Chances are you have a love-hate relationship with conventional radio. Sure, you probably appreciate radio's steady stream of music, news, and sports broadcasts. Plus, there's radio's alluring mystery factor--you never know what you might hear when you tune in. (Bet you can't say that about the old, familiar playlists in your MP3 player!)
Unfortunately, it's easy to forget all that as soon as you consider the flip side of radio: the endless surfing through a handful of stations, staticy reception, and steady flow of obnoxious commercials.
Enter satellite radio, the antidote to conventional AM/FM radio's most annoying traits. Sure, it involves mastering more tech gadgetry, and unlike your father's radio, it's not free. On the other hand, it offers great reception, tons of music and special-interest stations, and stations that transmit not just music, but handy text information, like sport scores and stock quotes. So how does this all work, and how much will you have to pay? Read on--we'll take a look at the benefits, how much it costs, and how to pick out the equipment that's right for you.
Great Reception, AnywhereAs you might have guessed from the name, satellite radio stations don't broadcast from conventional radio towers on the ground. Instead, they beam their signals from high-tech satellites, which give this type of radio its first major advantage: You can get the same radio stations--crystal clear--anywhere in the continental United States. For instance, if you were to pack up the car and drive from San Francisco to Washington, D.C., you could still listen to your favorite stations in every city and state in between. Likewise, if you live out in the boonies, you can still tune in to a satellite radio station that sounds as clear as if you lived in the heart of a major metro area.
Satellite radio's signal still isn't invincible, however. If you drive through a long tunnel or into a dense concrete garage, those structures can block the signal. But for all practical purposes, you can pick up a satellite signal wherever you may live or drive. Sound quality, as well, is a step up from what you'll find on the AM/FM dial, and it's completely static-free. It's not CD quality, but unless you're a super-picky audiophile, you should have no complaints.
Satellite radio offers roughly 120 high-quality stations. This vast sea of programming means you'll almost always find something interesting on the air, no matter what your tastes. For instance, XM Radio, one of the two satellite service providers, offers 68 music channels--all available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. There are stations dedicated to Top 20 hits, Top 40 hits, love songs, and '80s music, but also a wealth of other genres like country, Latin, hip-hop, world music, and dance. You'll even find a station dedicated to Broadway show tunes and one for movie soundtracks.
If that's not enough, satellite radio music channels are also commercial-free, so you can enjoy an endless, uninterrupted stream of music without ever again having to hear something like: "We've got dozens of 2004 models that have to go! COME ON DOWN!!!"
But that's just the music aspect of satellite radio. No matter which radio provider you pick (more on those providers in a moment), you'll also find at least 50 channels dedicated to news, sports, comedy, talk radio, and local weather and traffic reporting for major cities. Some of these channels are exclusively produced by the satellite radio provider. While you might not be able to listen to personalities like Howard Stern or Rush Limbaugh, you can tune in to hear DJs on some talk-radio shows, and you'll find the quality of this custom programming reasonably high.
On the flip side, other stations provide content from the wider, conventional radio world. National Public Radio, CNN, ESPN, Fox Sports, BBC World radio, and others have their own radio stations. (But a heads up: Non-music satellite stations generally feature advertising, since they're created with outside partners or are syndicated.)
Comparing the ProvidersTaking the plunge with satellite radio is easy. Your first step is to choose a service provider from the two available in the United States: XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio. Each provider charges you a flat monthly fee for access to their satellite radio streams.
XM Radio currently charges a $10 monthly membership fee, while Sirius bills you $13 a month. (Each offers ways to whittle the fees down by committing to a year or longer contract, instead of a month-to-month plan.) XM Radio is less expensive, but when you do the math, you realize that Sirius costs only $36 more per year--not a huge difference if it offers programming that better suits your tastes.
Both offer oodles of channels--Sirius has 120, and XM Radio weighs in at 122. But XM Radio sports more music stations--68 to Sirius' 65--while Sirius has a couple more stations dedicated to other programming. Of course, all the stations aren't created equal, and you may find that one provider puts a greater emphasis on the kinds of content that suit your fancy.
For instance, Sirius offers National Public Radio, whereas XM Radio has its own NPR imitator that's respectable, but bound to fall short if you're an NPR junkie. Likewise, Sirius has an exclusive deal with the NFL to broadcast every NFL game of the season (Sirius, in fact, broadcasts NFL games over a 24-hour NFL channel filled with interviews, commentary, and other pleasures for true gridiron fans). XM Radio's sports stations broadcast major football games, but not all of them.
On the other hand, XM Radio has an exclusive deal to broadcast all major NASCAR racing events (there's even a channel that broadcasts live conversations between the drivers and their pit-stop crews), so if racing's your thing, then XM may be the natural choice.
Finally, while all of Sirius' stations are available to every customer, XM Radio offers two additional "premium" stations that cost a little extra ($2 to $3 per month, per station). One is a Playboy-hosted channel with adult-oriented stories and Q&A, and the other is a "shock" radio station. XM Radio plans to expand its premium offerings over time.
