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View Full Version : XM Radio on your BBerry + iPhone UPDATED!


schoeney
03-29-2010, 10:53 PM
UPDATE!! I tried the free trial for this service...works great! I have it on my Blackberry but it can be used with an iPhone as well.
I have just used it in town so far (just walking w/regular earphones and in car w/tape adapter to put sound over car speakers) but the sound quality is great...if it isn't as good as my wired car XM my ears can't tell.

The real test will be when I take a long trip to test the reception coverage. I hope to test it in the next 7-10 days in my car...then use it on the Nomad. Just tuck it in my inside jacket pocket and off I go! The downside is once I am rolling down the road on the Nomad I won't be able to change channels unless I stop. I like to bounce between music and talk radio as I get bored.

If this works good in most remote areas this is one h*ll of a deal since I already have the phone.

This is alot simpler than wiring up a new device on the bike plus I can use it in any vehicle, on my bicycle, running or just walking around. and the other nice feature is my Blackberry is an MP3 as well and loaded up with songs too. Now I am really ready for the long trips
If anyone else tries this free 7 day trial please give us some feedback. I will be real interested since I will be driving across the country to Kentucky in the cage in late April! UPDATE FINISHED


I have wired XM radio in my car and have been trying to figure out a cheap way to get a portable XM radio that I can use on the Nomad and my "other" cars.

I found out by looking at the XM website that I can now have XM go to my phone (Blackberry-you can also do it on an iPhone).

This sounds too good to be true! It not only would give me a portable XM radio that I already own but it is cheaper as well. I would not need to buy any hardware and it is only $8 month for the service instead of $13 AND I can use it anywhere (any vehicle, walking, etc). Or I can keep my regular XM and just add $3 per month for this portable mobile service.

The only downside that I can see is reception would be limited to Wi-Fi areas and wherever cell coverage is available...my assumption is that is not as good as satellite coverage. But I would think I would get 80-90% coverage even if I am on that lonesome road in Montana or Wyoming or ?


I was wondering if any of you were aware of this new service or have any input on it?

Thanks

petenomad
03-29-2010, 10:55 PM
The quality is not going to be the same as direct satellite. They reduce the sampling rate significantly.

schoeney
03-29-2010, 11:00 PM
The quality is not going to be the same as direct satellite. They reduce the sampling rate significantly.

Do you know if the difference is significant? If it is anything like LCD VS. Plasma or 1080p vs. 720P I won't notice. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the specs on this new tech stuff we forget most of it is better than our eyes/ears can see or hear. Sometimes we are splitting hairs.

Kind of like my $3000 TV that looks the same as the $900 ones ;) Wish I would have saved the $2100 and bought the cheaper one.

stewdogg
03-29-2010, 11:05 PM
You could always try Pandora radio to see what kind of coverage you really have with your phone out and about. If the satellite radio has to load and buffer the stream and you drop coverage then you will lose the music for as long as it takes to buffer again. That's what made me load up my ipod on my iphone and just listen to that. I put it on random if I don't feel like deciding what I want to listen to.

petenomad
03-29-2010, 11:08 PM
Schoeney,
Sorry, I was thinking of the online streaming.
http://www.xmradio.com/skydock/faq.xmc

schoeney
03-29-2010, 11:29 PM
No problem Pete...here is what I was talking about..............

http://www.siriusxm.com/blackberry/indexd.html

taranis
03-30-2010, 08:28 AM
This is still streaming radio over the internet. You'll notice the difference vs. a satellite signal over an XM tuner. According to XM's site, the internet streaming function of Sirius (XMRO or XM Radio Online) for the Blackberry/iPhone is 128k. Hardly CD quality, IMO.

The Skydock looks interesting. The big difference is that it has a built-in XM tuner that integrates with an iPhone app and plugs into what looks like a 12 socket. Hmm... I think for the cost of it all I'd rather load up my iPhone with music and stuff it in my pocket.

schoeney
03-30-2010, 01:54 PM
This is still streaming radio over the internet. You'll notice the difference vs. a satellite signal over an XM tuner. According to XM's site, the internet streaming function of Sirius (XMRO or XM Radio Online) for the Blackberry/iPhone is 128k. Hardly CD quality, IMO.

The Skydock looks interesting. The big difference is that it has a built-in XM tuner that integrates with an iPhone app and plugs into what looks like a 12 socket. Hmm... I think for the cost of it all I'd rather load up my iPhone with music and stuff it in my pocket.

I guess I just have lower standards....makes me easy to please http://s2.images.proboards.com/cheesy.gif

thedude
04-04-2010, 10:08 PM
I have the Sirius app on my iphone, and it sucks. Cuts out constantly, and when it does play it sounds like sh!t. Plus it's very large drain on the battery. Pandora OTOH is great. Rarely cuts out, and sounds super. Not such a big drain on the battery either. The best sound by far though is my ipod itself.

schoeney
04-04-2010, 11:55 PM
I have the Sirius app on my iphone, and it sucks. Cuts out constantly, and when it does play it sounds like sh!t. Plus it's very large drain on the battery. Pandora OTOH is great. Rarely cuts out, and sounds super. Not such a big drain on the battery either. The best sound by far though is my ipod itself.

That is too bad...maybe it depends on your cell coverage? I have Verizon which is the best in my local area. I have a buddy that has Pandora Radio...he said he likes it alot as well. I might try Pandora as well since it is FREE!

I can run my phone off my charging port on the bike so battery isn't a big issue when I am on the bike.

thedude
04-05-2010, 08:03 PM
I have the Sirius app on my iphone, and it sucks. Cuts out constantly, and when it does play it sounds like sh!t. Plus it's very large drain on the battery. Pandora OTOH is great. Rarely cuts out, and sounds super. Not such a big drain on the battery either. The best sound by far though is my ipod itself.

That is too bad...maybe it depends on your cell coverage? I have Verizon which is the best in my local area. I have a buddy that has Pandora Radio...he said he likes it alot as well. I might try Pandora as well since it is FREE!

I can run my phone off my charging port on the bike so battery isn't a big issue when I am on the bike.

I tried the Sirius app on my iphone at work today to see if it had improved over the last few months. Nope, it took forever to load/buffer and when it finally did play, it stopped during the first song. I gave up and turned on Padora. Time to discontinue my $2.99 per month Sirius internet radio portion of my bill. Also, it's not the coverage as I had mega bars showing.

fakebikerdude59
04-06-2010, 02:04 PM
I use the Slacker Radio app on my Droid. They also have it for iphone and BB. It's a wide selection of stations and the quality is just fine considering all the background noise riding the Nomad. I get signal anywhere I have G3 coverage and it's pretty easy on the battery. I plug it into my ScalaRider Bluetooth and it plays nicely in my helmet. Also, it automatically cuts out when I get a phone call and that comes through the headset too. And best of all....it's FREE! my .02.

schoeney
04-06-2010, 04:16 PM
Good input. Sounds like there are some "free" solutions out there. I will try them first.