chairman

We love our 07 E350, everything that is except for Sirius Radio. It is God awful. The reception goes in and out, we find that it does this most of the time near homes that have Sat TV. Maybe a coincidence, maybe a fact. This happened on a friends car in another area of the country as well.

Then there is the music. We listen to a variety of music, (sorry no Howard)but find that XM has them beat hands down. We have 3 cars with XM and the E has Sirius. When my 6 months (or whatever) is up, back to XM.

Yeah, I know that by December this may be a moot point. I wish there was a unit for XM for our cars.

</rant>

Yacht Master

Well you are not alone, SIRI sucks, and I have made a fortune shorting the stock since they hired Howard Stern. In the early days of satrad I bought a little known company CDRD @ $0.32 then sold in the $50.00s truly a home run, that company later became SIRI. The merger may or may not work, the bottom line Satrad has failed, 16 years and billions of dollars and not one dime profit from either SIRI or XM. I won't comment on bit rate, reception, commercials, huge delay changing channels, or any other shortcomings.

I-Pod killed SatRad.

dtrentr

I much prefer XM. I lose the Sirius signal very often, and have never had that problem with XM in my GMC. Hope the merger happens and soon.
I'll enjoy my Bluetec even more.

starbrite

Plus, just like Sat TV, many channels but only a few worth listening to.

Barry45RPM

Satellite Radio is in its infancy. The merger will help programming. FM radio for music is on its way out. The empty 20 something suits are killing it, (programming for 20-something demographics only) and as you said the 20 somethings are listening to their IPods.

Personally, I don't want to hear just music. A little "human" interaction is nice too whether it is real or "voice tracked" as they say in Radio. The program loading delay we will just have to get used to. You are probably too young to remember how poor reception was when all we had was AM radio in cars... with the signal dropping out under every overpass, the constant static & electrical interferance from inside and outside the car.

Cable TV used to be "commercial Free" too. Today there are just a very few premium channels that are still commercial free, even though we pay for the Cable service. Satellite radio is like a "Buffet" of programming, you jump around the streams to choose what you feel like at the moment. Just like a real buffet, some items are entrees, some are side dishes, and some are just garnish.

Satellite is the future of radio... its just too young right now to be judged. People thought TV would never replace Radio and the Movies, and Newspapers are almost irrelevant to young people now, due to it and the internet.

ATS

I have subscriptions to both, own stock for both and I have to say, XM is awful.

Endless streams of the same 40 songs over and over. Not good.

Sirius and the DJ's are great (except when they step all over the start of the songs) plus Stern. Sirius is the best, XM knows it and this is why XM will disappear as soon as the takeover by Mel Karmazin and Sirius happens.

As for your reception problems they have NOTHING to do with people having sattelite TV in their houses. If you live in a major city, there are no drop outs. You have to remember you need a clear view of the sky, your car antenna has to "see" the satellite. It is great technology and soon TV (and internet) will be in your car over the same system.

ATS

Here is cool site for those with Sirius in the home.

I am sure you can find a song you like with this:

http://www.itsonsirius.net/

tpowel2

My car didn't come with Sirius, but after having it in my last two cars I had to have it in this one. The local dealer charged me $1,300.00 for the install... you may say that's too much, but I wasn't about to have some crappy after market job. I've never had any reception problems with mine.

DWP

I'm still amazed by the number of complaints about reception by people with Sirius in their cars. The XM portable in our W211 uses a 1" x 1 1/2" microantenna that is on the rear package shelf, inside, under the glass, and it delivers rock-solid reception. Can Sirius' satellites and/or ground repeaters really be that much worse? I'm getting Sirius with a car that I have on order (not an M-B), since XM isn't an option with the maker, and I sure hope that the Sirius reception is better than I'm reading about here.

The current betting is that the XM/Sirius deal will not get federal approvals, in large part because of the opposition of terrestrial broadcasters. The ironic thing about their opposition to the merger, of course, is that it makes the very point that XM and Sirius are trying to make - that their merger would not be anti-competitive because their competition is not each other, it's the terrestrial broadcasters (and iPods, and ...)

In any event, satellite radio is likely to be a transitional medium, until the deployment of something like WiMAX using long-range broadband wireless Internet technology (like WiFi, but with a range measured in miles instead of yards). When that happens, satellite radio will, if it survives at all, be a niche product for people out of range of even long-range wireless.

BudC

Nope, didn't see a thing. Of course I only like music either composed or performed by dead people

I've got Sirius Radio coming with my '08 order because I've got the P2 option. I am almost certain I won't renew the subscription when the six month one runs out.

If I'd gotten XM Radio, I might be happier about it. I've tried both and IMHO, Sirius is slanted more towards the 20 something crowd.

The good news is that the car will play MP3 CD's which will allow us to load up our entire iTunes library and let it shuffle.

