Both companies are able to offer you static free radio due to satellites. XM (based in Washington D.C.) has two and Sirius (based in New York) has three satellites across the United States. Both companies offer users commercial free radio. Sirius offers over 125 channels and XM offers 160 different channels. There are dedicated channels for genres of music such as jazz, folk, country and pop for diehard fans. One cool feature of satellite radio is you can see the name of the artist playing as well as the song title. So never again do you have to spend time wondering just who sang that song you just heard! There are also channels for local weather and traffic, sports, comedy, women’s issues, talk shows, even old time radio shows. Soon, you may be able to see video as well as hear audio on your satellite radios.

There are also celebrity shows for both satellite radio companies. Martha Stewart recently signed a deal to launch a 24-hour radio channel on Sirius Satellite Radio. And most everyone has heard that Howard Stern is on Sirius as well – uncensored. Having gotten in trouble with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for his radio talk show, he decided to jump to the uncensored airways of satellite radio. Since his show started, the Sirius subscriber base has increased by at least 2.7 million. If have satellite radio and want to hear National Public Radio (NPR), you will have to subscribe to Sirius as they are the only one offering NPR. But XM is not to be left behind by Sirius. XM signed Snoop Doggy Dog, but the big coop is Oprah. In September of 2006, XM users will be able to tune in to Oprah & Friends. The new channel will offer broadcasts of The Oprah Winfrey Show, O, the Oprah Magazine and programming on fitness, health and self improvement.

All this sounds great, but what do you actually need to be able to receive satellite radio? You will need either a Sirius or an XM radio. This does not necessarily have to be a radio only for use in your car either. There are also home radios available today and there are even radios you can use both at home and in your car. The price for a basic radio offered by both Sirius and XM is as low as $49.99. You will also need to subscribe to a service. Both Sirius and XM charge $12.95 a month for you to receive satellite signals on your radio. However, if you have several cars with satellite radios, you can save by choosing the family plan available from both companies.

Just how popular is satellite radio becoming? In March of 2005, Hyundai announced that it would be the first automaker to put satellite radios in all of its models sold in the United States. Each Hyundai, including the popular Sonata, Santa Fe, and Elantra models, will come equipped with an XM satellite radio. When this was announced, shares in XM’s parent company rose by more than 8 percent. Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz also announced in March 2005 that Sirius radios would be a dealer-installed option on some of their models.

So which satellite radio should you choose? That depends on you. You should check out the stations available by visiting each company on the web before making a decision. Both offer radios at comparable prices, so it really comes down to what you want to hear. Are you a Stern fan? Then you have to go with Sirius. But if you love Oprah, you can only hear her on XM. Regardless of which one you choose, you will no doubt be very pleased with the services and reception of satellite radio.

About The Author

Matt Barstow offers valuable tips and information about satellite radio, players, and services. Read his latest report answering the most popular questions about satellite radio. http://www.satellite-radio-review.net.

Written By: Matt Barstow

Satellite radio is becoming more and more popular, both with discerning listeners that want more choice and better quality, and with those that have had to put up with a lot of static in the past and are unable to get a clear reception on AM/FM radio. You can get some really affordable deals on satellite radio these days, so enjoying crystal clear, uninterrupted, diverse entertainment has never been easier. You can get satellite radio installation for your car or your home, and by making some comparisons you can enjoy some excellent deals on satellite radio accessories. You will need a satellite radio antenna and a satellite radio receiver in order to enjoy this service, but again you get some excellent deals and offers when you go online.

There are many reasons why satellite radio is becoming more and more popular, and between them Sirius and XM already have around three million subscribers. So, why would you want to get satellite radio and pay a monthly subscription when you can get AM/FM radio for free? Youll find a selection of the most popular reasons for satellite radio purchase listed below:

Reasons for choosing satellite radio

More choice: satellite radio from Sirius or XM offers an incredible choice of channels. You can enjoy over one hundred channels of pure entertainment from these satellite radio providers, including music, sports, talk radio, news channels, and more. The choice of channels means that you can enjoy a wide range of niche programming as well, so whatever your taste or need you are almost certain to find something well suited to your requirements with satellite radio.

