Satellite Radio Reviews

How Wireless Broadband Has Affected The Satellite Radio Industry

admin — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Until recently, satellite radio was simply the best radio product on the market. Virtually all of the country has a variety of radio stations depending on what types of programming are popular in those markets. FM frequency is a limited commodity however; so many people live in areas where much if not all of the broadcast radio offerings are not to their tastes.Satellite radio enjoyed almost a decade of offering the best radio that could be purchased by consumers. Prices were generally cheap and many consumers purchased multi-year packages and are happy with the wide range selections of programming that satellite radio offers. And all was good in the satellite radio marketplace until a little company calledClear came along and changed the playing field forever.4g wireless internet offers consumers affordable wireless broadband internet at a price anyone who can afford satellite radio would be happy to pay once they learn that there are literally tens of thousands of high quality internet radio stations available for them to listen to on the internet in addition to having the convenience of wirelessly surfing the web no matter where you are.As consumers become more aware of what the internet has to offer in radio station selection, satellite radio will become less important in the consumer entertainment industry. Internet appliances that focus exclusively on internet radio are widely available on the internet and combined with wireless internet access provide a listening experience and selection that dwarfs all others.

Dr. Laura Finds a New Home on Sirius

www.satelliteradioreviews.net — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Less 6th months after announcing her final day on the radio airwaves, Dr. Laura Schlessinger is back in the booth. Ending her radio show amid concerns she could no longer express her 1st amendment rights (religion, speech, petition, assembly, press, for those counting at home) and “say what’s on her mind,” it seems Dr. Laura has found a suitable solution for the limitations of standard broadcast radio. On January 3, 2011, she will join the Sirius XM programming lineup, it what is believed to be a multiyear deal. Satellite radio, free of the tight FCC regulations that restrict radio personalities in other mediums, will indeed give Dr. Laura more free forum for expression. Of course, this could be interpreted as anti-Stern positioning, with Dr. Laura on record as saying she would never work for the same company as the self-proclaimed “King of All Media.” Then again, their on-air presence in the Sirius XM airspace may never overlap, as Stern’s contract expires on December 31, with no indications to this point that it will be renewed going forward. While Stern has been the biggest name in radio controversy over the past 2 decades, Dr. Laura is no stranger to her own controversy throughout her time in the spotlight, providing a logical backdrop to the career move. She has been criticized by Gay, Lesbian and Transgendered audiences since she announced her controversial views on homosexuality, citing it as a biological error. More recently, just before announcing the end of her show, Dr. Laura came under fire for her use of the word “ngger” in an on-air broadcast. Though she did not use it in a derogatory manner, merely uttering the epithet, a total of 11 times no less, drew harsh criticism in the African American community.

Sirius without Stern?

www.satelliteradioreviews.net — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 21:43:17 +0000

When Howard Stern first moved to Sirius to start the 2006 year, he was credited as a major reason for the initial success of the business, believed to have attracted more than 2 million subscriptions to the service. Now with Howard Stern’s contract on the brink of expiration and no certainty surrounding his return, what might be the implications for letting the crudest, rudest radio personality take his talents elsewhere in the world of airwaves?For starters, Sirius would save a lot of money, and as with any financial surplus they could use that money however they see fit. How much money is at stake here? Sterns original contract spanned 5 years paying out 500 million, so according to the laws of simple division 100 million dollars a year. These funds could be allocated to acquire new talent, perhaps covering a broader area of expertise than just one man, no matter how popular may provide. As there are only a few familiar voices out there who could command a Stern-esque pay day, it is fair to assume that with Stern’s salary at their disposal, several new DJs could be brought in to fill the void and pretty much any familiar radio celebrity in the world would be well within the price range. Sirius could choose to go another route, instead using the cash influx to improve technology or lower subscription costs.Sure, Stern is popular and has a wide fan base. Were he to be taken off the Sirius radio ticket, the company would inevitably lose a large amount of subscriptions, but the number of listeners who dropped their service would by no means come close to the total listeners Stern brought to Sirius. They may have come for Stern, but they will stay for the countless other benefits satellite radio provides. As little as die-hard Stern fans would like to admit it, going back to the limited, commercial interrupted world of regular radio after undergoing 5 years of acclimation to superior sound and selection quality simply isn’t worth making a stand.

