Getting Connected To Your, Not So Local, Radio Station!

There are now a myriad of radio stations that can be heard via the internet. Speech, music and sport are all available in abundancy.

Music stations often specialize in a particular musical genre. The end result is, despite the greater availability of stations, a unavoidable fracturing of the listening audience. However, this can be to the benefit both of the listener and broadcaster, who can really keep in tune with each other.

In past times, before the internet age, and with just a few national stations here in the UK, it was very difficult to get a mention or have a musical request played. Now it is quite different. The stations are also much more listener friendly.

Anyone wishing to really get involved with a particular station, now has every opportunity to do so. Telephone lines may be available to a live station, and emails are invariably invited. I usually get an email mentioned within half an hour! The fastest response from my laptop, via my own internal wireless connection, then the internet, has been five minutes! On another occasion, i enquired whether a station had a lesser known record, issued on vinyl thirty-five years ago. They were not sure but would play it they had it. A short time later another listener visited the station and gave them a copy of the disc!

Now that's what i call an interactive, friendly station and long may it last.

http://www.writingup.com/blog/rambler

Satellite Radio: The Waves Of The Future?

Satellite Radio รขโ�ฌโ�� Its here! Satellite radio is a new service being offered by two companies, XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio. Both companies are offering over 100 channels of streaming music and entertainment. High quality sound is achieved through the use of satellites orbiting high above. Satellite radio is commercial free and free from regulations by federal committees. The impossible, is now possible, hearing the same radio station across North America and from coast to coast. All made possible by XM satellite radio and Sirius satellite radio.

Normal radio has been around for decades and is part of many peopleรขโ�ฌโ�ขs lifestyle. This is changing. Regular radio is monitored and regulated by the Federal Communications Commission, whom has fined several radio stations and media companies within the last 3-4 years. The FCC has only fined radio stations a maximum of $27,500 per show no matter how man profanities were aired.

Recently the FCC has been upping the ante and in conjunction with Congress has decided to raise the fine up to $500,000 per incident per station (Potter). A slap on the wrist has turned into a business-changing event. "Sexually explicit comments by Bubba the Love Sponge and Howard Stern could get a station in trouble รขโ�ฌโ�� no doubt about it. Clear Channel Radio dropped both shock jocks this year after being hit with record fines."(Potter) Recently Howard Stern has made a move to Sirius Satellite Radio in an effort to preserve his career and free speech. Consumers are reaching towards satellite radio as a way to hear unregulated news and content.

Recently XM Satellite Radio has claimed to have over 3 million subscribers paying $9.99 per month and Sirius claims to have over 1.3 million customers paying $12.95 per month. Many of those customers pay an additional $2.99 per month for premium content such as the upcoming Howard Stern Show.

Several normal radio stations and media outlets are realizing the potential to get their message across in a broad fashion. XM has launched a morning show, which is hosted by Bob Edwards, whom was fired earlier this year by National Public Radio. "The Bob Edwards Show" will air on a public satellite radio channel that also features news and programs from Public Radio International, among others. Sirius has its own public radio channel carrying NPR programs. Consumers and companies are demanding free speech and it seems that satellite radio is the vehicle.

XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio have designed satellite broadcast systems that differ but they achieve the same high quality of satellite radio. A milestone of this success is the fact that satellite radio signals that are available across the United States and into Mexico and Canada. Rock and Roll รขโ�ฌโ�� No itรขโ�ฌโ�ขs not a genre any more! XM Satellite Radio has two satellites named Rock and Roll, which remain in parallel geostationary orbit to provide radio coverage throughout the United States. Sirius Satellite Radio has chose to use three satellites in an inclined elliptical orbit. This configuration provides 16 hours per satellite of signal, which gives a great redundancy if any satellite were to fail. Playing it smart, Sirius and XM both have spare satellites, which can be called on in a moments notice if needed.

XM satellite radio and Sirius satellite radio have Earth based broadcast stations that are used to send up information to the satellites, which is then dispersed through out the globe. Sirius and XM both have disk jockeys that manage, create and program music which is then sent up to the satellites. The information is then taken in by the satellites and sent through a rebroadcast of the streams to earth. The Major advantage of this is that, unlike earth-based radio stations whose signals reach listeners 150 miles away, satellite radio signals have a huge reach, and are receivable anywhere within the continental United States and hundreds of miles in each direction of the borders. Satellite Radio is growing to become a worldwide network and offerings are growing throughout the world. XM satellite radio and Sirius satellite radio are making it happen.

Unregulated Satellite Radio is the answer for free speech in a government regulated airwaves arena. Not only can listeners hear unbiased information but also they can listen to it anywhere in the United States. Media giants are jumping to get the piece of the pie regarding satellite radio, as the new wave of the future is satellite radio.

Scott fish is the Owner of Satellite Radio Receivers Sirius and XM Reviews

Top Satellite Radio is a resource for consumers seeking the history and facts about satellite radio. We also sell electronics related to Satellite Radio. Quick Access: http://www.TopSatRadio.com

Satellite Radio News

Satellite Radio has become a very popular alternative to broadcast radio since its first release. It did take a while for the two competitors of satellite radio, Sirius and XM, to begin gaining customers. Equipment was expensive and bulky. There is also a monthly fee for the service, where broadcast radio is free. Satellite does have a few advantages against broadcast that helped it gain momentum more each year. There are very few channels on satellite radio that have commercials. This is very similar to premium cable television like HBO or Showtime...they cost extra but have no commercials.

