On Star and XM Radio

[Mightydog]

Another vote for SiriusXM radio.

Mrs. Dog has a total of an hour and a half in the car every day, if traffic is good. Total of two hours in the driver's seat isn't unusual. The SiriusXM rides along with her and keeps her very well entertained and awake.

We bought each other lifetime subscriptions three or four years ago when we had two dimes to rub together. Now that things are tough, it's nice to still have the sat-radio. Every gift-giving event, we wrap up a gift certificate for a few months worth of service. That way, we remind each other that we would have bought more sat-radio time...it was just prepaid a few years ago.

With the lifetime subscription, you get free streaming radio through the interwebs. As we don't have a landline phone any more, I disconnected from the phone company at the interface outside the house and tied all of the copper wire runs together in to one complete circuit. I then replaced the phone plugs with RCA style audio plugs. Now we can start the stream on the computer in the office, plug it in and listen through standard computer speakers throughout the house. Of course it's plugged in to the big stereo in the living room and, yes, there are speakers in the garage for when we're working on projects. Ya gotta have tunes when you're working on a project....

Big fan of BB King's Bluesville on Ch70, by the way.

[asianflava]

I love that Kenwood radio GPS/ipod/etc etc combo. The bluetooth in it is worthless though - and it doesn't make coffee!! Does everything else though LOL. The GPS is Garmin, so I know I'll be able to update maps when I need to.

Hugs,
Ratkity

Aftermarket nav is so much better then the OEM. I was considering the Kenwood but I ended up getting a Pioneer AVIC. Same thing, does everything but bluetooth is semi useless. We have a portable Garmin for use in rentals (bought it last month) but I like the nav in the Pioneer better because of lane assist. I think they both get their maps from Navteq.

The biggest beef I have with the Pioneer is the map updates or lack of. I sent the hard drive to somebody to load the new maps onto it. It also loaded the new XM station logos when it was updated.

I couldn't pickup many satellites in the redwoods and had to resort to my USB thumbdrive for music.

[pmowers]

I had 3 Sirius units over the years. When we bought new cars they came with XM, I kept the radios, putting 1 in the truck and the other in a modified Sirius Boombox which also has AM/FM/CD. With nearly 2 hrs a day in the car, I rarely listen to broadcast radio anymore. The book channel, radio classics are my friends. I love being able to drive across the country and not have to hunt for a station.

As for Garmin, my best friend had punched in a campground and was using his GPS to get there. The GPS says turn left, he turned left, instructions kept telling him how to get there, but the road kept getting smaller and smaller. He finally stopped at this garage where 2 guys were out front, working on a tractor. As he got out of his truck and walked toward them, they were grinning ear to ear and one of the mechanics said "You are looking for XYZ Campground right?", my friend hesitantly said yes, and the mechanic said "You have a Garmin, don't you?", my friend nodded, and the guy says" You are the 5th one today". Turns out the map is wrong.

[zipz71]

I love that Kenwood radio GPS/ipod/etc etc combo. The bluetooth in it is worthless though - and it doesn't make coffee!! Does everything else though LOL. The GPS is Garmin, so I know I'll be able to update maps when I need to.

Hugs,
Ratkity

I've been considering one of these. What's the problem with the bluetooth?

[Ratkity]

I love that Kenwood radio GPS/ipod/etc etc combo. The bluetooth in it is worthless though - and it doesn't make coffee!! Does everything else though LOL. The GPS is Garmin, so I know I'll be able to update maps when I need to.

Hugs,
Ratkity

I've been considering one of these. What's the problem with the bluetooth?

The bluetooth found all my phones equally, but the mic would cut me out even if I had 4 bars. The person I was talking to said I sounded horrid, no matter what settings or where I put the mic. I could hear through it beautifully. Never figured out what the problem was. The mic cord was very very long and ran past a lot of other car electronics to be hidden, so I'm not sure if that was the problem or if I pinched the mic cord somewhere. I haven't been able to find another mic cord (or even looked) to try it out again and test that theory.

Hugs,
Ratkity

PS Sister got a Pioneer with all the bells and whistles for her Ford Explorer Sport and her bluetooth is horrid too, but the GPS and ipod and sat and everything else is superb.