Posted on 07/27/2005 8:04:37 AM PDT by Tumbleweed_Connection
Move over XM and Sirius. A new technology allows Internet radio to be heard through a car stereo system.
"iRadio," designed by Motorola, uses a specially designed cell phone as an intermediary between the car radio and a personal computer.
Subscribers will choose six Internet radio channels and download them from a computer into the phone, the Chicago Tribune reports.
When iRadio is on, six buttons on the car radio will correspond to the six Internet channels loaded into the phone.
It will also be accessible for listening on phones equipped to handle the new technology.
The service is now being tested in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., and is expected to cost from $5 to $7 a month.
I received XM radio as a gift in Oct 2002...Thought it was nice, so I starting buying stock in Jan '03....one of those Peter Lynch moments...
I have XM in my Avalanche. You may be on to something. You did it, you managed to engaged my engineering wheels. I believe there is a way without damaging the basic radio. It can work though the truck/SUV electrical connections to the trailer. Now to get the copyrights and patents in order.
Sure you can. The new FM Transponders XM ships with Roady's work great. I can pick up XM on my shop radio with my truck parked 30 ft away.
XM Rules. O&A Party Rock. Yes, I am a pest.
All your stations are belong to us.
Okay....NOT knowing ANYTHING about what you're suggesting.....this doesn't mean I have to have my Pick-up engine/battery in use, does it?
otherwise, I like the stock. And it isn't a matter of which one, because I think both will be here for the long haul. THere's enough of a market for both, although I don't see a point anytime soon when anyone will want both.
TS
Ok, starting from scratch: XM sells many different setups to receive signals. There are hardmounted in dash receivers that utilize the CD/XM/AM/FM deck, seperate antenna, and satellite conversion box that goes under a seat. I had one of these in my truck worked great, but since it was hardwired it was not swappable between vehicles.
There are the self-contained receivers: ie. Roady, Roady 2, Delphi, etc. I currently use a Roady. This consists of a small 3 1/2"X2"X1" receiver and display, an antenna, and a combination cigarette adapter & FM Transponder. The antenna I just throw on my dash. The power adapter plugs into you lighter and has setpoints for either 88 or 107 and also .1,.3,.5,.7. So for example you set your setpoint to 88.3 and then tune your radio to 88.3 and bingo your listening to XM.
Now my transponder has about 30-40 ft range. Basically it is a micropower FM radio station. The display shows 2 lines of info: so you can see the station you are listening to, the artist, and the song title. The Roady is great because I can take it out of my work truck and throw it in my wife's Suburban and take it on road trips.
The third type is the wearable XM, the MyFi. Basically this is a you can clip on your belt and listen. It also has a 5 hour memory so you can record XM and then listen while you are on a plane. Can also be car docked, but since I dont have one cant give you a review.
Sounds like for your situation: having it in your truck and listening in your camper - get the Roady 2. As far as power drain I havent had a problem leaving my Roady plugged in all the time and leaving it on.
If you want more info or have any other questions post or PM me.
THANK YOU so much....Freepers are so GREAT!!!! You just gave me the shorthand sales spiel I need for my husband!!!
All of this is old hat. I now subscribe to podcasts (time-shifted radio) and listen to them in my car on my iPod. Between that and Sirius, I may never listen to terrestrial (or Internet) radio again.
... and the beat goes on.
You can only listen to one at a time. Boasting of 500 channels means nothing.
The internet has thousands of options. Choose the 6 you actually LIKE.
Well.....when you're deep in the woods for extended amounts of time, or in a small community where the only station in town plays Country and CNN news, you'd like to hear REAL TIME information......and, music....that's different.
When I first started listening to Internet radio back in '96, I thought it was great. I'd accept the sometimes interrupted sound flow and sometimes FM quality sound in exchange for being able to listen to radio stations from other parts of the country that I really liked.
Then big, bad unions got in the act and demanded that people doing voiceovers for commercials on the radio be compensated for their broadcast on the 'net in addition to over the airwaves. Stations had to block out commercials, run special 'net only commercials or drop their online broadcasts. Many opted for the last option and as a result what was a burgeoning technology was nearly beaten to death.
A year ago, my family and I were on vacation and our rental car had XM installed. Digital quality sound, very few signal interruptions, commercial-free music channels plus FNC and the other news channels, instant traffic and weather for over 20 major cities and their surrounding areas, plus lots of sports (XM has major league baseball while Sirius has the NFL.) Anyway, after we got home, I lived without satellite radio for all of about a month before I went out and got XM.
Now my wife is looking to get XM for her car as well and with the Roady 2 coming down in price to $49.95, it is perfect timing.
I'd say Internet radio for cars is good if you are in the situation that I was once in -- you have specific stations from other places in the country that you want to listen to while on the go. Otherwise, go with satellite. This year on vacation, our rental did not have XM and I was glad when I got home to my own car.
THANKS......didn't realize the Roady was THAT cheap......and it'll HAVE to be XM - for the Major League Baseball that my husband loves.....even in the woods.
You'll love XM. With the Roady 2, you can store up to 30 preset stations. In terms of their variety, my presets say it all -- '80s, Alternative Rock Hit, Smooth Jazz, Love Songs, '40s, Frank Sinatra station, ABC News Talk (for Sean Hannity), Fox News Channel, DC Traffic/Weather, Boston Red Sox MLB games. And that just scratches the surface of what they have......
I pay enough for #*&# gas. I sure the heck ain't paying for any stinking radio in my car.
Yeah sure. They just need to bounce the signal through space, intenet is a whole nother ballgame.
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