Hydrogenaudio Forums > XM Radio Changes at CES

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stevewm

Jan 7 2004, 19:11

For those with XM Radio

XM announced some changes today at CES.

Starting February 1st all music channels will be 100% commercial free!! (right now 50% of them are commercial free)

Also starting February 1st the channel lineup changes a bit:

Additions:
Highway 16 – Top Country Hits
Blend 25 – Adult Contemporary
Fungus 53 – Punk / Hardcore / Ska
Lucy -54 Classic Alt Hits
MSNBC 130 - News

The following channels are being removed: Vibra, Tejano, Aguila, C Net (finally!), Special X ()

And some are moving:

Spirit: To channel 33
Fine Tuning: To channel 49
MTV: To Channel 155
VH1: To channel 156

In March, 21 local traffic and weather streams will be added for major cities including: NYC, PHILLY, BALT., DC, PITTS, DETROIT, CHICAGO, ST. LOUIS, SAN FRAN, LA, PHOENIX, DALLAS FT.W., HOUSTON, TAMPA ST/P, ORLANDO

To be added later this year:
BOSTON, MINN/ST PAUL, SEATTLE, SAN DIEGO, ATLANTA, MIAMI/FT LAUD.

They have also announced that they will be broadcasting some content in 5.1 surround sound. They demoed this at CES today. No details on how they will achieve this yet.

Mono

Jan 7 2004, 20:24

Quotes from XMFan.com forums:

QUOTE(Ziggy @ Jan 7 2004, 03:34 PM)

5.1 sound will flow through ANY channel that the programming was 5.1 to begin with. Obviously Cinemagic will be the biggest beneficiary, but as more programming is introduced in 5.1, it will flow through on ANY channel.

Side note:

Anyone have an Optical out PCR/SKYFI and want to check Cinemagic now?

How will this be done?

QUOTE(NOVA5 @ Jan 7 2004, 04:30 PM)

5.1 is already in a compressed format as i understand it. the funny one is HOW do they plan to get 5.1 to the speakers? nothing has digital out "officially" so the sound would have to be matrixed into the stereo signal, this would be a decoder is already in them!!. an optical COULD concivibly carry the encoded 5.1, anyone have a home theater that autodetects the signal type and says PCM (Stereo), Dolby Digital, DTS, able to tell us?

I think this may be right. Likely, XM may not broadcast DTS or Dolby Digital, but a matrix format (like Dolby Pro Logic II). Also, more posts from that thread seem to indicate it.

Nevertheless, the site says:

QUOTE(XMFan.com site @ Jan 7 2004)

Dolby Digital 5.1 channel available soon!

A Dolby Digital channel would require a different radio for most listeners (except the modded radios with TOSLINK). Such a move would require an expensive hardware upgrade. Would XM do that?

Steve999

Jan 7 2004, 20:45

I'm psyched about no commercials on the music channels -- the commercials did get on my nerves at times. I tried Sirius (with no commercials on the music channels) but the reception was too iffy.

Where can you get info on how to do a mod to get a toslink optical out with a SkyFi tuner (or did I mis-read something)?

Mono

Jan 7 2004, 20:53

You can buy one through XMFan's store (direct link to the SkiFi). I don't know if there are instructions to mod one yourself.

stevewm

Jan 7 2004, 21:23

All of the current generation of XM receivers use the same receiver "can" inside.

This includes the SkyFi, Roady, Commander, PCR, etc....

Digital audio output is available on pins 6 to 9 of the receiver can. Add a SPDIF transmitter and your ready to go

More information can be found here: http://www.xmfan.com/viewtopic.php?t=5969

Mono

Feb 7 2004, 23:14

XM's sound quality page: looks like it was matrix surround.

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