Another great feature Satellite Radio offers is quality that you cannot find in broadcast radio. Satellite radio is a digital signal that sounds cleaner and has virtually no static because with digital signals you either have close to full quality or nothing at all. Satellite also offers coast to coast coverage so you do not have to search for a local station when you travel.

Recent technology moves have helped the receiver end of satellite radio tremendously. Car manufacturers now offer satellite equipment built in to new cars so that there is nothing to buy, just the monthly service fee. Some car companies like GMC only offer XM capability, but many companies offer you to choose either but not both. Car manufacturers also offer much more high end stereos that can utilize the benefits of a digital signal. They use this as a sales pitch to show how good their stereos really are.

Satellite does have new competition that is broadcast for free like analog radio. HD Radio will be broadcast by many local stations in the near future offering better quality than satellite radio. This is much like television stations that broadcast HD TV locally. There are still commercials, but clear sound and music information about artists is available by any HD Radio equipped stereo. Only the future will tell if people are willing to shell out the dough to avoid commercials.

Find the latest information and more at http://all-satellite-radio.info/

Satellite Radio: XM Radio or Sirius?

Satellite radio is the hottest trend in radio entertainment for your car, home, and office. The freedom from commercials and static is an exhilarating experience. No longer do you have listen to obnoxious jingles and hot air. No longer are you condemned to choose between dead air and Country & Western when traveling in rural areas.

Commercial-Free, Digital-Quality Sound

All of these problems are solved with satellite radio. And there is nothing else in the radio world that can compete with its digital quality sound. Satellite can provide uninterrupted listening pleasure anywhere in the world.

The only problem is deciding upon which satellite radio provider to choose. The top 2 contenders are Sirius and XM Radio. If you want satellite radio, you are immediately faced with the issue of how to choose between them.

XM Radio, First In The Sky

XM Radio established its presence first, and has a market share of 2 million listeners. XM has had the time to establish an excellent system of 68 commercial-free music channels with an incredible array of music. It also adds 33 channels of news, sports, talk shows, and entertainment to its programming mix. To top it off, XM has revolutionized the satellite radio world by providing 21 channels of up-to-date weather and traffic for most of the major metropolitan areas in the United States.

Sirius, Radio Innovator On Satellite TV

Sirius may be the comparative upstart, but it offers some advantages of its own. New contacts with DISH Network satellite television have given Sirius access to more than 10 million subscribers. It provides more than 120 channels if you add up all of the music, sports, information and entertainment.

For sports, Sirius is hard to beat. It broadcasts live games for professional football and hockey leagues, as well as many other sporting events. Sirius will also be the home of Howard Stern in 2006.

New Technology, New Listening Experience

So, whether you choose XM Radio for experience and staying power, or cast your vote for the innovations of Sirius, there's no reason to wait. Satellite radio is to broadcast radio as the VCR was to television. You can have it all -- without commercials! So what are you waiting for -- pick one.

Visit Sat Radio to learn more. Copyright 2005 Ron King. Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact.

XM Radio vs Sirius Radio

Satellite radio is becoming more and more popular as an alternative to regular FM radio, and especially for travelers who want to listen to the same station throughout their trip. Basically, you get commercial-free radio for a small monthly fee(around $13/month) and the ability to listen to the same station wherever you go in the country.

So the question on everybodyรขโ�ฌโ�ขs mind is "What is the best satellite radio service?" Is it XM radio or Sirius radio? If you look at just subscribers, XM easily wins the battle with over 5 million subscribers compared to Siriusรขโ�ฌโ�ข 3 million subscribers. However, there are a lot more options to consider when choosing your satellite radio service.

Here are some things to consider when making your decision:

Receivers

XM has the strongest variety of satellite radio receivers with the two best plug-and-play models probably being the Delphi XM SkyFi2 - with a 30 minute recording buffer(cost: about $95) or the Delphi XM Roady XT(cost: about $80.) If you want a portable option, the best one is the Tao XM2go(5 hour recording feature) - it can play broadcasts through headphones or speakers that are included and doesnรขโ�ฌโ�ขt require a docking station(cost: about $150.)

Sirius might not have the range that XM has in the hardware market, but they still have some nice equipment. The two best plug-and-play models for Sirius radio are probably the Sirius Starmate Replay - with a 44 minute recording buffer(cost: about $120) or the Sirius Sportster Replay - designed for NFL fans and it also has a 44 minute buffer(cost: about $95 after rebates.) Sirius doesnรขโ�ฌโ�ขt have a true portable satellite radio device yet but they have the S50 model which will allow you to record 1 GB of satellite radio content while hooked to a docking station so you can play it later as a stand alone device. The Sirius S50 also doubles as an MP3 and WMA file player. (cost: about $330)

Programming

Sirius and XM both have about the same amount of music stations, covering Pop, Rock, Dance, R&B/Hip-Hop, Country, Christian, Jazz/Blues, Classical and Latin. Both services also share news channels such as CNN radio, CNBC radio and Bloomberg radio. The big difference comes down to sports coverage and some guy you might have heard ofรขโ�ฌยฆ.Howard Stern. Sirius signed Howard Stern to a blockbuster deal that will be sure to boost subscriptions for them.

