On Tue, 14 Dec 2004 08:53:19 -0500, "Eisboch"
wrote:

I am thinking of getting either the Sirius or XM radio service. I'd like
the portable type, so I can move it from the car, house and boat. (boating
content)

Anybody with experience with these services and recommendations of either?
The problem in this part of Florida is lack of program diversity with the
commercial stations. There is one decent station, but it plays the same
songs at the same time everyday and right now they are playing Christmas
music for the whole month of December. Other choices are a couple of
country stations, but I can only take so much of that. The rest seems to
be all smooth jazz or rap music which I really dislike.

I have both. In my experience, Sirius is much better that XM.

Point for point, the programming is about the same - different channel
names, same type of genre programming. It's wash actually. Pretty
amazing considering the two different corporate programming
approaches. Sirius does have an edge over XM as they rotate their
music programming on a regular basis tweaking the playlists more often
that XM - usually twice a month. XM does it once a month - some
channels once every two months.

XM does have a pay-for-play subscription for some of their services,
in particular Opie and Anthony (the NYC WNEW idiot jocks who were
fired for playing a couple having sex in the foyer of St. Pats
Cathedral). Sirius is pretty straight forward, but I've head that
Stern will be a pay-for-play. I never cared for either one of them,
so that's not a big deal for me.

The major joy of both systems is the strange music programming -
mostly world music which can be an absolute giggle. You haven't lived
unless you have listened to "Rock A Hula Baby" or "Gilligan's Island
theme" sung in Hawaiian.

The one thing I noticed immediately is the difference in reception.
Sirius has it all over XM. I'm not sure why considering that the two
satellite systems are about the same latitude and longitude in terms
of orbit. It might be a power thing or maybe the digitizing scheme is
different, but Sirius does not have same amount signal fade as I've
experienced with XM. My wife's car has XM (it came with it) and she
has a free subscription (long story) so I can compare the two fairly
readily. At this latitude/longitude, with the satellites so low on
the horizon, that's a big consideration.

Dollar for dollar, they are fairly comparable. The equipment costs
are about the same depending on what you want to purchase. Both
systems are fairly portable (you may have to purchase new cradles and
antennas to make the receivers totally transportable). XM has just
introduced a new Walkman style receiver which I have played with a
little at a store. It's subject to fade and needs a fairly clear view
of the sky in order to get relatively uninterrupted reception. It's a
neat concept though.

Sirius allows you access to their programming via the web if you want
to go that way - I believe that XM does the same - it's built into the
subscription package.

It all comes down to price and performance. As I said, in my
experience, Sirius is better.

To tell the truth, it's a coin toss.

Later,

Tom