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Tired of relying on your FM transmitter to send your Sirius satellite radio signal to your car stereo? Turn instead to this wired FM adapter, which provides a direct connection to produce a crisper overall sound. Unlike FM transmitters–which often suffer from static and interference, as with traditional FM stations–the FM adapter plugs directly into the rear of your factory or after-market stereo, thus requiring a bit of installation expertise. But once connect (more…)

From the Manufacturer

From the Manufacturer Take a listen to Pioneer’s latest innovation, the Pioneer inno. Small in size, big on features, it’s the first satellite radio that plays MP3s and WMAs. You heard right; now you can select and record from over 170 crystal-clear channels of live XM radio or play your own MP3/WMA mix. Anytime you want, at home or on the road, hear talk radio, college sports, Major League Baseball, NASCAR and any kind of music you choose. That’s unheard of (more…)

Amazon.com

Amazon.com .caption { font-family: Verdana, Helvetica neue, Arial, serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; } ul.indent { list-style: inside disc; text-indent: -15px; } With a stylish new gun-metal grey finish, the Sportster 5 satellite radio receiver sports a new slim profile while still maintaining the same great features for which the Sportster series is known. Highlights include a large, multicolor, easy-to-read 6-line display, plus a rota (more…)

The entertainment industry is one of the most dynamic and attractive ones, and satellite radio has recently captured a large share of it. Audio entertainment products are highly popular today and there is a wide variety of choices when it comes to having good music in your car: regular CD players, car CD players with storage space or MP3 players. When it comes to radio however, there is an even bigger divide ? you can listen to or go with one of the new satellite radio offers. The popularity of satellite radio broadcasting has gone sky-high in the past years mostly because it has some exciting benefits that commercial FM/AM programming simply cannot offer. Analog radio stations are not able to broadcast the full range of sounds available through digital satellite radio and this has a noticeable impact on sound quality. Digital radio programs are broadcast through a satellite ? this means that users don?t have to switch radio stations every time they get out of a certain geographical area, as the signal is countrywide. Traditional to FM and AM broadcasts have different forms of noise disturbances ? satellite radio eliminates this problem as the quality is very close to that of the original tracks it is playing.

Technology and content

Because satellite radio uses such high tech instruments (satellites, small portable receivers) many still perceive it as unapproachable and prefer to stick with traditional radio. Most young people, however, can?t wait to get their hands on the latest in technological advancements, so satellite radio is perfect for this age group. The price you had to pay for satellite radio one or two years ago was a bit high for many who decide to enjoy traditional, commercial radio stations instead, as they are free. Today however, for a subscription of around $12 per month, you can receive dozens of excellent news, sports and music radio channels. And the best thing is that they are commercial free. In many ways, satellite radio became popular following the idea of DirecTV’s success ? the difference was made through superior broadcast quality, excellent geographical coverage and content. This is in fact the main issue satellite radio broadcasters and terrestrial radio stations are looking at ? high quality content is actually the most flexible field where subscribers or listeners can be won or lost. In order to get valuable radio content, many satellite radio offers were made to popular media topics. MLB broadcasts, for example, might be broadcast exclusively on satellite radio stations. Although this is still an assumption, chances are that more and more popular US topics will be exclusively available on different satellite radio programs, whether they are from Sirius, XM Radio or from some new broadcasters that will join the market.

It all comes down to what the consumer wants

And it?s true ? it does come to that. Some laughed at the idea of paying for radio ? for as long as we have known, radio programs were free. However, the satellite radio industry only followed in the footsteps of cable TV ? although all Americans can receive free programs with UHF and VHF antennas, over 80% are willing to pay monthly subscription fees. With $9.95/month for XM and $12.95/month for Sirius, accessibility to satellite radio broadcasts is high and anyone can afford to subscribe. And the truth is that satellite radios have proved, once again, that sometimes a consumer is ready to pay for something they used to get for free as long as the commercials are eliminated. In many cases, out of an hour of radio broadcasting, around 12-15 minutes are commercials ? people don?t want such interruptions in their radio programs. Both Sirius and XM Radio knew this when they launched their paid subscription services and they were right, as each company has millions of subscribers today. The satellite radio craze got even larger when it met the auto manufacturing industry ? today almost all major manufacturers offer satellite radio receivers as standard or optional with each of their models.

