Hooked4Life Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060209/dcth006.html?.v=45 Very good news.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melayout Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 "Subarus and Subaru owners have always been synonymous with free spirit and freedom of choice, qualities that also define XM Radio enthusiasts," said Paul Kirsch, VP, OEM Marketing, XM Satellite Radio. "That's why we are especially pleased to be Subaru's satellite radio partner for several top-selling models later this year." I'm SIRIUS.... I keed I keeed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hooked4Life Posted February 9, 2006 Author Share Posted February 9, 2006 Melayout: You may want to switch models. http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060209/nyth124.html?.v=35 Interesting that they went with XM for some models and some Sirius. IMHO when the new XM Portable unit comes out next month Sirius will need any help they can get. http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/02/06/185323.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melayout Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 I meant serious, as in they mention freedom of choice and then offer only one choice for each model. Satellite Radio is overrated. Tiesto collection > * I keed I keeed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IwannaSportSedan Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 Why can't anyone make anything standard compliant? When will proprietary media become so divisive that people will just say "screw it." and do something else. I am certainly not keen on paying to play the VHS vs. Betamax bout all over again, with Satelite radio, High definition video, or audio (blueray vs SACD vs DVD-A vs whatchamacallit... is the same damn thing, too.) That is one reason that I am glad that the 07 is also getting a standard aux input port. MP3 player, Satelite receiver, whatever you want... Why can't there be a serial bus connection that has standard protocols and connection standards? Why the damn mess? use a node-to-node revision of the USB standard for computers, for pete's sake. Use IEEE1394. It doesn't require a controller, and can interact between two imbedded nodes. (no computer processor/software oversight required.) Plug in a Sirius module, or an XM module, and HD broadcast tuner, an Ipod/Rio/MP3player/stationary HD/FlashMedia of your choice, External or OE Nav unit, bluetooth handsfree node, DVD video system (even video games for those who are inclined), wireless broadband receiver, or any number of other sources, and each device would have loadable drivers and simple interface that the central head-unit switch can defer to manually or by override. such as Nav directions or phone call overriding and pausing/muting the other active source. Also, drive functions (car being in gear, etc...) could override DVD movies or video games on the front dash screen in favor of the system control interface or Nav maps... you could even have selective audio output, for DVD movie/TV/Internet output to headphones in the back seat, while playing a different primary source through the speakers for the front seat driver/passenger... Personally I don't need, nor want nearly half of that stuff, but it could be done, and probably done quite well. CarPC setups are approaching that sort of functionality already. Even if the system were capable of some of this stuff, I'd like it for being flexible enough to do the one or two functions I would want, without the other bells and whistles, in my case. Why have a built in solution, like the Legacy's audio system, at all. anyway? (I know the "looks more integrated" reasoning, and I am unconvinced.) People don't buy houses with integrated entertainment systems that can't be upgraded or replaced later, why should car audio be non-replaceable? With Satelite radio, the signal is supposed to be digital quality, at nearly the bitrate of an uncompressed CD. MP3s and other (even lossless compressed) data formats are inherently digital, and HD-Radio (free broadcast) is coming, too. What if people, (like say, ME!) want a digital head unit to integrate anything from digital NAV information, a Bluetooth wireless phone, and the above mentioned digital sources through an hybrid manual and auto sensing digital switching head unit. The only part of the system that has to be analog are the speakers, with some sort of D/A conversion before the speaker end... Will that be possible to fit in the future to an "integrated-look" car like the Legacy, and many others? Nope, not without significant compromise. We are being limited by planned obsolecense and artificial constrictions on future adaptation. This could have all been a non issue in the past, if the 05 legacy had just come with a console and ACC unit that allowed replaceable equipment. Again, I have to mention, that for the Legacy, it IS THE CASE IN JAPAN! I feel like Denis Leary, I really do... having missed the meeting about the beer and the coffee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilycat Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 You know what they say: The great thing about standards is that there are so many to choose from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterJMC Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 ^^ Yea, standards have been made... I guess the problem is that companies aren't willing to pay someone for the patent on the standard someone else developed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IwannaSportSedan Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 So they turn around, come up with their ever so slightly different patent, demand royalties, and do the same thing... and everybody has different proprietary equipment, and we're right back to the whole argument. So many standards, indeed. I thought the digital revolution and the "information age" were supposed to integrate things in new ways, and help things work together. All it seems to do is create more warring factions. At least subaru isn't continuing to say "we don't see demand for audio input in the Legacy", and refusing to do anything at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snoman Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 Why can't anyone make anything standard compliant? With Satelite radio, the signal is supposed to be digital quality, at nearly the bitrate of an uncompressed CD. MP3s and other (even lossless compressed) data formats are inherently digital, and HD-Radio (free broadcast) is coming, too. I see where you're coming from. It would be nice to have a standard interface for all devices, like USB or Bluetooth. I just don't see it happening anytime soon... especially with satellite radio where the competition is fierce. The RIAA would also step in and create a whole new set of issues as soon as you attach any digital interface to a satellite radio receiver (the RIAA already made XM cease the sale of one USB capable receiver). I'm not trying