So did anyone else get the letter? They are jacking their price from 9.99 to 12.95.

So to make us feel "good" they are including the PC streaming and the new talk station with Opie and Anthony.

Here's an idea, XM - I don't give a rat's ass about Opie and Anthony (they SUCK) and I cannot listen to music on the PC (kinda hard when you are working with video that happens to have audio you HAVE to listen to). So why not let me opt out of that crap?

Bastards.

Thats bullshit, I was about to get XM too! I mean less then 3 bucks isnt to much but being more then 10 dollars makes it seem so much more.

One of their big selling points over Sirius was price since XM was cheaper. Guess that's out the window. Hopefully Sirius wont follow suite and raise their prices - I was thinking of signing up with them when Howard Stern moves over.

HD radio will give them a run for the $$ in the next few years anyway - and that's free. (well, no monthly fees anyway - tuners are around $800 right now but are sure to come way down). Better quality too,

Who does XM think they are anyway, the cable company?

i think if you already signed a contract with XM before the price increase you will not be affected. but for future customers the new prices will be in affect.

I don't get the whole paying for radio thing. Is XM and the other one really that much better than the horrible shit you hear over regular airwaves? I can't stand radio any more and only tune in to get the quick traffic updates when I'm on the road.

I got rid of XM after 3 months. Couldnt hold a signal. Called to complain and they told me that they only have two satilites where sirus has 3. XM satilites are geostationary, so you need a veiw to the southwest, whereas sirus has 3 and they are not geostationary. Anyway, even if i still had them, i would have most likely canceled after they hiked the rates.

I used to think it was stupid to pay for radio too. When the deal came up to get the free sirius car unit I figured I would try it out. At first it was just ok. Then when I found the right stations for me it has been an awesome experience.

People used to wonder why someone would pay for TV when cable first came out too.

HD radio will NOT give them a run for the money. I didn't get XM for the sound quality...I got it for the CONTENT. If broadcast radio stays the same - with Clear Channel ruling, it won't change anything but the sound quality.

I listened to HD radio at NAB last year...it DOES sound fantastic, I'll give them that. But that means nothing if I'm stuck listening to the same songs over and over and all the commercials they stick in there.

As far as the sound quality...for the most part, people listen in their cars...unless you are standing still with the car off, it's not going to be much different.

Side note - before anyone says it, I know $3 isn't much...but it still pisses me off.

I got XM for the X shortly after its launch and have been happy ever since. I cannot stand commercials on FM, nor listen to a bunch of morning or evening disc jockeys talk about absolutely nothing or sing along with the music they are playing. I think it is still worth it, you get what you pay for. HD radio or digital radio will be free, but there will still be talk and ads. I want to hear music. The online streaming is nice because you can pipe it through a network adapter and stream it to your house stereo. I've never had a signal problem except up in Maine where the angle is to great. And you can still prepay to get the price down. Perhaps the added cost has to do with MLB games coverage this year.

After April 2nd, new customers and old customers go to $12.95 a month UNLESS....
You pay for a yearly package in advance. If you pay quarterly, then the next quarter that comes up will be at $12.95/month. This was explained in the letter from XM.

HD radio is free after buying a $500 receiver. You are right about you'll still hear the same lame stuff, just much clearer. Haha...
XM rocks! Different stuff everyday, no commercials and if you buy the multiyear package, it is discounted. New prices in effect April 1. Buy now and get a 3 year subscription and don't worry about your measely $3.

XM /Sirus is great in Colorado. Most of the fm/am stations are located on the front range and it is slim pickings and static in the mountains. XM comes in clear anywhere.

I will switch to Sirus, not from the price increase, but because NASCAR is switching to Sirus. I don't see why both can't NASCAR. but that is another issue.

To expand on the XM v. HD thing...

When I was out at NAB Radio in Seattle a couple years ago, they (the broadcasters) kept on and on about how HD was going to put them so far and above the satellite radio services. They acted like it was their magic bullet.

So last year at NAB Vegas, I stopped by the Ibiquity booth (they are the ones with the HD technology) and asked them about it - and wanted to know why the broadcasters thought that. Even THEY said it wasn't a magic bullet. Simply that it was one thing that could help.

30 percent increase, ouch!

That does suck but since I live in Hell Paso and the only spanish i know is "una mas cerveza por favor" (spelling is not too good either) XM makes sense for me...plus driving the long distances here in the west and only having old ass country or spanish stations really justifies it much more...oh well thats why i have job..