Amazon.com

Amazon.com .caption { font-family: Verdana, Helvetica neue, Arial, serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; } ul.indent { list-style: inside disc; text-indent: -15px; } With the release of the Stiletto 2, Sirius ushers in the next personal music player revolution. With a slim and sleek profile smaller than a video iPod, the ultra-portable Sirius Stiletto 2 satellite radio receiver features a built-in antenna that allows reception of the Siriu (more…)

Satellite radio systems are actually part of a larger group of broadcasting mediums, which specialists refer to as Digital Multimedia Broadcasting or DMB. This digital transmission system is used in order to send data to different receivers such as radios, television sets or mobile phones and PDAs. There are two different ways of using digital multimedia broadcasting – S-DMB which is broadcasting via a satellite or T-DMB which uses terrestrial emitters. The complexity of the entire digital multimedia broadcasting field is huge. Out of all the features and characteristics digital broadcasting offers, satellite radio is probably the most spectacular as it generated immense interest and triggered an intense competition between the two main satellite radio broadcasters, Sirius and XM Radio. The development of satellite radio and other forms of digital broadcasting is spectacular because it offers two main qualities that terrestrial emitters are deficient in: quality and coverage. In the case of satellite radio, for example, the sound quality from a satellite broadcast is much higher than AM or FM broadcasts, as the hissing noises and transmission disturbances are eliminated.

Technical features of digital multimedia broadcasting – overview

Whether it refers to television, satellite radio or cell phone transmissions, digital multimedia broadcasting is based on the Eureka 147 DAB standard. Digital television uses the T-DMB which is made for transmissions on frequency bands III (VHF) and L (SHF). T-DMB is an ETSI standard (TS 102 427 and TS 102 428).
T-DMB uses MPEG-4 Part 10 (H264) for the video and MPEG-4 Part 3 BSAC or HE-AAC V2 for the audio. When it comes to satellite radio, there were a few issues to be resolved by the main satellite radio broadcasters. The satellite radio receiver needs to be in the line of sight of the satellite to receive the transmission ? and there is the problem of having different landscaping objects block the direct transmission. Land based devices were installed in order to eliminate the lack of direct satellite transmission. Since the wider spectrum of broadcasts has to be covered, digital multimedia broadcasting uses OFDM-4DPSK modulation and a chip of T-DMB receiver is also provided by MPEG-2 Transport Stream De-multiplexer. This helps reduce the negative effects of shadowing and fading, present in many digital transmissions.

The future of digital multimedia broadcasting

The transfer from the analog world to the digital one is obvious in all fields of work. Since digital multimedia broadcasting is developing so quickly, there is a silent battle going on between the new age digital technology and the classic analog one. OF course, many compare the transition from the analog to the completely digital era with the way audio cassettes were replaced by CDs and later on even DVDs. However, the development of digital multimedia broadcasting is slower since it happens on so many levels at the same time. Digital television is taking us into new spaces that are basically hybrids of the features of regular TV and characteristics of the Internet. Satellite radio is also taking huge leaps forward, with more and more programs having satellite radio exclusivity. There are even discussion of moving events like the MLB exclusively on satellite radio, which would provide one of the first deadly strikes against terrestrial radio broadcasting. Digital data transmission is fast and accurate, and so far reality proves that the satellites used in order to facilitate broadcasting and reliable. Most digital multimedia broadcasting companies that own satellites also have backup ones ready to go in orbit and replace a defective one. Some other benefits of digital multimedia broadcasting recommend it as a next step in the development of broadcasting. From the consumer?s point of view, the quality and interactivity options of digital TV or satellite radio broadcasts are important features. Although most digital multimedia broadcasting channels and technologies are still complex and sometimes expensive, the evolution of digital broadcasting seems to be here to stay.