Excellent quality: With satellite radio you can enjoy CD quality in radio format. The digital quality of satellite radio means that you can enjoy the vast range of entertainment with crystal clear sound quality. You wont have to put up with static and fading reception any longer, as is often the case with AM/FM radio. With satellite radio you can enjoy pure, high definition digital sound to accompany the wide choice of quality entertainment.

Commercial-free channels: Unlike AM/FM radio, satellite radio offers some commercial-free channels, so you no longer have to put up with constant interruptions to your favourite music or show. With satellite radio, you can enjoy back to back entertainment without commercials and chat to interrupt the flow and entertainment value.

Wider accessibility: Many of us take radio accessibility for granted, but not everyone can gain proper access to AM/FM radio. For example, those living in more rural areas may simply end up hearing static most of the time. Since satellite radio is available all over the Continental United States, this means that even those in normally hard to reach areas can enjoy satellite entertainment and clear, defined, digital sound.

Choice of subscriptions: There are currently two main players in the satellite radio field, and these are Sirius and XM. With both of these satellite radio providers you can enjoy a wide choice of subscription packages, so whatever your budget you should be able to find the perfect deal enabling you to enjoy high definition digital radio at an affordable price. You can enjoy paying on a monthly, annual, two yearly, three yearly, four yearly, or five yearly basis with XM. And with Sirius you can pay on a monthly basis, annually, two yearly or you can even buy a lifetime subscription.

Multi location listening: With satellite radio you can listen to your favourite music and shows in more than one location, which means that you can quickly switch the satellite service from your car stereo to your home entertainment system. You will still pay just one satellite radio subscription fee all you will need to do is buy a portable satellite receiver.

Easier entertainment access: With satellite radio you no longer have to worry about downloading songs and carrying around a whole stack of CDs in order to enjoy some entertainment when you are traveling or even when you are at home. With so many channels and so much quality entertainment to choose from you will never be short of something to listen to and enjoy. Plus, you will still have access to your AM/FM radio service, so you wont have to make any sacrifices in order to enjoy the high definition entertainment provided by satellite radio.

Impressive features: With satellite radio you can enjoy a range of impressive features and additional benefits that will make listening to the radio all the more enjoyable, and will offer even more choice. You can get parental block controls in order to allow parents to stop their kids from listening to explicit programming. You can also enjoy receiving music track information with digital radio, so you can instantly find out details about which artist or song is playing. This information is actually displayed via satellite transmission on the actual controller.

Unique programming: With satellite radio you can enjoy access to programming that is not available on regular AM/FM radio. For example, due to the lack of FCC regulations you can access racier or more controversial content, which on AM/FM radio may be prohibited. The child control features ensure that this content is only accessed by the person in control of the satellite radio and not by the kids or any other unauthorized listener. Satellite radio also offers some exclusive interviews with celebrities, so you could find yourself listening to an exclusive in-studio interview with your favorite star.

Perfect for driving: One pet peeve with many drivers is that when they are listening to the radio, the signal fades intermittently as they drive to and from different areas. This means that whether you are listening to your favorite show or your favorite music, you can lose the signal. You then have to spend time looking for an alternative channel which can be difficult and even dangerous when you are driving. With satellite radio, you can enjoy uninterrupted, crystal clear sound without loss of signal and without the need to keep changing channels.

Satellite radio: the affordable choice of the next generation

Just as the kids of today dont remember life without CD players and satellite television, the new generation will become totally accustomed to satellite radio, which is already becoming more and more popular. Again, just like the local and terrestrial channels on television, you will still be able to enjoy AM/FM radio in the future, but as time goes on more and more households and drivers will be enjoying the benefits of satellite.

Whether you enjoy listening to the radio in the house or whether you like to have on some funky tunes as you drive, you will enjoy the ultimate in radio entertainment with satellite radio. You can enjoy all sorts of entertainment, from news and sports to music and talk radio. Just like regular radio, you can ring in and enter competitions or simply to express opinions. And the super quality available with satellite radio will ensure that you get to enjoy your favorite music and shows with minimal disruption and high definition sound.

