Curious...why didn't you hold on to the XM stuff? Did you want to get a different unit?

Mobycat, I sold it because it was the Pioneer unit, that was not FM modulated. And the XM receiver I had was the 900 model, which can't be adapted to FM modulation. It doesn't have the ports on it. I also unloaded the antenna with it, because I knew the two would kind of need to be together to fetch a high selling price.

I sold the head unit too, which was a nice powerful Pioneer 4400 model, but I like the look of the Xterra's stereo, even though it is wimpy as hell.

My plan is to buy an FM modulated Kenwood setup

http://www.kenwoodusa.com/product/redirectFeature.jsp?goToUrl=product.jsp%3FproductId%3D2472

and install in into the truck, as the backlighting matches the 2002 head unit. I will mount the FM modulator behind the controller unit under the existing stereo, and the little receiver box under the seat.

Man, I am into this stuff. it is great. $10.00 bucks a month to listen to nothing but music. I love it. And even though Sirius is $3 more, I actually like the programming better.

OH, so you are going to Sirius then? (Or am I reading that wrong?)

One company (Sony, maybe?) is coming out with a fully portable unit. (I assume that means it is self contained - no need for a separate radio)

I don't know 100% yet, but I think I may make the switch. I had XM for three months, and though it is great, I listen to Sirius at work, and I like the programming better. Problem with XM is that so many folks are listening already, that they are beginning to offer TOO much variety. It's good that they are listening to the customers. That will make them profitable and make them popular. But, there is getting to be more talk shows on the MUSIC channels. That is a big no-no in my book. Not commercials, but annoying talk shows. No thanks.

Sirius, to some, seems boring and bland because the DJ's don't talk much and there is little variety outside of music on the music channels.

HELLO??????

I thought that's what we were doing here. Also, as noted by other posters, the evil Clear Channel has a minor stake in Xm, and may not exert a lot of influence right now, but give them time. There is a plan for satellite radio. That plan is to open it up as purely music, without commercials and ads. That will change. Without advertising, no product can survive. My opinion. XM will begin to have more commercials as we go along. Sirius may actually sink first, as they are slow out of the gate with subscriptions. But it will be fun while it lasts.

Ashleynatlanta,

Did you install the XM system yourself, and was it hard to do? How did the antenna install look, bad? I'm asking because I just installed an Alpine 7995 and it's XM ready. I too am sick of regular radio, and besides, the reception of satelite radio kicks ass. One more question, how much were you paying a month?

This doesn't sound like Sirius has much of a future:

http://www.wired.com/news/mp3/0,1285,55706,00.html

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20021011/bs_nm/media_sirius_dc_1

With a subscription base of only 6,510 generating $54,000 - how much longer can they go on?

I don't know about Sirius...but that article on Wired is such a load of shit.

I was at NAB Radio 2002 in Seattle last month. They are blind to satellite radio - and try to ignore it. All this talk about digital radio bringing them into the game with satellite radio is wrong.

Hey guys...it's not so much the "digitalness" of satellite that beats your ass...its the CONTENT! Last night on my drive home I heard Xymox. When have you EVER heard them on a non-college station? Oh wait...that would be....NEVER.

IBOC, digital terrestrial (sp?), whatever you want to call it, will NOT give broadcast stations any edge. They STILL have way too many commercials, they STILL play the same old crap. They STILL have DJ's that don't know when to shut up. They STILL have lame morning shows. They STILL have to adhere to the FCC's seven words.

Washington DC is the #8 metro market (at least for television). And what radio do we have?

WAMU - NPR (American University)
WETA - NPR
WARW Classic Rock - Infinity Broadcasting
WPGC Urban - Infinity Broadcasting
WASH Adult contemporary - Clear Channel
WMZQ Country - Clear Channel
WHFS Alternative - Infinity Broadcasting
DC101 rock - Clear Channel
104.1 top 40 - Bonneville

Notice a pattern here? And on which of these channels am I going to hear Elvis Costello? Oh wait...none. I can hear him on 3 or 4 channels on XM.

One second is too much for something you're paying for. Is six minutes worth of commercials acceptable for HBO? It's not to me.

but you pay for USA, CNN, MTV, etc.. and last I checked they have commericals.. heck, more than the "free" broadcast stations sometimes..

