Confessions Of A Former Satrad Addict
- Thread starter IdRatherBeSkiing
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For those without a smart phone or an unlimited data plan, Satellite is the best option ever. Same with Over the Road truck drivers. If I was in one of those situations, I would keep Sirius|XM due to the convenience factor.
In my situation, I have unlimited data, a smartphone, and I live in an LTE based area. Everywhere I drive has no issues with keeping an LTE connection. I am not a truck driver, and only leave on vacation a few times per year.
Using Bluetooth and the Sirius/Slacker/Pandora app, I can press play when I walk out the door of my house and my truck automatically connects to my phone when I start it. I can take a phone call while driving and the music restarts automatically once the call ends.
Using apps works for me. For alot of folks, it is all about pressing the Sirius|XM button on their radio. To me, its not worth the cost of admission to pay Sirius|XM any longer.
In my situation, I have unlimited data, a smartphone, and I live in an LTE based area. Everywhere I drive has no issues with keeping an LTE connection. I am not a truck driver, and only leave on vacation a few times per year.
Using Bluetooth and the Sirius/Slacker/Pandora app, I can press play when I walk out the door of my house and my truck automatically connects to my phone when I start it. I can take a phone call while driving and the music restarts automatically once the call ends.
Using apps works for me. For alot of folks, it is all about pressing the Sirius|XM button on their radio. To me, its not worth the cost of admission to pay Sirius|XM any longer.
Again, I use the phone app thru Bluetooth, so I know the whole thing about taking calls, pausing music etc. I get in my car, dock my phone, and start the app.
On the other hand, my wife has had factory Sirius radio head-units since 2008. Start the car, and it's already on Sirius, just like FM radio, except it's Sirius. It's always on Sirius, while her phone stays in her handbag. No docking, no selecting, no launching, and no awkward volume setting. And all the info/controls are on a big nav display, not a 5" phone that's shaking around.
On the other hand, my wife has had factory Sirius radio head-units since 2008. Start the car, and it's already on Sirius, just like FM radio, except it's Sirius. It's always on Sirius, while her phone stays in her handbag. No docking, no selecting, no launching, and no awkward volume setting. And all the info/controls are on a big nav display, not a 5" phone that's shaking around.
Different strokes. Not better, or worse. Just different.
I've driven cars with the Bluetooth and it's just never been worth the effort to me. Either streaming Slacker, or Sirius, or listening to downloaded content, there always seems to be more futzing around with the phone than I care to deal with while the car is rolling. I like the music to keep playing while the nav is giving me directions and if I take a call.
I like not running down my phones battery while I'm doing my day to day driving too.
The same thing at work. Same radio, different dock. If I get up from my desk, the music doesn't need to be tended to. No futzing around, it just keeps on playing.
But that's just what works for me. I want to drop the radio in the dock and let it play. It's running about 10 or more hours per day on one subscription.
For me, there's enough value in it that convenience that I'm willing to pay for. Will the cost exceed the convenience for me some day? Possibly. I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.
I've driven cars with the Bluetooth and it's just never been worth the effort to me. Either streaming Slacker, or Sirius, or listening to downloaded content, there always seems to be more futzing around with the phone than I care to deal with while the car is rolling. I like the music to keep playing while the nav is giving me directions and if I take a call.
I like not running down my phones battery while I'm doing my day to day driving too.
The same thing at work. Same radio, different dock. If I get up from my desk, the music doesn't need to be tended to. No futzing around, it just keeps on playing.
But that's just what works for me. I want to drop the radio in the dock and let it play. It's running about 10 or more hours per day on one subscription.
For me, there's enough value in it that convenience that I'm willing to pay for. Will the cost exceed the convenience for me some day? Possibly. I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.
You callin me a woman?????
I am, but that's a different point. My original point is that because women are less likely to be tech geeks (unless your name is Marissa Mayer) they don't want to fool with a phone and apps just to play music in the car. Guy who aren't tech geeks don't want to fool with them either. Or, guys and gals who are in fact tech geeks but who would rather for a variety of reasons just have music minus the phone...I can't dig this hole any deeper, so here is a picture of Marissa Mayer.
