DJ Dale
11-16-2004, 02:16 PM
Here is a good article....
Satellite Radio: XM or Sirius?
Wed Nov 10, 5:33 PM ET
Patrick Norton - ExtremeTech
I've traveled thousands of miles with both XM and Sirius radio receivers wired into my truck, and I'm confident that they both work well all over the country. They both offer 60-plus channels of commercial-free music. And frankly, beyond the logos, the boxes you use to tune in XM and Sirius have quite a bit in common.
No matter which satellite provider I'm listening to, I'm continually amazed with just how cool it is to stick with a favorite music channel across three or four states' worth of bad highway. (Or the even simpler joy of having some rock music I like on the airwaves here in San Francisco.)
Satellite radio, XM or Sirius, is very cool. But is there an easy way to choose between the two?
ADVERTISEMENT
Possibly.
Who's Got What
At $9.99 per month, XM radio is a tad cheaper than Sirius, which costs $12.95. XM also has the edge in hardware technology, with the first receiver that can pause and replay what you're listening to, Delphi's SkyFi 2, along with the first personal satellite radio receiver, Delphi's MyFi.
I've also found that the audio compression used for XM sounds a tad less squished than Sirius'. (Both systems require some serious compression to save on satellite bandwidth.) With the truck windows down at 60 mph, it's hard to tell the difference between the two, but in a quiet environment, Sirius reminds me of a slightly overcompressed MP3. Neither sounds as crisp as a track played from an audio CD. If you're an audiophile, you'll notice. (And over time, probably forget, if you really enjoy the content.)
But does $3 a month cheaper, marginally better audio quality and the ability to pause what you're listening (at least on one receiver) to make XM a slam dunk? Not really: Satellite radio is less about the hardware and monthly fee, or even the audio quality, than it is about finding the content you want.
As PC Mag editor and long-term Howard Stern fan Lance Ulanoff demonstrates in "Can Shock Jock Jolt Satellite Radio?", picking between XM and Sirius can be as simple as one entertainer. Ulanoff is ready to pick up a satellite radio … when Howard leaves FM radio and starts broadcasting on Sirius in 2006. And for some folks, that one "gotta have it" programming will be the trick to choosing between XM and Sirius satellite radio.
"Opus and Andy?" XM. Professional football? Sirius has the exclusive rights to broadcast the NFL. Baseball fan? XM just picked up the rights to Major League Baseball. National Public Radio, the National Basketball Association or the National Hockey League? They all have deals with Sirius. Gotta have NASCAR (news - web sites) radio? Then you're gonna go with XM.
Want both NPR and NASCAR? Then you might want to buy two receivers, one for XM and one for Sirius.
What About Music?
Unless you're a serious Elvis fan, music probably isn't the easiest way to pick between the two satellite systems. Sirius's Channel 13, Elvis Radio, runs the King 24/7, but both systems have more than 60 commercial-free channels dedicated to different genres of rock, hip-hop, country, classical, jazz and just about every other genre of music.
That said, don't just take the salesperson's word (or mine) that both systems offer a similar range of music content. Spend some time at XMradio.com or Sirius.com and take a look at exactly what both services deliver. Case in point? Sirius has four hip-hop channels (HipHop Nation; Wax, for DJ mixes and freestyle; BackSpin, which offers old-school rap; and Shade 45, an "uncensored" hip-hop channel created by Eminem (news - web sites) and Sirius), while XM offers RAW "Uncensored Hip Hop" and The Rhyme: "Hip Hop from Day One.<"p> Both XM and Sirius offer bluegrass and old-school country channels, along with separate channels for contemporary, classic and new country. Both XM and Sirius even offer classic '80s hair bands: On Sirius, it's channel 23, Hair Nation, while XM's channel 41, the Boneyard, mixes hair bands and stadium rock.
As far as I'm concerned, satellite radio isn't just for cross-country truck drivers who don't want to constantly juggle the dial in search of a good tune. Both XM and Sirius offer an amazing array of listening, including music, sports and even talk channels. Frankly, the hardest thing about satellite radio is choosing just one provider.
After all is said and done, I think I want Sirius's music programming over XM's delivery system. My wife wants Sirius for NPR. The guy I commute with wants XM, 'cause he's a baseball nut. The guys I race with from Colorado want XM for NASCAR, and well, another buddy from Seattle is going with Sirius to get the NFL games. And we all know PC Magazine's Ulanoff is going with Sirius for Stern. Maybe getting both isn't a bad idea.
