Questions about XM radio

[Briant73]

I have some questions about XM radio.

Does xm just send their signal in standard stereo? I have a denon 3803 with digital inputs and yet it seems most xm receivers are analog out (a headphone out with an rca adaptor cable). Are they any viable options to have it sent digitally to my Denon receiver?

I guess from my intial review of satellite radio it seems that the main benefits are tons of channel offerings, no or small amount of commercials, and it works most places. I was hoping it would offer superior sound quality to FM radio but it seems anything that uses modulation is not going to do any better than a strong fm signal or is this a mistake assumption?

 

[dalec21]

1. no, the XM signal is sent digitaly
2. yes, http://www.xmradio.com/polk/
all of the sat radio receivers are digital but few have a digital output
frankly I suspect the audio quality is good enough for 99% of the
population as it is
but there are several kits available to give you a digital out on one
of the cheaper receivers


>>main benefits are tons of channel offerings, no or small amount of commercials
you pretty much have it all right except assuming anything with respect to
modulation

I think the XM(and Sirius) sound fine and the digital output is better but
no where near what you expect for a digital audio signal ...

if you just want a good audio connection to your Denon your best bet is
an XM Direct modifed for a digital output unless the $300 for the Polk is
pocket change for you

..Dale

 

[Briant73]

As for the xm modified direct, where do you find them for home stereos since the only kits I see are for car radios.

Thanks

 

[dalec21]

I may have led you astray, just get the Polk
Dale..

 

[Briant73]

Thanks for the help, did a lot more reading today here and other XM forums on the net. The thing is I don't want two receiver monthly payments and going the POLK route seems to be home only so for my car I'd have to add another receiver. As for sound quality, I believed that sat. radio had superior sound quality (as good as a CD) but from what I can gather they are limited by the government on bandwidth they can use so that's not always the case with all the compression needed to be user to fit all the channels.