Tim

XM Radio......by far the best money I have ever spent.

Nothing like tuning into a music station and actually hearing music!! Wow! what a concept!

I agree with all of you who have purchased satellite radio for the content. I have Sirius radio, and wonder how I got along without it. No matter what type of music you like, there are several channels of it with no commercial interruption. And with Sirius, the second radio is only $6.99 monthly. The sound is terrific, and the choices are great.

A $3.00 per month increase amounts to 30% and getting very little in return is just plain greed. I have had XM for over 2 years and have been satisfied with it. My subscription is up for renewal in July; now it makes me wonder if renewing the subscription is going to be worth it.

We've got two XM radios, so our monthly is $17 right now, $20 at the start of the next billing period (mine is up again on June 03).

I agree that it is more content for me than anything else. Since my wife and I both listen to different types of music, I compare the $17 or $20 a month against the much greater amount we both used to spend on CD's.

Other than on occasional seasonal CD (i.e. Christmas stuff), I don't think we've bought but maybe 2 CD's in the last several months. That savings alone more than pays for XM, even at the newer rate.

One more little rant I have about XM...

Those of you that have it...have you noticed a considerable uptick in the talk and interuptions?

I mean, lately on the 80s channel and Fred (my two main channels) they interrupt almost every other song with either the jocks talking or XM promo spots.

C'mon XM...you don't need to announce what channel it is so often...for one thing, the radio TELLS us which one it is. For another...you are preaching to the choir...you already have us.

I have sirrius and have had it for a few years and cant live without it. Right now I'm back in socal and driving my MG for the next week and it just has regular fm/am and went to visit friends and for the 60 mile drive I think a good 60 percent of the drive it was commercials. Fm radio sucks.

The only real bitch I have about sirrius are the damn DJ's and promo's. When I switched it was a very brief interuption few and far between songs and now the frequency is increasing to every few and now they are getting to the point of talking over the songs which is annoying as hell. But its still better than 20 minutes of edited music and 40 minutes of commercials

As an XM listener and stockholder, I agree with the increase since they have expanded their channel selection, they have grown their customer base and now it is time to start making money. If you don't have either XM or Sirius, I would suggest renting a car that has it and give it a try. FM will never be the same.
I haven't bought a CD in over a year since getting XM. I also record directly to my MP3 player from my XM Roady and have music for running or working out.

NO WAY! This is the same reason I won't try Tivo.... I know I'll like it and will then be sucked into paying monthly fees for it. I'd rather remain ignorant and keep my money. :p

Yeah, but with Tivo's lifetime option, you don't have to pay a monthly fee. My first Tivo paid for itself over two years ago, my second will in less than a year.

Monthly fee's suck - I can't believe people are falling for napster...

Anybody listen to channel 16 on XM? This one XM add comes on and the lady talking has a damn annoying voice. It drives me insane

Anyway, XM is worth the $3 extra a month. I haven't bought a CD since I got XM well over a year ago nor have I listened to regular radio in my car. I have noticed an increase in XM add's, but it is still worth the cash.

Are there any big differences between XM and Sirius?

I love my Sirus system. I thought the same before getting it about why pay for radio. I travel pretty much and love the fact that I do not have to channel surf. Well worth the $$$$. Come on NASCAR.....

I personally have never listened to XM but, I do have Sirius and I love it. We bought the Sirius car kit, and the boom box so the wife can listen to it at work. Even people at her work whom have XM have stated that they like Sirius over XM. Their biggest complaint is all the yakking going on over at XM. The biggest thing that is going to help Sirius over XM is when Howard Stern makes the switch. :rolleyes: But that had no effect on my choice, in my opinion he is an over-rated windbag that talks about the same thing everday. "I have a small penis" You're hot would you sleep with me?" Sorry I had to vent that is just my opinion if you like him more power to you.

I was listening to one of the Electronica channels on XM the other night...they put in an XM promo in the MIDDLE of a song. Not after, but dead center.

THAT was ridiculous.

As far as the difference between XM and Sirius, other than the sports and some talk, it's six of one, half dozen of the other.

Ahen, Brother...

Not to hijack this thread with another topic, but Howard Stern sucks @@s.

I'm a little annoyed with the increase too, but I'm still happy with the service and I have two XM tuners, so it still works out to a reasonable price. Trying to decide if my "new" car will get a seperate tuner or if it will share with the big truck.

