[Magna]

Originally Posted by JSpira

You need an internet connection. Just use a 3G mobile smartphone and the auxin plug.

The 3G phone is then connected to your laptop? My plan is only a 1MB a month of data, so I would need to get an unlimited plan. Is that what you have?

[Magna]

I've only listed to HD in the Boston area, so reception may be better in the cities.

[gos]

Originally Posted by CrazyJ

I've been listening to sirius for a month and have never heard a commercial. I don't consider a 10 second station identification every hour to be a commercial. Maybe the commercials are just on just on other channels-- but they're definitely not on the rock channels.

The core music channels don't have commercials. Not sure if all of them are commercial free, but most of them are.

The rest of the channels seem to have commercials, some more than others. Often channels do cross-promote each other in brief 10-second spots.

Howard Stern takes a reasonably long commercial break for 5-6 minutes sometimes, but often he's been going non-stop for 90 minutes before that break and needs to use the bathroom, it's understandable. A 5-hour show will have 4-5 commercial breaks.

The live sports channels (NBA/NFL/NASCAR) all take commercial breaks.

[FolsomMike]

I've had Sirius in 2 cars for over 2 years and love it. None of the music channels (about 100) have any commercials. Only the "talk" channels like Stern, news, sports, comedy have ads and even those only have a fraction of what you would get on regular radio. I only listen to "old" radio for traffic reports and if you live in any of the 20 largest urban areas in the country, Sirius has that covered to.

Sirius also gives you the option of purchasing a second (or third) subscription for about $6/month with which you could get one of their portable or home units.

Basically, satellite radio is like cable tv. Once you get used to having HBO and 100+ other channels, you'll never go back to rabbit ears.

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by Magna

The 3G phone is then connected to your laptop? My plan is only a 1MB a month of data, so I would need to get an unlimited plan. Is that what you have?

No, just the 3G phone running windows mobile 6.

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by gos

The core music channels don't have commercials. Not sure if all of them are commercial free, but most of them are.

Listen again please. Unless something has changed in the past few months, the announcers talk up other programs quite a bit. That is a commercial for other streams on Sirius. They don´t sell commercials to outsiders but that isn´t to say they don´t run commercials. And these spots are longer than 10 seconds.

[tintivilus]

Originally Posted by Magna

The 3G phone is then connected to your laptop? My plan is only a 1MB a month of data, so I would need to get an unlimited plan. Is that what you have?

Yeah, unlimited data is sort of a prerequisite for streaming media.

Originally Posted by JSpira

No, just the 3G phone running windows mobile 6.

Your phone need not be smart -- The V3xx, for example, will happily play 3GPP (AAC/AAC+), WMA, RealAudio, and some varieties of mp3 streams. Combine with a 3.5mm adapter (http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-Heads.../dp/B000M83Y1W) and you're set.

The one nagging problem with the RAZR(2)-based setup is that the phone's software won't connect to bluetooth while a headset or audio adapter is plugged into the mini-USB port. The alternative is to go all-Bluetooth with an A2DP adapter, which leaves the mini-USB port open for charging if you need it.

[LEDZEP]

Originally Posted by JSpira

Please revisit the "no commercials" claim. Sirius´ commercials are just as annoying even if they are mostly for other Sirius offerings.

Respectfully, I beg to differ. May be a "to-may-toe" / "to-mah-to" thing, but other than Stern they don't play commercials. I define a commercial as content specificly for the sale of another company's products or services. Certainly they do hoc their own wares here and there but I really never find it very annoying. I guess it really just comes down to what annoys each of us. I simply hate traditional commercial radio...

Besides, when I tire of Sirius from time to time... that is what 6FL is for!!

[Neurorad]

I listen to a lot of the comedy station Raw Dog, and there are many commercials. Spots for 'Go to My PC' and erectile dysfunction treatment. Fortunately, there are other stations to switch to immediately when there is an ad.

I think ads for other Sirius stations are as annoying as paid spots.

LZ, got this for you:

[LEDZEP]

Originally Posted by Neurorad

LZ, got this for you:

Attachment 122209

That's hillarious!!

[scooby9]

I have Sirius and I really like the variety of channels and commercial free broadcasts.

[rcw119]

Two comments on Sirius Commercials...I've been a subscriber for over two years and disagree with the comments. The music is 100% commercial free. They do have DJs, but they do a very good job talking about music and very rarely. The talk stations have commercials. Those that are syndicated have what I will call "regular" commercials. Sirius only programming have limited commercials. (They gotta pee some time!)

I'm a big fan. I have 4 radios.

[Neurorad]

Does anyone use the Sirius Conductor home receiver? Impressions?

[shragon]

Originally Posted by JSpira

Listen again please. Unless something has changed in the past few months, the announcers talk up other programs quite a bit. That is a commercial for other streams on Sirius. They don´t sell commercials to outsiders but that isn´t to say they don´t run commercials. And these spots are longer than 10 seconds.

mmmmm... okay, to me those aren't commercials and those stations are still commercial free as they're free of outside advertisers.

[shragon]

sirius ftw.

hd radio and terrestrial radio ftl.

[shragon]

btw... i've been a sirius subscriber since jan 2006.

[nub340]

Yeah, not too thrilled with Sirius here. Yes for the most part it's cool, especially for road trips since you don't have to keep finding new stations, but the sound quality is horrendous and after you listen to it for a while you swear they just have it on repeat (same songs over & over again). Yes there ARE commercials but they're mainly for Sirius and usually really short, you hardly even notice them.

Regular FM sounds WAY better than Sirius, they're not even close. So bad in fact I never even listen to it anymore and for $500!! I feel like I totally wasted my $$$. Definately NOT going to renew. Haven't heard HD Radio yet, but sometimes I wish I got that instead. Regular FM + 6FL is up to my taste in variety and sound quality (I encode all my Mp3's in 256kbps or better). When you can hear the compression, I just can't take it!!

[e92drivver]

The only commercials on Sirius are in the syndicated content. Sirius has no control over the commercials the NFL, NBA or other sports syndication put into their broadcasts.

The music stations are commercial free. I dont consider every couple hours having a few seconds of a DJ telling me what programming is coming up next as a commercial. I look at it similar to the 15 second TV network breakdown that tells you what programming they have coming up in the next few hours.

I agree Sirius sound quality is not as good as FM for those discerning ears. But the content on Sirius is much better. Music I like and no commercials. Sports I can't get elsewhere except my home satellite. My local FM stations have a poor music selection, annoying DJs and seemingly more commercials than music.

I am debating not renewing my Sirius only because I use my iPod all the time. If the iPod happens to be out of the car (forget it after syncing) I listen to Sirius. I can count on two hands how many times I have listened to FM radio since I had an iPod & Sirius in the car. If I dont renew Sirius I will have to be better at remembering my iPod after syncing or listen to the great BMW motor - that's better than FM.

If I didn't have an iPod I'd go with Sirius over any FM broadcast - HD or not.