matt55

Anyone know where the satellite reciever is in the 204 body?

ejsheltra

Not sure but I got a post today that XM is on credit watch with a huge stock share price drop. I wonder what that will bring on?

chilledbenz

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090211/bs_nm/us_siriusxm

They are getting ready to file chapter 11. What that means for current subscribers I don't know, but I would imagine it would mean an end to new customers. Most likely it will be sold off to pay off their huge debt, but I find it hard to believe anyone would want to continue the service with such bad profits. It was only a matter of time, with HD radio coming along with better sound quality and being free, people were bound to end their contracts and just stay away from satellite radio all together.

cdye12

My 1st time using SiriusXM was when I activated my free 6 month subscription, and frankly, I was unimpressed. The biggest thing that jumped out to me was the sound quality, everything had the compressed low-quality sound too it, and it was at that point that I decided that I wouldn't ever pay for the service. I mostly use it to listen to the various ESPN channels and CNBC etc, not worth the cost IMHO.

TRauppius

The satellite signal is first received by the external antenna which also contains a powered Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) and a frequency downconverter that translates the L-Band satellite radio waveform down to a frequency that can pass through a long thin cable without incurring a high loss of power. The antenna cable also handles both the receive and transmit signals from the Tele-Aid cellular/satcom optional equipment.

Once the external antenna connecting cable arrives at the main radio head a Software Configured Radio (SCR) uses digital signal processor technology to demodulate the incoming RF waveforms from all of the antennas and RF bands. I suspect that the receiver can probably be reprogrammed to process a variety of additional satellite and HD waveforms as needed. This is not something your dealer can do, but MB would do this from time-to-time in order to remain current with the ever changing entertainment technology (e.g Sirius + XM service consolidation, non-commerical HD, and the emerging subscription HD).

Once the receiver does its thing the demodulated analog signals are either conventionally amplified and distributed, or in the case of MM equipped cars, digitized, signal processed, distributed and then amplified at the speakers.

norb

I for one will be sad to see Sirius/XM go bankrupt. I love sat radio. Have you guys ever gone on a road trip? Sat radio makes it bearable. And it sounds way better than terrestrial radio, no matter how compressed.

hutch300

three words.... howard stern rocks!

RLE

Stern is one of the reasons Sirius is teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, according to this morning's paper.

Personally, I can't stand him. Way too vulgar.

Ron Jr

Sorry don't agree changing rocks to sucks would be right. But to each his or her own. I never listen to his station.

hutch300

i think he was worse on terestrial radio, on satilite he can do what he wants so he is cleaner because i don't think he feels he needs to push the limit anymore

mac911

I use Sirius when I don't have time to fidget with MP3 files, or find the song/playlist I want on iPod. It's nice to have a channel or two, of your favorite music, which you go navigate to quickly, to keep your eyes on road. It's easy.

In March, they are raising the monthly rates for your extra receivers and remove free internet listening, for those additional subs as well.

I hope it doesn't go away. With what they charge us each month (I have 3 cars with Sirius), you'd think they'd do ok.

who8888

I like the XM traffic. It helps a lot on a trip to see where there are congestions.