View Full Version : Cirius or XM for a thru hike? Which one?
gatorhiker
05-22-2007, 21:16
I'm still getting into shape for my '08 thru hike and still getting my logistics in order for my goal of a total complete 2175 miler in '08 starting at approach trail at Amicalola Falls. I've got my Mini I-pod but now and then being in my 60's I want real news (& no not from Imus) 'cause I was brought up being a part of the CRONKITE GENERATION who just celebrated his 90'th birthday last week & CBS's "That's the way it was this date 05-22-07!". I gonna want some real news along my trek in '08 for a lot of reasons besides current events......things like weather, sports (I love my sports in particular the GATORS-U of Fla, whom will be on XM along with many other SEC teams in '08 bot on Cirius in '07).
I just wonder if any of you whom are sports and news lovers (as well as music, etc) had any experience with the mini-receivers of the satellite radio
industry? This week I'm gonna go to Best Buy and hope I can get to talk to some (probably a young 20 yr old who has never hiked further than from his/her bedroom to the john or to their vehicle. But before that, I want to ask the real EXPERTS.........you all!
Do any of ya'll (yes, I'm a Southern old gent & dang proud of it!) have any experience utilizing either Cirius or XM gadgets on your short or long jaunts up or down the A.T.? Yes I do know that battery life is relative to time of usage but I'm more interested in reception and places along the trail to pick of batteries or recharge the rechargeable units. Which is better, Cirius or XM. There has been talk about a merger of the two but according to the info I have gotten from friends their is 75-80% probability that, that will not occur.
Thx for your interest in reading this and I'll be interested in reading input from any of the real experts on the trail usage of either of these.
Happy Trails,
Gatorhiker
I have been using Sirius since Christmas and it's ok. My wife enjoys more than I do. I can say there customer service BLOWS.
aaroniguana
05-22-2007, 22:18
I've had Sirius for almost two years, their customer service is great, if you use the automated internet version:rolleyes:.
I'd get the Sirius Stiletto (portable armband unit) if I had someplace to charge it. It takes a cel phone style battery, needs to charge 4-6 hours. Thinking I'll pass on it.
aaroniguana
05-22-2007, 22:22
PS- I've had Great Sirius reception from Guadalajara to Nova Scotia.
I hiked with an FM radio for a bit but would have rather had an iPod. I hated hearing car advertisements in the middle of my nature journey. I suppose XM would not have the ads, and while the weather would be useful, for me the whole point is to escape that sort of thing (planning ahead, worrying about the rest of the world, etc.) In the end it's up to you though. Just thought I'd throw in my 2c.
I hiked with an FM radio for a bit but would have rather had an iPod. I hated hearing car advertisements in the middle of my nature journey. I suppose XM would not have the ads, and while the weather would be useful, for me the whole point is to escape that sort of thing (planning ahead, worrying about the rest of the world, etc.) In the end it's up to you though. Just thought I'd throw in my 2c.
I don't expect this type of post from a teenager. It shows a lot of maturity.
Happy trails!
NICKTHEGREEK
05-23-2007, 06:09
I'm in my second year of Sirius in the car and I have some real reception issues in local areas with lots of trees overgrowing the secondary roads. Same goes for bridges and highway overpasses. Much like GPS problems in heavily forested areas, I wonder if the sirius or xm will work on the majority of the AT.
Second issue, Sirius at least, is in no way 100% commercial free, and as a "cable" broadcaster the commercials they air don't have to meet "normal" broadcast standards. Paying money to hear commercials pisses me off.
aaroniguana
05-23-2007, 07:01
Eh. You only get commercials on the talk stations, not music or traffic/weather. Talk radio is more expensive because the talent gets paid whereas music is free.
sbumajesty
05-23-2007, 09:20
Eh. You only get commercials on the talk stations, not music or traffic/weather. Talk radio is more expensive because the talent gets paid whereas music is free.
You get the commercials on talk radio not because its more expensive, but because the shows are broadcast live on terrestrial radio and if satellite radio didn't have commercials at the same time there would be dead air for the length of the commercial break. Sure they could fill the time with something else, but they decided on commercials.
Also, its a common misconception, but the music that radio stations play is not free. It's all copyrighted material; and all terrestrial, satellite, and internet stations must pay for the music they use. Terrestrial and satellite must purchase the rights to the music from ASCAP or BMI who own around 95% of all music ever written. Internet stations are a little different and must pay a royalty for every song they play.
I can't add much hiking knowledge since I'm new to it, but radio is one thing I know :)
if you want NPR i think you need sirius????
you can also get a healthy dose of npr through podcast, of course that means sending you ipod home once in a while to get updates
but this is coming from someone who can't stand a radio or ipod or anything else besides natures own music to listen (plus its really light, weighing in at 0.0lbs, no batteries, headphones come pre-installed at birth, occasional snickers recharge required)
Uncle Silly
05-23-2007, 13:37
i don't have any real experience, but I'd expect weather from local FM stations to be a little better (read: more useful to you at the place you are when you hear it) than weather stations on the wide-area satellite services. if you're looking for emergency weather info and such, keep in mind that neither FM nor satellite reception will always be available (and/or useful).
