Bandwagon03
Well-Known Member
Gather around kids, and let me tell you the way things used to be:
Someone cue the "Flashback Music and effect" please...
I first caught the bug of Satellite Radio back in 2002, I read the SIRI board on Yahoo everyday, and was genuinely intrigued by the idea of SAT radio. I cant even remember how or why, but Tulane Jeff was in a heated tussle with another person on the Yahoo board, (I think the other person started some personal attacks and general flaming)anyway, Jeff said that was his last post on Yahoo, and someone else mentioned his website. I went there, and like many of you guys, it was the first forum I ever joined. It was a great community, and there was LOTS of excitement about this great new technology. I joined the forum 10/07/03.
Now, understand at that time Sirius was a emerging company, with not a lot of product out. The premier radio at the time was the Kenwood H2A (I dont think Kenwood even makes SAT radios anymore). There was a lot of talk about hardware, and lots of discussion about programming. It seemed like every day Sirius or XM would release a PR about the latest car company they had signed, etc. XM was certainly the leader, had slicker hardware, many more subs, and a much bigger fan base. I remember heated discussions with XM'rs who swore that Sirius could not make a portable radio due to the format of their signals, the overheating of chips, etc. Every radio that Sirius came out with was a "brick" and some of them didnt even make it to production.
I got my first radio through a promotion i read about on SBS. A FREE Brix Streamer, all I had to do was sign up for a year. It was great, i hooked it up on Christmas Day. I remember DAB's radio reviews, and his homemade "boombox" too.
We had Joe Clayton as our CEO and he always reminded me of a old carnival barker, he would make some pretty bold claims sometimes, and I always thought he talked a good product, but just couldnt deliver at the time. Joe did have some good vision about one thing though: He realized that exclusive content was the most important part. Under his leadership Sirius started signing more and more exclusive deals with everyone from Eminem to Martha Stewart to the NFL to Howard Stern. Of course, the arguement could be made to as whether that was a good decision or not, but, it definitely put Sirius on the map. A hail Mary of sorts. XM realized too late that they were not a "technology" company, but a "entertainment" company.
Like a lot of people in love with the product, I became a stockholder too. That has been a experience to say the least...
I recently graduated to a Stiletto, and I am amazed about what a great piece of technology it is. The time shifting capabilities are incredible, and while its not a Ipod, it certainly is portable enough for me.
Again, I would like to say "Thanks" to everyone that made this forum possible. I hope it can rekindle all of the excitement of those early days of Sat Radio and SBS in general, with all of the openess, and level headed discussions of old.
Heres to the new Digital Radio Central!
:bigclap:
Someone cue the "Flashback Music and effect" please...
I first caught the bug of Satellite Radio back in 2002, I read the SIRI board on Yahoo everyday, and was genuinely intrigued by the idea of SAT radio. I cant even remember how or why, but Tulane Jeff was in a heated tussle with another person on the Yahoo board, (I think the other person started some personal attacks and general flaming)anyway, Jeff said that was his last post on Yahoo, and someone else mentioned his website. I went there, and like many of you guys, it was the first forum I ever joined. It was a great community, and there was LOTS of excitement about this great new technology. I joined the forum 10/07/03.
Now, understand at that time Sirius was a emerging company, with not a lot of product out. The premier radio at the time was the Kenwood H2A (I dont think Kenwood even makes SAT radios anymore). There was a lot of talk about hardware, and lots of discussion about programming. It seemed like every day Sirius or XM would release a PR about the latest car company they had signed, etc. XM was certainly the leader, had slicker hardware, many more subs, and a much bigger fan base. I remember heated discussions with XM'rs who swore that Sirius could not make a portable radio due to the format of their signals, the overheating of chips, etc. Every radio that Sirius came out with was a "brick" and some of them didnt even make it to production.
I got my first radio through a promotion i read about on SBS. A FREE Brix Streamer, all I had to do was sign up for a year. It was great, i hooked it up on Christmas Day. I remember DAB's radio reviews, and his homemade "boombox" too.
We had Joe Clayton as our CEO and he always reminded me of a old carnival barker, he would make some pretty bold claims sometimes, and I always thought he talked a good product, but just couldnt deliver at the time. Joe did have some good vision about one thing though: He realized that exclusive content was the most important part. Under his leadership Sirius started signing more and more exclusive deals with everyone from Eminem to Martha Stewart to the NFL to Howard Stern. Of course, the arguement could be made to as whether that was a good decision or not, but, it definitely put Sirius on the map. A hail Mary of sorts. XM realized too late that they were not a "technology" company, but a "entertainment" company.
Like a lot of people in love with the product, I became a stockholder too. That has been a experience to say the least...
I recently graduated to a Stiletto, and I am amazed about what a great piece of technology it is. The time shifting capabilities are incredible, and while its not a Ipod, it certainly is portable enough for me.
Again, I would like to say "Thanks" to everyone that made this forum possible. I hope it can rekindle all of the excitement of those early days of Sat Radio and SBS in general, with all of the openess, and level headed discussions of old.
Heres to the new Digital Radio Central!
:bigclap:
