Last weekend I was on a trip in Florida and rented a car with XM satellite radio pre-installed. I loved it so much I've decided on getting satellite radio in my RX-8, but I thought I'd also give Sirius a, well, serious consideration as well. Does anyone have any experience with Sirius or know the ins and outs of satellite radio well enough to reccomend one?

Thanks in advance

I have sirius and have very happy so far. The main difference between the two is the selection of programming. I think that sirius has a bigger sport select but I am not a big sport buff so can't be certain on that. I think that both of them should let should let you listen online for a couple of days. Sirius is also a little bit more expensive 12.95 versus 9.9X. I think that XM plays a little more unknown artist while sirius plays a little bit more mains stream stuff. Either way you should be able to find out what you are looking for with both, especially when there are over a 150+ channels.

I have SIRIUS and my wife has XM. She listens to my online stream @ work all day every day. She said she prefers SIRIUS over XM. Yes it cost $2.96 more for SIRIUS per month but you can listen to it from any pc for with with your yearly/monthly subscription. XM charges guess what??... $3.99 to have that added benefit totalling $13.98, making it $1.02 more than SIRIUS per month.

I had Sirius in my old car and I miss it dearly...they definitely have the better programming

If you listen to heavy metal, XM no longer has a metal station. Sirius does.

I may prefer Sirius slightly in programming, but I'm a moviebuff and really like the XM soundtrack station. Also, if you're a news junkie, XM has CNN and Fox streams.

Sirius has multiple news streams and several NPR's. I would also rather have the sports programming that Sirius carries.

Having had both, I think that Sirius programming is much better. The electronic channels on XM are completely subpar.

Sirius will carry all the NFL games and NASCAR (just announced). XM will carry all the MLB games.......

XM is $3.00 a month cheaper for the basic package.

XM also charges you for extra content...playboy, Opie and Anthony, etc...Sirius is a one price for all deal. $3.00 month was always worth it for me to be able to follow my Dynasty New England Patriots wherever I traveled.

Thanks everyone for your responses, it seems like Sirius is the heavy favorite.

I'm defenatly not a football fan and you don't want to get me started on NASCAR, so the sports channels don't interest me much, except the NHL's broadcasting (if they ever manage to pull themselves back together :( ).

What I'm mostly interested in is the quality and veriaty (sp?) of the music. I mostly listen to rock rap and jazz, but what I was really impressed with by XM was that they had all sorts of other music I couldn't ever get from local stations.

I feel a little bit of loyalty towards XM because I listened to it almost all day for 4 days, but if it's that much better I suppose I'd have to go with Sirius...

One last thing... is it possible for me to get either installed without changing my 8's radio display? That is, without getting a new header or sticking one of those cigarette-pack displays to my dash?

Ok.

I want Sirius b/c it will carry Stern, Football etc.
The question(s) are:

Can my Mazda Service Center install Sirius ?
If I go to Circut City (whoever) will I still have use of my stering wheel buttons ?
Will that install void the waranty ?

My RX8 is a 2004 early shipment.

you will have to get the Sirius Starbase. U will not get steering controls

Since you have tried XM on a trial basis, why not do the same with SIRIUS. They will let you sample for 3 days...then make your decision.

i got Sirius, i love it. not too familiar with XM, but the place where i bought mine from, they highly recommended Sirius.

I got a Sirius receiver for Christmas - from my friends because I'd need to get one anyway after Howard moves to Sirius. They have a promotion going until June (I think) where you can get a LIFETIME subscription by paying $500 up front. I jumped all over that!

I haven't had a lot of opportunity to listen, but I have been disappointed that the signal fades and becomes almost unlistenable when I within a couple of miles from my house (I live in Falls Church, VA) - anyone else have this problem? This is going to be a serious problem with me if it persists. The uncensored XM comedy stations kicks Sirius comedy station's ass too, which sucks because I love the XM station.

BTW, I am using the FM modulator to run it through my stereo. Has anyone heard any progress on that thread about adding auxilary lines into the stock head unit?

BTW, I am using the FM modulator to run it through my stereo. Has anyone heard any progress on that thread about adding auxilary lines into the stock head unit?

You can add left and right channel head unit input via the PIE for sat radio or MP3 or both.

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=48978&highlight=pie

If you go to Circuit City they will install a FM modulator and you will not be able to use the steering wheel controls. I know, I used to work there. :D


Ok.

I want Sirius b/c it will carry Stern, Football etc.
The question(s) are:

Can my Mazda Service Center install Sirius ?
If I go to Circut City (whoever) will I still have use of my stering wheel buttons ?
Will that install void the waranty ?