HERE IS A LINK TO THE STORY:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ttzd/20041110/tc_techtues_zd/139050
Satellite Radio: XM or Sirius?
Wed Nov 10, 5:33 PM ET
Patrick Norton - ExtremeTech
I've traveled thousands of miles with both XM and Sirius radio receivers wired into my truck, and I'm confident that they both work well all over the country. They both offer 60-plus channels of commercial-free music. And frankly, beyond the logos, the boxes you use to tune in XM and Sirius have quite a bit in common.
No matter which satellite provider I'm listening to, I'm continually amazed with just how cool it is to stick with a favorite music channel across three or four states' worth of bad highway. (Or the even simpler joy of having some rock music I like on the airwaves here in San Francisco.)
Satellite radio, XM or Sirius, is very cool. But is there an easy way to choose between the two?
ADVERTISEMENT
Possibly.
Who's Got What
At $9.99 per month, XM radio is a tad cheaper than Sirius, which costs $12.95. XM also has the edge in hardware technology, with the first receiver that can pause and replay what you're listening to, Delphi's SkyFi 2, along with the first personal satellite radio receiver, Delphi's MyFi.
I've also found that the audio compression used for XM sounds a tad less squished than Sirius'. (Both systems require some serious compression to save on satellite bandwidth.) With the truck windows down at 60 mph, it's hard to tell the difference between the two, but in a quiet environment, Sirius reminds me of a slightly overcompressed MP3. Neither sounds as crisp as a track played from an audio CD. If you're an audiophile, you'll notice. (And over time, probably forget, if you really enjoy the content.)
But does $3 a month cheaper, marginally better audio quality and the ability to pause what you're listening (at least on one receiver) to make XM a slam dunk? Not really: Satellite radio is less about the hardware and monthly fee, or even the audio quality, than it is about finding the content you want.
As PC Mag editor and long-term Howard Stern fan Lance Ulanoff demonstrates in "Can Shock Jock Jolt Satellite Radio?", picking between XM and Sirius can be as simple as one entertainer. Ulanoff is ready to pick up a satellite radio … when Howard leaves FM radio and starts broadcasting on Sirius in 2006. And for some folks, that one "gotta have it" programming will be the trick to choosing between XM and Sirius satellite radio.
"Opus and Andy?" XM. Professional football? Sirius has the exclusive rights to broadcast the NFL. Baseball fan? XM just picked up the rights to Major League Baseball. National Public Radio, the National Basketball Association or the National Hockey League? They all have deals with Sirius. Gotta have NASCAR (news - web sites) radio? Then you're gonna go with XM.
Want both NPR and NASCAR? Then you might want to buy two receivers, one for XM and one for Sirius.
What About Music?
Unless you're a serious Elvis fan, music probably isn't the easiest way to pick between the two satellite systems. Sirius's Channel 13, Elvis Radio, runs the King 24/7, but both systems have more than 60 commercial-free channels dedicated to different genres of rock, hip-hop, country, classical, jazz and just about every other genre of music.
That said, don't just take the salesperson's word (or mine) that both systems offer a similar range of music content. Spend some time at XMradio.com or Sirius.com and take a look at exactly what both services deliver. Case in point? Sirius has four hip-hop channels (HipHop Nation; Wax, for DJ mixes and freestyle; BackSpin, which offers old-school rap; and Shade 45, an "uncensored" hip-hop channel created by Eminem (news - web sites) and Sirius), while XM offers RAW "Uncensored Hip Hop" and The Rhyme: "Hip Hop from Day One.<"p> Both XM and Sirius offer bluegrass and old-school country channels, along with separate channels for contemporary, classic and new country. Both XM and Sirius even offer classic '80s hair bands: On Sirius, it's channel 23, Hair Nation, while XM's channel 41, the Boneyard, mixes hair bands and stadium rock.
As far as I'm concerned, satellite radio isn't just for cross-country truck drivers who don't want to constantly juggle the dial in search of a good tune. Both XM and Sirius offer an amazing array of listening, including music, sports and even talk channels. Frankly, the hardest thing about satellite radio is choosing just one provider.
After all is said and done, I think I want Sirius's music programming over XM's delivery system. My wife wants Sirius for NPR. The guy I commute with wants XM, 'cause he's a baseball nut. The guys I race with from Colorado want XM for NASCAR, and well, another buddy from Seattle is going with Sirius to get the NFL games. And we all know PC Magazine's Ulanoff is going with Sirius for Stern. Maybe getting both isn't a bad idea.
HERE IS A LINK TO THE STORY:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ttzd/20041110/tc_techtues_zd/139050