Sirius also has a stranglehold on sports radio with exclusive rights to NFL broadcasts, NHL, NBA and rights to NASCAR in 2007. XM currently has exclusive rights to MLB baseball and NASCAR until 2007, they also have a lot of college football broadcasts. If youรขโ�ฌโ�ขre a sports fan at all, youรขโ�ฌโ�ขre going to want Sirius for their wide coverage of sports.

Costs

Currently both Sirius and XM radio services cost approximately $13 a month. Other costs you have to consider is in the accessories that go with the satellite receiver you choose. Docking kits for the home or car(if not included) can add about $100-150. Headphones and external antennas are other accessories that should be considered.

You can only expect the costs to decrease as satellite radio becomes more and more popular. All in all, satellite radio is an inexpensive option to get commercial-free, static-free, uncensored radio that you can take with you anywhere in the country and listen to the same station.

Amy Lee Johnson writes for a website called Best Satellite Radios that reviews all different types of satellite radio receivers, including tons of Sirius Satellite Reviews and XM Satellite Reviews.

Wake Up to CD Quality Music With a Digital Radio Alarm Clock

No matter which satellite radio broadcaster you subscribe to, there are a variety of different digital radio alarm clock options to help you wake up to the best quality music available from any radio, anywhere. With the plug and play aspect of most satellite radio receivers, versatility to switch the receiver between home and car or portable and home modes has never been easier. All you have to do is take your existing satellite radio receiver, purchase a home adapter for it, and snap it in. In a few quick minutes, you can have a high quality alarm clock positioned on your night stand just waiting to wake up in the morning with CD quality music brought to you by your favorite satellite radio stations.

XM Satellite Radio, the most popular satellite radio station in North America, offers two different options for those in the market for a digital radio alarm clock. The first is to purchase a plug and play receiver for your digital radio alarm clock. A receiver such as the Audiovox Xpress offers the user with the versatility to plug it into the car for road trips or a home boom box like device to act as an alarm clock. All you have to do is set the alarm time, the channel and go to sleep. If your daily commute does not involve a car, perhaps a portable XM receiver like the Delphi MyFi is the best option. This portable receiver can be carried around during the day like an iPod or Walkman and then placed into a home stereo device at night. Once it has been placed into its cradle, the MyFi can act as a digital radio alarm clock, awakening you whenever you want.

With the optional home kits available for any of the Sirius Satellite Radio receivers, nearly any receiver can be used as a digital radio alarm clock. The beauty of the Sirius designed satellite receivers lies in the similarity of the technical specifications which allows nearly every add-on to be compatible with nearly every receiver. All you need to do is purchase a receiver and a home system, plug one into the other and set the time for your alarm. Itรขโ�ฌโ�ขs that simple. With products like the Sportster, you are able to use your receiver in your car or as a portable device if you take the train, bus or subway to work.

Keith Londrie II is a well known author. He has written many great articles on many topics, including satellite radio information. For more information, please visit http://www.digital-radio-info.info/ You may also be interested in Keith's other offerings at his site http://keithlondrie.com

The Satellite Radio Antenna - Choosing the Antenna That's Right for You

The Satellite radio antenna is one of three basic hardware components youรขโ�ฌโ�ขll need to receive those digital audio streams from your favourite Satellite radio service provider.

Although both providers offer similar services and use similar technologies, the associated hardware, including the antenna, is designed to receive either XM or Sirius programming. We have read articles where listeners have interchanged antennas with some success but it is not recommended.

The antennaรขโ�ฌโ�ขs task is to pick up the signals transmitted from the Satellites and terrestrial repeaters scattered about the U.S., with a reliable receive performance. In order to achieve this, the antenna must have an unobstructed view (line-of-sight) of at least one orbiting satellite. In urban areas where buildings and terrain are likely to block the Satellite signal, the antenna picks up the signal broadcast from the terrestrial repeaters instead.

To ensure an uninterrupted Satellite radio service, both Sirius and XM provide recommendations for ideal antenna mounting locations. Furthermore, many home and plug-and-play Satellite radio units offer special antenna aiming screens within their menu options.

With a rapid advancement in Satellite radio antenna technology, XM and Sirius are able to offer their listeners a wide range of antennas, accessories and flexible installation options.

So the question: Which Satellite radio antenna do I need? Although taste can play a small part in choosing the right antenna, the decision largely depends on whether you want to listen to Satellite radio in your vehicle, on your boat, at home or indeed anywhere! One thing you can be sure of is that all Satellite radio antennas available today are neither too cumbersome, nor impose limitations on your vehicle, boat or homeรขโ�ฌโ�ขs aesthetics.

For more information please visit: http://www.the-satellite-radio-advisor.com

This article may be freely reproduced so long as the link above is included in its entirety.

