Increase of Bandwidth for Channels???

[blynch87]

I have a Sirius home receiver SR-H550 hooked up to an outdoor home antenna on a mast up about 30 feet from the ground. I have no problem pulling in a strong signal from Eastern tip of Long Island (The signal strength meter is pegged all day) The question that I have is that I also have a Sonos system and tried Sirius’s 128k web based service trial which sounds a lot better then the stream from the sky.

Does anyone know that after things settle down if Sirius plans in increase the band width for its channels from its satellites? I know some channels get more bandwidth vs. others. Some people don’t notice the sound quality in their cars but at home with decent stereo equipment satellite radio sounds more like mono fm with an occasional cd stereo like sound? The music kind of sounds flat. There is no richness with low lows of the bass or high highs of a treble. If you listen to something coming in at 10k vs. 128k it sounds like AM radio from a distant station vs. a rich full spectrum sound. Has anyone else encountered this with their home units??? Thanks…

 

[limegrass69]

I would be extremely surprised if there was any change in bandwidth allocation (or sound quality). As I understand it, there will be the same number of channels. The main difference will be that much of the music content will be the same on both platforms.

As a fellow Sonos owner, I can vouch for the quality of the online stream. However, I can still hear digital artifacts on that too. It's nowhere near "CD quality". I am highly satisfied nonetheless. My biggest complaint is if I do a lot of channel surfing with the Sonos, I've had a couple of instances where I hit my maximum of 10 logins per day. It is very frustrating. Sonos support says that it should not happen, but it does every now and then. I like having Rhapsody too...but the music quality can be inconsistent there.

 

[blynch87]

I figure that if they got rid of some channels for redundancy reason that it would open up some bandwidth? I guess its just wishful thinking...

 

[DAB]

What channels are they getting rid of? I know they are merging channels which will simply be simulcast across both systems, but I've not heard of any channels being removed totally so that there will be free bandwidth.

Lets not forget they still have those channels to provide for the minority groups, what was that like 12 channels per each service? There won't be an oz on bandwidth left over.

 

[blynch87]

No I never said they were getting rid of channels... I just wish channels had more bandwidth so the quality of the music sounded better... Thats all.

 

[DAB]

No I never said they were getting rid of channels... I just wish channels had more bandwidth so the quality of the music sounded better... Thats all.

OH sorry, I misread you. Yeah, I agree with you there, I think we all would love that. It wouldn't hurt me feelings to see them ditch a few channels if it would give us added bandwidth for better SQ. I can remember back when Sirius didn't have nearly as many music channels and the SQ was really good and they have improved the codec and technology since then. If they still only had those channels it would really rock!

Sorry I misread your post

 

[HarleyJoel]

I wonder how much bandwidth would be freed up if they ditched the traffic and weather channels..

 

[jwt873]

CD's played on my OEM car stereo sound better than Sirius does on my OEM car radio. I can only tell if I play a CD, and then listen to Sirius right after. What I did was stop playing CDs.. Now there's no problem.

I don't know where they're going to get extra bandwidth from... I don't expect the SQ to improve until they have fully interoperable radios using the full bandwidth of both satellite systems. That will be years from now.

Don't forget that Sirius is also broadcasting three TV channels, and they just added the 'Best of XM' .. They also transmit, digital real time traffic for GPS units, as well as National weather maps for land and marine use, Fuel price information and movie info and sports scores... See SIRIUS Travel Link

Also... It seems to be forgotten, but one of the mandatory conditions of the merger was that they reserve 8 percent of their bandwidth for non commercial educational and informational channels.

From this link: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-284108A1.pdf

Make available 4 percent of its capacity for use by certain Qualified Entities, and an additional 4 percent of capacity for the delivery of noncommercial educational or informational ("NCE) programming, which will enhance the diversity of programming available to consumers.

 

[Tgajr]

I agree

I figure that if they got rid of some channels for redundancy reason that it would open up some bandwidth? I guess its just wishful thinking...

Me too!

 

[limegrass69]

It wouldn't hurt me feelings to see them ditch a few channels if it would give us added bandwidth for better SQ. I can remember back when Sirius didn't have nearly as many music channels and the SQ was really good and they have improved the codec and technology since then. If they still only had those channels it would really rock!

That's the problem...what channels should they cut? They are bound to piss someone off by cutting channels. Sirius/XM really can't afford to lose too many subscribers. You know there will be some people upset by the pending partial combining of the music channel lineups. The degraded SQ is probably not enough to chase most people away, but not having their preferred music choices could. Plus if you are really an "audiophile", then you probably would not go near a satellite radio in the first place!

I wonder how much bandwidth would be freed up if they ditched the traffic and weather channels..

Not a whole lot. Those channels sound like a pair of tin cans connected by a string.

 

[hexagram]

Lets not forget they still have those channels to provide for the minority groups, what was that like 12 channels per each service? There won't be an oz on bandwidth left over.

Doesn't Sirius already have some minority programming? They might only need to make up for half of that number (if any at all).

What they NEED to do is get rid of Backseat TV. It's a colossal failure and it's a HUGE waste of bandwidth that could be used for Satellite Radio instead being used to broadcast 3 children's TV channels.

Most parents that this service caters to already have a DVD player with plenty of DVDs to keep the children entertained. Also, the Auto industry (let alone the economy) is 'confuckulated' and the average consumer won't give two shits about Disney and Nickelodeon in their vehicle when deciding on a new car or SUV.

The people that should be running "TV in your vehicle" service should be a Satellite TV company such as DirecTV (which they are already doing).

 

[blynch87]

Maybe if they just combined the programing for ie: xm 7 & Sirus 7 (70's music) then they could dedicate the bandwidth from the channel they pull into the other channel thats still on and by doing so they can increase the bandwidth? I think I said it right? Just combine the programing all into 1 channel. No need to have 2 channels playing the same music?

 

[limegrass69]

You can combine the programming (that starts Nov. 14 -- or thereabouts). But you can't combine the signals. You need a signal for XM receivers and another signal for Sirius receivers. No way to get around it until the hardware platforms are combined...which is years down the road.

 

[JoeTan]

I always figured it'd end up as one carrying the TV/MUSIC and one sat and HD/TV on the other OR when they send up their next physical satellite it will have some next generation tech built in.