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Satellite radio
Last, but certainly not least, is the introduction of one of the most exciting innovations to take place in car audio since the invention of FM radio. This is a technology whose time has come, and it is poised to change the way we listen to music in our cars. Known as satellite radio, the technology is exactly what the name implies: radio signals coming to your vehicle via satellites above the earth. Think of it as the audio version of DirectTV or Dish Network, and this will perhaps give you a better idea of what we're talking about.
Of course, Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither was satellite radio. Using the analogy of satellite TV once more, think of your satellite dish as traveling down the highway at 70 miles an hour, and this might give you a glimpse of the technical problems that needed to be addressed in bringing this technology to market. After nearly 10 years of development and delays, we're happy to report that most of the technical challenges have been solved, and satellite radio can now be beamed into the passenger compartment of your car, truck or SUV.
At this point, there are two main competitors offering satellite radio to the masses: XM Radio and Sirius Radio. We spoke to both companies for this story, and both have much to offer the consumer. Here's the skinny: XM Radio came out of the box faster and has seen phenomenal growth in the past year; Sirius Radio, while slower in its growth, comes to market with its own advantages and is worth consideration.
According to Chance Patterson, VP of corporate affairs for XM Radio, "Sirius is a year and a half behind us in technology. This is because they used outside vendors to develop their chipset, while we did ours in-house." Sirius Radio contends, however, that its Lucent-designed chipset was worth the wait. Todd Goodnight, director of product management for Sirius, notes, "Technical barriers caused us tardiness, but this is a very robust chipset, the first of its kind."
The two vendors also differ in the approach to launching their satellites. Sirius has three satellites in its air, traveling above the earth in what is known as a geo-synchronous orbit. According to Goodnight, this orbit is advantageous, as it brings the "birds" over more of the continental United States, providing better coverage and reception. XM, on the other hand, flies its two satellites in a geo-stationary orbit. As a result of this difference, claims Sirius' Goodnight, XM Radio utilizes up to a thousand land-based repeaters to broadcast its signal across the country, while Sirius uses as few as 100.
What other differences exist between the two systems? Well, price, for one. The XM Radio monthly subscription will set you back $9.95, while Sirius runs $12.95 a month. But if you hate commercials, you might consider paying an extra $3 a month. Said Sirius' Goodnight, "All of our music channels are commercial-free. That's 60 channels of commercial-free music. XM only has 35 commercial-free channels."
Both systems offer adapters and units that attach the satellite radio to existing car audio systems or home electronics, so you can have your music either on the go or on the sofa. XM has partnered with Delphi to bring to market Delphi's sleek XM SkyFi Radio. For around $200, plus roughly $70 for an adapter, this setup can be adapted to any car radio. However, one of the coolest aspects of the SkyFi Radio is its ability, with a $99 adapter, to morph into a portable boom box for the home. Not to be outdone, Sirius has a new plug-n-play unit for $99 that adapts with a $70 cradle. The company has also signed a deal with Kenwood to produce a high-end line of home components that will be Sirius-capable.
Of course, more and more cars are coming with satellite radio-ready systems from the factory. XM has aligned itself with the GM family of vehicles, plus Acura/Honda, Audi/VW, Nissan/Infiniti and others. XM radio is currently available in such 2004 model year vehicles as the Chevrolet Impala, Cadillac Escalade, Audi A4, Honda Accord, Nissan Maxima and the newly redesigned Toyota Camry Solara. XM radio is also available in select Avis rental cars. Sirius has signed deals with Ford, BMW, Chrysler and Nissan/Infiniti products and is available in vehicles like the Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Grand Caravan, Ford Mustang, Jaguar S-Type, Mazda Tribute, Infiniti G35 and select Hertz rental cars. Almost all Audi, Nissan and Infiniti vehicles have the option of using XM or Sirius Satellite Radio. Aftermarket manufacturers such as Audiovox and Kenwood are also offering satellite-ready units. All you need to do to activate either setup is to sign on the dotted line, and up to a hundred channels of music, talk and sports will beam into your vehicle.
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