The choice of subscription packages available from the two main satellite radio providers also makes it easy and affordable to enjoy satellite radio. Whether you want to pay on a monthly basis or whether you want to subscribe for one year or more, you can enjoy low prices. You can even subscribe for a lifetime with Sirius, and the longer you subscribe for the cheaper your subscription works out. So, high quality radio entertainment could cost even less than you imagine.

If you have had satellite or cable television in your home for a while, the chances are that you can barely remember what television entertainment was like before you had satellite or cable. You probably cant imagine television entertainment without the choice and quality that you now have. Well, the same can be said of satellite radio. In a few years, many households and drivers will have forgotten what radio entertainment was like before the crystal clear quality and excellent choice of satellite radio came along.

About the Author

Reno Charlton is an experienced freelance copywriter and an award-winning childrens author from the United Kingdom. You can read more of her informative articles on satellite radio at http://www.car-satellite-radio.com.

Written By: Reno Charlton

You pay for TV, dont you?

Once, in those long gone days of yore, cable television operators offered us television, which we had happily been receiving for free through big tree-branchy things on our roofs, for a fee. Many people scoffed at the idea of paying for 30 channels when they received four or five, gratis. Well, just look at us now cable TV, satellite TV, 500 channels not quite filling us up. So lets stop asking questions about why you should pay for satellite radio, and lets find out how the dern thing works.

Well, how does the dern thing work?

Lets start by looking at the type of radio you are used to. AM radio broadcasts at a frequency range from 535 kilohertz (kHz) to 1700 kilohertz (1.7 MHz). FM broadcasts between 88 MHz to 108 MHz. Without getting too technical, one hertz is basically one cycle per second. So FM radio waves transmitted at 88MHz are cycling 88 million times per second. This seems like a lot, but is actually relatively slow. Slower cycles require larger antennas to transmit and to receive them. Also, radio station antennas are stationary and earthbound, and are therefore limited in range. At higher cycles, smaller antennas suffice. Cell phones range from 824 MHz to 1990 MHz (1.99GHz), depending on the type of service; this is a much faster cycle, and therefore a smaller antenna is used. Satellite radio is broadcast at 2.3 GHz, so your car or portable receiver has no trouble picking up the signal. There have also been great advances in antenna technology, which provide us with a relatively small, flat antenna rather than a dish that would have to be constantly adjusted to point toward the satellite as we drove around town picking up kids from soccer practice.

All them numbers hertz my brain.

Lets lay megahertz and gigahertz aside for a moment. In addition to those higher frequencies, satellite radio signals come from, you guessed it, satellites. These satellites are in a geosynchronous orbit, which is an orbit that keeps the satellite always above one location on the planet, making it stationary relative to the earth. The satellite receives a digital signal from the ground station and bounces it back to us. Because the signal is digital, it can be compressed and beamed out packed full of additional data (disguised as 0s and 1s), and received by any satellite radio receiver tuned to the signal. Satellite radio receivers can pick up the broadcast from anywhere in the coverage area (meaning the whole US) because the satellite is orbiting at about 22,200 miles (35,000 km) above the earth, which allows for a greater dispersion of the signal. Its analogous to water flowing from a showerhead. An inch from the showerhead, the water is a relatively tight stream. At the other end of the shower, the water sprays all over the wall, and gets on the bathroom floor, causing your wife to yell angrily about the mess. Satellite radio beams work in much the same way. The radio signal is much more widely dispersed 22,000 miles from the satellite that sent the signal. So with satellite radio, you can listen to the same station as you drive from New York City to Los Angeles, whereas traditional radio has a range of only about 30 to 40 miles. And thanks to repeaters, or signal boosters, placed in urban areas, you can receive generally uninterrupted signals even driving through cities with large buildings and thick bridges.

Hey, thats kind of cool!

But wait! Theres much, much more! The digital signal can carry much larger packets of data, and satellite radios are equipped with chipsets, or processors, that can decode that data. So satellite radios not only play the music, but also decode and display information containing the song title, album, artist, and genre. Satellite radio owners can also choose from hundreds of stations, which allows for specialization, just like your cable or satellite TV. In the same manner that you can get the HBO Comedy Hits of the Brahman Caste of Nepal Channel, and Tasmanian Worm Wrestling on ESPN 127, you can receive niche music, comedy, news, and sports broadcasts on your satellite radio. Pick your genre: any decade since the 40s, Rock, Country, Urban, Jazz, Blues, Dance, Latin, World Music (e.g. Chinese, Indian, African), Classical, Kids, and even news, sports, comedy, and talk. You can also tune in to any sub-genre of the above; for example, in the Rock category you can listen to soft, heavy, classic, deep cuts, acoustic, instrumental, and even unsigned acts.

