Satellite radio delivers premium programming with celebrities like Jamie Foxx.
In the early days of cable TV there was resistance to the idea of paying for something that had always been free. However, this resistance ran out of steam when consumers discovered they could go from a handful of low quality channels to hundreds of high quality ones. The same is true of satellite radio. It requires a monthly subscription but the programming is almost commercial free and you get up to 180 high quality stations. Since the signals come from a satellite you can also listen to your favorite channels wherever you are. With so many choices in a static-free, CD-quality signal, satellite radio has a lot going for it.
Instructions
1. Pick a satellite network. This decision has become easier because the two networks, Sirius and XM, have merged into a single company. However, in spite of the merger there are still significant differences between Sirius and XM and satellite receivers can only get the network they're designed for. The Sirius network has three satellites and 130-plus stations of which 69 are music, 18 news or talk, 11 entertainment, 11 local traffic and weather and the rest sports. Sirius also carries edgy programming like Howard Stern. The XM network uses two satellites to deliver 170-plus channels of which 70 are music, 92 talk, sports, news and entertainment and 21 traffic and weather. It also carries shows by popular musicians like Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and Quincy Jones. At the time of this publication the subscription fees are the same for both with basic plans running $12.95 a month and premium plans an additional $4, as of time of publication.
2. Choose the type of receiver. There are satellite radio receivers for just about every application you can imagine. You can get an in-dash receiver for your car, a component receiver for your home stereo, portable satellite radios you can take anywhere and plug-and-play receivers you can transfer between your home and car stereo for one subscription fee. Choose the one that best suits the way you intend to use it. According to Autos.com, as of 2010 the most popular receivers for your car are the Sirius network's "DEI SIRIUS Sportster 5" and "Audiovox SV5TK1 Stratus 5" and the XM network's "AudioVox XpressRC XMCK30P" and "AudioVox XpressRCi XDRC2V1."
3. Add the right accessories. Don't forget that most satellite receivers need the right accessories to do the job. For in-dash receivers this includes an antenna, mounting kit and wiring harness. For portables you might need a docking station to recharge the batteries and connect to your stereo. By far the most important accessory is an antenna since the only receivers that don't need one are portables, which have it built in. All other satellite receivers, including in-dash, home component and plug-and-play, need a separate antenna to work properly. Satellite radio home and car kits usually have an antenna bundled with the other accessories you're likely to need.
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