I actually considered trying Sirius in the big truck, but the price was better for two XM tuners and I like the Delphi equipment better than anything I've seen for Sirius. Also, word out in the trucking world is that the XM hardware is better built and more durable than that made for Sirius. Kinda important in a truck environment. I've even heard some say they preferred the content on Sirius but switched back to XM because of the Sirius hardware problems.

So, life goes on... I pay a few more bucks each month. Not as upsetting as what the games the a-hole oil companies are playing again!

BTW, Howard Stern is a jackass... he could just go away altogether and I'd never miss him!

I have XM and don't really mind the price increase. I was already paying extra for Opie & Anthony (love them) and was thinking about getting XM online so I could listen at work (i have the boombox, but no longer sit near a window at work).

I love XM and when I'm in a car without it, I go crazy if I have to listen to local radio. You get spoiled by the musical choices and commerical-free real quick!

Besides, XM has added a lot of stuff since I signed up with them two years ago...so raising it a few bucks isn't too bad.

I think you will find that the music industry is going to embrace the monthly strategy because it just makes sense to do so. As the consumer you pay $10 a month and that's it. No restrictions on downloads and no time limits. In fact, you're only restricted by the amount of storage space you have.

Think about it, bands X, Y and Z come out with new albums this month. The price to own those new discs would equate to $45 at Best Buy and $30 at iTunes. Through a site based upon the monthly fee methodology it would only cost you $10, plus you would have the opportunity to access anyone of there OTHER tracks in their library.

I would love to pay ONLY $10 a month for digital music. It would save me hundreds of dollars a year in music purchases.

As far as the arguement that you would not OWN the song I really don't care about that. As long as I would have access to that song I'm fine with it. I have hundreds of cds that are just sitting in my room collecting dust. Maybe sometime in the future I will dust off an old cd and listen to it. With the monthly fee methodology I would just redownload the songs I want to hear when I want to hear them, be it tomorrow or 15 years from now.

Hmm, guess I just don't see that much new music worth listening to To each his own I guess. I know for me, I have no intention of being beholden to the music companies for the rest of my life to pay for the privilege to listen to music :rolleyes:

As soon as you quit paying you have nothing. The songs "expire" and you no longer have access to them. No thanks.

BTW - I haven't bought a CD at retail in years. I'll typically root through a pawn shop, a bargain bin or discount on line for a CD - I still prefer to have a CD to rip from. Like I said, I've bought a few things from iTunes, but other than extreme convenience, I don't find it too good of a deal. Napster even less - esp. looking at the songs they actually have in their catalog (iTunes and other music stores have this same issue as well).

I was wondering If XM has it's pop/and or top 40 stations censored. I have Sirius and only a few of the stations are uncensored. If a song comes on the top 40 station with explicit lyris it will be edited but the same song on the Rock and Alternative station will be uncensored. What gives?

XM channel guide lets you know which stations are not censored XM channel guide

Well...I didn't read this whole thread but let me say this...

I don't give a crap if XM raises rates, it's still great stuff!!!

So much better than FM you can't even compare the two...HD radio will just be the same basic crap you hear on FM but in higher quality...and you still have to listen to commercials and it will still be regulated. For those that won't pay...think of it as HBO...I won't pay extra for that (I barely watch TV as it is)...but I will for some good music.

And compared to Sirius, XM has much deeper playlists with fewer repeats. It also has a higher sound quality...not to mention the walkman unit which works great, and the ability to record shows to listen to later!!!

I rarely ever loose signal with XM...I can get full XM in the middle of my office at least 50' from a window while my coworker who has Sirius can't get anything. XM also works better under trees than Siruis...again my co-worker has trouble getting reception when we're out camping...I have no problems.

I listened to both XM and Sirius and chose XM...just a better service with better technology. (not to mention that home recivers from a ton of companies including Sony, Kenwood, Onkyo, Yamaha, and Harmon Kardon now have XM in them).

A $3 a month rasie is not bad, I actually save money, I have 2 radios at 9.99 for one and one at $6.99 with O&A on both at $2 each, and Online which was $3 so my bill was $24 now it's $20. O&A are hilarious, and I love that they have MLB. Now I can listen to my Yanks anywhere.

Also XM just launched their 3rd Sat. and the 4th is going up later this year.

XM and Sirius are great services...well worth the extra $$

Tom