My RX8 is a 2004 early shipment.

I bought stock in both companies years ago, but when it came to buying an actual reciever I got the XM. Music programing is virtually identical, the same can be said for the number of commericals, radio drama, spanish, etc. Sirius has more talk (Stern), information (NPR), and the NFL. XM has college sports and major league baseball.

The Sirius stock is a little under valued right now so please buy it.

Just got a letter from XM. In April rates going to 12.95 mo (or you can do a one to five year up front deal) and will now include xm online and the oppie and anthony station (i forget what's it called).

$500 up front for lifetime sirius. i think that is lifetime of the UNIT right, not lifetime of the person who buys it? so that transfers to the new owner if you sell the car? sounds like a good deal probably..... but does anybody know if they are doing okay financially, staying afloat, or are they doing this because they need upfront cash to stay afloat? hate to pay $500 and have them go out of business in a year, though i suppose a merger would be more likely.

Demon,

Try changing your antenna placement. I had problems with mine fading out when I had it mounted in the trunk, but moved it to one of the anchors for the child seats in the back window and it is clear as a bell with the FM modulator.

I'm trying to convince myself to get a Sirius receiver, mostly because of NFL and Stern (though I love O&A). I don't think I'd ever shell out the coin for an in-dash job for a receiver, as it limits where I can listen! I'd especially tell you not to get the lifetime subscription if you do in-dash, as "lifetime" means the lifetime of the RADIO itself, not your or Sirius's lifetime.

One thing to consider if you do lifetime on an in-dash unit: You will forever get a cheaper monthly rate on subsequent subscriptions should you need to get another radio, something like $6/mo.

Sirius allows you to transfer your lifetime membership to new receivers up to 3 times for $75 each time. I don't know if they have always allowed this but it is in their "terms and conditions" on their website. That's what I'm going with, and I got the Audiovox SIR-PNP3 (similar to Sirius Sportster) for $29 after rebate at Circuit City. The mobile docking kit is extra though.

I think I would go this route (plug n' play using p.i.e. adaptor) even if I had the Sirius compatible 2005 RX8 since I can move it into the house, boombox etc. and it's actually cheaper. My only concern is if the plug n' play unit wears out fast by me moving back/forth between the car/house alot. Anyone had that problem?

If you listen to heavy metal, XM no longer has a metal station. Sirius does.

XM does have a metal channel.. 42 Liquid metal.

XM does have a metal channel.. 42 Liquid metal.

they probably added it in the last 3 years.

XM does have a metal channel.. 42 Liquid metal.

Do you always respond to threads three years old?

Do you always respond to threads three years old?

i guess he does. there's only 1 post count.

well its an old thread but ill contribute...i took XM over sirius mainly because of the trial's i took for both...alot of my fav stations on both services were pretty good but i noticed that sirius plays alot of the songs multiple times which is my reason for hating FM radio...i dont want to hear the same songs everyday 5 times a day....XM was a little more mixed, imo...im not a stern fan, i dont listen to news, and i dont want to listen to sports on a radio so those features that sirius had didnt interest me much.

this might not matter much but i seem to like the DJ's on XM more too, i like the conversations they have with callers, and the stuff they talk about like music, politics...keeps me interested, esp on the old school hip hop station. i usually hate when DJ's start blah blah blah on the radio but on several of the XM stations i listened too it was decent...on sirius there was less talk more music...so if thats your thing than sirius>xm

the jazz on sirius>XM...ill admit that, sirius had a more consistent set of music i like and recognize.

XM decades music is good if you want to hear best of and most memorable songs of the 60's 70's 80's....on sirius i heard the same songs played too often and they played more of the mainstream songs...like the billboard hits types of songs....on XM you hear more B-side tracks and less known songs.

hip hop is a tie, although i like shade 45 alot on sirius, (not when g-unit takes over tho) they play a nice mix but it is rather biased, they only play music that is in one way or another affiliated with them.

electronic seems the same on both, although im not a huge fan and cant tell what is good or not, i jus like to listen to it at night when im on the hwy...both services seem equal.

i know XM future may be uncertain due to the merger but id gladly use the XM till its dead if i have to.

magikone69 I agree with your assessment as I had XM in a rental car not long ago. Again I would say its not one > the other so much as personal taste.

As I'm not into Howard or the NFL, I'd prefer XM for the Major League Baseball—but Sirius came with the car, along with a free 1-yr subscription. Aside from no baseball, I like Sirius just fine. And I like all the NPR. I don't feel there's a huge difference between the two systems; with well over 100 channels on each, I'd be happy with either.

Do you always respond to threads three years old?

Sorry I never even looked at the date of the post.