# Sirius would be interested in buying XM



## Chris Blount (Jun 22, 2001)

Sirius CEO Karmazin "Interested" In Buying XM

Sirius Satellite Radio CEO Mel Karmazin said yesterday that Sirius would be interested in buying XM Satellite Radio at the right price, though regulatory issues "would be a question mark."

*Click Here For Complete Article*


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## Reggie3 (Feb 20, 2006)

So the company with less subscribers and less technology wants to buy XM. Next thing you know Steve Jobs will be announcing he is buying Microsoft.


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## darinpaul1 (Jul 13, 2005)

I dunno... Worldcom bought MCI and we all know how well that worked out.


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## Mike D-CO5 (Mar 12, 2003)

Kind of like when Dish , the number 2 provider tried to buy Directv, the number one provider?


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

And didn't KMart buy Sears? 

Hopefully there will never be a day when XM and Sirius are one.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

Reggie3 said:


> So the company with less subscribers and less technology wants to buy XM. Next thing you know Steve Jobs will be announcing he is buying Microsoft.


Or Echostar buying DirecTV?

I suspect an argument could be made that Sirius' technology is up that of XM. Sirius is growing faster according to the last report that I read. The true measure will be when the receivers work with both services.


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

> I suspect an argument could be made that Sirius' technology is up that of XM.


I doubt it 

Even a lot of hardcore Sirius guys, have issues (and wishes) when it comes to hardware. XM has always been the first to come out with new features like built in wireless FM modulators and Pause/Rewind capability. They were the first to come out with dedicated component home tuners with toslink out, they were the first to come out with a portable radio, and Sirius still doesn't have a truly portable unit. The new portables from XM like the Inno and Helix are pretty sharp, you can't find Sirius tuners built into home theater receivers, but you can find ones with XM built in. XM was also the first to have a boombox option and still remain the only one with real boombox and alarm clock options (expensive, but available)

XM plug and play receivers are also less bulky then comparable Sirius receivers and XM receivers run a lot cooler. My old Audiovox PNP2 got pretty damn hot after a few hours, and the thing was pretty big. My Sportster Replay and Starmate Replay do get hotter then my SkyFi 2 and Roady XT but nothing can compare to the Audiovox.

To Sirius' credit they were the first to come up with Tune Select, which I use a lot and they did improve on XMs 30 minute buffer to 44.

Both have their strong points, but after nearly 3 years with XM and 2 with Sirius, the hardware award goes to XM.


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## LtMunst (Aug 24, 2005)

Mike D-CO5 said:


> Kind of like when Dish , the number 2 provider tried to buy Directv, the number one provider?


Not the same. Charlie had loads of free cash available. Sirius has no free cash....just a boatload of debt.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

Steve Mehs said:


> Both have their strong points, but after nearly 3 years with XM and 2 with Sirius, the hardware award goes to XM.


Hardware isn't going to make a difference much longer as the same hardware will sooner than later work for both.

The proof is in the programming. Many are drawn like a moth to flame by cool gadgets, but you can only cycle through so many receivers before you figure out that the end result is the same.

As for burying XM receivers into clock radios, cars and AV receivers, that's just plain silly. Just as it is with satellite television, the hardware technology of satellite radio is changing fast enough that anything built-in is going to be iffy in a matter of months. We'll see how things go with FM digital radios in cars, but I'm pretty sure that it is a technology that will die for want of programming that people want to listen to. When was the last time you appreciated having an AM stereo capable radio?

We already know that the RIAA isn't happy about the "Replay" feature, so I'm sure that there will be significant pressure to avoid the digital outputs similar to what we see with DVI-HDCP and HDMI.


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

> As for burying XM receivers into clock radios, cars and AV receivers, that's just plain silly.


Aren't AM/FM tuners built into clock radios, HT receivers and cars? TV and radio are two different mediums. I would like more things to have satellite radio tuners as, that's all I listen to. Why would you not have satellite radio in a vehicle head unit as opposed to plug and play? Much cleaner look and much better sound quality overall.

I'm only 21, I'm too young to have experienced New Coke and AM Stereo, but I know it was a flop just like HD Radio will be. If programming is the key, which I agree it is, both are winners and slight losers. Neither XM OR Sirius are the best at everything, but XM AND Sirius are. Since getting XM, my musical tastes have went all over. There are somethings XM does well, but Sirius does them better and visa versa.

I would love for that AM/FM button on my car radio that I have no use for, to be an XM/Sirius button. One head unit that can receive both services from built in to my truck.


