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Author Topic: Satellite Radio - anyone try it? John Wilson Film God Posts: 5438 From: Sydney, Australia. Registered: Dec 1999 posted 02-21-2007 01:40 AM                     We have nothing like that here or in Australia AFAIK, but at home on the internet I listen to Live365.com . Same theory where you can hear whatever you want to hear whenever you want to hear it...on what they claim are about 10,000 stations. There are some commercials on the free version, bu you can pay about 4 bucks a month and get it all commercial free. I haven't listened to a 'normal' radio station at home in years...never will, I think.  |  IP: Logged Steven J Hart Master Film Handler Posts: 282 From: WALES, ND, USA Registered: Mar 2004 posted 02-22-2007 07:44 PM                        I've had Sirius for a couple of years, and agree with Mike that it is a really nice service to have if you live in rural areas. I'm a Farmer (doesn't everyone need a day job!), and in my busy seasons I will spend 12-16 hours a day driving a tractor, sprayer, or harvester. The variety that Sirius radio provides is a godsend. Now the down side. The sound quality really sucks. In the tractor, I listen through Bose noise reducing headphones, and the audio sounds a lot like MP3 at 32 kb/s (mono). Sirius uses variable bit rate encoding and the talk channels sound much worse than the music channels. I have a hunch that Howard Stern's two channels get a little more bandwidth than the typical music channel because sound quality there is closer to what I consider acceptable. Everyone seems to have a different tolerance for digital audio compression - I have friends who think that Satellite radio sounds just fine. Its also crossed my mind that Sirius and XM keep the audio compressed to such an extreme to protect against piracy. It would not surprise me if Record company executives would not allow mass distribution of high bandwidth digital audio. How easy it would be to copy and distribute! I think I've rambled on enough! Steve  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 02-22-2007 07:47 PM                        Audio on XM is just fine except on voice only/data channels. Those who complain likely have uncool receivers. I hear some problems in the car, but they disappear on the Polk unit at home. Louis  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-22-2007 08:40 PM                        Steven - if you're listening thru an FM modulator, you might consider switching to a stereo that has "aux in" jacks and then plugging your satellite radio in directly. I've heard quite a few people say that XM has better sound quality but I've never heard Sirius, so can't say myself.  |  IP: Logged Bill Enos Film God Posts: 2081 From: Richmond, Virginia, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 02-22-2007 10:54 PM                     Sounds about like AM radio to me.  |  IP: Logged Steven J Hart Master Film Handler Posts: 282 From: WALES, ND, USA Registered: Mar 2004 posted 02-23-2007 07:26 AM                        Mike, I use a small 12 volt powered headphone amp to drive my Bose headphones. This amp is connected to the line out jacks on the sirius receiver. Steve  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-23-2007 06:57 PM                     Satellite radio is the only thing that comes in out in the desert and along the Pony Express Trail. Its great! Mark  |  IP: Logged Richard Greco Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1180 From: Plant City, FL Registered: Nov 2003 posted 02-23-2007 10:11 PM                     I have XM and never have had an audio problem. I personally feel XM is far superior than Sirius. Also, O & A pwns Howard  |  IP: Logged Mike Heenan Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1896 From: Scottsdale, AZ, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 02-24-2007 12:16 AM                     to Opie and Anthony...  |  IP: Logged Hillary Charles Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 748 From: York, PA, USA Registered: Feb 2001 posted 02-24-2007 07:33 AM                     For me, it's Don & Mike Of course, they're only on terrestrial radio, and syndicated on the station where my husband works. Maybe I have a bias.  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 02-24-2007 09:20 AM                       I'll second that, Mike!  |  IP: Logged Jarryd Beard Expert Film Handler Posts: 229 From: Hellertown, PA Registered: Jul 2004 posted 02-24-2007 12:39 PM                     I don't mind Opie and Anthony. I can't stand Ron and Fez.  |  IP: Logged Martin Brooks Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 900 From: Forest Hills, NY, USA Registered: May 2002 posted 02-24-2007 08:14 PM                        The announcement IS NOT that they're merging..it's that they want to merge. It's still subject to regulatory approval and while I've been wrong before, I don't think they'll get it. As far as sound quality is concerned, at least with my receiver (one of the early Sirius ones), it sucks. Listen to the left minus right out of phase difference signal. It sounds like the sound effects they use in movies when they show a satellite orbiting in space. Now listen to the difference signal off another source, like a CD. The compression and encoding of satellite seems to destroy the stereo phase information. One of these days, I'll get a different receiver and see if it makes a difference. Sometimes I listen to XM via AOL on my computer. With my little Harmon-Kardon computer speakers, it sounds fine.  |  IP: Logged

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