I work for Salem Satellite Media... We provide XM with the three Christian radio stations.
Now 1.5 billion dollars buys you a lot of really neat toys. I have been to XM radio's headquarters in Washington DC and I have seen their server room which houses the 38 terabyte disk array. (The largest install IBM has ever done!) and I have been able to listen to the 2+ million songs in their library (It is growing with every new release) and I like what I hear. Nowhere else will you get this kind of quality choices.
Now to answer a couple of questions I see floating around.
1. Right now you can only buy the receivers in Dallas and San Diego but you can travel anywhere in the continental US and receive a signal...
2. For large urban areas there are signal repeaters on the roofs of buildings...
3. Xm has all their audio in MPeg2 so that the quality is better than what you can get on your downloaded songs and Mini-disks
4. The programming of the stations are done by real professionals who have been in the business for years. Xm didn't know Christian radio so they partnered with Salem (The largest Christian Radio company.) Xm doesn't know Nascar, Hardcore Urban Rap, Blues, Gospel, News, Spanish so they partnered with the respective leaders in those field as well. (If you don't believe me take a trip to XM Headquarters in Washington DC and just walk through the halls. You will never see a more diverse group of people working in the same building)
5. You will be able to help shape what is played on the radio. The reason the radio is expensive is because it is getting a satellite signal. Now lets think about this for a second. Satellite... Now you can have two way communication over satellite right? When a song is being played Xm will also be displaying text on your radio and depending on the radio you may also get a picture on the CD. You will be able to press a button on the radio that tells the programmer that you like the song and that programmer will be able to play it more often. You will also be able to go the old fashion way and email your requests.
6. For all those who think "I just listen to CDs that I bought." My question to you is.. How do you choose which CDs to buy? Do you just ask the pimple head kid at Best Buy which CDs are good?
7. Lastly, I have this question. Do you have cable TV? If so, Why?... You pay for cable TV or many of you Digital Cable or even Satellite TV because it offers you programming choices that aren't on regular TV and at a better quality. (Anyone who has played with the bunnies ears just watch TV will agree)
Therefore I will pay my $10 a month so that I can watch/listen XM revolutionize radio as we know it.
Adam
Slashdot Mirror
I work for Salem Satellite Media... We provide XM with the three Christian radio stations.
... Now you can have two way communication over satellite right? When a song is being played Xm will also be displaying text on your radio and depending on the radio you may also get a picture on the CD. You will be able to press a button on the radio that tells the programmer that you like the song and that programmer will be able to play it more often. You will also be able to go the old fashion way and email your requests.
... You pay for cable TV or many of you Digital Cable or even Satellite TV because it offers you programming choices that aren't on regular TV and at a better quality. (Anyone who has played with the bunnies ears just watch TV will agree)
Now 1.5 billion dollars buys you a lot of really neat toys. I have been to XM radio's headquarters in Washington DC and I have seen their server room which houses the 38 terabyte disk array. (The largest install IBM has ever done!) and I have been able to listen to the 2+ million songs in their library (It is growing with every new release) and I like what I hear. Nowhere else will you get this kind of quality choices.
Now to answer a couple of questions I see floating around.
1. Right now you can only buy the receivers in Dallas and San Diego but you can travel anywhere in the continental US and receive a signal...
2. For large urban areas there are signal repeaters on the roofs of buildings...
3. Xm has all their audio in MPeg2 so that the quality is better than what you can get on your downloaded songs and Mini-disks
4. The programming of the stations are done by real professionals who have been in the business for years. Xm didn't know Christian radio so they partnered with Salem (The largest Christian Radio company.) Xm doesn't know Nascar, Hardcore Urban Rap, Blues, Gospel, News, Spanish so they partnered with the respective leaders in those field as well. (If you don't believe me take a trip to XM Headquarters in Washington DC and just walk through the halls. You will never see a more diverse group of people working in the same building)
5. You will be able to help shape what is played on the radio. The reason the radio is expensive is because it is getting a satellite signal. Now lets think about this for a second. Satellite
6. For all those who think "I just listen to CDs that I bought." My question to you is.. How do you choose which CDs to buy? Do you just ask the pimple head kid at Best Buy which CDs are good?
7. Lastly, I have this question. Do you have cable TV? If so, Why?
Therefore I will pay my $10 a month so that I can watch/listen XM revolutionize radio as we know it.
Adam