Amazon.com

Stratus 5 features an easy-to-read blue display, push-button navigation, and all the essential features needed to maximize the enjoyment of SIRIUS in your vehicle. Effortlessly move your radio between docking kits and audio systems for the home, office or other vehicles. All the essential features needed to maximize the enjoyment of SIRIUS in your vehicle. Click to enlarge. Includes dock with dash and vent mounts. Click to enlarge. Add (more…)

Satellite radio is often considered one of the biggest improvements in broadcasting since the introduction of the FM band. Satellite radio is also called subscription radio or pay-radio because it is only available trough subscription to one of the satellite radio providing companies. Satellite radio follows a concept similar to cable television by providing a very wide range of programs which are not available in the traditional FM or AM format for a fee.

Satellite radio uses satellites to deliver radio programs to subscribers. The radio signal is broadcasted from Earth based stations to communicational satellites, which then redirect the signal to satellite radio receivers. The radio signal is broadcasted by communication satellites to a much larger area than traditional terrestrial radio antennas. For example, satellite radio is available al across the continental area of the United States. Satellite radio is available now in most parts of the world trough services provided by companies like WorldSpace (in Europe, Asia and Africa), Sirius and XM Radio (in North America). The radio signal you receive using satellite radio is digital, which means that it is always clear and static-free, which is one of the great advantages of satellite radio. Another great thing about satellite radio is that it is almost completely commercial-free.

To begin listening to satellite radio you will need the actual satellite radio (also known as tuner or receiver), a satellite radio antenna (which is often incorporated in the satellite radio) and a subscription to the service you choose. There are several types of satellite radio from which you can choose. One of them is the dedicated car or home radio, which play trough your car or home stereo. A second option is the plug-and-play radio, which can be used in your car, as well as in your home by paying a single subscription. Your third option is the portable radio, which has rechargeable battery, a built-in antenna and you can listen to it wherever you go using headphones. The radio signals offered by different satellite radio companies are proprietary, which means that you will need different hardware for receiving, decoding and playback, depending on your subscription. Each satellite radio receiver has its own serial number called Radio ID. When you get your subscription, you will also get an activation code for your receiver. Besides the actual radio programs, satellite radio transmits metadata that contains the name of the artist, the title of the song or program, as well as the name of the channel. This makes it easier for you to decide which channel to listen to and which program to choose.

Satellite radio services provide the subscriber with more than 100 programs that vary in content from rock and jazz to rap and classical music. But satellite radio?s utility reaches far beyond listening to your favorite music without the interruption of those annoying commercials. Satellite radio also offers exclusive sports programs, cultural and educational shows, news and talk-shows. Some of the celebrities that have moved their shows from free radio to satellite radio include Howard Stern, Opie and Anthony, Bob Edwards and Martha Stewart. Unlike terrestrial radio, satellite radio is not affected by bad weather or even calamities.

At first, many people wondered why they should pay for radio if they can get it free. However, satellite radio attracts more and more people every year due to its great advantages: no commercials, extensive reach, theme programs and exceptional quality of sound.

XM Radio provides over 150 programs that include music, sports and entertainment, traffic and weather channels.

The music area has the largest number of channels. Here are 68 music channels that you can enjoy and where you can listen to your favorite music whether is from the 60s, the 90s or it?s the new released music. There are music-by-the-decade channels that include the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s songs which are mostly pop/rock outlets, the Top 20 channel, Love Songs, Movie Soundtracks, Show Tunes, MTV, VH1, and a Global hits channel. For those you prefer new music there is the Unsigned channel and the XMU channel. The last one can be compared to a college station. If you are a jazz fan, XM offers you live music from the Blue Note club and the B.B. King Club in New York City.

There are entertainment shows on XM radio hosted by Tom Perry, Snoop Dog or Quincy Jones. Comedy shows may be found on the High Voltage channel where shock jocks Opie and Anthony do their job now uncensored. In totally, XM has three comedy channels including a family comedy channel. Beside these, there are more radio channels like Playboy Radio and Public Radio hosted by Bob Edwards which includes a line of NPR shows that you can enjoy whenever you like.

If you are a sports fanatic you can choose from a good variety of channel dedicated to sports that are provided by XM radio. This includes college football and basketball, NASCAR and Major League Baseball. You can easily listen to the Bowl Championship Series to find out which team is going to the next level, the NCAA Division I football champion.