Maybe I should get me one of them there satellite radios

Now that you know how it works, you can listen for the sheer pleasure of it – without all those nagging technical questions churning in the back of your mind. Go get you one.

About the author:
Albert Medinas has developed and maintains the website Satellite Radio Galaxy, which answers the most common questions people have about Satellite Radio. Please visit us at http://www.satelliteradiogalaxy.comtoday.

Written By: Albert Medinas

Thanks to satellite radio, you can enjoy your favorite music stations, commercial free, with perfect clarity from California to Connecticut and every long, dusty road in between. Normal radio stations have an average range of a 30 40 mile radius from their source. Satellite radio is able to broadcast its signal over 2200 miles away with no static interference and little to no advertisements. It also comes in many forms including at-home devices and portable players much like Apple’s ipod. The most popular being a radio which installs right into your car.

Satellite radio works through a control station sending a transmission to an orbiting satellite. The satellite then bounces the signal back down to radio receivers on earth, such as portable device or a car radio. What’s different about satellite radio from your ordinary ground stations is that you get up to 100 channels with digital sound as well as information on the screen indicating the song, artist and genre.

Satellite radio usually charges monthly payments for its service. Only a couple of companies actually provide satellite radio service so this will make shopping for the right package much easier. Various packages are available to fit your needs as well as your budget.

Briana is an original content writer for http://www.youseekit.com which features original articles on a variety of topics.
To see the original article, go to http://www.youseekit.com/satellite_radio/htm.

Copyright Briana Liebmann – http://www.youseekit.com

Written By: Briana Liebmann

But you probably already have a radio that works quite nicely and are wondering why you might want to switch, right?

Satellite radio is a paid subscription – it works via a satellite feed so you can listen to the radio anywhere you want and there is no range restrictions so your favorite song won’t become garbled with static as you drive down the road out of range. It works like satellite television, except it can travel with you. A satellite radio can go in your home, your car or you can carry it around with you. It provides crystal clear digital sound no matter where you are and is commercial free.

Satellite radio can really open up the range and choices of music. With satellite radio subscriptions, you typically have access to several music channels, which reach all genres and subgenres of music. The best providers will also provide you dozens of channels for the latest news, talk radio, and information, along with local traffic and weather forecasts and all the sports events you could want.

XM Radio is rapidly growing and services over 2 million listeners providing 68 music channels. With this satellite radio, you can get country, rap, classical, bluegrass, rock, reggae and most anything else you can imagine. IN addition, there are over 30 channels just for news , sports, talks shows and other entertainment programs that don’t include music. And if that’s not enough there is another couple of dozen channels that provide weather and traffic for most major cities.

If you want satellite radio you will need a reciever and antennae to pick up the satellite feed. This equipment is state of the art, and the best subscription services also offer AM and FM as well as CD accessibility. Satellite radio can be set up to work with your existing home entertainment system, in your car or as a portable that you can bring with you.

Some of the new satellite radios and receivers are quite small and lightweight and good for carrying around. All satellite receivers will conveniently display the channel, song title, and artist name. If it’s a sporting event, they abbreviations for each team will be shown so you can find that game you are looking for instantly instead of having to wait until the announcer mentions one of the teams.

Of course, satellite radio is perfect for listening to in the car since you won’t have to fiddle with tuning knobs or try to find a new station as you drive out or range of what you are listening. Conveniently, many new cars are coming equipped with satellite radio service and even offer it free for 30 days. Don’t worry, though if you don’t want to pay for the service after your trial is up, your radio receiver will still work with the usual AM and FM channels.

About the author:

Lee Dobbins writes for a2z-satellite where you can find more about satellite services including satellite tv, radio and internet.

