What Radio To Get? - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

Shootmaster_44 · 2012-07-19, 12:18 PM

I currently have a Stiletto 100 that is installed in my car. I was in a car accident and the body shop wrecked some of the cables running from the antenna and the power source. Since my radio is over 6 years old and has a bunch of problems with refurbished dock that I had to buy for it. I figured I'd get a new radio with a car kit. The Stiletto 100 is perfectly fine and works with the home stereo dock (or whatever you want to call the ghetto blaster that I have for it), so I figure that can be my home radio and I'll get something for the car.

I was thinking a Stiletto 2, but I went to Sirius' website and it looks like they've discontinued it since you cannot buy it from there. I want to ensure I buy a current model so that if I need parts for it, I don't have to order refurbished ones. I saw the Mirge on there and thought that might be an idea, but I'm not sure what an XM subscription would cost or whether it is truly worth getting both since the music channels are the same and for talk radio I'd only listen to Howard Stern anyhow (though it would be nice to have the NHL and MLB). But I am not ditching Sirius for XM, so that is my main objective and I don't really like the cheap radios like the Sportster or the like. So what should I get?

ChannelMaster · 2012-07-19, 12:51 PM

If I were on the market for a radio, I'd go for the Mirge for the ability to get the newer music and Talk channels available in the 300s on the SXM 2.0 platform.

With the proper 2.0 radio (such as the Mirge but there might be others) you'll get the new channels with your current Sirius subscription.

Shootmaster_44 · 2012-07-19, 01:10 PM

Has the 2.0 platform launched in Canada yet? I knew it was coming, but I assumed that Canada would be shut out from it.

hugh · 2012-07-19, 02:43 PM

The Edge for $129 can be used to sub to Sirius or XM. I just bought a Sportster 6 for $75 to replace a broken radio and am quite satisfied with it.

McPatrick · 2012-07-19, 04:50 PM

the mirge is $399.99 on the sirius website and you would need a special plan for it at least thats how they delt with the mirge radios on the US side. since sirius radios are known to not last these days i would go for the starmate 8 for $199.99. plus we should be getting the best of/premire packages here soon anyway

PhotoJim · 2012-07-20, 06:34 PM

For a long-term purchase an XM radio (or the MiRGE) will serve you best as the Sirius platform will disappear at some point. This might take years, though; no one knows for sure, except that we know it's happening.

Getting a Sirius radio will mean you can get the lower second-radio subscription fee, so you may still want to go that way. In that case, an inexpensive good-enough radio is what you should probably use.

I still use an ancient XM Roady XT in my car. It still works fine and since I need to use FM (no aux-in jack, very annoying), an older radio like this is better for my needs.

Shootmaster_44 · 2012-07-24, 05:58 PM

Right, I knew Sirius was disappearing eventually. But until the Best of Sirius is available in Canada (as I'm not messing around with the hassle of a US subscription), I won't ditch Sirius as I cannot get Howard Stern. 95% of my Sirius listening is Howard Stern, so the Mirge works only as an added bonus to add the odd Kings or Nationals game from XM when I'm either bored with Howard (like when he has an interview with some 60s rocker who can barely speak like Gregg Almann or has gone too far occassionally some of his stuff disgusts me).

Is there any sort of package deal for the Mirge that anyone knows about? Instead of 2 $169 yearly subscriptions is there a deal that is like $200 for a dual yearly subscription? I doubt it since the company is merged in theory but still separate in practice.

Does any retail outlet sell the Mirge or do I have to order it from Sirius? Only reason I ask is if I could go to Future Shop after work and pick one up and have it installed this week that would be much better.

Shootmaster_44 · 2012-08-01, 10:52 AM

So I picked up an XM Edge at Future Shop yesterday and confirmed that it would work on Sirius with the guy several times and he assured me yes. Got home and called Sirius to double check before having it installed in my vehicle and was told no, the XM Edge will not work with Sirius in Canada. Apparently, if bought in the US and subscribed through SiriusXM in the US it will work. But the models sold in Canada have a firmware patch that makes them XM only.

Needless to say I am quite ticked at the guy at Future Shop who sold me it as he told me that all XM models will work on Sirius and vice-versa (which is why I was supicious and called Sirius myself when I got home). It looks I am back to ordering a MiRGE afterall. Does anyone know whether you MUST subscribe to both Sirius and XM with it or does it just mean that if I don't have a XM subscription, I can't listen to XM? With the subtle announcement of the best of XM being offered as of October 1, I really would not want a full subscription to XM. The only thing that would get me, that the Best of wouldn't is MLB games. But I have MLB.tv on my BluRay player and don't spend enough time in my vehicle to worry about baseball.