How has the Sirius XM merger changed satellite radio?

admin — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 14:51:17 +0000

In the old days it was clear, both XM and Sirius were two separate entities each with a certain selection of talk and music options that fit the various needs of different listeners. XM had more channels and was cheaper for those on a budget. Sirius, on the other hand had higher end sound quality and offered internet listening at no additional charge, bringing the total price of the package for those who enjoy streaming their radio over the web. A primary difference in the two services also boiled down to personality. Not just the personality of each would be listener, but the radio personalities prominently featured on either Sirius or XM. For example, Sirius held exclusive rights to talk radio bad boy Howard Stern on his own uncensored station. For some it boiled down to baseball vs. football, as XM struck a deal with Major League Baseball to broadcast every game, while Sirius listeners enjoyed limitless NFL coverage. Now that the two major radio providers have merged to form a satellite super-company, a lot of potential subscribers are left wondering, “Sure the same stockholders will benefit from my subscription, but is there a difference between XM and Sirius?”In late 2008, the new Sirius XM began broadcasting a new combined programming lineup in a cost saving effort to cut back duplication between the two separate subscriptions. The new combined lineup featured a variety of cuts that have left some long time listeners disappointed to find their favorite programs had been replaced. This also increased layoffs of many live on-air personalities. Still, Sirius XM offers an unparalleled array of both music, talk and sports stations that are unrivaled by any other provider. Though the new face of satellite radio may take some getting used to for old patrons, listeners can’t be disappointed with the combination of quality and variety.

The Advantages of Satellite Radio

admin — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:45:35 +0000

With over 19 million Sirius XM listeners tuning out the traditional AM and FM radio, is satellite radio all it is hyped up to be? For generations, radio was afree commodity, symbolizing a sense of freedom both in the music played and the ease of accessibility for everybody. Then again, water was free for hundreds of years but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t money to be made by bottling it, putting bubbles it in or further purifying it well beyond drinkable requirements. While many can’t claim to tell the difference between the finest bottle of Evian and what leaks out of their faucet on in the morning, the benefits of satellite radio programming sing out loud and clear.Satellite radio is available almost everywhere in the country, with consistency between your stations no matter where you travel. With AM or FM coverage, you might find a radio station you like just outside of St. Louis but well before you’ll be hitting the seek button in search of stronger signal before you’re even half way to Kansas City. Satellite radio allows you to trek across the country’s heartland listening to the same station the whole way through. This is because a satellite signal’s footprint covers millions of square miles, whereas FM AM radio is restricted areas that are higher in population, making service in rural area between cities and towns extremely limited.Listeners also enjoy a much wider variety of channels with several different programming options within each genre. Even in a major metro area such as New York or Los Angeles, you’d be hard pressed to find more than a few listenable stations that satisfy each niche.While your options are limitless, your commercial interruption is noticeably limited. Don’t be fooled, Satellite radio still has advertisers and isn’t commercial free as some subscribers expect, but you can finally say goodbye to DJ’s bragging about “40 minute music hours” only to interject both between songs and on extended breaks. If you’re not morally opposed to paying for radio, satellite’s superior quality and programming no doubt an upgrade.

Sirius Backseat TV

admin — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:40:09 +0000

The SCV1 satellite radio tuner is the first of its kind, bringing suddenly silent and well behaved backseats to appreciated moms and dads across the country. By connecting with Sirius Backseat TV, the SCV1 is able to offer the three biggest names in family friendly programming suitable for children of all ages: Nickelodeon, the Disney Channel and Cartoon Network. Sirius Backseat Television content is live 24 hours and 7 days, so even on long, overnight car trips, the front seat can enjoy care free ride while the backseat is intensely glued to their favorite TV shows, such as “Spongebob Squarepants” and “Hannah Montana.”The SCV1 is designed to work in any car that is equipped with an FM radio and a rear seat video monitor. If your kids are tired of picking from the same small collection of DVDs over and over, those TV screens can finally be put to some fresh use with Sirius Backseat TV’s multi-channel lineup. The SCV1 also comes with a wired controller, so once your kids grow tired of a particular station, they can simply change the channel just as they would at home, without having to ask an adult for assistance. Front seat passengers can still enjoy regular Sirius XM satellite radio programming, no matter what is being watched in the back.Sirius Backseat TV now actually comes pre-installed in a selection of new vehicles, some offering a free trial of the subscription depending on the dealer. 2010 model cars in which pre-installation has been made available include the Dodge Grand Caravan, Dodge Journey, Dodge Ram 1500, Chrysler Town & Country and the Jeep Commander. To add a Sirius Backseat TV subscription to your existing Sirius Sattelite Radio package costs only 7.99 per month, well worth it to a lot of mom and dads who could use some peace and quiet.

