Like subscription television, which offers a wide variety of classic sitcoms, original programming and premium movies for a monthly fee, satellite radio providers beam music and exclusive sports programming to their subscribers every day. As anyone who has this feature will tell you, it definitely makes the daily commute a lot more enjoyable.
Currently, only Sirius and XM Radio offer satellite radio services. Though similar in many ways, each has some unique features that could make one of them more attractive to you than the other.
Listen Before You Buy
Before committing to one provider or another, take some time and listen to both Sirius’ and XM Radio’s programming lineup via the Internet. Both companies offer a limited free trial-typically for a period of a few days-to let you listen to what they have to offer. There is, of course, quite a bit of overlap in their programming, especially when it comes to classic rock and the oldies.
Sirius has, however, become the official home of Howard Stern and Martha Stewart, while XM broadcasts the play-by-play for every game of every Major League baseball team.
Shop Around for a Satellite Radio Receiver
It’s easy enough to order a radio receiver directly from a satellite provider, but you probably won’t get the best deal from them. Retail outlets such as Radio Shack and Target carry some of the more popular satellite receivers, and usually offer a discounted price. Discontinued satellite receivers also can be purchased at a substantial discount, and both Sirius and XM offer rebates at regular intervals.
It’s also a good idea to stop by an electronics specialty store so you can ask specific questions about the receivers and their special functions. Some receivers mount on the window or the dashboard, so it’s good to get a recommendation on what kind of receiver to purchase.
Have a Professional Install Your Satellite Radio
Two years ago, I bought my girlfriend a Sirius satellite receiver for her car. Installing it was a bit challenging, even for two software engineers like us. Correctly positioning the antenna to obtain a strong signal turned out to be the biggest problem; she mentioned that the radio signal faded out several times on her daily commute after we had installed it ourselves.
After a few weeks of occasional signal loss, she took her car to Best Buy and their technicians professionally installed her satellite radio for about $130. From that moment on, she had virtually no issues with signal loss and could easily switch between satellite and regular radio or listen to her CD player. She has since become a huge fan of satellite radio and Sirius.
Satellite Radio Options in a New Car
Over the last few years, car manufacturers have started to offer satellite radio as an optional feature in new vehicles. After having satellite radio in her old car, a friend of mine recently bought a new Ford Escape with the Sirius radio package. She really loved the look and feel of the Escape and having the satellite radio already installed just sweetened the deal.
Each satellite radio provider has exclusive deals with specific car manufacturers, so if the car you purchase only offers a Sirius package and XM is your satellite radio of choice, you will have to buy and install it on your own.
Multiple Radio Discounts
Sirius and XM Radio have fairly similar subscription rates, starting at $12.95 per month with discounts for making a commitment of a year or more. If someone in your family already has a satellite radio subscription, they can add your radio to their plan for just $6.99 per month.
