B.C.

I'm looking at getting a Home Unit, and want the best one. Any comments that can help me decide?

XM Satellite Radio (nasdaq: XMSR - news - people )
Headquarters: Washington, D.C.
Year founded: 1992
Investors: Honda (nyse: HMC - news - people ), Clear Channel Communications (nyse: CCU - news - people ), General Motors (nyse: GM - news - people ), DirecTV
Market capitalization: $2.48 billion
Employees: 384
2002 revenue: $20.2 million
2002 loss: $98.4 million
CEO: Hugh Panero
Notable on-air personalities: longtime New York radio personality Jonathan Schwartz; record producer Quincy Jones; Junior Marvin, former guitarist with Bob Marley and the Wailers
Number of satellites: two, named Rock and Roll
Subscribers: 1 million as of Oct. 27
Basic subscription rate: $9.99 per month
Date of commercial availability: Nov. 12, 2001
Exclusive channels: Playboy Radio, MTV Radio, KISS-FM from Los Angeles, NASCAR



Sirius Satellite Radio (nasdaq: SIRI - news - people )
Headquarters: New York City
Year founded: 1990
Investors: Ford Motor (nyse: F - news - people ), DaimlerChrysler (nyse: DCX - news - people )
Market capitalization: $2.31 billion
Employees: 304
2002 revenue: $805,000
2002 loss: $69 million
CEO: Joseph Clayton
Notable on-air personalities: Pamela Anderson; singer Michael Feinstein; rappers Grand Master Flash and Curtis Blow.
Number of satellites: three
Subscribers: 149,612 as of Oct. 29
Date of commercial availability: July 1, 2002 (nationwide)
Basic subscription rate: $12.95 per month
Exclusive channels: NBA basketball, NHL hockey, National Public Radio





BC

The Raptor

I've had XM for 1 1/2 years. It is excellent: around 125 channels, totally commercial free, digital quality. It has a station each for music from the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80, 90s, 00s. Each has nostalgic commercials and newscasts that really take you back. I have three friends in the gym that had Sirius and switched to XM. Sirius supposedly has a little better reception because its antennas are at higher elevations, but all three say they can't detect any difference. XM has more channels. I get an email every week from XM with a list of weekly specials. You can drive cross country and listen to the same channel. I can drive up Angeles Crest with no breaks in reception.

tbtak

I'm the Operations/Parts Manager for Costa Mesa Infiniti and if we sell 10 units over the counter 9 are XM, that's what the Infiniti drivers like and want, don't ask me why.

PeterBinSDs2k

I've had XM for 2+ years, a pioneer in the car and sony on my puter...

channel 41, THE BONEYARD!!!...*G* is the channel...

or 46 Top Tracks or 41 Fred...

and then you have 100+ others...

I listen to all kinds of music from

81 Dance/Techno to

71 Watercolors Jazz/Blues...

o, and then I listen to that classical stuff too... there are a few channels of that...

but then, I think I'm crazy...

You may want to look at the Delphi system, seems to be the most versitile/mobile...

r,

Kel

Are there forgien music channels on there too?

TrophyFodder

I had the XM modulator in my MINI, and when I traded it in for the S the first mod was the Alpine XM receiver.

This is the only satelite radio that does not require external componets. No MP3 but with XM I don't miss it. The XM antenna is also smaller than Sirius.

PeterBinSDs2k

not a lot...

go here to see the full channel lineup:

http://www.xmradio.com/programming/full_ch...jsp?sort=number

r,

Nicotunes

[QUOTE=TrophyFodder,Jul 30 2004, 08:42 PM]

Kel

I guess I'll jsut stick with waiting for Alpine's iPod interface to come out.

Spryguy

Most all the cars I rented from Avis had the XM system and I found it worked really well............Wide variety of programming and the reception was outstanding - Also I traveled all over West Texas (which is nothing but miles and miles of nothing but miles and miles) and never lost the signal even though I was several hundred miles from anything resembling civilization.

My son also has XM in his new Acura TL and loves it.