SIRIUS XM for beginners

SiriusXM Satellite Radio is a service that provides a wide variety of programming for everybody. Music, sports, talk, news and traffic are all featured on SiriusXM with various genres from each category. A good way to picture satellite radio is like a cable television but instead of watching the subscription on your television, you can listen to the subscription on your home or car stereo. Many people are first introduced to SiriusXM when they buy a new car and the service is included free for several months. For those who don't have SiriusXM installed in their car or want to install it in their house, there are only a few things you need to start listening! "Welcome to the World of SiriusXM"!

Installing SiriusXM radio is very easy to do but first you need a satellite radio tuner, or radio. While there are several different types of radios, for the most part they all provide the same service.  There are three types of satellite radio tuners. Sirius radios, XM radios, and SiriusXM radios. All types will install in very much the same way, all are subscribed to their respective satellite radio service, and most have very similiar features. All in all there are very few differences between a Sirius radio and an XM radio. However, with the introduction of "Satellite Radio 2.0" SiriusXM branded radios offer an expanded channel lineup and some models offer additional features.

There are still a few minor differences between a Sirius and XM branded radio though. For example, even though an XM radio might fit on a Sirius radio dock or vice versa they are incompatible with each other and one won't play on the others equipment. Subscriptions are another minor difference with each radio having it's own separate system for subscriptions. Different programming packages at different price points are offered for Sirius and XM radios. This also leads into the third minor difference between the two which is the programing. 

Since Sirius and XM merged, most of the channels are the same between the two services (see here for comparison guide). At this point, there are very few differences between the stations you get on Sirius and the stations you get on XM. They've since added 'Premier' subscription levels to give customers even more flexibility. But a general rule of thumb is that an XM radio with a 'Premier' subscription will give you the more stations than a Sirius radio, and a SiriusXM radio with Xtra channels will give you the most available.

Here are some of the  radios to choose from. All of them include a vehicle kit so you can start listening right away.

XM xPress RCi	XM Onyx	XMp3i Portable Satellite Radio	XM SkyDock iPhone/iPod Dock
Includes car kit with PowerConnect™ Pause and Rewind up to 60 minutes of live radio like Tivo but for your radio Easy to read, full color screen Save up to 10 of your favorite songs to listen to anytime	Includes car kit with PowerConnect™ Customize the backlight to match your dash lights Jump Button takes you instantly to your city's traffic info Browse other stations without having to change the one you're on	Satellite Radio and MP3 player Record your favorite songs, games, or talk shows Includes home kit, remote, and headphones Pause and Rewind up to 30 minutes of live radio	Turn your iPhone or iPod Touch into a satellite radio Includes PowerConnect™ technology Charge and listen in landscape or portrait modes Also works as general iPhone/iPod Touch dock

Sirius Starmate 5	Sirius Sportster 5	Sirius Stratus 6
Includes car kit with PowerConnect™ Pause and Rewind up to 60 minutes of live radio like Tivo but for your radio	Includes car kit with PowerConnect™ Customize the backlight to match your dash lights	Includes car kit with PowerConnect™ Simple to use format

SiriusXM Edge

Sold with PowerConnect™ Car Kit or Home Kit Features new Xtra Channels Works on XM platform/with XM accessories

After you have chosen and received your satellite radio you are ready for installation. Each radio comes with the bare minimum of what you need to install. The instructions included with each radio also give detailed and specific instructions for self-installation.

Generally, you will need to mount the radio/cradle, attach the power adapter and antenna to the cradle, and route the antenna to the roof of the car. If this makes you nervous or you would rather just have someone else install the radio any car audio installation company can put satellite radio into your vehicle.
 There are also many other products you can use to upgrade your installation by making it look cleaner and sound better. Below are several products to help you get even more out of your satellite radio.

	Cassette Tape Adapter -  An easy way to play the audio from your satellite radio on your car stereo. Connect one end to your satellite radio and pop the cassete tape end into your deck.		Vehicle Specific Mounts install in your vehicle to create a well integrated location to mount your satellite radio.
	Aux.Input Cable -  Many newer cars now come with an aux input to use with iPods or mp3 players. They also work great for satellite radio.
	FM Direct Adapter - A very common way to connect satellite radios to your vehicle. This device turns off your FM antenna when you turn your satellite radio on preventing competing FM stations to interfere with your listening.		Vehicle Power Hardwire Kit - This kit hardwires your satellite radio to your vehilces power so you don't have to use the cigarette lighter adapter. This also means one less cord on your dash.
	Aux Input Adapters install into many different types of vehicles that donh't already have an auxilliary input. The best sound quality.

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Bomboxes - Are one of the easiset ways to bring Sirius XM into your home. These can be plugged into the wall and placed anywhere the antenna can get a signal. The best part? Use batteries for the ultimate portable satellite radio experience. Sirius   |   XM	Home Kits - Very Similar to the vehicle kit that came with your radio, these allow you to connect your Sirius XM radio to your home stereo. Sirius    |    XM	Internet Radios - Connect to your wireless internet or run a cable from your router to this versatile satellite radio listening option. Easily connects to the Sirius Internet Radio stream but opperates like a satellite radio. Sirius
Pairs With: Outdoor Home Antenna 50' Antenna Extension	Pairs With: Outdoor Home Antenna 50' Antenna Extension