So the other day I hear an add while listening to my Sirius in my car, to call and get the "best of XM" on my Sirius radio. The gist of this is that Sirius simulcasts the popular XM channels onto unused Sirius channels (i.e. XM channel 202=Sirius 197). Of course, channel 197 doesn't exist in my idrive, so I call to upgrade. I am told that all factory car radios are incapable of receiving the new channels for some reason. What is really annoying is that my vehicles that have XM can receive the new Sirius channels w/o incident. Is BMW working on a new satellite radio receiver seeing as how the two companies merged?
XM I am in a boat kinda going the opposite direction.... I subscribe to XM and therefore didn't get the SAT addition when I bought my 335i since BMW contracts with Sirius. So I am wondering when BMW will be able to add the SAT option to my car WITH the XM capability now that the merger is complete. If anyone knows, please update.
Probably won´t happen for quite a while, if ever. The two will, for the foreseeable future, continue to operate as separate services. BMW has a contract with Sirius. Interoperable radios remain a pipe dream although Karmazin has claimed to have "one" in his office. Doesn´t really matter. Satellite radio is very 2003, if it even was interesting then. What´s interesting today is getting Internet radio in the car (that´s what I listen to quite a bit) and having your car automatically updates stored content such as podcasts and music based on your preferences.
Well I found this while digging around the internet http://www.bmwblog.com/2008/10/19/bmw-adds-sirius-xm-packaging/ I am waiting to hear back from my local dealer to see if I can simply put a sat unit from 3/08 or later in my 2008 M (w/ idrive). I don't see why this wouldn't work, even if it would most likely be at my own expense. Glad to know that my $75k car built in 02/08 can't simply update the radio the same way my girlfriend's $30k Saab can. My OEM XM radios in my Saab, GMC Yukon, and Nissan Armada were able to receive "best of Sirius" no problem. The fact that some 2008 BMW's can do this, and others can not is a tremendous flaw. I know from experience that XM constantly added, and deleted channels, and as an end user I never had to actually do anything. What is frustrating is that Sirius has added channels that for some reason BMW OEM radios aren't compatible with, and for some reason can't be upgraded via satellite the same way my GM factory XM radio can. After all, that is all that I am asking for. I simply want my Sirius radio to receive the new channels that Sirius is broadcasting themselves on their own network.
Sirius has a billion dollar debt that it may not be able to pay when it comes due next year. Its stock has gone from almost $4 at the end of 2007 to, hmmm, let's see, 29 pennies. Many financial analysts question whether the company itself will survive. From a technology standpoint, keeping two parallel broadcasting systems is costly but then again, so is changing out everyone's radio receiver. The company will probably lose over $550 million, even as revenues increase next year - largely due to the extravagant sums it has paid for content (i.e. wasting too much money on big names without the possibility of getting a return for the investment). So, perhaps people are worried in the short term about getting a few more stations. In the long term, I think that you'll just get digital static when you turn the satellite radio receiver on.
UPDATE: So I got word from my local dealership that a software fix for this will be out shortly for pre February 08 build idrive vehicles. I will post more update when this actually happens (hopefully by April/May) Adam
Adam, Any further updates on this topic? Are they really going to issue a software update to solve this problem?
