# XM Online Less Channels Than Regular Subscription



## Jake34 (Feb 24, 2007)

Forgive what is a newbie question but I just bought a new vehicle which provides XM radio for 3 month trial. I am thinking about whether to continue. One of their selling points on their website is that a subscription also gets you XM online at no additional charge.
As I study this I see that XM radio is over 170 channels, but Xm online says over 80 channels. Does that mean online is less? I want to be sure to get all the sports stuff both ways like Major League baseball etc.
Is XM Online not the same as what I get in my car and is actually a lot less?
Thanks in advance for any clarification. I would hate to think I have buy additional subscription to get everything on a 2nd radio even though it is $6.95.


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## tcusta00 (Dec 31, 2007)

Yeah, I noticed that too when I signed up for XM. I _think _when I first got it they offered the full lineup online (4 years ago) but now it's a smaller list.

I suspect that it may be a rights issue since the channels that are missing are the sports and news where it's not XM content but rather a rebroadcast from some other source.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

You're paying for XM Radio for your vehicle/home -- the online channels are a bonus
freebie. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

XM Radio Online does not include the 4 commercial music channels and most talk programming as XM does not have rights to stream third party content. Inhouse talk channels like The Virus and MLB Home Plate and available on XMRO. XMRO also includes some channels like Special X and On The Rocks that XM used to offer but were removed due to bandwidth limitations. A lot of talk content on XM can be heard online for free by their original programming provider.


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## YKW06 (Feb 2, 2006)

Steve Mehs said:


> XM Radio Online does not include the 4 commercial music channels and most talk programming as XM does not have rights to stream third party content. Inhouse talk channels like The Virus and MLB Home Plate and available on XMRO. XMRO also includes some channels like Special X and On The Rocks that XM used to offer but were removed due to bandwidth limitations. A lot of talk content on XM can be heard online for free by their original programming provider.


You'd _think_ MLB Home Plate would be carried on XMRO, seeing as it's produced in-house and all.

However, for whatever reason, it ain't.

But, hey, The Agenda and the Oprah channel _are_ up there, 24/7... (/snark)


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

MLB Home Plate used to be available on XMRO, but I see it no longer is.


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## n3xt (Oct 5, 2005)

I was set to go with XM when I saw that there was an online option,(my prime listening location is north facing in a below ground location so getting an antenna to the roof would add to the initial cost, I thought online would work for me), but my main reason for getting the service was for PGATOUR XM 146, and the news channels like BBC. Unfortunately, those services are not available online. Big bummer, in addition, I was having dificulties connecting during my free trial and XM seemed indifferent at best and did not help in resolving the issue (never could get the stream to connect). So for now at least I'll stand on the sidelines, I'd love to hear the content I want and explore the other options, but I also don't want to invest too much at this point either. In any case, XM online was a very big disappointment.

DC, N3XT


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## machavez00 (Nov 2, 2006)

As I understand it, contractual agreements prevent XM from streaming anything but in house programming and O&A.


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## reddice (Feb 18, 2003)

I don't care one bit about any of the talk, news and sports content. I think they are wasting too much bandwidth already. I only care about the music channels. XMRO gives me all of the music channels plus some of the extra online only music channels. That is all I need.


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## Frrrunkis! (Mar 3, 2008)

machavez00 said:


> As I understand it, contractual agreements prevent XM from streaming anything but in house programming and O&A.


You are correct. I believe Oprah is online as well. All of those news and talk channels would not allow XM to broadcast their feed over the Internet. The only question would be why can't they stream NHL Home Ice and Home Plate over XMRO. I did get an answer once from Jim Tatti on Home Ice and he had said that NHL has final say in getting Home Ice online and that they're working on a deal. But that was over a year ago. I suspect it's the same issue with MLB and PGA.


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