Satellite Radio: Music and More in Real Time

Millions of radio listeners in the United States and all over the world have become so much happier with the introduction of satellite radio. Now, people can listen to literally hundreds of stations that offer music, news, radio talk shows and more in virtually real-time and at a much higher audio quality than that which FM or AM radio provides.

With conventional radio, land-based stations broadcast their signals to your boom box, computer, or car radio via the earth's airwaves. With satellite radio however, providers transmit encrypted signals to satellites they launched in outer space; these satellites in turn beam the signals to customers' listening devices. But you can't use just any radio; you need a special receiver (which is available at electronics retailers) and a satellite radio set. You can also listen to satellite radio broadcasts in your car since many new cars rolling of the assembly lines have satellite-ready equipment already installed. All you would need to do is pay for your monthly subscription.

In the United States, service is offered by XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio. Sirius, a company based in New York City, has over 125 channels from which to choose, 67 of them dedicated to commercial-free music and the rest to various other content. XM, on the other hand, offers more than 160 channels, which offer content that is as diverse as that which Sirius extends to its customers. The services are available coast-to-coast, so geographical availability of programs is not an issue. A customer in Los Angeles, for example, can listen to the same talk show that another customer in say, Boston, is listening to at the same time, and with no degradation in audio quality. Remember that satellite radio also means digital radio -- sound is crystal-clear. There's none of the static or hissing you would sometimes hear on FM or AM radio. Non-US residents can also take advantage of the benefits of satellite radio; XM and Sirius offer their services in Canada, while WorldSpace broadcasts its service across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Australia has several providers of its own also.

Factors that attract people to sign up for satellite radio subscriptions are numerous. For one thing, there's the pleasure of listening to commercial-free music. Since the providers make their money from subscriptions, there is still no pressing need for advertising revenue. Another attractive feature that this service offers is that information about the song being played at the moment is displayed on your radio set -- a small convenience for those people who have to know about who is singing what song right-now. The fact that satellite radio programming is completely uncensored at the moment is also a draw for many people. Noteworthy personalities, such as shock jock Howard Stern (who was kicked out of network radio programming) has made satellite radio his new broadcasting home. Whether you want to listen to hip-hop music, stand-up comedy shows, or news programs, satellite radio offers them -- all completely uncensored.

Because Sirius, XM, and other providers are the ones who set the channel selections, some people might find it a bit inconvenient that they won't be able to listen to their local radio stations and get information on local goings-on. However, Sirius and XM do provide traffic and weather data for major cities, so that should be a bit of a relief for city residents. And if you think about it, not getting access to one local radio station wouldn't seem to be such a bad deal if you compare it to the ability to listen to hundreds of channels of commercial-free music and unregulated non-regulated shows.

Sirius and XM plan to add even more features and functions to offer to their subscribers. Sirius, in particular, is readying the launch of a Windows Media Video 9 service and the company plans to offer several channels dedicated to children. That's one more thing to keep the kids occupied and not distract their parents on long road trips. XM plans to release a similar video service. The two companies are anticipating that this will add to the number of their subscribers -- Sirius has over one million, trailing after XM which has more than three million.

If you're an avid radio listener and you're finding yourself becoming fed up with the constant barrage of commercials on regular music stations or if you're looking for more no-holds-barred commentaries or radio talk shows, you probably wouldn't mind forking over the $12.95 monthly subscription for satellite radio service charged by Sirius and XM. And with the increases that the two companies see in their subscriber numbers, it's evident that a lot of people feel the same way.

Matt Barstow offers valuable tips and information about satellite radio, players, and services. Read his latest report answering the most popular questions about satellite radio.

How To Choose A Good Tuner From The Bad

Choosing a tuner for your system is of little difference from choosing other components. When auditioning other components, people are primarily concerned with their sound quality, not their technical performance.

For example, if a preamplifier under audition sounds good, you do not need to worry much about its technical performance. Because .if it sounds good, then it is working well.

Tuners, on the other hand, exhibit great variability in their technical performance. It will not only concern the tunerรขโ�ฌโ�ขs sound; tonal balance, sound staging, portrayal of timbre, etc., but also basic characteristics such as the ability to pick up weak or distant stations, reject adjacent stations, provide a noise-free audio signal, and stay tuned to a station without drifting.

A tunerรขโ�ฌโ�ขs performance in these areas can be accurately characterized by measurement; this makes tuner specifications much more significant than those of other audio components.

There is a direct correlation between a tunerรขโ�ฌโ�ขs specifications and its sonic performance. You still have to listen to the tuner before you buy, but you can often separate poor performing models from better units by looking at the specification sheets.

Unlike most audio products, the best high-end tuners have more features, front-panel controls, and displays than the lower-end products.

The price range for a good tuner from a mass-market manufacturer is between $400 and $1000. Some of the higher-end models from mass-market companies offer excellent performance.

The price range from $750 to $1200 is very competitive, with many superb units to choose from. The very best tuners cost as much as $12,000.

The differences between mediocre and excellent tuners.

Good tuners are characterized by their sensitivity or the ability to pull in weak stations. The greater its sensitivity, the better it can pick up weak or distant stations.

This aspect is more important in suburban or rural areas that are far from radio transmitters.

On the other hand, a tuner characteristic of greater importance to the city dweller is adjacent-channel selectivity or the ability to pick up one station without interference from the station next to it on the dial.

This specification defines a tunerรขโ�ฌโ�ขs ability to reject a strong station two channels away from the desired channel. When stations are packed closely together, as they are in cities, adjacent-channel and alternate-channel selectivity are more important than sensitivity.

Equally important to all listeners is the tunerรขโ�ฌโ�ขs signal-to-noise ratio, a measure of the difference in dB between background noise and the maximum signal strength. A tuner with a poor signal-to-noise ratio will overlay the music with an annoying background hiss.

A poor tuner will have trouble receiving weak stations, may lack the ability to select one station when that station is adjacent to another station, have high background noise, and be overloaded by nearby FM transmitters or other radio signal sources.

Many tuners have a high-blend circuit that automatically switches the signal to mono when the signal strength falls below a certain level.

The difference between high-blend and the mono/stereo switch just described is that the high-blend circuit puts only the treble into mono, leaving the rest of the spectrum in stereo. This gets rid of most of the noise, but maintains stereo separation through most of the midrange and bass.

Lastly, all good tuners have a 75-ohm coaxial antenna input as well as the more commonly used 300-ohm flat-lead input. The coaxial input should be used for best signal transmission between the antenna and tuner.

Robert Thatcher is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides tuner resources on http://www.abouttuners.info.

Introduction to Satellite Digital Audio Radio service(SDARS)

Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service (SDARS):

SDAR is a satellite-based direct-broadcast radio service in which digitally encoded audio entertainment material is broadcast to Earth-based receivers, either directly from an orbiting satellite, or from the satellite to the receiver via a repeater station (This is a special case in which the receiver is in a shielded location). SDARS is a radio communication service through which audio programming is digitally transmitted by one or more space stations directly to fixed, mobile, and/or portable stations, and which may involve complementary repeating terrestrial transmitters, telemetry, tracking and control facilities. Through SDARS compact-disc quality audio is available because of digital transmition is employed.

History of Satellite Radio:

Satellite radio is an idea over a decade long. In 1992, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) allocated a spectrum in the "S" band (2.3 GHz) for nationwide broadcasting of satellite-based Digital Audio Radio Service (DARS). Only four companies applied for a license to broadcast over that band. The FCC gave licenses to two of these companies in 1997. CD Radio (now Sirius Satellite Radio) and American Mobile Radio (now XM Satellite Radio) paid more than $80 million each to use space in the S-band for digital satellite transmission. The first satellite based radio launched by XM on Sep 25, 2001, then followed by Sirius on July 1, 2002.

At this time, there are three space-based radio broadcasters:

Sirius Satellite Radio

XM Satellite Radio

WorldSpace Satellite Radio

Importance and significance of Satellite radio:

We all have our favorite radio stations that we preset into our car radios, flipping between them as we drive to and from work, on errands and around town. But when you travel too far away from the source station, the signal breaks up and fades into static. Most radio signals can only travel about 30 or 40 miles from their source. On long trips that find you passing through different cities, you might have to change radio stations every hour or so as the signals fade in and out. Now, imagine a radio station that can broadcast its signal from more than 22,000 miles (35,000 km) away and then come through on your car radio with complete clarity. One could drive nearly hundreds of kilometers without ever having to change the radio station! Not only would you never hear static interfering with your favorite tunes, but also the music would be interrupted by few or no commercials.

Satellite radio companies are comparing the significance of their service to the impact that cable TV had on television 30 years ago. Listeners won't be able to pick up local stations using satellite radio services, but they will have access to hundreds of stations offering a variety of music genres. Each company has a different plan for its broadcasting system, but the systems do share similarities.

XM Satellite Radio, Sirius Satellite Radio and WorldSpace satellite individually provides digital-audio radio services (SDARS), with commercial-free programming, digital-audio quality, and countrywide coverage. Each company offers nearly 100 channels of digital music and talk radio (many of them commercial-free or with a reduced number of commercials) that can be received from coast to coast with no service interruption. Each offering number of music channels, these services clearly provides programming options not available through traditional radio.

One of the main feature of SDARS is SDARS provides almost Commercial free (or Commercials are restricted) programs. And also it provides news, weather forecasts, and sports apart from entertainment-based programs The primary application for this service is constant coast-to-coast coverage of radio for cars. We have all experienced the problem of trying to listen to radio on a long trip. Both AM and FM stations fade in and out as we drive into and out of their coverage area. Portable full satellite radio service available now a days for the car, home stereo and personal radio environments. Car manufacturers have been installing satellite radio receivers in some models for a few years now, and several models of portable satellite radio receivers are available from a variety of electronics companies.

Signal reception is generally poor as well as variable in the cases of AM or FM. With the SDARS systems, radio coverage throughout the 48 continental states is solid and continuous. Unlike for AM and FM channels SDARS signals are available in a unique format

Subscription based radio service:

Because the technology requires access to a commercial satellite for signal propagation; Satellite Radio services are commercial business entities (not private parties), which offer a package of channels as part of their service รขโ�ฌโ��requiring a subscription from end users to access its channels. Satellite Radio Service can be subscribed at a monthly fee of $12.95 U.S. and up which is very much worth full to the service that it gives.

Future of Satellite radio:

SDARS seems to get good market growth because of the following factors. Increasing partnerships of XM and Sirius with Automobile OEM and distribution outlets made the SDARS more popular. Introduction of more convenient hardware smaller and more portable radios for the automobile as well as the home stereo, computer and office and personal environments made possible at the same time.

Home and personal use Industry promotional advertising and awareness campaigns given the SDARS more popular. Sirius and XM now also offer subscribers the option of listening to their programming online. Apart from all of this, price drop of hardware making it more affordable for after market purchase.

Author can be contacted through crsjith@gmail.com for more information about SDARS.

Jith is an Electrical and Electronics Engineer from southern India. Author is an expert in Avionics systems, Automobile systems and have good command over communication protocols.

Satellite Radio: XM and Sirius Battle for Your $$$

Satellite Radio is the future of broadcasting

Satellite Radio, in short, can be described as commercial-free music, news, sports and talk shows. Many of the biggest players and events are now available from Sirius radio and XM radio like Howard Stern, Fred Schneider (the B52s), NFL, English Soccer, NBA, NASCAR, NHL, Major League Baseball, INDY, and the PGA.

Satellite radio began in 1992, when the รขโ�ฌห�Sรขโ�ฌโ�ข spectrum was allocated by the FCC to four companies. The two main ones, Sirius and XM paid a pretty penny (in fact almost $80 million dollars worth) to buy a license. Satellite-based radio began on May 15th, 2001 when XM Radio completed their satellite system. Sirius followed shortly when they launched in July, 2001. Since then, expanded products and competition has changed the radio landscape.

While automobile manufacturers started installing satellite radio in 2001 and 2002, most new vehicles come equipped with one now. XM has two satellites (called รขโ�ฌห�Rockรขโ�ฌโ�ข and รขโ�ฌห�Rollรขโ�ฌโ�ข) in parallel orbits to cover the mainland US market, while Sirius has three. Both have recently been awarded licenses for the Canadian market.

So what are the differences between the two providers?

XM has a flat $9.99 a month fee with no contracts to sign. They have the latest portable equipment. XM offers some of the best varieties of programming available today. They offer 68 commercial-free music channels; 32 channels of News, Sports, Talk & Entertainment; and 21 channels of instant Traffic & Weather in major metro areas. Here's the latest information of channels:

15 channels of Rock music

11 News channels (Fox, CNN, ABC, CNBC, MSNBC, BBC, C-SPAN, Bloomberg)

11 Talk & Variety channels (Discovery, E!, Experts & advice, African American Talk, Christian Talk)

10 channels of Pop music & Top Hits

7 Country music choices

7 channels of Blues & Jazz music

7 Hip Hop and Urban music choices

6 different channels of music by the Decades (40's through 90's)

5 Sports channels (ESPN, Fox, Sporting News, NASCAR)

4 Dance music channels

4 World music choices

3 Christian music choices

3 Comedy entertainment channels (adult comedy, family comedy)

3 Classical music channels

2 Kids entertainment channels (Disney)

2 Latin music choices

Sirius offers a $12.95 per month fee and you can pre-pay for a full year for a discount (works out to $9.99 per month). They offer better sports coverage with play-by-play of the NBA, NHL, and NFL. Sirius has signed some great talent of celebrity DJs. Sirius offers 60 channels of music with no commercials, 50 channels of News, Sports, Talk and Entertainment; and 20 channels of 24/7 Traffic & Weather in major cities. Here's how Sirius stack up with their channel line up:

16 Talk & Variety channels (Discovery, E!, Talk for Women, CourtTV, Air America, Gay/Lesbian, Body/Mind/Spirit Talk)

14 channels of Rock music

12 channels of Pop music & Top Hits

10 News channels (CNN, CNBC, Fox, NPR, PRI, C-SPAN, BCC, World Radio, Bloomberg)

9 Hip Hop and Urban music choices

7 Sports channels (ESPN, play-by-play channels)

6 Country music choices

6 Jazz music channels

5 Dance music channels

4 different channels of music by the Decades (50's through 80's)

3 Classical music channels

2 Christian music choices (Catholic)

2 channels of Blues & Reggae

2 Latin music choices

2 Comedy entertainment channels (regular and uncensored)

2 World music choices

1 Kids entertainment channels (Disney)

To read more on Satellite TV and Radio, please visit my site: http://www.satellite-tv-and-radio.com

The Beauty of XM

What a huge idea! To have the ability to listen to commercial free music, wherever, whenever! One great idea can change everything. XM Satellite Radio has changed everything. XM is now America's #1 Satellite Radio provider. It features over 160 digital channels รขโ�ฌโ�� over 30 channels of news, sports, talk and entertainment, over 20 dedicated channels of XM-brand Instant Traffic & Weather, and the largest playlist in the industry with access to over 2 million song titles.

Probably the best thing about an XM Satellite radio is that you donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt have to replace your old radio to get XM. It's swift and simple to add XM to your existing car or home stereo. With the XM system, you'll still be able to listen to your regular AM, FM stations and your CD or cassette player. A great feature of XM radios is its ability to display the channel name, artist name and song title, so you won't ever have to ask "what's the name of that song?" Thatรขโ�ฌโ�ขs priceless! If youรขโ�ฌโ�ขre in the market for a new car, be sure to ask about having a XM Radio installed. XM-equipped audio systems are offered in over 100 new cars for the 2005 model year.

There is no doubt that satellite radio is the future of the music and audio entertainment industry. Satellite radio is doing to radio what cable television did to television years ago. An explosion of information is ready for your ears! Founded in 1992, as the American Mobile Radio Corporation, XM offers receivers from the price range of $30 - $300. For the budget-friendly consumer, XM also offers these receivers at a month-to-month plan, with service fees at about $12.95 for the first receiver. Subscribers may purchase packages from 1-5 years, in which the average cost is under $10 per month. XM also offers internet only packages and mobile (i.e. Ipod) services for satellite radio.

For those you curious to how they "do it", hereรขโ�ฌโ�ขs a synopsis. XM provides digital programming directly from three satellites in geostationary orbit above the equator. There are the XM-1 ("Roll"), XM-2 ("Rock") and XM-3 ("Rhythm"). The integration of three satellites and a ground-based repeater network is designed to give gap-free coverage anywhere within the continental United States. Unfortunately, XM-1, and XM-2 were created with a design fault on the Boeing 702 series of satellites, which basically means that their life spans will be only about six years, instead of 15 like the maker intended.

A new author trying to contribute to the internet community.

You can compare prices and reviews at: http://www.1audio-equipment.com/

Is Satellite Radio Killing Broadcast Radio?

Local radio has taken a beating from satellite radio. But are XM and Sirius capable of killing local broadcast radio?

The broadcasting corporations such as Infinity and Clear Channel are answering with an emphatic "no!" And they have a powerful weapon called HD Radio to back up their position.

HD Radio is digital radio. As such, it enable a dramatic increase in sound quality. In fact, it makes AM radio sound as good as today's FM and FM sound as if you were listening to a CD.

Other important reasons

But there are other, equally important, reasons why satellite radio will never replace conventional radio. First and foremost, is cost. Satellite radio costs anywhere from $11 to $14 a month and conventional radio is free. As a result there are only about 5.5 million satellite radio listeners in the U.S.and literally hundreds of millions of broadcast radio listeners. It's pretty hard to believe that satellite radio will ever have 100 million listeners, let alone several hundred million.

Second, satellite radio can't deliver local information or programming. People will always turn to their local stations for weather, traffic reports, news and to hear their favorite personalities.

Third, satellite radio cannot continue to hire personalities such Howard Stern and Bob Dylan to attract subscribers because the cost is just too prohibitive vs. revenue generated from new subscribers. In fact,J.P. Morgan just downgraded the stocks of Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Corp saying that these two companies face near-term challenges to subscriber growth.

With a new concept called HD2

Because HD radio is digital, it requires less spectrum. This allows stations to broadcast their primary FM channel in digital and up to two more subchannels. These subchannels, which are being called HD2, will be used by broadcasters for new programming content. For example, a station might broadcast oldies of the 80s on its primary channel and hits from the 70s on an HD2 channel. The subchannels will not only be free, they will most likely be commercial free to compete head-to-head with satellite radio.

In short, broadcast radio is not going to die anytime soon. Or anytime at all.

To learn more about HD radio, please go to my Web site, http://www.hd-radio-home.com, to get all the buzz.

Douglas Hanna is a retired marketing executive and the author of numerous articles on HD radio, old time radio and family finances.

Sirius Has a New Face, Howard Stern Brings Bubba Onboard

Note: Author is not associated with Sirius or Howard Stern in any way and this article is meant to be an analysis of the move to Sirius Satellite Radio by Howard Stern and events surrounding it.

Sirius satellite radio brought on a new face recently, powered by Howard Stern, Bubba "The Love Sponge" will make his debut on Sirius Satellite radio. On September 9th, Howard Stern made the announcement; of course many of his fans are excited! The syndicated morning program made the following announcement: "We can confirm that we are going to Sirius to be on Howard Stern's Channel 100," said Bubba The Love Sponge show producer Lou Pickney.

Initially fired for another Clear Channel radio stations, Active Rocker, WXTB (98 rock) in Tampa in the early 2004 season, Bubba is making a come back. One of the things Bubba is known for is his quirky way of dealing with things and new ideas. Bubba even decided to run for sheriff in Pinellas County, Florida during the last yearรขโ�ฌโ�ขs elections. Since then he has been broadcasting live from his website, BTLS.com, but his move to Sirius Satellite Radio will be one of the most exciting developments for Bubba the Love Sponge.

Stern is making a point of acquiring new talent for Sirius that has otherwise been rejected by normal radio stations. He is serious about creating a home for those kicked out of regulated radio. He wants to make a stand for DJs that have been ousted because of indecency complaints. One of his key competitors, Mancow, is potentially in hot water lately, and Stern says that regardless of the competition, he would want Mancow to work with him, should the FCC knock him off the air.

Clear Channel isnรขโ�ฌโ�ขt the only company whom is cleaning their radio stations, Infinity is potentially getting rid of WYSPรขโ�ฌโ�ขs Kidd Chris, and Stern would happily make him an addition to his station. Kidd Chris even discussed the deal with Stern live on Sterns shows this week. Stern rocks the boat with a launch of the new channel "Douche 100".

Scott Fish is the owner of Satellite Radio Sirius and XM satellite Radio Reviews | Search Engine Optimization Firm

Is Satellite Radio for You?

In this world today, thereรขโ�ฌโ�ขs satellite everythingรขโ�ฌยฆthereรขโ�ฌโ�ขs satellite TV, satellite phoneรขโ�ฌยฆ.and why not satellite radio? Essentially, a satellite radio is a kind of service that one can subscribe to to receive radio service anywhere you want. You can have satellite radio service in your car, in your home, in your office or even in public locations. In order to receive satellite radio service, youรขโ�ฌโ�ขll need to subscribe to the service, so, itรขโ�ฌโ�ขs not like free TV or free radio whereby any radio can receive signals for free. You will need to pay a monthly or yearly subscription fee to enjoy satellite radio. There are, in the United States, two top satellite radio services available, Sirrus and XM. Well, there could be more but these are the two leading satellite radio service providers known to date.

Each of these satellite radio services provides and transmits hundreds of channels. Unlike free radio service, youรขโ�ฌโ�ขll have to tune in to each station to listen to whatever theyรขโ�ฌโ�ขre airing at that point in time, satellite radio gives you complete coverage from Blues to Techno, Jazz to Punk Rock in one single satellite radio service. And since youรขโ�ฌโ�ขre paying for the satellite radio service, itรขโ�ฌโ�ขs logical that the service is usually commercial free, except for their own commercials, of course. So, even if they do not allow other companies or people to put commercials into their satellite radio service, they retain the right to put their own infomercials and commercials into the satellite radio service that you receive.

In order to have the satellite radio service, you need a special radio. Any other normal radio wonรขโ�ฌโ�ขt cut it because our normal household radio cannot possibly receive a satellite radio signal. However, when you subscribe to the satellite radio service, they will normally package the satellite radio receiver together with the package price. The good thing is that no matter where you are, all you have to do is to bring the radio along with you and you can receive the satellite radio service. The signal receiver is not restricted by the power of signal from the radio station. Weรขโ�ฌโ�ขre talking about using the Satellite to transmit radio signals, so, you can literally listen to satellite radio anywhere in the world.

The biggest advantage that a satellite radio has over the conventional radio is that you will never have to re-tune your radio as youรขโ�ฌโ�ขre traveling out of state or you donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt need to bear with static noises when the reception is bad. With satellite radio, youรขโ�ฌโ�ขre assured of high quality reception anywhere you go anywhere in the world.

Dakota Caudilla, journalist, and website builder Dakota Caudilla lives in Texas. He is the owner and co-editor of http://www.your-media-empire.com on which you will find a longer, more detailed version of this article.

Whether You Prefer Satellite or Terrestrial, Digital Radio Stations are the Future of Broadcasting

Digital radio stations have thousands more options to offer the listener than regular old AM and FM analog radio stations. To begin with, there is the quality issue. Gone are the days in which the radio quality would fluctuate based on whether or not you were driving under an overpass or passing by power lines. Through digital, there is relatively no disturbance from any outside sources which could disrupt your listening experience. Furthermore, there is no need for the guessing game when you hear a track you like and the disk jockey simply neglects to mention the name of it. With digital radio stations and an invention called "radiotext," listeners will be able to read the name of the artist and title of the track right on their radio receiver as the song is playing. Radio stations will also be able to transmit information about the news, weather and traffic directly into text form on your radio receiver. This is but one great feature of digital radio.

While all of this seems like an amazing invention, the fact of the matter is that terrestrial digital radio stations do not yet exist. Any station that currently says it is totally digital is lying. They are simply a hybrid of analog and digital where the radio receiver first picks up the analog signal and then homes in on the digital signal for a better quality broadcast. The possibilities do not end there though, as it may even be possible for digital stations to broadcast pictures and videos directly to your car or home stereo through the magic of digital broadcasting. Wouldn't it be neet to have MTV on your on digital radio so that you could watch the video while the song is playing?

Although terrestrial digital radio stations are at least ten years off, there is a way to experience some of the benefits of digital radio stations today. Satellite radio, brought to you in America by XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio offer the closest thing to full digital radio. They provide the listener with high quality sound and radiotext to let people see what they are listening too. Unfortunately, they are costly services and require the listener to not only purchase a receiver but pay a monthly subscription fee. These monthly subscription fees can add up to alot of money spent. Some say it is worth it and others do not believe so.

Keith Londrie II is a well known author. He has written many great articles on many topics, including satellite radio information. For more information, please visit http://www.digital-radio-info.info/ You may also be interested in Keith's other offerings at his site http://keithlondrie.com