:rolleyes:
It was a JOKE.
Though I’d get Sirius over XM because it has more channels that I’d not want to do without.
It’s better suited for IMHO.
No apology necessary.
Cajun Man
for the SDMB
I have XM built into my GMC Yukon Denali and it works great except when you are in line at the bank or the fast food outlet, and the building blocks your signal. Dense stands of tall trees if your’re driving directly alongside them will also (occasionally) give XM a bellyache. It won’t cut out, but it will sputter a bit.
You can’t be bored driving with XM. There’s always something on. I especially like the electronica and adult comedy channels. I never heard of Bill Hicks or Ron White until I listened to them on XM. The other great thing is that if you like a song the channel display will ID the song and artist for you so you can buy it later.
It a dream for folks with adult ADD! 
Hunt around, and you find some neat stuff! Here’s a site that takes your ZIP code, and gives you the elevation from that location to both the XM East satellite and the XM West satellite.
From where I am in VA, the East bird is up about 42 degrees, the West, about 30 degrees. From northern CT, where I experienced dropouts, the East bird is up about 38 degrees, the West, only 25 degrees. If one is blocked, of course, the receiver tries to get its signal from the other.
From Fairbanks, AK, neither XM satellite is visible at all!
In steep, hilly country, it’s not hard to see how a nearby steep hill could block the signal. It would even happen in VA, except that the terrain here (i.e., not in the Blue Ridge) is more open and rolling. And if the obstruction is high enough to knock out the signal from the East satellite, the West satellite is low enough that there’s a fair chance it, too, will be obscured.
Got XM in April 2003 and it has definitely improved my life and saved my sanity! Originally had a dash-mounted reciever with FM modulator in my car since I drive a lot for work and to see friends and shows out of state. Had no problems with signal strength or quality besides the occasional static-y moment driving under a bridge or past a heavy stand of trees.
Traded the car in this past August and ordered the XM PCR (unit for the PC) - and just in time too, since the PCR has been discontinued (permanently, I think) due to file-sharing issues. It’s very nice for seeing what’s on my favorite channels at all times and I 100% agree with astro about it being great for ADD-folks!
There’s quite an array of XM equipment for home and car out there. This month they are coming out with a new version of the boombox (SKYfi 2) that’s supposed to be fantastic -with a neato 30 minute pause and replay feature- not sure of the exact release date though.
But a friendly warning - once you get used to satellite (whichever service you choose), it’ll be darned difficult to put up with “regular” radio ever again! Whenever I’m someplace that’s piping in an FM station, my teeth go on edge within nanoseconds. UGH!
Oh! Oh!
I’ve got a con of my XM!
Well, actually a pet peeve really.
XM stations have these info-meassages that give you little blurbs throughout the day about science, movies, computers
which aren’t so bad, but the announcers for these messages are REALLY annoying!
Mike Reynold with Film Clips- A pretentious old fart with an english accent that tells you about current movies but fails to give any type of critique.
Laslow with your Underground Harddrive- Some flamboyant obnoxious guy that tells you about new gadjets for computers.
Block and Byrd with Earth and Sky- A couple who are so monotone about science that they make me almost fall asleep and drive off the road. Yawn.
And these little blurbs are pre-recorded once a day, and then played throughout the day on every station all day long so you hear the same thing 10 times a day!
I’ve never heard any of these on XM, so it must only be some stations that carry them (and stations that I don’t hit regularly).
I used to hear Block and Byrd on NPR (FM), and they always made me think of some old commercials for the Masonry Institute that featured Brick and Block. I always think of the Earth and Sky folks as Brick and Block. 