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## Richard King (Mar 25, 2002)

> Aren't AM/FM tuners built into clock radios,


Since my clock radio is garbage that I have been suffering with for years I have decided it is time for a change (FM broke, AM gets only two stations). I am tired of only being able to get Art Bell's replacement at night. This may be the solution.
http://www.merchantamerica.com/discountedelectronics/index.php?ba=product_enlarge&product=72805


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## BobMurdoch (Apr 24, 2002)

It won't happen. If the Justice Dept. nixed E*'s purchase of D* they will do the same here.

It'll do wonders for XM's share price in the short term, that is it....


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

Steve Mehs said:


> Aren't AM/FM tuners built into clock radios, HT receivers and cars?


Sure, but the content that you would receive on these devices is typically available only OTA. I prefer to listen local news and weather first thing in the morning; I can't get that from satellite, but I can get it on my shower radio.

AM and FM aren't going away anytime soon and they don't add substantially to the cost of the receiver. It isn't nearly as difficult to wire an antenna for AM and/or FM or even do the old fashioned FM antenna in the power cord trick. Running a satellite antenna is problematic at best.


> Why would you not have satellite radio in a vehicle head unit as opposed to plug and play? Much cleaner look and much better sound quality overall.


Because the integrated units are nasty expensive and you run quite a risk of being obsolete or having to buy some sort of outboard unit anyway if you change your mind about your provider. As for the sound quality, I doubt there is any perceptible difference. Most automotive units are connected with standard audio connectors to facilitate ex-factory installation.


> One head unit that can receive both services from built in to my truck.


The FCC is pushing hard for this, but the services are dragging their feet.


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

> Sure, but the content that you would receive on these devices is typically available only OTA.


What content? There is absolute zero content I want or need from 'local' radio.

News, I don't care about the latest drive by on the east side or the corrupt county legislature. Anything major happens here I'll (and the rest of the country) will see it on Fox News. Anything somewhat important, I'll see it on regional cable channel, RNews. Other then that I don't care.

Weather, this is Buffalo, it snows in the winter. Let the 'local' AM news stations use buzzwords like *extreme* *hazardous* and *zero visibility* because we get two inches of powder then let them all brag that 'when winter weather happens, you hear it here first'.

Traffic, when I do my shopping if I see a dozen cars on the road the entire trip that's very heavy. Not much traffic at 2 in the morning.

While I agree satellite radio reception can be flakey, that's why I have an iPod. At work, I am second in charge on our five man team on second shift. At my end of the operation, listening to terrestrial radio is not allowed. If you want to listen to the radio, I'll move my truck close to the garage bay and you can tune your radio to 107.9 FM or 106.9 FM and can listen to any channel from XM or Sirius you want, but I will not allow commercial radio to be heard by my ears.


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## deraz (Sep 25, 2004)

harsh said:


> Running a satellite antenna is problematic at best..


While it can be a problem at worst, it can also be very easy. For my house, I simply paced the antenna on the inside window sill next to my bed. Reception is great even with the shade down. I can then receive sound though the FM singal anywhere in my house or yard.


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## johnnyd1023 (May 14, 2005)

Reggie3 said:


> So the company with less subscribers and less technology wants to buy XM. Next thing you know Steve Jobs will be announcing he is buying Microsoft.


Could not have said it better myself !


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

deraz said:


> I can then receive sound though the FM singal anywhere in my house or yard.


Shhhh!!! Not so loud. The FCC is after the satellite radio manufacturers about modulators that are running "a little hot".


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## deraz (Sep 25, 2004)

harsh said:


> Shhhh!!! Not so loud. The FCC is after the satellite radio manufacturers about modulators that are running "a little hot".


But that would take away all of the fun of being stuck in traffic next to an old geezer in a Lincoln listening to the all news channel....


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

Steve Mehs said:


> What content? There is absolute zero content I want or need from 'local' radio.


Spoken like a true graveyard bachelor.

"I don't read the newspaper"
"I do all of my banking between midnight and 7am"
"I don't care if the kids have to go to school or not"
"I dont' buy anything"
"News is for people who aren't making news"
"Howard Stern gives me all of the current events I need"


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

Damn straight!

Other then not having kids, I don't listen to Stern often and I buy quite a bit of crap. And it's not just banking I do between midnight and 7, it's my living. I don't think I could go back to first shift banker hours. You probably see more cars in one day then I do in a few months on my commute. Never stuck in traffic, never get stuck at red lights, don't have to wait in line in stores, don't have to deal with other people. 

