Sirius Radio not compatible with Best of XM?

[Ddevil]

So I'm looking on the Sirius website to see how to upgrade to Best of XM and find that none of my receivers can receive the programming!

What is up with that?

How is a current Sirius receiver not able to receive additional channels they add?

How many customers willing to spend more money per month are not able to because Sirius somehow has made the new programming incompatible with older receivers? This is frustrating.

 

[yourbeliefs]

So I'm looking on the Sirius website to see how to upgrade to Best of XM and find that none of my receivers can receive the programming!

What is up with that?

How is a current Sirius receiver not able to receive additional channels they add?

How many customers willing to spend more money per month are not able to because Sirius somehow has made the new programming incompatible with older receivers? This is frustrating.

What radio do you have?

 

[Ddevil]

I have 2 of the original Sportsters, a Starmate w/replay, and a unit for my car (not sure which model it is - I added a module to integrate into my Toyota Highlander OEM radio).

In my account online, when I go to add the Best of XM, it is grayed out and says Radio not compatible.

Any idea why certain radios would not work? What would they have changed?

Thanks.

 

[darrencp22]

There have been complains about the website not working correctly. I would call customer service.

 

[minorthr]

Welcome to the club. I paid $700 to have Sirius installed in my wife's Volvo when we bought it in March and it also isnt compatibe with best of XM. I called Sirius and they told me the same thing and to call Volvo, I called Volvo and they said to call my service manager

 

[yourbeliefs]

I have 2 of the original Sportsters, a Starmate w/replay, and a unit for my car (not sure which model it is - I added a module to integrate into my Toyota Highlander OEM radio).

In my account online, when I go to add the Best of XM, it is grayed out and says Radio not compatible.

Any idea why certain radios would not work? What would they have changed?

Thanks.

Starmate Replay SHOULD work. People have had their radios updated with the XM categories. I'm pretty sure my dad is one of them.

I ordered the BoXM package and my Starmate 4 hasn't been updated properly yet. When they tried to do it again this morning and it didn't work the CSR said that it had been "Escalated to Corporate" because I was the 2nd person he talked to that morning that couldn't get it to work. He said to try again this evening. Maybe I'll finally be able to listen to "The Virus" by midnight.

 

[gotrice?]

I have the Starmate Replay, its about 2 years old... maybe a bit more. But customer service at Sirius has attempted twice now to get me the "best of xm" added to my service and both times nothing has loaded to my radio. They keep concluding that i need to buy a newer radio to get this service. I will wait a bit longer to see if they can get the older radios working with the additional service but its not worth it too me to not have all the services that i would like. I used to listed to O&A when they were on normal radio in philly and they got kicked off about a year ago. Since then i knew this day was coming and i would be able to have Howard and O&A. I guess unless i shell out for new equipment....seems shady to me really.... i will be stuck with only half of the services i want. I am considering cancelling my service if there is no headway made on this issue. Anybody out there have any idea if things may change??

 

[goaliebob99]

Mine were the same, I had to call Sirius and add the package then they updated all of my radios. On the website it says that they are not capable either when they are.

Im listing to the sports show thats on in the 200's right now.

 

[minorthr]

Mine were the same, I had to call Sirius and add the package then they updated all of my radios. On the website it says that they are not capable either when they are.

Im listing to the sports show thats on in the 200's right now.

What radios do you have?

 

[yourbeliefs]

Just talked to another CSR. Apparently the wrong radio was enabled to get the BoXM package, so once they changed that I now have "The Virus" on my 3rd preset. One thing that annoys me is that they don't have the proper channel listings. Instead of saying like "The Virus" or "Oprah & Friends" it says, "XM 196" and "XM 197." At least it finally works.

 

[gotrice?]

I just saw this on another forum from a "Sirius Informent", I love the usage of "retire older models" instead of saying what they really mean "make existing customers upgrade for no reason and pay more $$ to us". I also like that all XM radios can get the best of Sirius.

Older sirius radios uncompatible with the new xm add on package
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Unfortunately many of the very first Sirius 12 volt powered radios released and the foundation of the long term Sirius loyal subscriber base are the ones who will have to do without the Best of XM package. Here is a partial list of radios that wont get the XM channels.
Sportster SP-R1
Sportster Replay SP-TK2 ( first 2 years of release) If you get Hardcore sports 98 on your radio you should be good for the Xm add on (call customer service)
Orbiter SR4000 DISH SR200 BRIX STREAMER
All Audiovox and Jensen plug & play radios
Most Sirius One SV1 radios.
STARMATE ST1 & ST1R
STARMATE ST2 & ST2R & XACT XTR8 Replay ( first 2 years of release) If you get Hardcore sports 98 on your radio you should be good for the Xm add on (call customer service)
Xact XTR1 & XTR2
Xact XTR3 Visor radios
SO here is the way Sirius is slowly retiring the radios they got fined by the FCC for due to the Strong Fm transmitter design that were in these radios.
If you want the Best of XM add on package you have to get a new radio.
Odd thing here is all Xm radios that I know of are compatible with the BEST

 

[minorthr]

Well I refer that informant to this press release dated July 23rd of 2007

Sirius XM Radio Inc. - XM and SIRIUS to Offer A La Carte Programming



Specifically this section.

