penguin149
Monroeville, AL USA
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Joined: 03/06/2002
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I'm thinking about getting XM radio. College football season is approaching and I'm tired of the local station's unreliable broadcasts!! For that reason, XM is the only way to go; Sirius doesn't carry SEC football anymore. I'm looking to carry one unit (ie. one subscription) between two vehicles and a boombox type set up. Now my questions!!
1) Will used equipment work? Ebay seems to be full of stuff. I don't think I care if it has a remote control, etc. It doesn't have to be the latest model; a good, reliable one will be fine. What is a good XM radio model? Skyfi, etc?
2) What will I need to take a unit from car to car? My truck has an AUX input but the wife's car does not.
3) Will the boombox still need an external antenna? How does that work inside a house or TT?
4) And the last crazy question: when listening to games, is there a delay between live action and the XM signal? Watching a football game on satellite TV and listening on the radio, there is a 2 second or so delay between the radio and the video on the screen! Drives me crazy because you hear what happens before you see it!
Thanks,
Jim
2007 F150 5.4L Supercrew, 3:73LS & 2002 Keystone Bobcat 293EBS
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Troodles
Wisconsin
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Joined: 02/17/2002
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I can't answer all you questions, but I urge caution with E-Bay. We had an XM receiver stolen, and reported it to XM. If someone tries to register that serial number with XM, they will not issue a contract. So, if you do buy one on E-Bay, make sure it's not a stolen unit!
BTW: We love our XM!! I don't like the remote control, but DH uses it all the time.
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Mandolin Guy
West Central Georgia
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Used equipment will work if it's not "hot." Serial numbers on stolen equipment are recorded and the equipment cannot be activated.
If you use eBay, double and triple check the sell's feedback and try to get something in the original packaging.
David
Life is too short to worry about how short life is.
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scpopupcamper
Lugoff, SC, USA
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Joined: 12/05/2004
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some models can be setup to an empty channel...all you need to do is find a blank channel...set your xm up to that channel and listen away..car adapter and antenna are usually included...make sure though
Martin Ray
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Fire44
Smyrna, Delaware
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Joined: 03/05/2005
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If you get a XM unit that has a FM transmitter built into it you can use it in any car. I one I have used in the past is call a MyFi, it is portable, has headphones that have an antenna built into them so you can listen to the XM while mowing the grass!!! You can also plug turn it on in the truck and tune in on FM radios that are nearby. Also if you have a XM plan you can get XM on your computer for free.
Gary
Gary
Delaware
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wintek
Shreveport, Louisiana
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penguin149 wrote:
1) Will used equipment work? Ebay seems to be full of stuff. I don't think I care if it has a remote control, etc. It doesn't have to be the latest model; a good, reliable one will be fine. What is a good XM radio model? Skyfi, etc?
Yes it will work but usually there a new deals to be had where you can get a free or almost free with subsciption.
2) What will I need to take a unit from car to car? My truck has an AUX input but the wife's car does not.
You will need an antenna in both cars. On yours, you can use the aux input / line out. On your wife's you will need an FM brodcast wich most units have but poorer reception.
3) Will the boombox still need an external antenna? How does that work inside a house or TT?
Yes. You need to place antenna on top of TT
4) And the last crazy question: when listening to games, is there a delay between live action and the XM signal? Watching a football game on satellite TV and listening on the radio, there is a 2 second or so delay between the radio and the video on the screen! Drives me crazy because you hear what happens before you see it!
Yes. It has to upload link to satellite and then downlink to your receiver. Expect a delay.
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Mandolin Guy
West Central Georgia
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penguin149 wrote:4) And the last crazy question: when listening to games, is there a delay between live action and the XM signal? Watching a football game on satellite TV and listening on the radio, there is a 2 second or so delay between the radio and the video on the screen! Drives me crazy because you hear what happens before you see it!
Yes. It has to upload link to satellite and then downlink to your receiver. Expect a delay.
And to complicate it even more, the signal from the stadium may travel on landlines before it's sent up to the bird then bounces back down so it can be picked up and sent up to XM's satellite where it's going to come down to your receiver. And, they may delay the broadcast to be able to "bleep" out certain things. It ain't your father's Oldsmobile anymore.
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JasonD
Annapolis, MD
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Sirius and XM will most likely be merging in the upcoming months. So in reality there will be just one sat radio provider soon.
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Bumpyroad
Virginia
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Joined: 12/01/2005
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I had sirius and let it drop due to the upcoming merger. as part of that they must offer a cheaper alacarte option which requires a special radio. If you want to get the full set of stations that won't matter to you however. I have the Visor receiver with car/home antennas, various mounts etc.
and the FM reception sucked in big cities with no free FM bands, kept getting interference from adjacent stations.
bumpy
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bobsallyh
Livingston, Tx.
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Joined: 01/08/2004
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Does the SEC give updates on alumni? You know Mike Jones back in Fayetteville cutting coke with his credit card and please say it ain't so the world famous Snake Stabler off the roll tide roll network for DUI issues.
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