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XM on DTV

post #1 of 6
11/17/05 at 4:25pm
[Oops. Because I was only looking at the past 30 days, I missed Ron's existing thread on this subject. Admin, feel free to delete this thread.]

On Nov 15, XM debuted as DTV's music channels. There's a heated thread on AVS Forum discussing the comparative sound quality of the new XM services and the Music Choice services that they replaced.

It isn't coming out in favor of XM.

Even those of us who enjoy XM's programming have been justly critical of its sound quality. But I think the XM presence on DTV will broaden that debate MUCH farther since now the XM audio context WON'T primarily be the limited acoustical environment of cars, but the often VERY sophisticated sounds of home theaters.

IMO, this could be a negative move for XM. On the other hand, perhaps it will motivate them to improve their sound and acquire additional bandwidth (which won't be devoted to more golf channels or video channels.)
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post #2 of 6
11/18/05 at 2:25am
Thread Starter 

XM on DTV

Bob,

This thread is fine here.

I had little doubt that when XM was poised
to replace the DTV music channels there would
be a loss of sound quality.

As much as I love XM, there is something to
be said about the original music channels that
the service has recently replaced. The sonic
quality of those channels were excellent --
the perfect choice for Home Theater listening.

Now, with XM replacing those channels, listeners
are being subjected to the same subpar sound
quality of satellite radio, which works well in
cars, but not hooked to an expensive sound system.

I highly doubt XM will broaden the broadband
for DTV. Essentially, the way I figure it, it
is the same satellite feed that everyone else
is getting. XM and Sirius are alloted only a
certain amount of broadband which they cannot
exceed. There is very little that either
service can do to improve their output.
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post #3 of 6
11/18/05 at 7:38am
Oddly enough, Music Choice is what prompted me to get XM in the home.

I don't have MC with DTV, but through digital cable. I liked the idea of the various channels, but the sound quality of MC was just awful. Thin and tinny, was the best way to describe it. I've got a XM Roady hooked up with a home kit to the same receiver, and it sounds much, much better.
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post #4 of 6
11/18/05 at 9:04am
Thread Starter 
Ronn,

I am surprised.

I got much better fidelity out of MC,
and based on the complaints I have been
reading elsewhere, so have other people.

I suppose, to each their own.
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post #5 of 6
11/19/05 at 6:27am
I would guess that it has more to do with Cox cable than MC themselves.
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post #6 of 6
11/23/05 at 8:04pm
What's annoyed me so far with XM on DTV is that the name of the CD/Artist doesn't match the actual song playing! Drives me nuts...it's as if it's using the old MC songlists still.

Anyone else have this issue? Any fixes yet?
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