Satellite Radio and How It Works
Satellite radio is one of the leading audio technologies in the world today. Millions of users subscribe to these services, in the US alone (Sirius boasts at least 7 million, XM around 9 million). Understanding what satellite radio is and what it can do (as well as what it can’t) is an important aspect of enjoying your subscription.
Satellite radio, whether through Sirius or through XM, is commercial free. It is supported for the most part through subscription payments by subscribers, though some money comes in through contracts with automakers. (Honda has XM, Chrysler has Sirius) Both Sirius and XM offer more than 100 channels of commercial free programming, ranging from all types of music to sports, talk radio and news channels. (Sirius boasts 130, while XM has around 170)
Whether you have built in satellite radio in your car or you use a portable device that sends to your car’s radio, you receive signal in the same manner. This signal comes directly from orbiting satellites to your radio, bolstered by repeaters (much like cell phone towers). The benefit of this transmission method is that you get completely clear reception no matter where you are.
The drawback to this (and it is a minor one) is that a clear view of the sky is needed to get the best signal. Tall buildings, tunnels, parking garages and the like can all block out your signal, though it is only a momentary issue. The best way to beat this is to install an additional antenna in your car. (For home use, you can use an antenna and repeater) This way you get the most out of your subscription.
In addition to built in radios and portable options, both Sirius and XM are available over the Internet, though neither provider currently offers their full lineup of channels through the Web. Sirius currently offers 80 channels of commercial free, subscription based programming online, while XM offers slightly more. This means that you can use an existing account to listen to satellite radio over the Internet or you can register for only an online subscription for use with your laptop of desktop computer.
The single largest benefit to using satellite radio is that you can access the same stations no matter where you are in the US. This makes it ideal for truck drivers, frequent flyers or anyone that travels on a frequent basis. Even with this fact, many consumers (millions, in fact), have found that satellite radio offers them an alternative to traditional advertising based programming. The sheer number of quality radio stations and impressive sports coverage, combined with popular talk radio shows offer consumers great choices in what they can listen to and when they can listen to it.
There are several different ways in which you can get access to satellite radio, both XM and Sirius offer a wide range of systems that can be used in vehicles, docking stations at home or connected to your computer.