How many people that have XM or Sirius complain about the fee? No me!!! I live in LA,Ca and listen to hard rock. It may com as a surprise but there is no hard rock station in LA. Here if you don't listen to Spanish music or Rap you are out of luck. I gladly pay the $9.99/month for XM's UNCENSORED programming! The commercials that are on XM are very short and only come on one at a time, spaced apart. I think I can handle the 15 seconds of torture to be able to hear good music. Now if we could only convince them to offer a Punk station:)

I'd like to see a Industrial/Goth channel.

I was just curious what this statement was all about. It was just stuck in the middle of two sentences for no apparent reason.

Well here is a taste of metro LA!

KPWR: CHR/Rhythmic- Emmis
KROQ: Alternative- Infinity
KIIS/KVVS: CHR/Pop- Clear Channel
KTWV-FM: Smooth Jazz- Infinity
KOST-FM: AC- Clear Channel
KKBT-FM: Urban- Radio One
KRTH-FM: Oldies- Infinity
KLOS-FM: Classic Rock- ABC
KYSR-FM: Hot AC- Clear Channel
KHHT-FM: Urban AC- Clear Channel
KCBS-FM: Classic Rock- Infinity
KZLA-FM: Country- Emmis
KLSX-FM: Talk- Infinity
KBIG-FM: AC-Clear Channel
KMZT-FM: Classical- Mt Wilson FM

Out of the top 15 english speaking radio stations in LA, 5 are Infinity and 5 are Clear Channel. Imagine what Viacom (Infinitie's parent) or Clear Channel would do if they were threatened by a better format that wasn't dictated to by them...

Check this out-->
"Clear Channel Radio, the largest operator of radio stations in the United States, provides advertisers with a coast-to-coast platform of more than 1200 stations. Broadcasting across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Clear Channel programming reaches more than 110 million listeners every week. Advertisers spend nearly 20% of their radio advertising dollars with Clear Channel.
In addition to the reach of our own 1200 stations, Clear Channel’s Premiere Radio Network syndicates more than 100 programs to more than 7,800 radio stations total. Premiere reaches 180 million+ listeners a week with its network of top #1 names including Rush Limbaugh, Dr. Laura Schlessinger, Rick Dees, Casey Kasem, Jim Rome, Carson Daly and Art Bell. Premiere also broadcasts Clear Channel Entertainment concerts and new CD debuts, enhancing the synergies between divisions."

Rush Limbaugh? Rick Dees? Carson FRICKEN Daly??? I don't wanna hear Chumps like that!! I'll stick with my XM. In fact I was listening to good ol' Sam Kinison on ch 150 the other day and it just reafirmed what a good decision XM was!!!!

Ok

Can someone explain to me how payment for XM Radio works?

I mean, it looks like you are paying ~ $10 a month. How does this payment work? How does the unit know that you are paying your monthly fee?

This audio comes down from the satelites in space, right? I mean, I don't understand how this is different, than say, GPS. ?

Thanks ;0

The same way a cell phone works, it has an ESN (Electronic Serial Number). When you pay, your ESN is enabled. If you don't pay, they shut it off.

HmmI wonder how long until people start cloning XM Radios then?

Does the radio constantly send out your ESN? I mean, does it like have to make a connection before you can receive?

Does this work across the country? Can you go out of range? Better than cellphone suond Q, right?

I hate to speak for someone else but Steve from our group said he only lost reception once or twice while in the canyons on the way to GOX from KC. I on the other hand went hours without finding a station on regular fm.

Please, allow me to elaborate for folks who don't listen to "today's" music.

In the new Song by Tom Petty, The Last DJ, he makes a lot of references to DJ's having to play what they are told to play. And he makes an obvious reference to satellite radio by saying something to the effect of "what used to be free, you now have to pay for".

There is the meaning of my sentence.

Ta-dow.

More Sirius woes today...

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/business/technology/3857936.htm

The power of advertising. XM was advertising all over the place last year (remember David Bowie dropping through the ceiling?). Sirius hasn't advertised for squat.

I will say I have XM in my Frontier and love it. I live in Nashua, NH and drive all over New England, especially Vermont. in my travels there, I go into areas where FM sucks and reception can be spotty at times. My XM has cut out a few times momentarily, usually when I am in a canyon and surrounded all around by large rock walls. It will also cut out for a second if I go under bridges or am right next to an 18 wheeler. Not sure why it does it then, but its usually no big deal and still worth the $$$..

AFP.