car kit, docking station, and a one-year subscription for each of us (although he is still paying for it more than a year later). I rarely use it in my car because I love having it at the office on its docking station. Plus, I'm not in my car that often. If we go on a road trip, of course we take it with is.

I only listen to music, but DH listens to some of the comedy and news channels. We both love XM. We have had Sirius in rental cars and were disappointed with both the channel selection and the equipment (although it was probably the cheapest receiver possible since it was a rental car). My friend gives me a hard time about not having Sirius, though, since he is the "voice" of one of the Sirius channels. Oh well, if I want to hear his voice, I can just call him. ;)

[masimmons]

My husband thinks XM has a better selection too.

[Curiosity Hears]

We have XM and love it. For us the programming and selections are more desirable. I like it better than my Nano and it is easier to use.

[Grace]

I had a portable XM in my car, which got stolen :mad: (they smashed the window to get it). DH has it built into his car. I don't really like it, and I'll tell you why. I like the idea of it, and I want to like it, but I find they don't play the music I like!! I listen to the country station and it's the same songs, the same artists over and over. If I have to hear Miranda Lambert's "Kerosene" one more time, I think I'll puke!! And I'm not even in DH's car all that often, but that's all that's ever on when I get in the car. That and a whole bunch of artists/songs I never heard of. I think they have to have permission to use artists' music, and if that artist hasn't given over permission, you don't hear them. And they are constantly plugging their next "new thing", so the stations are filled with tons of no namers too. So that's annoying to me. I love to sing, and I hate when I flip and flip and flip and flip and can't find one song that I know to sing to. SO annoying.

I do tend to like the different oldies stations (70's, 80's and 90's channels), they play music you haven't heard in EONS (and I mean eons!) - half the time a song comes on that I forgot ever existed. So those are fun. But since I live in a huge metropolis, regular radio reception is fine and they do play more of the stuff I'm looking for.

DH likes his XM radio though, even though he tends to listen to lots of CD's too (I don't have CD player either - just an old tape deck!).

[colleency]

I like to listen to Sattelite Sisters on XM. It has a ton of commercials, but I like their format of talk between real sisters about education and life and movies and Iraq... I sometimes listen to BroadMinded, but they're mostly too raunchy for me.

For music, I listen to 40's, Frank's Place, 60's, 70's, 80's, Starbucks, classical, and movies. I do find that their music selection is a little odd, but I haven't been able to put my finger on it. I guess because they seem to play a song that's good for singing along to, followed by a dance mix, followed by something I've never heard of.

[Jazzmatazz49]

I have XM and have never noticed Starbucks. Do you know which number that channel is?

[beacooker]

The Starbucks station is called Hear Music. It is my favorite. Colleency, what station and when is Satellite Sisters? That sounds interesting.