XM radio versus serious radio

Category: Broadcaster's Lounge

Post 1 by bea (I just keep on posting!) on Saturday, 12-Jan-2008 9:08:49

Is thereany truth to the XM and serious satelite radio merger? I just purchased serious radio and enjoy it very much. I make song requests though and it seems like they never get to my request in 2 hours or so. I have a portable radio unit installed in a boom box that the man at radio shack was kind enough to program for me. My antenna is near a window but wonder about the best hints for good reception constantly. Sometimes, I lose the signal.

Post 2 by fuzzy101 (The master of fuzz!!) on Sunday, 13-Jan-2008 15:51:01

Sirius has better sound quality for there music channels for both the radio and online, however XM, once you get a signals, you don't lose it since there satellites are stationary.
They do have more of a music selection and there online access is nicer too since you don't have to do the security thing every time. If sirius could find away so you could keep there signal I'd be happier with them since they have nfl and NBa coverage.

Post 3 by serrebi101 (Veteran Zoner) on Monday, 21-Jan-2008 17:16:54

For music , xm is much better. THey have more of a variety. Sirius is better if you like your sat radio sounding like fm radio promos dj etc, where xm is more like a jukebox. Xm has better electronic content by far.

Post 4 by changedheart421 (I've now got the bronze prolific poster award! now going for the silver award!) on Monday, 21-Jan-2008 21:35:09

xm rocks

Post 5 by Godzilla-On-Toast (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Tuesday, 22-Jan-2008 2:25:49

So with Sirius, it's not just that there are deejays talking and promos and things, but do they limit what they play to the stuff you can get on standard FM radio and avoid playing deeper album tracks or more obscure acts?

Post 6 by Toonhead71 (move over school!) on Tuesday, 22-Jan-2008 23:25:35

If you want more obscure acts and other weirdness, XM is most definitely what to go with. Sirius is cool but they seem to like having artist specific channels and other gimics.

Also if you like major league baseball, XM has that. My main reasons for listening to it are Opie and Anthony, the wide selection of music, the baseball games and the comedy channels. Sirius is pretty good too, it does sound more like traditional fm radio and tends to go with the more popular songs and the djs tend to chatter more. at least, that's what I noticed. It's all about what you want, both of them have good things.

Post 7 by SpectroGenie (thanks for reading) on Saturday, 02-Feb-2008 20:54:21

both have there weeknesses and there strong points. This is why the murjer will be great for us the listeners

Post 8 by KC8PNL (The best criticism of the bad is the practice of the better.) on Sunday, 03-Feb-2008 3:21:14

i must disagree on the murger being a good thing. I think it will be the end of competitive pricing, content, and will lead to sattellite radio's demise if another company doesn't come around. When there is only one game in town, they can do whatever the hell they want and get away with it. I personally like XM better because of the more unique content offered, Opie and Anthony, and the NHL. Now if u r a big NFL fan, a fan of howard stern, or of radio in it's more traditional formats, I'd say go with serious. Just don't think you'll be able to access their stations online easily if you are using a screen reader, because it was extremely dificult to navigate the last time I visited their site. I was considering trying a trial subscription to serious, but the website issue was enough to turn me away from subscribing.

Post 9 by SpectroGenie (thanks for reading) on Monday, 04-Feb-2008 19:28:21

I honestly don't understand the web site issue. They have an audable code you can enter. I also can't dissagree with you about how if they murj they can raze there prices and pritty much do what they want. We can only hope that doesn't happen. How ever with them coming together it will offer the listener more choices. Time will only tell if they want to jack there prices up to an unreasonable amount.

Post 10 by matt02392 (Veteran Zoner) on Tuesday, 11-Mar-2008 5:32:34

well, i would love it if they would make eether of those networks available outside of the usa. I live in the UK and i can't get it. However, i do listen online and love sirius. If xm and sirius murged, i wonder what they would do with available spectrum. I hope they would give you the same channels as you already get.

Post 11 by oldskoolrapper (On da block) on Friday, 21-Mar-2008 10:28:55

I'm trying XM Radio Online I have a trial and I like. XM and Serious like the same to me. I don't see a different. People just go by the name both play the same music and good service.

Post 12 by KC8PNL (The best criticism of the bad is the practice of the better.) on Saturday, 22-Mar-2008 5:23:01

I don't think the murger will go through, and I hope it doesn't. First of all, since there is a lot of duplicate programming, or a lot of stuff that is similar with each service, this means that lots of people will lose their jobs. And, if they do murge, what's to stop them from raising prices over time? The FCC won't approve it I don't think for these reasons. Besides, part of the orriginal agreement with allowing both services to exist states that they will never murge, so I just don't see it happening thankfully. To the user in the UK, don't you have a similar satellite service in the UK?

Post 13 by serrebi101 (Veteran Zoner) on Tuesday, 29-Apr-2008 23:10:19

Sattlelight radio is a premium commodity a lot of people don't need. Especially with an windows application like screemer radio, internet radio is just as accessible as any radio.

Post 14 by fuzzy101 (The master of fuzz!!) on Friday, 02-May-2008 23:49:07

XM and Sirius have there major differences.
Ranging from sound quality to music content, and sports coverage.
One thing that XM rains supreme over sirius with is there site and how accessible it is.
With sirius, you have to enter a security thing just to log in and listen over the web.

Post 15 by OjosDeMiCorazon (That's how I roll!) on Saturday, 03-May-2008 1:44:14

I have xm radio, and love it so far. However, I'm finding interesting that most of you have praised xm for its superb song sellection, and a variety of channels. Sirius is run by strictly DJ's, while xm has a contractual agreement with clear channel communications, a company which owns most markets with AM and FM stations throughout the US. I would think that most of you would praise sirius for not giving in to clear channel and building a radio central from the ground up. XM however, has much better reception, simply due to the fact that one isn't restricted to the US. I have traveled to Canada and Mexico and have had success with XM. Also, I agree that XM has a much better website, although I do miss listening to the NFL and NBA. Getting MLB and NHL is nice, and there is a great lineup. A question though, why are there some stations on xm online that aren't available via the radio itself? I like the latin jazz station, and a few others that I wish could be accessed with my radio, but can only listen online. Bummer.

Post 16 by changedheart421 (I've now got the bronze prolific poster award! now going for the silver award!) on Saturday, 03-May-2008 15:29:20

Ok I am slightly changing my opinion here. XM will always be my first choice but a friend I work with got sirius in her car and I am finding they play newer stuff than xm. Just a thought.

Post 17 by DRripple (Generic Zoner) on Saturday, 03-May-2008 15:55:15

The minimum conditions that Dingell and Markey are looking for the FCC to impose include the pricing constraints that the two companies have already submitted. This would prevent the merged entity from raising prices once the merger is complete.

Another requirement is the enablement of open radios. While XM and Sirius have both said they would produce radios capable of receiving each other's signals, this proposal goes much further.

An open radio would be able to support technologies outside of radio, including the nascent HD Radio technology, as well as non-satellite radio related features. Additionally, any company would be permitted to produce radios, rather than the small group that currently does so now.