Thread: Satellite Radio
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Old 11-07-2007, 06:28 PM
memphissenior memphissenior is offline
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Southern CA desert
Posts: 268
Satellite Radio

I just purchased a Pioneer AVIC-N4 to go with the new audio system in my truck.
This radio (Pioneer calls it a "DVD, multimedia, AV navigation server." There're not just radios anymore.)
has a number of features that I'm not sure I need or want, let alone will ever use.
I purchased this unit because I wanted the navigation feature. When it arrived, I started looking at all the things it is capable of doing.
I figure if I decide to use any or all of these features, it would be easier to install them now while I have the interior of my truck torn apart.
As opposed to adding them at some later date. I was just wondering if any of you have/use satellite radio in your car? If so, are you happy with it?
Why did you get it in the first place? Is it preforming as you expected? What are the pros and cons if any?

I'm specifically looking at "XM satellite radio with NAV traffic." Sounds like a nice feature to have. To someone like me that's retired,
I'm not sure how useful the traffic feature would be though. As I understand it, currently this setup checks traffic reports in about 25 MAJOR cities.
L.A., New York, Miami, Chicago, etc. and spots problems and automatically routes you around them.
Perhaps in the future as they add more cities, it will be useful to me. At the moment however, I have my doubts.

Satellite radio is another feature I'm not sure I'd have much use for. On occasion I'll listen to some "talk" radio, on local stations.
I never listen to any type of sport program on the radio. I might on occasion listen to an all news station if I had it. Fox, CNN, etc.
Probably 90% of my listening at the moment, while in the truck, is music. Most of that is from CD's. I have a 12 CD changer as part of the system.
Being surrounded by mountains, FM radio reception in this area is only fair. I'm looking at an initial cost of $215 plus $13-17 per month or so for something I may or may not use.
When you combine the cost with the fact that whenever the weather gets bad you lose the signal, something I found out when I had satellite TV,
I'm wondering if it's worth the cost.

So what do you guys think. If you have XM (or Sirius) radio, what do you think of it? Is it worth the cost?
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