Eh. You only get commercials on the talk stations, not music or traffic/weather. Talk radio is more expensive because the talent gets paid whereas music is free.
Commercials are also on music stations with Sirius.
Shake_N_Bake
05-23-2007, 23:44
Commercials are also on music stations with Sirius.
I have had Sirius for more than 4 years and have never heard a commercial on a music channel.
I don't expect this type of post from a teenager. It shows a lot of maturity.
Happy trails!
That's what happens when you spend too much time alone in the woods :D
Just remembered that a while ago my friend had XM radio for a few months in his car. I live in near the AT in Western Mass and my friend got pretty poor reception on XM. Anytime there was a mountain to the south, the signal dropped. So I imagine that while you're hiking along you'll have signal for a mile or so while you hike up the south side of a mountain, and then lose signal for a bit while you hike down the north face.
Moon Monster
05-24-2007, 12:15
Terrestrial and satellite must purchase the rights to the music from ASCAP or BMI who own around 95% of all music ever written. Internet stations are a little different and must pay a royalty for every song they play.
Yes, music is not free to satellite radio. And while the Copyright Royalty Board has already issued a death sentence to small Internet stations with drastically increased fees (unless it gets overturned), it may yet do the same thing to satellite. A decision on the fees for Sirius and XM is pending. The Hollywood cartel is always petrified of new technology. It has had over 50 years to figure out that new technology usually brings it new customers, but it's cold grip on the Past continues. The saving grace to Sirius and XM is that they are large and can likely negotiate affordable rates with the Cartel.
Also, Sirius and XM have announced plans to merge. The plans are under review by antitrust authorities and it is not guaranteed that they will be allowed. If they are, it likely won't change the service for any existing customers for a while. But, do not be surprised if in a few years, whatever you like about one provider over the other is washed away in the combined service plan.
you can also get a healthy dose of npr through podcast, of course that means sending you ipod home once in a while to get updates
Some of the FM/mp3 players have removable SD cards so you could get a couple of cards and rotate through them, getting sent podcasts, books on tape, etc. They also run on AAA batteries so you don't have to worry about a charger.
aaroniguana
05-24-2007, 22:36
**Rant Alert**
You get the commercials on talk radio not because its more expensive, but because the shows are broadcast live on terrestrial radio and if satellite radio didn't have commercials at the same time there would be dead air for the length of the commercial break. Sure they could fill the time with something else, but they decided on commercials.
Wrong. Not on Sirius. Mel Karmazen, the former Senior VP of CBS/Viacom Radio Division is now the CEO of Sirius and he has vowed that his programming will never be simulcast. It's all original programming. Why would I pay $13 per month for something that I could get on terrestrial radio free of charge?. Perhaps you're thinking of XM, I wouldn't know I don't have that.
Commercials are also on music stations with Sirius.
Sorry, wrong. Minimal deejay talkups and ZERO commercials. That's why I pay for it. It's not about Howard Stern, not about Opie and Anthony or Martha Stewart or NASCAR. It's about hearing the entertainment I want to hear, commercial free, being able to download any song I hear on the radio into the MP3 feature of my Sirius unit without getting charged .99 and listening to it whenever I want (full version of Iron Butterfly, man!), and driving from Boston to Seattle without changing the station, losing my signal or hearing a commercial. Which I have done. Twice. And most importantly, it's about not having to listen to songs cut up because the FCC has no authority over a pay service and cannot censor what I listen to on satellite.
Let me guess, you work for ClearChannel don't you? Hearst? ViaCom? The PTC? Hmmm? :D Terrestrial radio is archaic, frightened and still controlled by 5 tight-assed old men in Washington DC and I don't want them deciding what I can and cannot listen to any more than I want to hear commercials for products I don't use and companies I don't patronize.
**/RANT ALERT**
Commercials are also on music stations with Sirius.
You have Sirius confused with XM. Absolutely no Sirius music channels have commercials, while some XM music stations do (those that are programmed with their partner, Clear Channel). Sirius has no affiliation with Clear Channel or any of the other evil forces that have destroyed local radio. Other non-music stations on both Sirius and XM have some commercials, but not as many as on terrestrial radio.
I'm absolutely sold on Sirius over XM. It's all about the content. Music, DJs, and spontaneity are just better on Sirius. Same with their homegrown non-music stations--everything from Howard Stern to Martha Stewart to Maxim to Playboy to OutQ (gay) to a 24/7 truckers channel to five diverse uncensored comedy channels and much more. Plus they have all NFL games, NHL, NBA, college sports, Nascar.
Reception quality and price are the same with both services, and each has a full lineup of radios and service plans which are about equal.
However, I don't think either has a truly portable/wearable radio that would work for anything longer than a dayhike or maybe a weekend if you didn't listen much. Battery life for live feed is only a few hours. You then have to recharge. Where are you gonna do that in the woods? Best-case scenario: You can record off Sirius while in towns with a couple of their models and then listen to the recorded material for longer than you can pull in a live feed without the battery going dead. You can also use these same units as a traditional MP3 player.