ChannelMaster · 2012-08-01, 05:10 PM

To PhotoJim and others, there is a publicized timetable for complete transition to the SXM2.0 calling for total completion by mid-2015. I had posted the details of this in another thread but can't recall.

Basically, SXM2.0 supports all legacy XM radios (locking on either "Rock" or "Roll") and ditching of all our precious and cheap Directed Electronics (aka Sirius radios).

So investment in an XM receiver was wise. It will not get the new channel tiers but it will work past 2015 nonetheless on most everything we currently listen to.

stationg · 2012-08-11, 10:09 AM

I think my Starmate died yesterday after many years.

There is no power.

I will see if its the actual power in my car.

But I have feeling life is over for the Starmate.

I have a US sub, which unit should I buy?

I have a Bestbuy GC I can finally use.

ChannelMaster · 2012-08-13, 10:52 PM

Ahhh! Dead Starmates bring tears to my eyes recalling the time I spent oprning that thing to solder the power connector (that is your problem by the way). That Starmate radio just couldn't stand a "wiggle"!!!

stationg · 2012-08-19, 08:19 PM

Oh? It worked for ages

I miss it as it didn't need a dock.

2012-07-19, 12:18 PM	#1
Shootmaster_44 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Lloydminster, AB Posts: 234	What Radio To Get? I currently have a Stiletto 100 that is installed in my car. I was in a car accident and the body shop wrecked some of the cables running from the antenna and the power source. Since my radio is over 6 years old and has a bunch of problems with refurbished dock that I had to buy for it. I figured I'd get a new radio with a car kit. The Stiletto 100 is perfectly fine and works with the home stereo dock (or whatever you want to call the ghetto blaster that I have for it), so I figure that can be my home radio and I'll get something for the car. I was thinking a Stiletto 2, but I went to Sirius' website and it looks like they've discontinued it since you cannot buy it from there. I want to ensure I buy a current model so that if I need parts for it, I don't have to order refurbished ones. I saw the Mirge on there and thought that might be an idea, but I'm not sure what an XM subscription would cost or whether it is truly worth getting both since the music channels are the same and for talk radio I'd only listen to Howard Stern anyhow (though it would be nice to have the NHL and MLB). But I am not ditching Sirius for XM, so that is my main objective and I don't really like the cheap radios like the Sportster or the like. So what should I get?

2012-07-19, 12:51 PM	#2
ChannelMaster Join Date: May 2011 Location: Longueuil Posts: 421	If I were on the market for a radio, I'd go for the Mirge for the ability to get the newer music and Talk channels available in the 300s on the SXM 2.0 platform. With the proper 2.0 radio (such as the Mirge but there might be others) you'll get the new channels with your current Sirius subscription. __________________ Going digital with a pair of CM4228a pointing due south fed into a Winegard SD-3700 antenna coupler @220 ft

2012-07-19, 02:43 PM	#4
hugh Member #1 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Toronto Posts: 47,492	The Edge for $129 can be used to sub to Sirius or XM. I just bought a Sportster 6 for $75 to replace a broken radio and am quite satisfied with it. __________________ As of January 2012, I am no longer the owner of the Digital Home website. If you have questions about the operation of the site, please contact VSAdmin. For personal inquiries contact me at the Hugh Thompson website.

2012-08-01, 05:10 PM	#9
ChannelMaster Join Date: May 2011 Location: Longueuil Posts: 421	To PhotoJim and others, there is a publicized timetable for complete transition to the SXM2.0 calling for total completion by mid-2015. I had posted the details of this in another thread but can't recall. Basically, SXM2.0 supports all legacy XM radios (locking on either "Rock" or "Roll") and ditching of all our precious and cheap Directed Electronics (aka Sirius radios). So investment in an XM receiver was wise. It will not get the new channel tiers but it will work past 2015 nonetheless on most everything we currently listen to. __________________ Going digital with a pair of CM4228a pointing due south fed into a Winegard SD-3700 antenna coupler @220 ft

2012-08-11, 10:09 AM	#10
stationg Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Downtown Vancouver Posts: 1,045	US sub, my starmate died. I think my Starmate died yesterday after many years. There is no power. I will see if its the actual power in my car. But I have feeling life is over for the Starmate. I have a US sub, which unit should I buy? I have a Bestbuy GC I can finally use. __________________ Gateway, Yamaha Receiver, 58" Panasonic 3D TV, Xbox360, PS3, Panasonic 3D Bluray Player, Definitive Speakers, SVS Sub

2012-07-19, 01:10 PM	#3
Shootmaster_44 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Lloydminster, AB Posts: 234	Has the 2.0 platform launched in Canada yet? I knew it was coming, but I assumed that Canada would be shut out from it.

