XM radio? Worth it? Any tips before I buy?

[Wcross]

I am SERIOUSLY considering buying an XM radio for an upcoming trip. I am thinking about getting the portable model that I can use in my car & in the house. I am thinking about this one- Delphi SkyFi3 XM Satellite Radio w/ Car Kit

[Reverend_Smitty]

1. If you are a baseball fan, it's definitely worth it

I'm not sure what is going to happen when XM and Sirius merge or even when that is supposed to happen but XM is great for road trips...you never lose your favorite station

[Oeditpus Rex]

8. Unless your club's on the road

In which case you're forced to listen to the other club's radio guys. XM doesn't give you a choice.

That's why I signed up again for Gameday Audio at mlb.com. The Dodgers were at San Diego last week, and I was damned if I was gonna listen to that coked-up carnival barker Ted Leitner for a single pitch.

[TreasonousBastard]

2. Absolutely! When I was on the road...

between Boston and DC a lot, Sirius kinda saved my life. I don't have a lot of tapes or CDs to listen to and prefer rational news and talk anyway. I found places in the hinterlands (of Massachussetts, no less) where there was nothing but but bad country, bad Gospel, and worse talk. And, if you do find an FM station you like, it will disappear in a half hour or so. AM takes a bit longer, but too many are low power and crackle a lot from the permanent thunderstorms on some mountain two hundred miles away.

With Sirius I could get the music and news I liked, and I'm sure XM is pretty much the same.

[Wcross]

4. Try driving across southern Kentucky!

One trip ALL I could pick up was bluegrass music. It was "interesting" for about ten minutes.

[KitchenWitch]

3. I love my XM radio

I bought mine before we moved cross country, and it was nice to have music that I like listening to on the trip.

[mwooldri]

5. Definitely worth it. Check out Sirius too.

XM's pluses: technically better system (better signal) and their music channels are more "in depth", and cheaper radios.

Sirius's pluses: More sports variety, and more "unique" channels (Elvis 24/7 anyone?).

I had XM and was pleased with it.

Mark.

[RaVeN_MeaD]

6. Here is a little inside info

if you call XM radio (1-800-xmr-adio) and if you make it through the automated system you can tell the rep that you want to purchase a radio and ask them if they have any offers. We can get you a radio, service and activation for les than you'll pay for the radio at a retailer

[Sheets of Easter]

7. I have Sirius, and like it a lot better.

I used to have XM several years ago. Overall, I think the music programming on Sirius is better.

I believe both services have free online trials. Maybe you should explore that option before you take the plunge.

[cynatnite]

11. That's what we use, too. We like it much better as well...

better variety.

[MrsBrady]

9. love my XM

listen every day in the car...Dallas/Fort Worth radio sux mostly.

love Air America 167
Oprah 156

comedy radio
my husband loves the Led Zeppelin 24/7

all kinds of music...

:thumbsup:

[kwassa]

10. on our fourth year of it, love it.

Came installed in the car we bought.

XM and Sirius will be merging, by the way.

I only listen to music. My only complaint is that they zapped away two stations that I liked the most, and have some really stupid names for channels that tell me nothing about the format.

[Symarip]

12. STOP RIGHT NOW

Sirius is better. Period.

Stern, Talk Left, Indie Talk, and we have the NFL.

Do yourself a favor and go with Sirius. I have the Stiletto model and I love it like a milkshake.

[bertha katzenengel]

17. W., if you like MLB, NHL and NCAA football, go w/ XM.

Sirius has NFL, and I don't know what else.

Symarip, this isn't to throw cold water on your suggestion. Just offering a little more info.

[kmla]

13. We have that model (my wife's car).... She is kinda lukewarm on it.

I have a MyFi - like it much better.

IMO, the SkyFi3 is OK if you plan to use it as an MP3 player as well (you would need to add card memory to do this successfully). But to use simply as a satellite radio unit - I'm not that crazy about it.

I like my MyFi much better. It can't do MP3's, but will record 5 hours of satellite programming to listen to later.

But that's just me.:-)

[ChoralScholar]

14. We're an XM Family and Love it.

I listen to a lot of XM Comedy 150, National Lampoon's 154, Air America, and 90's on 9.

[woofless]

18. I have the same unit shown above and love it.

I got XM initially for the MLB and love it for the music. We can listen to Sirius on the Dish network and I always found their play lists rather short. You can hear the same song day after day on some channels. Not so on XM. Super selection of Jazz and Rock on several channels and I assume the other genres are as well represented. I soon will get another unit. Can't say anything bad about XM.

Woof

[bbernardini]

15. Absolutely.

We've had XM for 4-5 years now, and couldn't be happier with it. (Well, that's not totally true. I'd be happier if they brought back "Special X" and the progressive/jam channel.)

[bertha katzenengel]

16. I highly recommend it. We drive from MD to TN prob'ly once a year

or more, and we'd be pretty bored without it.

:thumbsup:

[ok_cpu]

19. Love my XM

Listen to it all day at work. I bought it for the MLB so I could listen to Cubs games during the day.

This is going to sound crazy because it's golf on the radio, but just listening to the US open playoff Monday was a blast.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

20. I don't have it, but I love it when they have it on AirTran flights.

I like the Lucy station the best. They always seem to have some good alt-rock songs on that channel.