At any rate, check out the XM Radio and Sirius station listings to get a full rundown of their offerings. Study what each offers and doesn't, because once you pick your service and buy the corresponding receiver, you're not going to want to go through the hassle of switching to the other service any time soon.
Tuning in on the RoadBesides the monthly service fee, the other cost of admission to the wonderful world of satellite radio is that of the satellite radio itself, otherwise known as a receiver. Satellite radios work much like conventional radios in that they offer a tuner dial or slide for moving from station to station, as well as a number of pre-programmed buttons for your favorite stations.
An added bonus with satellite radios is that their LED displays always tell you the name of the song or program playing at that moment, and some can show other handy info such as sports scores or stock quotes while you're tuned in. Still other receivers come with nifty automatic song detection--that is, you can program in the name of your favorite songs, and if one of those song starts playing on another station, your receiver will beep, display the favorite song that's playing elsewhere, and let you jump to the new station with the press of a button. This technology is called "TuneSelect" in XM receivers, and "S-Seek" in Sirius hardware. Sirius recently adopted the service into its Sportster receiver, which notifies you when your favorite team's games are being broadcast.
As for choosing a satellite receiver, the good news is that they aren't too expensive. If you're shopping for a receiver for your car, for instance, the XM Radio Roady 2 runs about $129; the Sirius Blaupunkt America SR04 costs about $149. Both receivers are small enough to fit in your hand. (You'll find other options online at both services' Web sites.)
Setting up the Roady 2 or the SR04 is easy. First, you attach the receiver to your car's dashboard using the included plastic stick-on holder. Next, you plug the power cord into your car's cigarette lighter to give the receiver its juice, and then you slip the attached cassette adapter into the audio cassette player of your car's stereo (this passes the satellite receiver's audio signal through to your car's speakers). Finally, you'll use a thin wire to attach a small antenna, about the size of a walnut, to your front or rear window--or for clearest reception, outside the car on its hood (though attaching it to the hood will require a professional installation for best results).
Then just turn on your car's stereo, but use the attached receiver to cruise through satellite stations.
The benefit of this plug-and-play approach is that you can set up satellite radio in almost any car with little time and effort. The downside is that this approach adds a lot of ugly cable clutter to your car's interior. Also, even though the receiver is small, you have to take care to attach it to your dashboard without blocking an air vent so your car's air conditioning and heating is not affected. Finally, if your car has those nifty stereo controls built right into the steering wheel, you'll find that only the volume controls work with satellite radio--you won't be able to change stations with your thumbs.
If you want to keep your car's interior looking as spiffy as possible, you can buy a different kind of satellite receiver commonly known as a "head unit." These units, such as the XM Commander, replace your car's existing receiver, so they don't need a cigarette lighter's power or a cassette-tape adapter. They're a much more elegant option, but unless you're handy under the hood, you can count on spending at least $100 extra for installation fees. (If you're in the market for a new car, note that many 2004 and 2005 models include built-in satellite radio options.)
To get satellite radio in your home, you have a couple of options as well. The most affordable way is simply to get a plug-and-play receiver and buy a home adapter kit for about $60. These kits usually include an AC adapter, the cabling you need to attach the receiver to your stereo, and a remote control. As far as home-worthy receivers go, the XM SkyFi ($99) and the Audiovox SIR-PNP2 for Sirius ($99) are respectable options. They're a bit bigger than the smallest receivers, but that's okay, because they'll probably sit on an out-of-the-way shelf with your other stereo gear.
On the other hand, you could spring for a dedicated stereo rack-mount receiver designed to match the rest of your hi-fi gear and fit perfectly into existing entertainment systems. These receivers, such as the Audiovox Home Receiver, go for $249 or more.
Finally, there are a few specialized options to consider. You can find boom-box add-ons for many XM Radio and Sirius receivers. These products, like the SkyFi Audio System or the Sirius Sportster Boombox, consist of big speakers with an empty slot in the middle. Plug your receiver into that slot, add some batteries, and you're ready to bring your satellite radio anywhere--the yard, the beach, the office, and so on.
You can even get a specialized XM PCR receiver that works through your computer. Just plug it in to your PC (sorry, no Mac support), install some software, and you can listen to your radio through your PC's speakers or headphones. The custom software also makes it easy to track down content on all 120 stations.
To see the widest selection of satellite receivers--for your car, home, or PC--you can check out the XM Radio and Sirius Radio Web sites, where they provide details on all compatible receivers and links to buy many models online. But if you want to see some of the most popular and versatile options up close and personal, visit a major consumer electronics store to do some hands-on evaluation.
Whichever receiver you pick, however, know that you're in for a treat: 120 unique stations, clear reception, and more entertainment-packed hours without all those unwanted commercials.
Helmut Kobler
