XM / Sirius Help Please

[MilDoc]

LOML wants a satellite radio receiver for Christmas. I plan to get one she can use in the car and at home. All she wants it for is to listen to NPR which we can't get here.

I see that both systems offer an NPR station. I take it both are a "national broadcast" of some sort, probably not our local Austin station.

Anyone listen to either? I was wondering if both carry the same NPR station.

I also see receivers that get both XM & Sirius. Any comments?

Thanks!

[crokett]

I am a Sirius subscriber. XM and Sirius are the same company now. They've spent the last several months getting the channel lineups consistent but there is still some content unique to each. AFIK NPR is the same on both. Whatever receiver you get make sure you can dock it at home. The one for my car I can't dock. I get around that in my shop by plugging in an antenna, power and using the stereo out jack but I have to do this manually each time I put it in my shop.

Oh and don't buy a product from Xact. Their receivers are crap and customer service is non-existent.

[OpaDC]

I believe they are one and the same now. LINK But then again, maybe not. LINK2 Kind of confusing.
"NPR has two channels on Sirius and one channel on XM: NPR Now 134 on both Sirius and XM, and NPR Talk 135 on Sirius, featuring Tell Me More, Car Talk, Fresh Air, Talk of the Nation, and American Public Media's Marketplace, along with A Prairie Home Companion. Using specially-designed satellite radio receivers, listeners can hear NPR programs while driving coast to coast."

One thing about Sirius, (and possibly XM?) if you want to buy programs a la carte, you have to get a radio capable of it. Evidently not all are. The one that came with my 2101 Fusion does not allow a la carte.

edit: I found a radio station in Austin that says it is an NPR affiliate. KUT, 90.5 out of UofT.

[cabinetman]

The one that came with my 2101 Fusion does not allow a la carte.

Wow...talk about being the first on the block!!!
.

[Tom Slick]

Most NPR (and similar) programming is available as free podcasts. I got rid of sirius and podcast everything now. I never miss a show and don't have to listen to all the other junk.
After the merger, the two music stations I listened to the most changed their format and the music got worse and more repetitive. That's when I let the subscription run out and bought an ipod.

[herb fellows]

I've had sirius for about 4 years now. I think there are some channels/shows that are exclusive to one or the other, despite the fact that they have
merged'. So if both have the same NPR, you might want to look further into the programming to see if there's any programming differences that would make you prefer one over the other.
For instance, I like ch 118, which has old time radio shows and such (jack benny, the shadow, the thin man etc.).

[MilDoc]

edit: I found a radio station in Austin that says it is an NPR affiliate. KUT, 90.5 out of UofT.

Yep. KUT is what we can't get here, all of 60 miles from Austin. Reception is sketchy - in the car, OK for 1/2 mile, then gone, then back.

[MilDoc]

Thanks for all the great info folks. Still looking into it. I plan to get a receiver that can be used in the car and with a home dock.

Any brands you've used but did not like?

[OpaDC]

Wow...talk about being the first on the block!!!
.

Think Jetson's.
DOH!

[just started]

I have a Delphi MyFi to Go and have been very happy with it (about 5 years). It came with both the car and home kits, and the car kit has 3 methods of getting to the radio - a cassette tape adapter, a direct wire plug-in and the internal FM modulator. The home kit has a stand to plug the unit into which makes the wire connections for power, antenna and line out for your stereo amp - if you just want to plug speakers directly in to the unit you do that to a port in the top of the unit itself, or you can use the FM also. It also has an IR remote control for use at home. Any questions, just ask.

Art