New Radio: HD vs XM VS Sirius vs none of the above (poll)

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

I like a wide variety of stuff (mostly metal, alternative, classic rock, etc) , and the Tampa talk stations are forced to lower their broadcasting strength by the FCC at night and I can't hear them where I deliver ( About 20 miles as the crow flies from Tampa in New Port Richey). I am a talk radio junkie much of the time since I get tired of listening to the same old songs played in rotation. I'm one of the few people that actually can use 18 FM presets as I have all but 3 of them filled with stations. I even have 3 or 4 AM stations I like. Another thing is that some shows I like are no longer broadcast locally like "The Bible Answer Man" (I'm a Born Again Christian but I do not like Christian music). I drive 8-12 hours a day every day and it gets boring sometimes when I am limited in my entertainment choices.

Another problem is that my receiver for some odd reason switched to the European station format and I can't get it to switch back. It does not skip by 10's on AM but by some odd number so I get 972 am instead of 970, etc. It also skips FM by 0.1 instead of 0.2. I have the book but no luck figuring out how to get it to reset. Even hitting reset where it erases all of your changes does not set it back to factory on this setting!

Other than that and one other minor issue ( faceplate dims sometimes but taking it off and reinstalling it fixes it) , it's a great deck loaded with features that I actually use. I can't find a comparable setup with any added features I want for under $400. What I really want is a 2 DIN deck with built in navigation, but the cheapest name brand one I have found is around $1200- much more than I am willing to spend. In fact, it's probably more than my whole truck is worth on trade in...lol Truth be told, I have been waiting for someone to build a high end or mid priced deck that incorporates all of the features I want ( Sat, HD, Bluetooth, Equalizer, cool looking face, 6 pre outs, built in sub gain and crossover, etc.) in a reasonably priced unit. The JVC unit with built in HD is too low end for my taste as it is basically just a low line CD player with a built-in HD tuner. It is not sat ready and limited in adjustability. JVC does have a unit with a USB port in the face, but it does not have built in HD or satellite. The 2 add on tuners are another $200 on top of an already $350 deck. A little pricey if you ask me!

 

[Silent viewer]

there are a few units like that that if you get lucky you can pick up for 400. maybe even new... check ebay

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

My only issue with Ebay on a deck is I can't try it out first and I don't have a store to go back to if there is an issue. I am fairly picky about my audio with the exception of subs and my sub amp as they don't need to be loud just clear. I just won't use non name brand stuff there as really cheap ones are inefficient and take too much space for too little sound.

 

[megaladon6]

i dont think they can merge, wouldnt that be a monopoly??

that's part of the legal battle.
if allowed they will be one company but at first they will still be 2 divisions, like chevy and cadillac are part of GM. they have to sort out what stations are going to be kept, what dj's get fired etc. the music channels will probably be the ones from sirius since xm has even admitted that sirius is better for music. xm still has the same day to day playlists as standard radio.

 

[srercrcr]

XM does NOT have the same offerings as broadcast radio. Refer to my previous post.
If these two merge it will be because they haven't been able to draw enough subscribers to be profitable. By merging and disbanding one whole satelite system and all the overhead, they could probably make it.
Monopoly? That's the issue before the antitrust people at the DOJ. XM/Sirius take the position they don't just compete against themselves but also against HD, broadcast, MP3s, anything the consumer feeds into his ear canal. The "industry" is more than just satelite radio...I tend to agree.

 

[megaladon6]

every time i have to listen to XM i hear the same songs multiple times per day, at about the same times=>playlist=>like radio.
the two companies are making money hand over fist, thats why they keep new equipment coming out and keep expanding channels--at least sirius does. merging will cut the overhead, and that makes everyone even more money. that's why they want to merge.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

I am also wondering what brands and models everyone seems to like for CD players. I have had pretty good luck with JVC's as they tend to last many years. Pioneer also seems to last a long time. Sony does not seem to make a good unit and Alpine is spotty from what I have seen. Some Alpines are good, but I have known of several that didn't even last 2 years. I also got an old iPod mini (freebie!) that my sister had lying around since she got a new one. Now I am just trying to figure out how to load my music off my laptop onto the damn thing and hook it up to my current JVC KD-LH300 CD player.

 

[jerry455]

i have had xm for about 5 yrs and i love it. i have delphi roady and it is transferable from car to home with different kits. you can use it with any radio as it transmits like an i pod to a unused fm station.

 

[jerry455]

i also used a radio cd out of a 98 t/a in my grand prix.

 

[GrandPrixJamie]

I am also wondering what brands and models everyone seems to like for CD players. I have had pretty good luck with JVC's as they tend to last many years. Pioneer also seems to last a long time. Sony does not seem to make a good unit and Alpine is spotty from what I have seen. Some Alpines are good, but I have known of several that didn't even last 2 years. I also got an old iPod mini (freebie!) that my sister had lying around since she got a new one. Now I am just trying to figure out how to load my music off my laptop onto the damn thing and hook it up to my current JVC KD-LH300 CD player.

I personally like Pioneer for my decks.... They are fairly simple to use and have great sound to them. Also they are fairly inexspensive and reliable. I have had the same head unit now for 7 years and has been put in about 6 different vehicles. JVC blows..... the Alpine I used to have caught on fire and I never head much luck with sony either. My wife has a Jensen in her car and that also seems to hold pretty well.... but I would pick a pioneer over it!