XM Satellite Radio FAQs
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What is XM Satellite Radio?

XM Radio is broadcasting over 170 digital channels of totally new music, news, sports and children's programming direct to cars and homes via satellite and our extensive repeater network, which supplements the satellite signal to ensure seamless transmission. The channels originate from XM's broadcast center, the world's largest all-digital studio complex in Washington, DC, and uplink to our satellites. These satellites transmit the signal across the entire continental United States. Each satellite provides 18kw of total power making them the two most powerful commercial satellites ever built, providing coast-to-coast coverage. XM Satellite Radio is changing the way people listen to radio in the same way cable changed television.

What will I hear on XM?

XM offers a huge variety of stations you'll never hear on commercial radio. Many of our music channels are commercial free. Most are unique and innovative XM Originals, which include totally new programming. Virtually every musical style is represented in depth and variety. Some channels include Fox News Channel, BBC World Service, PBS's News Hour with Jim Lehrer, Bloomberg News Radio, NASCAR, CNN News, Radio One, Salem Communications, The Weather Channel, and many more.

Does XM carry local stations?

XM Satellite Radio is revolutionizing radio by offering exciting and unprecedented coast-to-coast programming. Listeners need to tune to the XM band on their XM radio to tune into our programming. XM's listeners still have access to their local AM & FM stations for local content.

Does XM have commercials?

All music channels programmed by XM are commercial-free. We offer the most music in satellite radio, including 69 commercial-free music channels. Many of our news, talk, sports and entertainment channels (including comedy and kids), as well as four music channels programmed by Clear Channel Communications carry a limited amount of commercials. Most local radio stations carry 18 minutes of commercials every hour. Is XM available in the waters of the U.S. coast. XM Radio is broadcasting over 170 digital channels of totally new music, news, sports and children's programming direct to cars and homes via satellite and our extensive repeater network, which supplements the satellite signal to ensure seamless transmission. The channels originate from XM's broadcast center, the world's largest all-digital studio complex in Washington, DC, and uplink to our satellites. These satellites transmit the signal across the entire continental United States. Each satellite provides 18kw of total power making them the two most powerful commercial satellites ever built, providing coast-to-coast coverage. XM Satellite Radio is changing the way people listen to radio in the same way cable changed television.

Who are XM's radio manufacturing partners?

XM's radio manufacturing partners include Alpine Electronics, Inc., Blaupunkt, Bontec, Fujitsu Ten, Hyundai Autonet, Panasonic, Pioneer Electronic Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc., Audiovox, Clarion Co. Ltd., Delphi Delco Electronics Systems, Mitsubishi Electronics, Visteon, Pana-Pacific, and Sharp.

Is XM/Sirius HD?

What is most important to mention first is the fact that the term 'HD Radio' does NOT stand for 'High-Definition Radio'. 'HD' is merely a trademark developed by iBiquity Digital Corporation, the developer of HD Radio, with no direct reference to a higher decoding rate of the digital signal. Rather, 'HD' more appropriately stands for Hybrid Digital, which describes the process of HD Radio locking onto a station - first locking onto the analog signal in mono, then stereo, then trying to find a digital signal. If digital signal reception is lost, the radio will revert to analog, the same way a car radio will go into mono operation from stereo when signal strength is insufficient for stereo. Much of the success of this system property relies on proper synchronization of the analog and digital audio signals by broadcast engineers at the transmitter while XM's signal is continuous.