With a subscription from XM, you will have 38 channels of sports, news and talk channels. For example, ABC News & Talk, BBC World Service, CNBC, Court TV, C-Span, CNN, CNN Headline News, Discovery Channel, E Entertainment, two ESPN channels, Fox News, NASCAR Racing are a few talk station to which you can listen. Local weather and traffic channels are provided too and in totally, they are 22 channels.

Sound clearance depends on the subscription you have. If you have satellite radio from XM, the sound has more quality than the one from Sirius, but still you can?t say that is the same as a CD. You can say that the sound is somewhere between the sound of a CD and AM radio. Hopefully, in the years that will come, the sound quality will improve.

As this technology appeared so did a new line of hardware that can match people?s desires.
And XM has new things to offer like the Delphi XM MyFi which is a small receiver, actually the smallest in the world that can include up to five yours of XM content to which you can listen anywhere you like. Another is the Delphi SkyFi2 which has a TiVo-like 30-Minute Replay feature so, you can rewind, push the pause button or just play it forward to hear music, news or anything else you stored on the it. This equipments are also produced by Sony, Alpine, Pioneer and of course others.

As we can see, satellite radio is no longer a field reserved for a very small group ? anyone with enough interest and financial power can participate in the digital radio revolution. Playboy Satellite Radio is one of the newest and most dynamic radio channels you can access on satellite broadcasting. Since it was launched in March of 2006, the Playboy Satellite Radio has been a huge success. Today, as Christie Hefner recently announced on the air, Playboy Satellite Radio boasts a number of over one million subscribers on the Sirius network. One of the most impressive things about this is that the Playboy Satellite Radio channel does not come as default to Sirius subscribers and they have to select it. This is why a one million opt-in number is something amazing, especially since the regular opt-in rates are much smaller than this for other types of broadcasting. In order to choose the Playboy Satellite Radio program users have to call Sirius or opt in for it on the Sirius website.

What does the success of Playboy Satellite Radio say

Well, let?s look at it this way ? if Playboy, a brand name associated by 99% of the public with something visual, can now convince over a million people to tune into their programs, it seems that they have discovered a very interesting niche there. The Playboy empire was built on the visual presentations they make and converting this ?almost entirely visual? brand into something that attracts radio users is amazing. Of course, the main Playboy brand elements are still present in the radio broadcasting, but ensuring that their traditional symbols stay unaltered is a much more difficult task. Many analysts believe that the initial success of Playboy Satellite Radio is more a fad than something that will last for years to come. That?s because the Playboy name has an irresistible attraction to many and a lot of conversions were made based on this power of magnetism alone. Another important factor that made Playboy Satellite Radio so popular is the fact that it was offered for free to users in the beginning. The curiosity factor and the fact that the Playboy name is something cool and modern made many users opt in to receive its transmissions. Some believe that after the initial magnetic attraction will start to wear off, the impressive one million subscriber list will gradually start to decline.

What the users think of Playboy Radio

Some of the most interesting reactions to Playboy Satellite Radio can be found today on message boards, forums and personal blogs. Many users have come up with interesting explanation to why Playboy Satellite Radio was such a huge success so far and many have predictions regarding its future. One forum user wrote that ?In all honesty, if XM came out with a free optional channel I could activate online, I would do it immediately. Even if it was a home decorating channel or something. I’d just want to know it was there if I needed it.? This is an interesting view on the large subscription numbers and it might indicate that many activated Playboy Satellite Radio just because they could, not necessarily because they listen to it frequently. Another forum poster tells us about his personal experience with Playboy Satellite Radio: ?I opted in out of curiosity. I was actually very surprised just how entertaining this channel really is. The morning talk show is good, but Night Calls with Christy Canyon & Ginger Lynn is awesome!? Another idea that has been spreading around the Internet is that having a song play on Playboy Satellite Radio or appearing in a talk show is the ?audio equivalent? of appearing in the pages of the Playboy magazine. In other words, if you are not sexy, successful or interesting enough to appear in one of Playboy?s pictorials, articles or interview, there?s always the Playboy Radio to turn to.