I've been seeing comercials about them for a while. Sounds good, but I'd like more info on it. Is there a monthly fee? About how much should the unit cost? Are there units that do a 3 way (CD/satelite/radio)? The main reason I'm interested is that I live in BFE and need something other than those "my girl left and the cow died" type songs (counry). When the only station that's any good that I can barely get anyway is over run by that damn rap station, I sometimes wonder what keeps me from jerking the wheel to the right and running head on into a bridge beam.J/K---sortof[img]/wwwthreads_images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Any insight on this?

<font color=red>Nearly no mods...lots to come[img]/wwwthreads_images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

Yeah, heard of 'em. Right now, I think most units start around 300 bucks minimum. Like most technologies like this, they will go down in price before long. The concept of the satellite phone (portable and commercial) came out a few years ago with Iridium but have decreased in price by about 80%.

Other than that, I haven't looked into them. The "XM" technology IS the radio, so I don't know if they'll give you the capability to tune in regular radio as per your 3-way (tee-hee[img]/wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif[/img][img]/wwwthreads_images/icons/wink.gif[/img]) question. I can almost guarantee they will come with CD players too, though. That technology is already there, and no one would normally want anything else.

I see your problem. Getting that radio would be the equivalent of satellite TV right now. Plenty of channels to keep you busy, but local stations don't exist on it anymore. You're at the mercy of their programming.

I have no idea about monthly charges, but I am a satellite buff, and from what I've read, that couldn't be the case here. Think of it as a super radio pulling in a broad range of channels over a higher frequency range from a big transmitter in the sky. You have the box in your dash, and as long as the birds don't malfunction, you'll get a good signal. I know there are only 2 satellites, and I think it's only made for roughly a North American clientelle right now. That means they are in a geo-synchronous orbit at the least and will always cover our entire country at all times.

If you get one, let me know how you like it.

Coop

Rebel, there are a couple different headunits right now that carry the xm technology. Pioneer, Kenwood, and one other. They do have cd capability with radio and satelite. There is a monthly charge of 9.95. But then on top of it the decks themselves cost anywhere b/t 299-500. They are nice, but i wouldnt spend the green on them. But for you it might work since you are sick of the country music.

WOW...they do charge you, eh??? Figures. One good thing is that means they have a highly monitored system then. Hopefully, they'll launch some backups soon or have them ready on the ground in case one s^&ts the bed up there. GPS does that as well as several other constellations.

Thanks for the info guys. I've had some ISP problems lately and for some reason I can't log into some of my favorite sites http://ak.ar15.com for example, otherwise I would have just searched it out on hotbot. Anyway, I was hoping there wouldn't be a monthly charge (maybe there isn't) I'll be looking into this more. I'm not the CD player needing electronics junkie type, but - in this case I think I'm going to break down and do it if it meets my expectations. I need some tunes in the truck! If uncle sam doesn't dry hole me again this year maybe I can afford it.

<font color=red>Nearly no mods...lots to come[img]/wwwthreads_images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

I sell the Pioneer XM units. There a great unit. I personally love the nascar channel. I have 3 subscriptions. Free of course[img]/wwwthreads_images/icons/wink.gif[/img]. I'm putting one in the white truck. It's all cd quality audio. And on the display it will tell you artist, cd title, and song title of what your listening too. And yes there is a monthly fee.

Jason
Big Willy Style
http://www.industrialoffroad.com


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it definitely beats local radio (worthless) but i dont think it can challenge mp3 cd players. and when mp3 dvd players come out, it's over... everything you've ever listened to will fit on one dvd [img]/wwwthreads_images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]


S H O U L D A G O T T A F O R D!

www.ArkansasMud.com

Or you can get pioneers new in-dash MP3/CD/Radio player. It has a 10.2 GB hard drive built in[img]/wwwthreads_images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]. 10.2 Gigs of MP3's, Neat0. And you can upload your own avi/mpg/gif screensavers and backgrounds for the display.

Jason
Big Willy Style
http://www.industrialoffroad.com


Best Auto Insurance | Auto Protection Today | FREE Trade-In Quote

Are you sure that's not "the cow left, and my girlfriend died"? I think I know that song.[img]/wwwthreads_images/icons/laugh.gif[/img] Sounds to me like you are getting all the stations you need, you just don't know it.LOL[img]/wwwthreads_images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

i bought an aiwa cdc-mp3 deck. it works really well. the remote mounts right on the steering wheel. it works really well. can load up to 512 songs on one disk in as many different folders as you want

88 GMC Jimmy 2 Dr S-15 Sierra CLassic.
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