[Scooter Scott]

So Sirius XM is raising prices, even after all the talk about them not raising prices. Go figure. 2nd radios are now $2 more per month and their free service of online streaming will not be free anymore...it's now $2.99 because they are upgrading the outdated system.

To me personally their quality of music/radio has been declining and their amount of commercials about how to make yourself slimmer in the stomach and larger down in another area and how to cope with yourself being a psycho are increasing. So they just lost a longtime subscriber of 7 years...

I called to cancel today. They gave me 2 months free to reconsider me cancelling. All they did was give me 2 free months of programming until I cancel again.

 

[JIMMYJOHN]

I'm old fashon but for the longest time I could not see paying for Cable or Sat. TV. I'm really dead set about paying to listen to the radio :bang:

 

[RobtRoma]

I'm right there with you Jimmy. Sat. radio is good if you do a lot of traveling or live in an area that doesn't receive decent radio signals. I live just outside NYC so just about anything I want to listen to is on free radio (or my iPod). Satellite isn't necessary, it's a luxury and I don't need any more monthly payments. I am, however, interested in the free Hi-Def digital radio they have been promoting. I'd really like to see that in my next vehicle...

 

[Ajax]

I saw everything was getting worse at Sirius, less selection of music and pricing changes (I haven't looked that deep into it) but it still beats terrestrial radio in my opinion. Jacksonville has some terrible stations, and I don't forsee them getting any better. :stifle:

As far as I can tell, HD radio is just crystal-clear commercials. My friend and I put a HD radio in his dad's Merc and it didn't sound any different from non-HD (there's an indicator). Usually I listen to Sirius at work, sometimes in the car, and when I hear a song I like, I, er, find a way to, ah, aquire a digital version to load onto my computer, phone or a CD for the Escape. :rockon:

 

[Scooter Scott]

What the common consumer doesn't know is it doesn't matter if the song is broadcast in digital or analog. Your ears can only hear analog since a digital signal is really just 0's and 1's. It doesn't matter if it is a 100% clear analog station or digital station...it will sound the same to you.

 

[jonas1022]

What the common consumer doesn't know is it doesn't matter if the song is broadcast in digital or analog. Your ears can only hear analog since a digital signal is really just 0's and 1's. It doesn't matter if it is a 100% clear analog station or digital station...it will sound the same to you.

Exactly what I was going to post. Thanks. It would seem that there is a sucker born every minute, and two more to take him. No Sirius for me. I am wondering how valuable HD TV is...

Big screen = big bucks. My Sony analog isn't broken, why trade? I paid $300 for the Sony 27 inch. And now they want about $900 for a flat screen that is maybe 40".

Technology is pretty good, but if it's used against those that buy into it I'm inclined to take a hike. Same for the Sirius radio. I say do what your going to do. Cancel after your two month good bye time. :calvin:

 

[Ajax]

I believe the upgrade to digital radio is a valid one, if only for minor reasons. One, digital broadcasts, since they're either zeros or ones, take up less bandwith, so you can have multiple stations very close together in frequency. I believe the government is reselling this bandwith eventually (just like they want to do with UHF and VHF channels) Two, there also isn't supposed to be any static in digital, you either get all the data and it becomes a perfect reproduction of the song, commercial or whatever, or you get nothing since it's incomplete. Finally, AM and FM frequencies cannot reproduce the full range of human hearing (basically 20 hz to 20 kHz), while digital can. It's similar to listening to cassette tapes, then CDs.

As for TVs, the upgrade to a digital signal brings with it a small leap in resolution (I think it goes from 480i to 480p) for any set. When you have an HDTV, and it's displaying 720p, 1080i or 1080p the difference should be very noticable, especially in sports and newer movies mastered in HD. Some stunts in movies on a Blu-Ray player actually look fake, and some celebs start to look a little less glamorous lol. But I still love high resolution TV. My advice with HDTVs is this: go to Best Buy or wherever they have a good feed, look at them, if they aren't playing something you're interested in, make them change it until you find something you'd normally like. If you're dazzled, then it's something to consider. If it doesn't impress you, then rock on with the old CRT. I use a Mitsubishi CRT in my bedroom (bought in 96) and it still looks great. In the living room however I have a 42" plasma! :heart:

I was a gadget junkie, and adopted a few failed formats before (Sony Mini-Disc, DVD-RAM recorder) but now I wait to see how stuff pans out. I think HD will be around for a while, and it looks like Blu-Ray will be the HD DVD format for some time to come yet. Just saw a player for $199.99..... :yes:

 

[RobtRoma]

The main reason I'm interested in HD radio is there are more stations. They constantly mention how there are these other stations, including an "oldies" station that my father used to listen to, only on HD. They moved the oldies station from the analog broadcasts. I know my dad would love to get that station back and I'd like to hear it again as well. I also wouldn't mind getting a few of the other stations

 

[escapeblk]

Depending how persuasive you are, try some codes from the interent. My Xm is free in my escape, my brother talked to them for me (for awhile, told them the code ,talked some more) and now its free in my car. However at the same time we have had 5 cars with xm or sirris radio.

try the link, find a few and call. If the first person who answers doesnt do the deal hang up and try again. If you call with an offer from a certain new car (example: gm cert cars get free xm trail, infinity had 3 yrs free at one point, you may need to come up with some good excuses since they can infact tell if the radio is built in or aftermarket (example to say: radio was defective and replaced before you drove it off the lot)
http://www.retailmenot.com/view/xmradio.com

I'am not one to condone ripping off a company, but we have paid enough on our cars xm/sirris plans so I gave it shot. I just dont want people to get mad at me for lieing to a company.

 

[Scooter Scott]

John Madden is hideous in HD!!!

 

[RobtRoma]

John Madden is hideous in HD!!!

:lol: I couldn't agree more... :hyst:

 

[Wingsfan]

UGH! I hate him and his bret favre love :stifle: :barf:

 

[jpark]

:lol:

Where would Madden be without the "like spackle or paste" commercials?

:hyst: