When Sirius/XM trial ends, what will I be missing?

[be77solo]

I'm not even sure I'd pay $60 a year for radio with ads. Just trying to figure out if there's more to the service/XM Guardian and so forth. Of course, I won't have off road maps by the time my truck is broken in and is something I'd dare take on trails. But the vast majority of that will be hunting trails I doubt they'd have mapped anyway.

Personally, for my wife and I, we love XM radio and really miss it when in a vehicle with out it.

But, I am confused, XM doesn't have commercials... unless you are on one of their broadcast radio stations.

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[Mr._Bill]

The only commercials I hear are for other XM channels or XM Events. There are DJ's on a lot of channels that are almost as bad as commercials.

 

[Blue Ridge]

I swear some of the stations seem to have ads. I listen mostly to the NFL channel and Willy's roadhouse (and then scan the dial some), but the music stations seem to be better by my admittedly poor memory.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

If it weren't for the auto industry, I can't imagine satellite radio would still be a thing.

It likely would be (although different). The number of people buying modern radios for classic cars has jumped, and in certain places of business, people either have the satellite radios on their desk or are listing through the computer using their Sirius account.
My boss had a satellite radio on his desk and had another at his house, and in his car. It wasn't just about music - he liked the sports and religious stuff, too.

My wife has Willie's Roadhouse playing on her phone the whole time she's doing her quilting, etc. - several hours a day. (we waited until they begged her back and then got the cheaper rate - my son has never paid full price for the years he's had it) My son likes the sports stuff.
My wife has her phone paired to a nice bluetooth speaker setup down in her quilting complex and it really doesn't sound all that bad. Besides, there's usually some other machine running so those who gripe about quality - do you REALLY notice a different with other equipment running, road and wind noise, etc.?

Yes, I have my own music collection on USB but unless you have thousands of songs, that radio on one of those stations is going to play something you like but don't have. Sometimes they play things you can't buy otherwise, or have great guest DJs - like the sons of some of the past rock greats, or the likes of Randy Bachman, and others.

I fire it up on my Chromebook in the shop sometimes - crappy sound from that little computer but hey, it's a big steel pole building, not great acoustics anyway. It's music. If I want real clarify and fidelity, I'll go in the house and play my JVC linear tracking turn table through my Sony amp and fancy speakers.

 

[Undecided]

I find the services quite useful. I will still complain about the cost.

For XM

• I liked the sports channels. I am minority in the USA and prefer soccer and there's not a lot of options to hear games but they had channels. Was nice on drives or when I just didn't want music and a game was on.
• Some of the other non music channels fit that same situation. Not feeling music but sure I'll take some stand up comedy or news.
• I do pay for other music steaming services, but it does have a perk that I can "set and forget". I don't need to hunt for a playlist or pick what's next. It's minor but sometimes it's nice to let "someone else" control the songs.
• It's also nice on road trips if your music gets old, you never have to channel hunt. Same stations.
  

For Guardian

• Pre-Covid work I could start my car as I closed up my desk and it would be warm/cool by the time I made it down and out. Loved that.
• It's nice if I leave the truck and am anywhere and have that "oh shit did I lock it?" moment. Just send a lock request
• It has helped unlock it when my key is not near or available. (Ex. left it at the desk when I wanted to go grab a jacket from the car)
• It uses GPS tracking for lost/stolen. Get a police report number and they will track you right to it.
• I also like the idea of the SOS. We are camping and off roading a lot where cell signal is weak or nonexistent. If something serious happens we can hit that SOS satellite call and get help.
• Before we switched cell carries and got unlimited cell data, the in cab "wifi" was nice for passengers on long road trips. No cell plan data use. But relies on cell towers so you still hit dead spots.

 

[Killroy Was Here]

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