XM kinda rules

With the new car, I had a good chance to seriously try "XM Radio" out. The car comes with an OEM integrated option; and it was going to be a lot more integrated than futzing around trying to hook up an ipod to a deck with no inputs and no tape for a fake input.

XM's music programming is suprisingly decent and diverse.

XM appears to be ran by real DJ's. Some have great taste. A few don't. The music catalog they have to pull from is a ton more diverse than my own (my itunes has something like 40 days of non-repeating music).

I ended up liking it so much, that when I had to take an emergecy 10h trip eastward (and another 10h back westward) I decided to pick up an XM Roady for the wife's car. The radio's $50, and comes with everything you need to hook it up in the car (power, tape adapter, FM modulator built in if you're in an area that can use it, and a few options for mounting the radio). They of course get you with the additional subscription. I paid for a year's subscription for that particular trip, and IMO, was worth every penny.

I even ended up with another Roady for the office. XM broadcasts a terrestial signal in major metropolitan areas; which means, I have *indoor* signal inside the cube farm in Santa Clara, and absolutely no line-of-sight to the satellite. Works great!

My favorites:

• 8 - 80's, mostly hits, some random. Sucks at 5p PDT+ when they put on remix crap. Gets awesome again super late night and throughout the day.
  
• 81 - dance music. lots of remixes. but these are the ones that don't fall under "remix crap".
  
• 46 - "Top Tracks". Classic rock and roll. Reminescent of Sacramento's old KZAP (may it RIP).
  
• 51 - XM Music Lab - progressive rock
  
• 77 - Audio Visions - mostly new age. Hey, everyone needs mellow occasionally!
  
• 221 - SF Bay Area / Sacramento traffic and weather