XM Radio on D*

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dlma1

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Jan 20, 2005
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Murrysville, PA
I have a few questions for the group:

1. Who really listens to XM on D*? I have very little use for XM on D*. After all, it is Direct TV, NOT radio. I like XM for my car and work, but when I'm home watching my Pioneer PRO-FHD1 plasma, I'm going to watch an HD movie, not listen to the radio! Anyone else have a similar opinion?

2. If D* were to drop XM, would the extra bandwidth give more room for TV channels? Not an expert, but logically one would think it would.

3. If they insist on XM, how about making it optional? Why should we pay for something we don't use? If and when I want to listen to music at home, I listen to a CD or SACD. I guess I'm a purist that way.

Anyway, just a few random thoughts on a Friday afternoon. Wondering how everyone else feels. I would do a poll but I can't seem to figure out how to get it to work.
 
I will admit, that in all my years with any TV service I have had, I cannot remember a time that I purposly tuned in to any radio music channels. But i am sure i am not in the majority.
 
I hooked audio cables from one of my receivers to my sound system and occasionally do listen the the XM with my tv off and I just use the remote to change the channels. I enjoy the service and hope they don't drop it. I doubt the bandwith is an issue at all or negligible at best.

Steve Kohlreiter
 
Hey, everyone!! Long time lurker, first post for me!! Saw this topic and felt compelled to reply.

I actually do listen to XM on Direct. I also have a Roady XT but I leave that in my vehicle. Sometimes I want to listen to music while I do the dishes, clean, etc, so I just pop on the XM channel(s), turn on my tuner, and away I go. Other times I'll be playing Gran Turismo 4 on PS2 and get tired of the music so I tune in the XM and listen to that while racing.

I would be dissapointed if they dropped XM. I believe it would free up some bandwith but the gain would probably be minimal. I'm sure the resident experts could give us actual bandwith numbers. :)

The option thing would be nice, but then why not make it ala carte with some of the other channels as well. I don't watch Lifetime, Oxygen, all the religious channels, all the home shopping channels, why should I have to pay for them?

I guess this all comes down to personal preference. I'm curious as to how many others actually use the XM channels. :)
 
I have 3 XM radios and still listen to the XM through D*. My girlfriend loves to turn it on when we sit down for dinner. As far as how much bandwidth it takes up, IIRC the space it takes up is negligible at best. Even if you got rid of all the music channels you wouldn't have gained enough space to launch 1 SD channel. Someone with more insight may know better, but that is what I have heard in the past when this comes up. I simply consider it a value added service.
 
enjoy XM service very much.

before D* had XM they carried 30 channels Music Choice. when I had D* service from 1994 to 2001 I would listen to MC channels quite a bit I enjoyed the that service very much. Back then we did not have any other music service like the commercial free music channels or sat radio the only thing was traditional CD's,am and fm radio. As far as having XM on D* and I had D* service again Yes I would still enjoy having XM on my D* service very much.

I am current making plans to switch back to sat TV I'm still not sure which DBS carrier that I will take. I'm waiting to see which one gets their mp4 service going full tilt for SD and HD services. the reason I still have not moved to HD I am waiting on a service to offer a full channel list. whether its going to be cable or sat TV. I guess I'll be making my decision on sat tv after the digital change over in February 09:eek:
 
dlma1 said:
I have a few questions for the group:

1. Who really listens to XM on D*? I have very little use for XM on D*. After all, it is Direct TV, NOT radio. I like XM for my car and work, but when I'm home watching my Pioneer PRO-FHD1 plasma, I'm going to watch an HD movie, not listen to the radio! Anyone else have a similar opinion?

2. If D* were to drop XM, would the extra bandwidth give more room for TV channels? Not an expert, but logically one would think it would.

3. If they insist on XM, how about making it optional? Why should we pay for something we don't use? If and when I want to listen to music at home, I listen to a CD or SACD. I guess I'm a purist that way.

Anyway, just a few random thoughts on a Friday afternoon. Wondering how everyone else feels. I would do a poll but I can't seem to figure out how to get it to work.
Click to expand...

1. Enough people that digital audio is a necessary feature for every cable and satellite provider.

2. Not really. If the audio is as 192kbps, you would need to remove about 15 audio streams for just one SD video channel.

3. Step on board the a-la-carte bandwagon.
 
I admit to liking background noise. When working on the computer and sometime just working around the house I choose 60s on 6 to play in the background. At low volume it just blends in and sometime I do catch an oldie that I haven't heard in a while.
 
i luv xm:
1. have it hooked to my 5.1 home theatre system with the woofer and it sounds great.
2. great background when im on the computer, party etc.
3. regular radio = too many commercials....xm = 0 commercials so i can always find a listenable song on my stations.
4. i like country.....new york is stupid....its the #1 market but its the only market in the top 10 without a country radio station....xm gives me current country + others.
5. dont have to pay for an xm subscription....i like the channels i get with directv.
 
From my memoy - they get 13 audio stations comparaed to 1 video station. I was told this back when they were launching nascar hotpass audio and inqured on why 13 driver audio, etc.

Anyway, I don't think XM is going anywhere. If anything - we may see some channels added after the XM-Sirus merger is completed. They could easily add 20+ Sirius music stations with little bandwith sacrifice.
 
I use the hell out of my XM channels. I flip between Highway 16, Ethel, and The City from the moment I get home to when my head it's the pillow. I'm quietly hoping for BBC Radio 1 and Shade 45 after the merger. AND HOWARD.
 
I do have about 7 or 8 of them in my favorites list.But honestly,I never listen to them for more than a few minutes if there's a song on I like.They are nice,but,I think they should be a preminum service like the sports pack or movie channels.I could be wrong,but that's just my .02
 
It's used here quite alot as well. Funny thing....if I wanted to mirror my XM with a reciever in the house, it would be $6.99/month whereas, a mirrored DirecTV reciever is only $4.99.
 
Who doesn't like music while cleaning house? Of course they shouldn't drop these value added channels.

I am an XM subscriber with a home kit for my Roady. I have already replaced my $50 antenna twice and it is broke again. I am not ordering another antenna for the home kit. After signing up for DirecTV and finding XM on there, I was delighted. Now I can leave the radio in the car and enjoy XM in the house as well without ordering a new antenna yet again.

As far as bandwidth, that is not much of an issue. If you consider that each local TV market that has all those local stations is using all that bandwidth, and that all of XM is using no more than the equivalent of 2-3 HD stations maximum, what would really be gained by scrapping XM on DirecTV?

Also consider that there are a lot of businesses that use the XM for business in their sports bars during the non-live sporting hours (ie: 12AM-close, mornings, etc).
 
I listen to XM on D* frequently. The fact that D* has XM and not Music Choice was one of many deciding factors to dump cable in favor of D*.
 
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