" Best of Both Packages Will Be Available on Existing Radios


Today, if consumers want the best of both XM and SIRIUS, they need two satellite radios and two separate monthly subscriptions totaling $25.90. Following the merger of SIRIUS and XM, consumers will be able to obtain the best of both SIRIUS and XM, on any of today's satellite radio devices with one monthly subscription. XM customers would continue to receive their existing XM service, and be able to obtain certain SIRIUS programming. SIRIUS customers would continue to receive their existing SIRIUS service, and be able to obtain certain XM programming. This will be available through existing SIRIUS and XM radios at a monthly cost of $16.99, a savings of 34 percent, compared to what it would cost to receive both services today. "

The fact that they knew about this for over a year and didnt tell anyone really pisses me off. The fact that I bought a radio 6 months ago based off their press releases that doesn't work that cost $700 pisses me off even more.

 

[xzi]

Older SIRIUS radios also can't support some new channels of SIRIUS (mostly Canadian, Hardcore Sports) and parental controls.

It's pretty obivous that the hardware just doesn't support certain features (selectively hiding/showing channels, data protcols, something) that's integral to this feature.

XM has always had the superior hardware platform, and was probably a bit more forward-thinking in their model is all.

 

[minorthr]

Older SIRIUS radios also can't support some new channels of SIRIUS (mostly Canadian, Hardcore Sports) and parental controls.

It's pretty obivous that the hardware just doesn't support certain features (selectively hiding/showing channels, data protcols, something) that's integral to this feature.

XM has always had the superior hardware platform, and was probably a bit more forward-thinking in their model is all.

If that's the case they shouldn't have put out press releases last year saying any radio would be able to receive the best of programming. They also shouldn't have radios that are still in the OEM stream like I bought that also can not get them.

 

[Mikey Palmice]

SIRIUS SIR-KEN1 not compatible with "Best of XM" package?

I tried hooking up the SIRIUS SIR-KEN1 with my Kenwood MP625 head unit and Sirius said that the SIR-KEN1 is not compatible with the XM package.

Is this true? I don't see it on a list.

Also, when I plugged in the cable to the tuner, I was able to go to the Sirius input on the head unit, but it never updated or got the preview channel. The guy at sirius said it's because I wasn't signed up yet. But I remember from my previous install, the preview station came up before activation, correct?

thanks for reading

 

[gasman882001]

The preview channel always worked for me on my 3 installs before I called and activated. That way you know that everything is working and you just need to call in and activate.

 

[2guard]

My Stiletto 100 broke(jog dial quit functioning) Asked for repair center, none. Decided to cancel. CSR got on and offered Refurbised St100 for $119 and a $75.00 credit + tax net= $44.
Less than a repair and new(ref) set is warrantied for 1 year.

Try to cancel, see if you can get a replacement that is compatible. Say broken...cancelling

 

[jegrant]

When I complained that I couldn't get Hardcore Sports & other Canadian channels on my Sirius Visor, due to its age & old chipset, CSR offered me a new radio & install card for car (she didn't mention a specific radio model, but guaranteed it would receive all channels (newer chipset)).

Part of it is that older Sirius radios only can receive 128 channels before they "max out" - so they don't even receive all the channels in "Sirius Everything" now. But they're only missing three English channels (97 Sports Express, 98 Hardcore Sports, 138 Weather Network Canada), three French channels (88 Rock Velours, 89 Energie 2, 96 Sports Extra), and one multilingual channel (95 RCI Plus).
This is not an issue for Sirius Canada, because even with older receivers, they are only licensed to deliver a total number of 120 channels in any case, since they only have twelve Canadian stations, and the CRTC mandates 1 Canadian channel for every 9 American channels. So they just send out an activation to the radios for "Sirius Canada Everything" that only contains their licensed 120 channels, and this will work with all radios.

US radios primarily go over the limit due to traffic & weather stations.

Also, I wish we could have gotten these packages after the merger (in addition to the ones that are being offered):
Sirius Everything (No Howard, No Sports)
XM Everything (No Sports)
I think these packages could probably be offered for $9.99 or less in each case.

 

[avediswolf]

Basically... Tune to channel 98 - Hardcore Sports.
If you get it, you can get BoXM.
If not, you have the older chipset.

So far, from my radios:

SIRJVC1 is NOT compatible.
SIRGM1 IS compatible.
SCC1 with JVC Translator IS compatible.