And back on topic, local radio is useless, I see no need for it. I get enough screaming car dealers on TV don’t need them on the radio. As for sound quality, the home theater receiver I'm looking at buying (Sony STR-DG800) to replace my current one has a built in XM tuner. I was at Circuit City today and played with it. There is no comparison, sound quality is much better using the built in tuner then my SkyFi 2. Overall fuller and richer sound and better bass management and no it was not just because of the DSP effects. Compression is still noticeable, but not as much.


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## pez2002 (Dec 13, 2002)

here is the receiver steve is talking about

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7697539&type=product&id=1138084389963 steep price

Im going to do a upgrade to the skyfi2 to replace my roday2 soon


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

Yep, that's it, the thing I've dreamed about since Saturday. 

Best Buys website is wrong though, it's a 7.1 receiver, not 6.1.


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## pez2002 (Dec 13, 2002)

hahaha good luck with the new receiver did you buy it yet ???


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

.No, not yet. Not very many places have it yet. Only one of the three area Circuit Citys have it and they only had 3 or 4 in stock. Besides a guy that I know works for a local A/V shop that deals closely with Sony. I'm going to talk to him this weekend and see what he has to say and see if I can get it cheaper through him. I originally wanted it for the HD component and HDMI switching capabilities, the built in XM tuner was an added plus I didn't know about until I saw the receiver myself in Circuit City. Then comes the XM connect and play XM antenna, then I have to get new speakers.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

Steve Mehs said:


> I originally wanted it for the HD component and HDMI switching capabilities, the built in XM tuner was an added plus I didn't know about until I saw the receiver myself in Circuit City. Then comes the XM connect and play XM antenna, then I have to get new speakers.


Make sure you audition the unit first. I was at CC this weekend (drooling over the 50" Grand Wega LCoS for $2399) and was subjected to some fairly mediocre XM sound coming out of an Oinkyo TX-SR703 receiver. I'm not very familiar with XM, but it sounded noticably distorted. I also tinkered with the standalone $200 Polk XM component receiver but it was hooked up to some really crummy mini speakers. I don't think that particular store is long for the world.

I don't think either setup approaches the quality of Sirius via Dish Network (and presumably XM via DirecTV).


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

Nah, nothing will compare to that as far as satellite distrubuted audio goes.. I could go on and on about how I feel about Dish, and I have plenty of times, but they have done an excellent job with Sirius, the quality is amazing. My Uncle has Dish still and this past Sunday his Sony HT Receiver went so he sent me to Circuit City with $200 bucks and I got him the lower end DG500 receiver and I set it up using the Sirius channels. XM on DirecTV doesn't compare either. The Sirius channels on Dish sounded amazing since day 1 the XM channels on DirecTV were not so hot from the day the debuted to the day the dropped DirecTV. 

I also enjoy the sound quality on Music Choice on digital cable. They're in Dolby Digital 2.0, and have a very clean feel, not as rich as the Sirius channels on E* but very clean, the sound quality is suburb. The stereo Muzak channels on E* have always sounded flat to me. When I had Dish, I used to leave Power Rock on all the time, very flat, lots of repetition, songs are edited, and they played music that shouldn’t be on there.

Which Wega? The KDF-E50A10? If so I have the 42" model, and love that TV.


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## pez2002 (Dec 13, 2002)

Steve Mehs said:


> .No, not yet. Not very many places have it yet. Only one of the three area Circuit Citys have it and they only had 3 or 4 in stock. Besides a guy that I know works for a local A/V shop that deals closely with Sony. I'm going to talk to him this weekend and see what he has to say and see if I can get it cheaper through him. I originally wanted it for the HD component and HDMI switching capabilities, the built in XM tuner was an added plus I didn't know about until I saw the receiver myself in Circuit City. Then comes the XM connect and play XM antenna, then I have to get new speakers.


here it is at a great price

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...1_9/104-8982945-3099969?ie=UTF8&s=audio-video


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

Thanks, but actually that's the DG600, the midrange model. While it does have the XM tuner built in, it doesn't support HDMI switching.


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## deraz (Sep 25, 2004)

Reggie3 said:


> So the company with less subscribers and less technology wants to buy XM. Next thing you know Steve Jobs will be announcing he is buying Microsoft.


Not a very good comparison.

Apple has better technology that Microsoft. But of course Microsoft has many more users.

Apple's market cap is only about one forth of Microsoft's. But Sirius' market cap is about double XM's.


