Sirius adding video and data services
By Barb Dybwad 
posted Jun 13th 2005 1:19PM
posted Jun 13th 2005 1:19PM
Sirius Satellite Radio has some expansion plans in the works that involve adding non-audio services such as sports scores, stock quotes, cartoons and music videos. They'll be upgrading their satellite infrastructure to deliver the new features, which won't break any current-generation receiver equipment, but if users want to take advantage of the new functionality they'll have to upgrade to the next-generation of Sirius radios. Prices for the new premium services and hardware haven't been set, but the full rollout is expected in the second half of next year.
Ooo.. got excited for a second. "Data Services" made me think maybe broadband for my vehicle? How great would it be to listen to shoutcast / icecast streams as i'm driving along?
Sounds good to me. Wonder how they will treat people who bought a lifetime subscription.
IIRC Lifetime subscriptions are locked into your receiver. If you upgrade receivers you are no longer on that plan.
I dont think they will do anything with the Lifetime sub.
The Lifetime sub is for the life of the actual equipment. I almost signed up for it, but then found out about this "fine print".
Im curious if Sirius is really going to gain some momentum. I have been an XM users since the beginning and love it but I will get Sirius when Stern starts his show on it. I even own some Sirius stock hoping they will do well but my gut tells me they are operating like a pre burst ".com" dumping millions in contracts (stern, nascar..etc)... I just dont see a mass subscription in the future to help recover the cost.
IMO, Sirius does not sounds as good as XM either... Maybe XM will buy Sirius... I only wish.
Yes I'm biased because I've owned stock in it since just before Stern announced his contract with them, BUT I think it is something that will definatley be profitable in the next couple of years. XM has a larger subscriber base and a larger head start, and is doing better financially, but Sirius is making what appears to be all the right moves. They are still in debt and burning through money, but looking at them quarter to quarter it's getting susbstantially better. The biggest thing is to see how many people actually come over as the Stern move clomes closer and closer.
Could this be related to the rumored Sirius iPod support?
I hate XM. I love Sirius's channel selection much more. Granted I don't listen to 5001 out of the 5009 stations, but the ones I do listen to I like better.
Even better than satellite radio I like listening to my CD's and mp3's better.
That all said, I'll be purchasing a Sirius sometime in the near future. Maybe when Stern transfers over. I don't totally like him, but lately I've been listening to a lot more of him in the morning.
If they have video tho, I'd rather hold out for that. If it's like MPG quality atleast and I can find a way to record all my old favorite videos I'd be very happy. There's a lot of old hiphop videos I'd like to capture.
There is a flip side to Stern.
Auto makers report that many customers are rejecting free Sirius radios because of Stern and a fear of filthy radio afecting their families. Sirius also had the gay and lesbian channels which make it unique in satelite radio.
XM with its 150 channels is more mainstream oriented.
I am sure there will be a bump in Sirius when Stern starts but it may not be as big as they desire.
There was a whole write up about that a month ago in the automotive press.
wow music videos
nothing better than driving and paying attention to 50 cents new video clip full of hot and halfnaked girls:P
Oooooooh... data services like stock quotes and sports scor.... wait... XM's been doing that for a year. And this is another one of the Dog's attempts to get attention for some new feature that won't be available for over a year...
poster #7 wrote:
"There is a flip side to Stern.
Auto makers report that many customers are rejecting free Sirius radios because of Stern and a fear of filthy radio afecting their families. Sirius also had the gay and lesbian channels which make it unique in satelite radio."
XM has its share of "vulgarity" as well, its just that Stern gets singled out because he's the highest profile.
From what I recall, the Opie & Anthony show had quite a bit more vulgarity and filth when it was on terrestrial radio. Remember, they got kicked off the air after that "sex in St. Pat's Cathedral" incident.
Victor (#7)-- can you site your source for:
"Auto makers report that many customers are rejecting free Sirius radios because of Stern and a fear of filthy radio?"
You can set up your radio to not tune to any station you don't want to hear -- be it Stern, Gay, Republican, etc that you find "filthy". I'm sorry, but I must cry BS! on your post.
It's as simple as pie to customize your radio to play the stations you'd like to hear and block the ones you don't want to hear.
Here is your source for BS #9:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/AUTOS/05/13/hyundai_stern/index.html
Oh and I pray XM & Sirius don't merge, we don't need more monopolies.
#12 thats about 5 people from some Christian Coalition that have nothing to do. XM has a Playboy channel I think. I wish the whole decency thing would be let go, first people couldn't get over the fact that if they don't like something change the channel. now things get moved to pay services and people still try and get rid of it. whats next?
I thought they didn't have enough bandwith to add new stations but there is room for this? I have Sirius and like it a lot but I'd much rather have more variety in the music as well as talk.
XM cannot buy Sirius (for whomever hoped it above) its part of the duopoly agreement with sat/gov bla bla's. mmmk.
I don't think I will ever get XM or Sirus... Why? Because the use pictures of their product playing Nickelback. Bah!