I have XM pre-installed (it came on my 2007 Trailblazer SS) and it has horrible sound quality. It sounds like XM is over compressing the files. Removing frequencies from a sound file does change the way it sounds. Those who say it only removes things you can’t hear are full of it. iTunes is another example of over compression. Take a song downloaded from iTunes and the same song on a CD and listen to them side by side. Its like the walls close in and the ceiling falls. Unfortunately, it is digital, just a very crappy version, so suing for mis-representation, fraud, false advertising, etc. won’t work. I thought my worst audio experience was going to be the Bose system in the vehicle, but I was wrong. Bose = great marketing : only average product. No highs, no lows, it must be Bose. XM = great marketing : lousy product.

Exactly. I subscribe so that I can have the BBC in the car. The minute I can easily stream live to my car instead I’ll be ditching it.

To me, I see the first sign of cracking within the satellite radio space. In addition to the billions of dollars spent on building and maintaining the network, the cost of acquired content is simply exorbitant. Generation Y is simply not interested in what is happening on either terrestrial or satellite networks. The barriers to have your voice heard are beginning to crumble and Blogtalkradio is at the forefront of this movement.

Furthermore, when wimax becomes available in 5 to 10 years and car radios will be fitted with internet access, listenership will significantly erode for both platforms. It’s at that time that Blogtalkradio will truly be a dominant platform.

It clear to me after operating Blogtalkradio for just 5 months, that we are on to something. Last week for example, we had John Kerry as a guest on one show and Newt Gingrich a guest on another. We are running more than 70 live shows a day covering more than 30 categories. The list goes on an on and not just in the political category.

In less than 6 months we have signed up more than 2500 hosts, produced more than 11,000 shows and in March we expect to have close to 1 million listeners.

Best,

Alan Levy
CEO Blogtalkradio

It’s no where near 30% coverage geographically.

Yellow areas on this map

http://www.veri...bilitypopup.jsp

It doesn’t cover the interstate highways system

It’s $50/month. That $50 is not really unlimited access.

Once you’ve got internet in the car — you’ve got internet radio, podcasts, and video (disney movies for the kids while you’re on-the-go? sure). Someone has to be working on this type of technology.

Sounds like you had a bad experience with a product. But that isn’t necessarily indicative. There’s a reason subscribers are growing at an extremely fast pace–it’s a valuable service to many people. Also, OEMs are just beginning to really push the product (wait till 2010 when 55% of new autos will have it preinstalled). More specific numbers at my blog.

http://fn.intel...c6-130645883301

I have tried sat radio. In fact I am still in my three month free trail included with my car purchase. I will not be signing up for the service when my trial runs out. The sound quality is crap! the delivery system is just as important as the content. Would you pay for sat. tv if it was only in black and white? When my FM tuner sounds better than the sat radio there is no way I’m paying for less quality. If I need some variety I have more than enough CD’s.

In addition to different-system integration problems, however, is the fact that both companies paid far, far too much money–and in some cases are locked into doing so for some years to come–for highly rated/desired content (providers)…leaving in serious doubt whether or not even as a combined company that they’ll be able to reach regular and continuous profitability before the money runs out…and the equity markets announce “Nyet!” when they again come calling for more $$$ to keep them afloat.

For many great reasons, satellite radio is–thankfully–here to stay…even if in the future it may be provided by someone who buys the assets out of bankruptcy…

…and wouldn’t it be interesting to see the obscene Mr. Stern standing in line with the other creditors…trying to collect the the remaining foolish 10’s of millions he was promised…

Look for Clear Channel in the next few years to begin offering subscriber based access to their premium commercial-free digital radio content. Once that occurs, growth in satellite radio will be stalled for good.

Then, WiFi and other cellular based technologies will eat up the rest.

-Stan

I’m not worried about the FCC or some anti-trust issues. Both companies compete for free, ad based, radio and just because they are the only sat company, now, doesn’t change who they compete with. I’d worry about the classic radio based services and how they are lobbying the government to ban local content from being streamed via satellite. (Source: http://www.orbi...cking-bill.html)