Internet Radio Fighting for its life

admin — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:31:56 +0000

Over the past few years internet radio companies such as Pandora have risen in popularity, especially with the younger crowd, with their ability to offer streaming radio content for a wide variety of stations with no charge to the listener. You might be stuck listening to a brief 15 second commercial or two and can only skip a certain number of songs due to licensing constraints, but Pandora’s free radio platform has exceeded 48 million users in an amazingly short time frame.This free ride may soon be coming to its end with AT&T announcing new data usage charges for its new customers. Both iphone and ipad users using AT&T for the first time will no longer be able to opt for the unlimited data package currently available to subscribers. The new limited model of the “unlimited” data plan offers 200 MB for 15 per month, 2 GB for 25 per month and an extra 10 charge for each additional GB. This will not affect customers on the current unlimited plan. This tiered data system allows for sizeable usage quotas but still may have a sizeable impact on internet radio listeners, in addition to people who often enjoy movies or TV on their phone through both Netflix and Hulu applications. Other service providers, including Verizon, maysoon followAT&T’s lead in revamping their data packages.While Pandora’s platform may call for free internet radio, they have no control over what your service provider charges for the data usage necessary to stream content to your mobile device. This is not only unwelcome news to frequent internet radio listeners, companies like Pandora will not receive any cash benefit as a result of AT&T’s new policy. With internet radio a limited option for new users in the foreseeable future as prices are forecasted to skyrocket, satellite radio is a welcome alternative, providing similar options with regards to station diversity and signal strength across varying locales.

Golden Oldies Among XM Portable Receivers

admin — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:26:48 +0000

Satellite radio has revolutionized the way we listened to music, not only in our car but when we are on the move as well. Portable satellite radio receivers allow you to take your limited commercial, limitless option listening experience with you, wherever you go, but can be pricy. Here is a look at two older satellite radio receivers reviewers have loved for years now that might be best to get you started:Delphi MyFi XM2GO The design of this product is both functional and accessible. It comfortably fits in the palm of your hand without compromising its usability. The layout is both sleek and easy to use, making it a viable option even for new users less familiar with the technology. While yes, this is an older model satellite radio receiver, it is still a fan favorite with many owners choosing not to upgrade and simply purchase another MyFi. Not only has it stood the test of time, but its durable hard plastic body will help your individual unit last longer as well. A color screen would be a definite upgrade, but as far as your listening experience goes, this elder statesman among portable receivers still gets the job done.Tao XM2GO - This receiver was released around the same time as the Delphi model, and in its heyday was seen as a top of the line XM portable receiver, complete with a wide array of bells and whistles. The design of this model isn’t quite as sleek as the Delphi but it comes with a remote control that makes it much easier to use even from across the room, if you don’t simply plan on this being a hand held device. While it too has a hard plastic case make it durable through repeated drops, users report this device tends to max out its lifespan after around 2 years. Still, if you are looking for an entry level receiver just to check out the technology and plan on upgrading to a newer model within a year or two anyway, the Tao will not only serve your needs but give you a feel for some more complex features and functions of satellite radio.

Bringing back the Boom Box

admin — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:23:21 +0000

While satellite radio is often thought of as a primarily in-car luxury, its sound can be enjoyed outside at the beach or a friend’s barbecue just as you would a vintage portable boom box. This isn’t a endorsement to pull a John Cusack in Say Anything, but you should know there’s still technology available to make full blast front lawn serenades a realistic option.For your satellite radio speaker box needs, the Audiovox Sirius SUBX2 comes very highly recommended. This easy to use model is compatible with Sportster, Stratus as well as Starmate dock and play radios. The two way speakers and single bass enhanced subwoofer allow for plenty of sound to carry across the yard or loud enough to fill a floor. The SUBX2 is easily carried with a concealable fold up handle and is powered by either 8 D-cell batteries or an attachable AC power adapter, enabling you to take it with you or set it up in a more permanent location. Auxillary input jacks allow you to connect MP3 players or other audio devices.In appearance, the unit looks similar to the iHome device, compatible with an iPod, but has much larger front facing speakers contributing to the increased sound. Its sharp, black design lends well to both home and office set ups, serving as a subtle complement to almost any room design .The SUBX2 provides relatively good value with its high end functions, generally priced just under 70 depending on where you look. Among the few complaints, some users long for a longer AC power cord which could provide more mobility without having to switch to battery power. Additionally, the enhanced bass subwoofer can sometimes cloud or mumble voices when listening to news or talk radio shows. Of course, you can always disconnect the device or attach a pair of headphones if you don’t wish to listen to such programs at such a high volume.