Yacht Master

DWP,
This man knows of what he speaks

>>>"In any event, satellite radio is likely to be a transitional medium, until the deployment of something like WiMAX using long-range broadband wireless Internet technology (like WiFi, but with a range measured in miles instead of yards). When that happens, satellite radio will, if it survives at all, be a niche product for people out of range of even long-range wireless"<<<

Some cities in Florida have beta testing underway, WiFi/WiMax over power grid. When this comes to fruition, everything changes.

GLOCK36

I have a 1 year free subscription and honestly I will not sign up for it. Wasn't so bad in the winter but now that the leaves are on the trees the damn thing cuts out on me all the time, it is frigging annoying when the playboy channel gets going on a good hot topic and then silence

amdeutsch

All that moaning and groaning empty's their lungs. Give'em a chance to catch a breath. Or maybe they decided to eat something?

(j/k)

HotWheels500

I had the drop out problem. First thy changed the antenna to the newer small version. No help. Recently they changed the module itself to a new one that is supposed to solve many of the drop outs. Fact is, it's much better. Way fewer drops. Not sure what it's called but according to MB of Fairfield, CT, the thing was JUST released and I got the first one. In any case, I've got much better reception.

Background: My area has lots of tall trees and hills. Probably no repeaters here, just satellite reception.

benzinok

I had an aftermarket XM in my 99 E430. No complaints. In my 2007 model with Sirius I can drive under a damn bridge and loose the signal. I really have no issue with the programming, I think Sirius seems to not repeat programing as much. But loosing signal passing under a bridge overpass??

chairman

Barry, I am well aware that sat radio is the future and I enjoy it. I agree with your comments.

As far as the reception issue, I live near Washington, DC. I have never had a signal "drop out" with XM as often as I have with Sirius. It is frustrating. The friends of ours that had "drop out" problems are in the Ft. Lauderdale area. So neither of us lives "in the sticks".

I enjoy the "interruption" of a DJ as long as they don't get carried away or loud.

Maybe I just have to give the programming a chance, but so far XM has it hands down.

Barry45RPM

On some channels, I agree. The merger WILL take care of that after a while. Its a very young medium.

foofighter

isnt there a way to improve reception w/ the factory unit? it's terrible, i loose reception more often than my cheap $50 unit that i purchased at Fry's where is this antenna located???

Barry45RPM

Has the dealer checked this out? I know very poor reception could be a problem with the old trunk mounted antennas if they were defective. After the dealers replaced them the reception was good.

jimm

The Sirius complaints .. funny.

I belong to some Corvette forums and hear a LOT of complaints about XM.
But, I love my car and home XM’s. Never have a drop out. Unlike most of
you, tho, I’m not a music guy. Just conservative talk 99.9% of the time.

I had been thinking how good it would be to finally try Sirius which many
of the vette guys had been harping about. But, now on here - I’m hearing
that Sirius is no good. Who’s a guy to believe?

Regardless, I know I'm keeping satellite radio forever; overall, it’s great!

jimm

==========

On Order: 08 E350 Sport, P2, Black/black,
Parktronic, Voice, Bluetooth, Burl Walnut,
Split rear seat, Rear mud flaps

amdeutsch

FWIW

A couple of month ago I received an email from Sirius that an upgrade, a push, was going to happen including temporary issues. Since that time my drop outs, underpasses, etc, have drasticly improved - almost non-existing now. Even sitting in my garage it works better. My dealer was not aware of this either. Might send Sirius an email, or call - maybe the push didn't take on yours.

HTH

FormerC32Owner

I'm glad that I'm not the only one having trouble with Sirius. I've had my '07 E550 for 2 weeks now, and yes the Sirius sucks! I'm in "acquiring signal" most of the time. I certainly won't be renewing the subscription after the 6 month complimentary service.

My '04 BMW M3 with a Pioneer AVIC-Z1 NAV system with XM works like a champ!

jimm

The “drop-off” problem seems to reflect most of your complaints.

You South Florida guys - say from Jupiter down .. are you having
“drop-off” problems with Sirius?

jimm

==========

On Order: 08 E350 Sport, P2, Black/black,
Parktronic, Voice, Bluetooth, Burl Walnut,
Split rear seat, Rear mud flaps

Yacht Master

Lets see, Ft Lauderdale to Tampa clips out on I-75, Turnpike, I-95, I-595, Sawgrass expressway and HWY 27.

If I drive in to the shade it will clip out, No big deal, 6CDs an a I-Pod loaded with my personal mix music and audible books for long trips.
Jimm post up a pic of the mud flaps, do you live in Wellington or PBG

foofighter

as i stated before, it's not the sirius as i didnt have that sort of cut out with my cheap 50 sirius unit. for me, i'm convinced that it's the friggin antenna on my car that is the culprit.