to be a smartass or anything, but I also wanted to point out that satellite radio is nowhere near CD quality. In fact, I have read reports that many stations on XM radio only use about 32-48 kbps of bandwidth! This is a HUGE misconception about satellite radio, and I used to be under the same impression before I subscribed. Sound quality is my biggest complaint with satellite radio. While the classical and jazz stations sound great (similar to a 128 kbps MP3), some of the less popular stations sound on par with an AM radio. The quality of the programming on XM is so good that I tend to forget about the subpar sound quality! Definitely worth the subscription fee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IwannaSportSedan Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 Frakkin RIAA. I can understand reasonable assurance of protecting intellectual and commercial property. I am all for that. RIAA has gone WELL beyond that with bureaucratic lunacy. or should I say idiocy. Preventing another company from producing a peice of hardware with a USB port? If people wanted to play by the rules before, this kind of heavy-handedness is what encourages less ethical experimentation. This sort of behavior is part of the very core of my argument. I didn't realize that digital sat-radio was so far short of cd-quality... unfortunate, but probably has headroom to improve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwiener2 Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 i dunno what they're talking about 2007 crap..... I've got XM in my 2005 My Mods List (Updated 8/22/17) 2005 Outback FMT Running on Electrons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougc Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 I've had Sirius for approx 2 months now and I have not listened to regular radio since. Sat. radio is a million times better than the regular BS radio, filled with censored music and tons of commercials. I complelely agree with the whole F*CK the FCC movement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IwannaSportSedan Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 I say screw the whole lot, and listen either to radio news, or my choice of music on my iPod, and I know I'll get what I like. pre-recorded is better than broadcast. But the whole slanted competition thing (blocking out/hindering the other competitors, and frustrating the customer who should be able to freely choose on the merits) is getting old, and makes me rant sometimes... but I am done now. I've said my piece on that part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rallispec Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 i really hope this ends up being backwards compatible with the '05 models -- i've got XM in there now, but would like to get rid of having a second unit for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StringFellow Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 Interesting that they went with XM for some models and some Sirius. IMHO when the new XM Portable unit comes out next month Sirius will need any help they can get. http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/02/06/185323.php XM has always been the leader in satellite radio hardware. But I am sure there will be new Sirius radio hardware news coming very soon. Do these features make or break a particular brand? Nah! It is all based on what fits. These portable radios are great, but the majority of subscriptions are from units installed in autos. What they really need to come up with is a unit that is both portable and can be integrated into a car without that freak'n docking station taking up a bunch of dash space. One thing that would make me switch subscriptions in a flash would be a portable unit that docks into a docking station hidden in the trunk (with a very small display unit mounted on/near the dash up front in the car), allowing you to undock the portable portion of the unit and take it with you into your home, work, etc. And maybe a "dual tuner" version that allows you to record 2 different channels at the same time. This way, all the wires and "crap" are hidden in the trunk with the dock and only a small display with a single wire is visiable inside the passenger compartment. Kind of like the CD changers that use to be mounted in the trunk. Regarding the link posted in your post, the passport card won't be main stream. The article mentioned have a passport card allowing for a "traveling subscription". That won't happen. Right now if you have 2 radios, you have 2 subscriptions (true, one is cheaper), but with this new "traveling subscription", it sound like they would eliminate subscription fees for additional radios. They would basically be giving up revenue or would have to raise their monthly fees for the master account. Sounds like a gimic or a way to raise the fees for the initial account. i really hope this ends up being backwards compatible with the '05 models -- i've got XM in there now, but would like to get rid of having a second unit for it. Yep, keep dreaming. Nothing is ever backwards compatible with cars these days. Which sucks! -S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mach_six Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 Good news that Subaru is finally catching up with other car manufacturers? I don't think it's good news but really something they have to do to stay competitive. Plus trying to change the brand to appeal to a younger crowd than their current demographic they need to hire some new ad agency. Their commercials are horrible. They should hire the same ones that does Nissans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ntadime Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 Maybe I have a tin ear. The 6CD head unit and speakers that came with LGT sounds excellent to me. I'm always amazed at how flexible that little Roady 2 is.I have it in2 vehicles(direct FM mod in the LGT and broadcast FM in my truck), hooked up to computer speakers in my house, used outside with an Armie portable and plugged into a pair of cheap stwero speakers to play oon my deck.All for $19.95 pklus subscription. I can't hear the problems with the sound.I guess I'm lucky to have such poor taste in sound,its cheaper. Anyone know if recording XM to a computer is still a violation of the use agreement? Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ntadime Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 Sorry about the typos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melayout Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 You can edit your posts FTW I keed I keeed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eVoMotion Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 Just when I have torn the dash apart 20x getting the jazzy board in...and we waited for a 06 in the hopes that it would have satellite. LOL! Fingers crossed it will be backwards compatible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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