2012-07-19, 04:50 PM	#5
McPatrick Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 328	the mirge is $399.99 on the sirius website and you would need a special plan for it at least thats how they delt with the mirge radios on the US side. since sirius radios are known to not last these days i would go for the starmate 8 for $199.99. plus we should be getting the best of/premire packages here soon anyway

2012-07-20, 06:34 PM	#6
PhotoJim Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Regina, SK, CA Posts: 618	For a long-term purchase an XM radio (or the MiRGE) will serve you best as the Sirius platform will disappear at some point. This might take years, though; no one knows for sure, except that we know it's happening. Getting a Sirius radio will mean you can get the lower second-radio subscription fee, so you may still want to go that way. In that case, an inexpensive good-enough radio is what you should probably use. I still use an ancient XM Roady XT in my car. It still works fine and since I need to use FM (no aux-in jack, very annoying), an older radio like this is better for my needs.

2012-07-24, 05:58 PM	#7
Shootmaster_44 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Lloydminster, AB Posts: 234	Right, I knew Sirius was disappearing eventually. But until the Best of Sirius is available in Canada (as I'm not messing around with the hassle of a US subscription), I won't ditch Sirius as I cannot get Howard Stern. 95% of my Sirius listening is Howard Stern, so the Mirge works only as an added bonus to add the odd Kings or Nationals game from XM when I'm either bored with Howard (like when he has an interview with some 60s rocker who can barely speak like Gregg Almann or has gone too far occassionally some of his stuff disgusts me). Is there any sort of package deal for the Mirge that anyone knows about? Instead of 2 $169 yearly subscriptions is there a deal that is like $200 for a dual yearly subscription? I doubt it since the company is merged in theory but still separate in practice. Does any retail outlet sell the Mirge or do I have to order it from Sirius? Only reason I ask is if I could go to Future Shop after work and pick one up and have it installed this week that would be much better.

2012-08-01, 10:52 AM	#8
Shootmaster_44 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Lloydminster, AB Posts: 234	So I picked up an XM Edge at Future Shop yesterday and confirmed that it would work on Sirius with the guy several times and he assured me yes. Got home and called Sirius to double check before having it installed in my vehicle and was told no, the XM Edge will not work with Sirius in Canada. Apparently, if bought in the US and subscribed through SiriusXM in the US it will work. But the models sold in Canada have a firmware patch that makes them XM only. Needless to say I am quite ticked at the guy at Future Shop who sold me it as he told me that all XM models will work on Sirius and vice-versa (which is why I was supicious and called Sirius myself when I got home). It looks I am back to ordering a MiRGE afterall. Does anyone know whether you MUST subscribe to both Sirius and XM with it or does it just mean that if I don't have a XM subscription, I can't listen to XM? With the subtle announcement of the best of XM being offered as of October 1, I really would not want a full subscription to XM. The only thing that would get me, that the Best of wouldn't is MLB games. But I have MLB.tv on my BluRay player and don't spend enough time in my vehicle to worry about baseball.

2012-08-13, 10:52 PM	#11
ChannelMaster Join Date: May 2011 Location: Longueuil Posts: 421	Ahhh! Dead Starmates bring tears to my eyes recalling the time I spent oprning that thing to solder the power connector (that is your problem by the way). That Starmate radio just couldn't stand a "wiggle"!!! __________________ Going digital with a pair of CM4228a pointing due south fed into a Winegard SD-3700 antenna coupler @220 ft

2012-08-19, 08:19 PM	#12
stationg Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Downtown Vancouver Posts: 1,045	Oh? It worked for ages I miss it as it didn't need a dock. __________________ Gateway, Yamaha Receiver, 58" Panasonic 3D TV, Xbox360, PS3, Panasonic 3D Bluray Player, Definitive Speakers, SVS Sub

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