satellite radio advice needed

[tjavery]

My wife wants a portable satellite radio receiver for her b-day - something she can jog with and also use in the car. I vaguely know of the existece of such devices, but I need help in picking out something.

I guess the biggest question is XM or Sirius? Or does it really matter?

If you have any recommendations on brand and model for a portable radio, please let me know. Thanks!

[darktiger]

They are in the process of merging. Also it depends on what you are looking for. If you want just the hits and like to listen to sports then sirius is good. If you like to listen to music especially the ones that you have not heard in a long time or never have heard then XM is good. I had both and XM won. I like their DJ's a lot better, and in the beginning XM did not uncensor their music while Sirius did. But I they have changed, I think...

[ndsimm]

Had XM on a new car a while back and liked the programming....hated that they didn't have NFL station, but it was good anyway (comedy channels, Talk Radio and FamilyTalk are a few of my faves)
I have the XM Roady now and switch it between cars on long trips
I like being able to listen to some of the stations online as well
they have added a few more channels and almost all of them are uncensored music and talk...but I heard they were merging as well

[kb5kjn]

I have Sirius in my truck. I have never had XM, but Sirius works for me.
Go to the web sites and look at the channel line up.
Sirius only has 2 prime contry channels, 5 total the others being bluegrass and roadhouse.
If you want pop or rap - it is FULL of that!
It also has good coverage on news - FOX / CNN / CNN Headlines / Bloomberg/NPR/CBC/BBC just to name a few.
On Nascar Race days it full of driver channels! Really fun to listen to, even if you are not a nascar fan. During football season - there is a lot of games on as well.

[Steelsun]

They are almost identical (lineups, pricing, etc)
Most places (Best Buy, Target, etc) sell both types - so go to one of them to compare units and services.

I chose XM originally because it did NOT have Howard Stern, and had a good mix of metal/rock. Also had Opera and Choral channels, which my wife liked.

[andyz]

I have XM because it is on my new car. I like the lineup which you can see online. I also like the fact that I can listen on my PC, based on my cars subscription. I don't like the fact that I focus on a handful of music channels and some have commercials.

[carrbowl]

It will work in her car but when you use it jogging, I had a problem because it gets poor recepcition. Needed an antenae or something..never did figure it out...but we like it in the cars and it switches between the two cars which is nice.

[tjavery]

Cool. Thanks everyone for your advice!

We actually have a small selection of XM channels via our DirecTV. I was just wondering how Sirius compared, and also what the rest of XM was like (200 - 300 channels, right?).

Originally Posted by carrbowl

It will work in her car but when you use it jogging, I had a problem because it gets poor recepcition. Needed an antenae or something..never did figure it out...but we like it in the cars and it switches between the two cars which is nice.

Thanks! I've been doing some research on these devices, and most seem to offer internal memory and will allow you to record stuff and replay later (like when you expect to be in an area or a situation with poor reception). That might be the best solution because my wife loves to go out and jog for 1 - 2 hours at a time.

[joedanger11]

i've had xm for over a year now and i listen to it everyday... mosty cnn, fox, abc, espn, bloomberg. i do notice that there are more and more commercials lately.

you could try the online trials for each and then determine which is best.

[Jakster]

I have had an XM MiFi for a couple of years. It has a hookup for the car with another hookup for indoors and you can also put it in your your purse or pocket. It has earphone and a small antenna that hooks to your sleeve or collar when you are outside. Works great. I keep a hookup at work, a separate hookup in my car and can carry it around wherever I go.

[paul cacciapaglia]

i Have XM in the my Cadillac and Sirius in my Ford truck. I like the prgramming of Sirius much better.

[photonewb]

both services offer a free trial online

I strongly suggest you try them both out and determine which programming is the most to your liking.

I personally have been a fan of Sirius for about 3 years or so at this point. I had it installed in my Durango, and I also have it in my Charger. NFL Radio was of course one of the biggest reasons I chose it and as this may or may not be a determining factor for your wife. However, remember that you can listen to almost all the stations online using their service.

Sirius has a couple of nice small units at this point that are very portable.

I'd have to vote for Sirius if it was my choice.

[Ropinamoment]

They are merging but they said that any unit, be it Sirius or XM, they will work after the merger. My husband loves Sirius, he's a talk radio fanatic and says the sports channels are better. I love my XM and just don't find anything music wise on his Sirius that I like. I agree with whoever said to do the free trial on the net. My husband had a MyFi and loved it! Unfortunately, it got stolen out of his vehicle in Dallas.

[Lexie]

Originally Posted by Jakster

I have had an XM MiFi for a couple of years. It has a hookup for the car with another hookup for indoors and you can also put it in your your purse or pocket. It has earphone and a small antenna that hooks to your sleeve or collar when you are outside. Works great. I keep a hookup at work, a separate hookup in my car and can carry it around wherever I go.

I have XM and love it. I need the hookup like you mentioned. Just have not taken the time to find it.

[tjavery]

I think my wife would rather have a root canal than listen to talk or sports radio She's very much a die-hard music fan.