Wolf
AI is here, time to obey our robot overlords!
I joined Sirius when Howard signed with them, but I don't care for his watered down show, plus he only talks about 2-3 days a week and too much vacation time, I decided to turn off Howard. But I did enjoyed tons of there music channels, when the merged happened some of the new channels were alright, but unfortunately they replace couple of channels I use to enjoy listening like Hard Attack and Buzzsaw. But lately now, I had some financial issues so I had to cut back on a few things and one thing was to eliminate SiriusXM, so I haven't been with SXM for several months now and I hardly miss it. I pay $25 a year for iTunes Radio, plus I can listen to any of my old music anytime I want. Maybe one day, I might come back to SXM. I did enjoy the internet subscription, where I have access to a lot more channels, but I don't have Bluetooth radio or an AUX connection in my car.
Forgiven.blah blah blah blah here is a picture of Marissa Mayer.
I used to love Sirius. Over time it got more expensive and the content was less to my liking. The signal quality was never very good from the satellites, but that became horrible as they added new channels. I miss Little Steven's Underground Garage, but that's all.
Like Blue and Jon, they passed your threshold. What do you do for new music/entertainment these days?
Why does one need new music? Even with SXM I rarely listen to new music.
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Howard, circa 2004-2006 was right on the money, IMO. The ads of regular radio KILLED it for me. Not to mention, the last time I regularly listened to FM radio, the ads were always at the same time every hour. If I wanted to listen to music while taking a shower, I could easily time it to happen so I'd miss the ads. Plus, everything on rock was censored anyway...hearing censored music is almost an insult to me, especially when they "scramble" the bad word...it kills the flow of the song. The other option
FM radio is like broadcast TV. Some good shows, but everything is watered-down for the FCC and full of commercials. 24 was a good show, don't get me wrong, but imagine it on TNT or even Showtime/HBO. Think of Game of Thrones or Dexter on CBS or TNT. No way those shows would be even CLOSE to what they are.
Pandora/Spotify/Slacker/others are like the "basic cable" of radio. It's not controlled by the government, but there are ads. Are there as many ads as FM radio? It still kills the momentum of the music for me. It's nice to be able to turn on a music channel and actually hear music instead of a commercial.
Satellite is the HBO/Cinemax/etc. Uncontrolled, unrefined, uncensored.
Oddly enough, a lot of people still prefer FM radio because it's there, as you pointed out. They may have a USB or whatever hookup in their car for a phone or whatnot, but the FM button is second nature.
It's utterly amazing to me that Howard's channels would be a free preview channel. If that truly is their "bread and butter" (and what other talent comes close to the name recognition of Howard Stern?) then why are they giving it away for free? It makes no sense to me...
Then again, maybe they figure it's too much of a PITA for people to get a new free email address every few months to listen via the app and catch up. They probably figure the hardcores either got the lifetime back in the day or will pay.
Plus the data-watching. The most I ever used was 1.6 out of a 4gb plan, but I hear that it's not uncommon to use a lot more. Since he's constantly on the road, I can totally see where that would get insane.
I have rediscovered how much I enjoy (and missed) live local DJs and Canadian music on local FM. Sat still good for backup during commercials and traveling.
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That mindset always confounds me. Have you watched a TV show or movie produced in the last 20 years? Assuming you have, what's the difference between that and music?
I'm approaching 40 years old and I still listen to new music. Just my styles have changed. No longer the metal head I used to be, now I listen to alternative rock, techno, classic rock, jazz and r&b, with some old school hip hop mixed in for good measure.
I used to subscribe to XM when they were separate companies. Now Slacker, iTunes radio and beats music suit my needs. Plus podcasts and the npr and BBC apps for news and talk. Since I only follow the Broncos and quit following other sports,i don't miss that part of it.
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I used to subscribe to XM when they were separate companies. Now Slacker, iTunes radio and beats music suit my needs. Plus podcasts and the npr and BBC apps for news and talk. Since I only follow the Broncos and quit following other sports,i don't miss that part of it.
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I don't watch the same TV shows over and over. They are just different.
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