**Rant Alert**
Wrong. Not on Sirius. Mel Karmazen, the former Senior VP of CBS/Viacom Radio Division is now the CEO of Sirius and he has vowed that his programming will never be simulcast. It's all original programming. Why would I pay $13 per month for something that I could get on terrestrial radio free of charge?. Perhaps you're thinking of XM, I wouldn't know I don't have that.
Sorry, wrong. Minimal deejay talkups and ZERO commercials. That's why I pay for it. It's not about Howard Stern, not about Opie and Anthony or Martha Stewart or NASCAR. It's about hearing the entertainment I want to hear, commercial free, being able to download any song I hear on the radio into the MP3 feature of my Sirius unit without getting charged .99 and listening to it whenever I want (full version of Iron Butterfly, man!), and driving from Boston to Seattle without changing the station, losing my signal or hearing a commercial. Which I have done. Twice. And most importantly, it's about not having to listen to songs cut up because the FCC has no authority over a pay service and cannot censor what I listen to on satellite.
Let me guess, you work for ClearChannel don't you? Hearst? ViaCom? The PTC? Hmmm? :D Terrestrial radio is archaic, frightened and still controlled by 5 tight-assed old men in Washington DC and I don't want them deciding what I can and cannot listen to any more than I want to hear commercials for products I don't use and companies I don't patronize.
**/RANT ALERT**
Totally agree with almost everything you wrote, including your disdain for terrestrial. Except for this: Sirius does carry some terrestrial programming like CNN, Fox News, etc. Also on the Right and Left political talk channels there are some shows that also air on terrestrial though not necessarily at the same time. Sirius definitely has more original programming than XM, tho, and the amount of terrestrial programming is minor compared to what's not.
aaroniguana
05-25-2007, 06:50
Those are simulcast television programs. All but one or two of the right and left political talk shows are original prgramming, and those are not pulled from terrestrial, they are internet based or public access cable. Sirius will not cross lines with terrestrial radio. So sayeth the Mel.
Those are simulcast television programs. All but one or two of the right and left political talk shows are original prgramming, and those are not pulled from terrestrial, they are internet based or public access cable. Sirius will not cross lines with terrestrial radio. So sayeth the Mel.
I stand corrected. Of course CNN and Fox News originate on TV. Cable/satellite TV at that. Not terrestrial.
Moon Monster
05-25-2007, 12:01
Dual receiver radios could become economically viable shortly after the merger. Would you still have to buy both services at full price? Maybe. More imminent would be service changes allowing the sharing of some content across both plans. But, the merger appears to be an uphill battle for now, so if you are buying soon you can probably ignore the changes. But, if you are buying for 2008, you may want to wait and see for a few more months.
For some understanding of the current think on post-merger service plans, see: http://www.usatoday.com/money/media/2007-02-26-sirius-usat_x.htm
I don't understand any of this bull****...hmm, lets get outside and then try to stay connected to what we're trying to get away from. I think every one of you is missing the point. Bring on the trash talk, it'll just confirm my ridicule.
Damush, read back, you'll see that I agree with you completely.
You will not be able to get a satellite signal for much of the trail once the trees leaf out. Also, these units are not the most durable, and I think that the harsh conditions on the trail will lead to early failure of your unit.
I've been happy with my mp3 player that also has an FM tuner.
Patrickjd9
05-26-2007, 21:25
You will not be able to get a satellite signal for much of the trail once the trees leaf out.
I definitely agree. I have XM and can't get steady reception on narrow tree-lined streets once the trees leaf out.
I definitely agree. I have XM and can't get steady reception on narrow tree-lined streets once the trees leaf out.
Switch to Sirius. A properly installed Sirius antenna isn't bothered by tree limbs or leaves.
The only problem I've had (using Sirius) is in deep canyons surrounded by rock, or in or under manmade barriers such as thick-walled buildings, canopies at drive-in banks, etc. and then only for a few seconds. In most major cities, Sirius has installed repeaters so as to alleviate even these annoyances.
Uncle Silly
05-27-2007, 16:17
In most major cities, Sirius has installed repeaters so as to alleviate even these annoyances.
Not to play Captain Obvious here, but the AT doesn't pass through many major cities. :)
Not to play Captain Obvious here, but the AT doesn't pass through many major cities. :)
Of course. But I think he was talking about reception problems with XM in general, not just on an AT hike. I answered in a simularly general way.
Uncle Silly
05-27-2007, 17:34
I dunno ... the AT passes through plenty of towns with narrow tree-lined streets, so at least his comment was sorta relevant to trail life.
I still say you'll do better with an mp3 player with FM capability. Why pay subscription fees?
I dunno ... the AT passes through plenty of towns with narrow tree-lined streets, so at least his comment was sorta relevant to trail life.
I still say you'll do better with an mp3 player with FM capability. Why pay subscription fees?
OK. MP3/FM it is then.
He was talking about XM. I was talking about Sirius. Not the same. Yet.