Written By: Lee Dobbins

Satellite radio offers you commercial free radio. No more static, no more interrupted broadcasts; just hour after hour of uninterrupted music. And you won’t lose your favorite radio station as you cross the state. But you will have to pay for all this convenience.

Your dependable traditional radio won’t work for satellite radio, so you’ll need to purchase a new radio and you will need to have it installed (unless you are purchase a portable system). The price of the new radio varies depending on the model you choose. You’ll also need to pay an activation fee and a monthly fee.

Think of satellite radio as an extension of cable. For your monthly fee you’ll get edgier and less censored programming, innovative programming, more channels, and specialty channels. As an added convenience, while you’re listening to the music you’ll see the name of the song and the artist name displayed which means no more confusion about whose song is playing.

Back in 1992 the FCC allocated the 2.3 GHz or S band for nationwide broadcasting of satellite based DARS. Four companies applied for licensing and two were granted licenses. The two that were granted licenses were Sirius and XM. Both already had satellites in orbit.

They operate by beaming their programming to their satellite, which then transmits the signal to the ground. Your satellite radio then picks up the channel you have selected to listen to.

For listeners that live in urban areas satellite signals can become interrupted, so the satellite providers also beam the signal to ground repeaters to ensure that doesn’t happen.

Sirius was the first to offer commercial free programming on its music channels, but both Siruis and XM now have commercial free programming. Both are competitively priced. Currently, XM offers over 160 commercial free channels. Sirius has over 125 commercial free channels.

The special programming that Siruis and XM carry is the deciding factor of which service to choose for many people. Sirius carries NFL football games; XM carries college games. XM carries NASCAR races; Siruis has a Playboy channel. Sirius carries Howard Stern; XM carries Oprah.

Satellite radio is no longer the radio of the future. It’s the radio of today, and is being chosen over traditional radio programming by more and more people every day.

About The Author:
Gray Rollins is a featured writer for SatelliteCritique. To learn more about satellite radio and satellite TV, visit http://www.satellitecritique.com/ and http://www.satellitecritique.com/satellitetvreview/

Written By: Gray Rollins

Best Buy, the nations largest electronics retail chain, recently declared that the XM satellite radio was one of the most wanted mobile electronics gifts. Business Week magazine named the Roady satellite radio one of the best products of the year alongside the new $20 bill and the AIDS medicine Fuzeon.

Satellite radio aims to offer programming to satisfy most every taste, from classical music to hip hop, bluegrass to blues, underground rock to contemporary hits. Non-music channels include Fox News, BBC Radio, ESPN Radio, and audio books.

Unlike typical FM and AM radio stations, satellite radio channels play few or no commercials. Listeners can tune into a favorite station in one city and keep listening as they travel from coast to coast without interruption. The sound is static-free and sharper than traditional radio. Satellite radios also have a display screen that shows the name of the artist and song playing on each channel.

XM, the leading provider of satellite radio, can be played on a car radio, home stereo, or computer. It offers a portable boombox that can be carried most places, indoors or outdoors. Listeners pay a monthly subscription fee of $9.99 a month.

When satellite radio was first introduced in 2001, there were plenty of skeptics. Many questioned whether a subscription radio service could compete with free radio.

But with over 1 million subscribers in less than two years of business, XM says the service has struck a chord with the public. Hugh Panero, the company president and CEO, says the primary appeal to shoppers is the variety of programming. Satellite radio has something that appeals to most anyone, whether you like jazz, stand-up comedy, or NASCAR racing, said Panero.

Some of the more unique channels offer childrens music and storytelling, old-time radio shows like The Shadow and The Lone Ranger, and music that gets scant airplay on FM and AM, such as reggae, tejano, and folk music.

There are several kinds of satellite radios at prices ranging from $50 to $300. The newest model for the car and home is the Delphi Roady. It comes with a radio receiver, micro antenna, and car adapters for $119.99.

Another option is the portable SKYFI audio system, which retails for $229.99.

Satellite radios are available at most retail stores that sell consumer electronics. You can also get it as a feature in several models of new cars.

For more information about XM Radio, you can visit its Web site at www.xmradio.com. Fans of XM have their own, independent Web site at www.xmfan.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content