Give your radio a serious power boost

Remember when radio came in just two flavors — AM and FM? Well, those days are over now that satellite radio is shaking up the airwaves. With hundreds of commercial-free channels of music, news and talk, a growing number of Americans are willing to pay for premium radio. “Today” tech editor Corey Greenberg talks about the latest satellite radio gadgets.

Satellite radio vs. regular AM/FM radio
Just as small-dish satellite TV is a premium, mega-multi-channel, largely ad-free alternative to local TV, satellite radio offers the same advantages versus AM/FM radio. And like satellite TV, it ain't free, but so far, millions have been willing to pay around $10 a month for a much more wide-ranging and eclectic variety of music, news, and talk. And like satellite TV, satellite radio delivers better quality as well, with CD-quality music and no static or hiss.

Sign me up! But wait, where do I go?
Right now there are two satellite radio networks, Sirius and XM. Although XM is slightly less expensive, $9.95 a month vs. $12.95 month for Sirius, the two offer very similar experiences to the listener — though each has its own proprietary special channels like XM's all-Sinatra channel and Sirius's Wiseguy Show hosted by “Big Pussy” of "The Sopranos." What's driving satellite radio's impressive growth is the sheer number of commercial-free music channels both networks offer — compared to the commercial — clogged creative wasteland that is the sad state of current AM/FM radio, Sirius and XM are almost too good to be true. As most of us spend more time in our cars each day than ever before, having a hundred commercial-free music channels to choose from is a dream come true.

Setting up your car with satellite radio
Go to Sirius's and XM's web sites — siriusradio.com and xmradio.com — and see which package of channels you prefer. Either Sirius or XM is vastly superior to AM/FM, so you can't make a wrong choice here.

Then you have several options in terms of the actual radio hardware you'll use to receive the stations. More and more 2004 model cars like the Acura TL and Toyota Scion XB are available with factory-installed XM receivers, while Sirius is a factory option on 2004 cars like the Mini Cooper and Mercedes, but you can add both Sirius and XM to any existing car — both networks offer add-on adapters for around $100 that add the satellite channels to your existing car or home radio.

Just like satellite TV dishes, both Sirius and XM satellite radio require their own specialized antenna to receive the satellite feeds. All of the satellite radio receivers as well as the add-on gadgets come with antennas and instructions for getting good reception.

One cool feature on the horizon is XM's real-time traffic info, which will actually be delivered in the form of a visual map on selected GPS navigation systems. XM says it will have this service ready later this year, and there's already a huge buzz about the implications of this concept. XM's web site will have updates as this service rolls out later in 2004.

Can I hook it up to my stereo in my living room?
One of the coolest things about the add-on adapters is that they can also be used with your home stereo system. The XM and Sirius adapters can shuttle back and forth between your car and your home stereo because they fit into a docking station that you can hook up to your stereo just like a CD player. And for portable listening, several companies such as Audiovox and Cambridge Soundworks now offer portable boom boxes specifically designed to accept the XM and Sirius adapters, so you can listen to your favorite satellite channels wherever you go. The Audiovox Sirius-ready boom box is available now, while the Cambridge Soundworks PlayDockXM will hit the market this summer.

• Audiovox SIR-BB1 Sirius-ready boom box, $99.95, audiovox.com
• Cambridge Soundworks, PlayDock XM-ready boom box, $199.95, hifi.com

Why should I pay for satellite radio?
When satellite radio first launched a few years ago, I asked myself the same question. Satellite radio seemed to be the answer to a question nobody was asking. But there's no question traditional AM/FM radio in this country has taken a creative nosedive in the past decade — sterile, overly commercial syndication has choked off local programming, and the ratio of music to commercials today is beyond absurd. It's no wonder most people have been driven to either NPR or talk (make that "yell") radio — music radio just isn't as good as it was when we were kids. That leaves a tremendous hole for all of us who spend time in our cars and want entertainment, and satellite radio makes so much more sense to me now than it did a few years ago that I can't imagine being stuck in traffic without it now. Sirius and XM satellite radio bring me back to my childhood when I could actually hear music I loved on the car radio.

Viva satellite radio! Somewhere, Wolfman Jack is howling his approval.

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