r_liebo

For those interested, the official launch date for dealer installed Sirius satellte radio is now July, 2004.

Perhaps MB isn't so "serious" about satellite radio, after all.

James F. Cannon

Sad that MB is hooking up with the wrong party. I am an XM customer and from everything I read, hear and see XM is far ahead of Sirius in every area!

SUNILP

I've got XM and love it. Sirus is more expensive as well.

r_liebo

Actually, I'm looking forward to Sirius. Better sports stations, which is what I want.
Doesn't really matter though if MB can't figure out how to get the friggin thing to work. This is at least the third launch delay so far, and I bet it gets delayed again.

HiTEC

What does MB's complications have to do with XM being ahead of Sirius?

Do forget XM released a product 1 yr ahead of Sirius, and has had OEM products in GM vehicles (major backer) for 3 yrs. Sirius is just starting to get OEM support now (2004 MY).

I could care less how many subscribers XM has. I didn't make my Sat radio choice on subscriber count or stock price.

I think Sirius has a better selection of music for my tastes, and I listen to Sirius via the internet all day at work (something XM doesn't offer). All have several co-workers at work that want to subscribe to Sirius just for the streaming music.

The tuner to hook into the Mercedes fibre loop is obviously very complicated, and is probably the cause of the delays. I'm sure XM would not have done much better. It's not like Sirius or XM makes the tuners anyway, so it's not Sirius's fault MB keeps delaying the tuners.

The MB people I talked to at the Chicago auto show said they thought the tuners were avail now?? I'm not sure if that is true, that's what they thought at least.

BTW: XM is definately in the back when it comes to sports broadcasting. Sirius has NFL, NBA, & NHL tied up in exclusive deals.

tifosiv122

Sports on the radio...*shudder*

I also think MB partnered with the wrong side, but either way I don't care, my factory HU was out within 48 hours of picking up my car.

Erik

Jim Banville

I switched from Sirius to XM because of the endless repetition of the same songs. Lots of Sirius subscribers complain about this. Sports is ALL Sirius has going for it.

r_liebo

All except that it's the only option for factory headunits so you can use the steering wheel buttons

And like I said before, its all about sports for me. Can't wait to get ESPN radio instead of the local idiots here in ATL, not to mention NFL games next fall (if MB has their act together by then)

Buellwinkle

I had both for a while (at the same time) and at the time I liked Sirius better. But the problem with Sirius is money, they can't afford as large a music library so you do get more repitition. They also dropped the station I listened to the most, the Pulse and their comedy channels are not as funny as XM. Sirius reception is not as good as XM nor do they have the repeater network XM has so that became a huge problem where simple power lines would be enough for audio to drop, doesn't happen on XM. But they did have one huge advantage, they had commercial free music, but now the playing field is level as XM is commercial free (for music). Then there's the issue of equipment, while XM has the Roady and Skyfi, the best that Sirius can supply was the huge brick called the Shuttle or the antique looking Kenwood. Add to that XM's new channels coming out in 2 weeks that provide round the clock traffic and weather, it's a no brainer.

I know, it's nice having it built in, but I take mine with me from car to car so I'm not going to pay $800 to have it built in and then sell my car in a year or so and it's money out the window. Heck for $800 I can probably get one of those motorized displays with a touch screen and XM or Sirius and watch TV/DVD on it.

Jim Banville

In my opinion, anyone who is primarily interested in music content and wait til July to spend $800 for the Sirius tuner plus $12.99 per month vs. getting the $120 XM Roady NOW and pay only $9.99 per month, has more money than sense. The Roady will fit the ashtray and has a better display than the MB radio!

I used an ultra-compact FM modulator with my Roady in my old C240, and while bass suffered, it sounded great! I'm sure a more expensive FM modulator would sound better. Why would I say this? Because the one that comes inside the Audiovox (Sirius) PNP sounded great AND had good bass. The only real difference I heard between it and the cassette adapter was the lowered noise floor on talk radio. I didn't use the "better" sounding cassette adapter in the C240 because the way the door on the cassette player shuts, pinching the cassette's cord. If we kept the C240, I probably would have used a file to create a channel for the cassette adapter's cord to slip through. I do use the cassette adapter in my Sequoia with the Roady and LOVE it!

Buellwinkle

You can even avoid the whole mess of an FM modulator and antena adapters and hardwire it to the factory cassette radio as previously posted. Of course you lose the cassette player but that isn't an issue for most people with sat radio.

r_liebo

Thanks for the useful info -- still on the fence as to waiting for the MB unit, but something tells me it won't be available in July.

bensitto

After listening to both XM and SIRIUS, I decided to go with SIRIUS because that are Commercial-free and I liked the stations better. Plus they are based out of NYC (better DJs)...

I need to finish my install, got the plug N play Kenwood. Runnin through the AUX input on the Comand.

tifosiv122

XM is commercial-free now too.

Erik

dode

I've enjoyed Sirius radio in my C-Coupe since 9/02. I highly recommend it!

On this site I had placed my install at https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...threadid=18425

Couldn't wait for the OEM radio version.

I'm using the modulator through a Bose system. It sounds good, not great.

Buellwinkle

Post pics when you are done.... You'll love either one and having the streams on the PC for free is certainly worth the $3 extra a month.

As for the DJs, Sirius is more like FM in this regard, traditional DJs that announce and talk about the songs/artists. This is lacking in XM, it's more of continuous music, at least on the streams I listen to. It's like listening to a CD, one song ends, another one starts. I was surprised from the sat radio forums that most people hate DJ's, I think it adds interest to the broadcast. I used to listen to KIIS XM in the morning (a rebroadcast of LA/OC KIIS FM 102.7) with Rick Dees, I enjoyed his banter. Now he's gone and it's boring, don't even listen that station anymore. Hopefully Seacrest will be half as entertaining.