I subscribe to a couple of e-newsletters for computer geeks and one of them (focused on Windows) wanders off the reservation once in a while. This time, the item in question provided a comparison between the two flavors of satellite radio: XM and Sirius. The review (in italics below) was posted to a blog operated by the owner and proprietor of Lockgnome for WindowsL Chris Pirillo. What the hell is a Lockergnome? If this is (fair & balanced) comparison shopping, so be it.
[x Windows Lockergnome]
Serious About XM or Sirius?
By Chris Pirillo
Don’t ask me why, but my post on XM versus Sirius has been generating user comments for well over a year now. If you were considering picking up either satellite radio service, I’d recommend reading through the thread. There’s a lot of good advice in there, including this bit that was just posted this morning:
I was a previous owner of both systems and I have completely made the switch to Sirius. First off, I got tired of XM nerfing my favorite channels and replacing them with empty channels. XM may claim they have more channels than Sirius but nearly all of their sports channels (27 MLB channels, the various college conference channels) are offline 20 hours out of a day and they play the following annoying message “The programming for this channel has not started yet”.
Why should I pay to have my favorite channels being relegated to internet only and be given empty programming. Also, Sirius truly covers College Sports, unlike XM. Sirius has 10 - 15 college football games covered every weekend… XM has their ACC game of the week or whatever… I’d rather have the larger selection of games to choose from.
XM’s tendency to eliminate non-mainstream channels has become highly annoying. They remove XM Liquid Metal (Very hard rock) and made it internet only. The removed Special X which was the channel for non mainstream items like William Shatner sings, Leonard Nemoy sings Christmas Carols, Wesley Willis, etc… I believe Special X is now internet only. The also cancelled Discovery Radio, Playboy Radio and replaced them with Golf and Tennis channels.
It just seemed that XM was becoming this SAFE radio medium… which is the same as terrestial radio. I enjoyed XM at first because I could hear genres of music that I can’t hear otherwise, but they continually kill risky or experimental channels.
Sirius has all of those experimental channels and they even have multiple channels of the most popular genres of music. Not to mention, they have more celebrity power in my opinion… it seems that everyone has a show on Sirius… Lance Armstrong, Phil Jackson, Bam Margera, Tony Hawk, Jason Ellis, Jimmy Buffet, Eminem, Martha Stewart, Howard Stern, Jim Breuer, Marky Ramone, Dave Mirra, Bode Miller, and Kelly Slater. These are just the host that I’m aware of, they are always having guest hosts in the studio… Shakira, Bruce Springsteen, Rolling Stones, etc.
On a side note, Sirius has reunited the original MTV VJ’s from the 80s and they DJ the Big 80s station… Nina Blackwood, Martha Quinn, Mark Goodman, and Alan Hunter.
Sirius has also made a large investment in Radio Drama as seen on Cinematic Radio for Oscar winning filmakers, Charlie Kaufman, Joel and Ethan Coen to create 2 "made for radio" plays starring the likes of John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Meryl Streep, Marcia Gay Hardin, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Hope Davis, and John Slattery.
For me, I want to support a medium that is seizing the moment and opportunity to air cutting edge, experimental and risky programming that I can't hear anywhere else... so Sirius radio was the obvious choice.
For those who want to pay for terrestrial radio, go buy your XM radio. Also, I could care less about the "technology" behind XM vs Sirius. I bought my Sprint cell phone because they are one of two carriers with "next generation" technology... and you know what, it freaking sucks. Unless I'm in a major city, I dont get a signal.. yet my friends with Billy Bob's cellular phone service continue to get a signal in the middle of [nowhere]. So don't come at me with that lame "technology" argument.
Ultimately, its up to you - if you decide to get either satellite radio service. No doubt, some of you were considering this for a holiday present.
Chris Pirillo is a best-selling author and the creator of the award-winning Lockergnome series of online publications.
Copyright © 2005 Lockergnome for Windows
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