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## obrienaj (Apr 8, 2004)

Steve Mehs said:


> While I agree satellite radio reception can be flakey, that's why I have an iPod. At work, I am second in charge on our five man team on second shift. At my end of the operation, listening to terrestrial radio is not allowed. If you want to listen to the radio, I'll move my truck close to the garage bay and you can tune your radio to 107.9 FM or 106.9 FM and can listen to any channel from XM or Sirius you want, but I will not allow commercial radio to be heard by my ears.


What happens when the "first in charge" wants to listen to Sandy Beach on WBEN or get local snow closings ?


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

I work at one end of the plant, my team leader works at the other. Besides, closings don't mean much when you work from 1PM to 1AM.  All 5 of us pretty much live within a 10 miles radius of work. His radio in the back is tuned to The Edge, I close my ears whenever I have to go back there. The DJs on there have gotten stupider then when I used to listen.


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## pez2002 (Dec 13, 2002)

clear channel blew up

smooth jazz WJJZ 106.1 In philly after 12 years 

Just so they could clear whoppie in the morning :lol: yeah whan that fails what you gonna do cc huh 

thank god for xm/sirius


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

That was mentioned on air when I was at QVC in West Chester on Friday night. Yesterday when we were going to see the Liberty Bell, I walked past the WYSP studio on Independence Mall. Some dopey looking guy was walking out and going to get in the ugly painted vehicle of theirs, I'm pretty sure he saw me with my XM t shirt on. 

There is no smooth jazz station in the Buffalo market, our NPR affiliate used to play jazz part time, but I have no idea if they still do and from what I remember it was traditional jazz, not contemporary. Watercolors is great for 'C Jazz'. I don't care much for Jazz Cafe on Sirius, too much Smooth R&B/Smooth Jazz crossover stuff. I also like smoothjazz.com. Great stuff that FM Radio is most markets ignored, and in the remaining is forgetting about.


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## Geronimo (Mar 23, 2002)

I found myself at CC this weekend as well. I picked up the last Harmon Kardon AV 135 they had for $156. Not bad. Now i just have to wait for the HT speakers I ordered online to arrive. 

But to be truthful terrestrial radio tends to sound better than XM or Sirius through their sats----and certainly better than listening to sat radio through an FM modulator. DISH and DTV allocate more bandwidth to the channels so that is a bit different.


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## pez2002 (Dec 13, 2002)

http://www.wnjl.com/

you gotta pay though its worth it


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

$15 bucks a year isn't too bad.


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## pez2002 (Dec 13, 2002)

another clear channel Blow up today in Rochester ny

http://www.radioandrecords.com/radi...article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003085519

WNVE 107.3 looks like it will be a station for wake up with whoppie


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

What an F'n joke, but hey, what's that I hear, could it be a toilet flushing? Terrestrial radio doing what it does best, selling out.

Billy Fucillo is nothing but a fat obnoxious POS. He has two dealerships here in the Buffalo area and that's all you hear on 'local' radio and TV. You have his stooge Tom and give an into and then the fat man himself belts out 'It's HUGE Buffalo, it's HUUUUUGGGGGGEEE'. He’s a complete baboon.

When The Nerve was on 95.1 I’d listen, like I said in another thread all that station played was the top 5 hits from Disturbed, Linkin Park, Metallica, System Of A Down and Korn. On Saturday I may just take a ride into Rochester and go to BB and CC and check out the satellite radio displays and see how many subscriptions and can sell


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## pez2002 (Dec 13, 2002)

Steve Philly had a cool rock station a few years ago called 103.9 WDRE next year will be 10 years since its death ironicly Y100 was brought by the same group as WDRE Both stations ended with the same song Pearl jam Alive  

WDRE Died 2-7-97 
y100 2-25-05


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## sNEIRBO (Jul 23, 2006)

Richard King said:


> Since my clock radio is garbage that I have been suffering with for years I have decided it is time for a change (FM broke, AM gets only two stations). I am tired of only being able to get Art Bell's replacement at night. This may be the solution.
> http://www.merchantamerica.com/discountedelectronics/index.php?ba=product_enlarge&product=72805


I've got an $85 solution . . . Google "Whole House FM Transmitter". I bought one of these, hooked it up to my Sportster Home Dock in my Office, and now get Sirius on every FM Radio in my House - even in the basement.


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## pez2002 (Dec 13, 2002)

pez2002 said:


> clear channel blew up
> 
> smooth jazz WJJZ 106.1 In philly after 12 years
> 
> ...


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