With Pandora, do we really need XM?

[uncbasketball]

My XM trial has just expired and I have since stream pandora whenever in I'm in my 4runner. I think the sound quality is better with pandora than XM. I only listen to 3-4 stations on XM and sports. A pretty big waste of money imho. So for sports radio, I now stream espn radio from my phone and it works perfect. With "unlimited" data from sprint, don't anticipate any problems. Cool thing is that the pandora version on my phone is ad free. Anybody else here with similar thoughts?

 

[DDM4]

My XM trial has just expired and I have since stream pandora whenever in I'm in my 4runner. I think the sound quality is better with pandora than XM. I only listen to 3-4 stations on XM and sports. A pretty big waste of money imho. So for sports radio, I now stream espn radio from my phone and it works perfect. With "unlimited" data from sprint, don't anticipate any problems. Cool thing is that the pandora version on my phone is ad free. Anybody else here with similar thoughts?

Lots of people have the same opinion. I'm one of them. You can negotiate the price of XM down to pennies but even then, it's not worth it, imo.

 

[oldsweng]

Believe it or not there are places without cell coverage. :Most of those areas do have a view of satellites so XM works. It all depends on your situation and/or location what is best for you. For me? Neither. XM is hit or miss and lousy quality, cell coverage spotty, so music on USB and iPhone is my option other than AM/FM.

 

[Dispense]

I let my XM subscription expire. They keep calling but I tell them unless they can do it for $20/year, I won't renew.

There are so many apps to tune in any radio station in the US. For me it wasn't worth it, I didn't like the stations of XM either. I use iHeartRadio and TuneIn Radio.

 

[TheRealFeeny]

XM is much more reliable in the mountains. Cellphone is spotty and when there is a single it is almost always is not 3g/4g.

 

[NYRunner]

Check out the "Tune-in" radio app. I use it on my iPhone to get any radio station, from any city, including dedicated stations like Grateful Dead Radio etc... and the app us free!

 

[GrantK]

For those that listen over the Web and like Classic Rock, check out KYEN (rocktherockies.com). It's nothing but music. No DJs, no commercials.:banana:

 

[simonj]

I'm going on my 2nd year of ownership and my "free" trial is still going strong....

My wife's Venza was purchased Aug of '09 and her XM still works too

 

[Alt Freak]

I listen to a couple of XM stations and I really like them. Lithium, Classic Vinyl, Backspin, XM U, etc.
Pandora is very mehh. Within 3 songs after making your own station, it's already on something I don't like. But XM sound quality has really gotten bad. I like it though. And the other thing I'll listen to is my ipod, or a cd.

 

[StRanger7032]

I don't have any need or desire to pay for a smartphone, so its XM for me. My biggest gripe is that the SR5 stereo display won't let you read the full song/artist title. I'l be going back to a portable XM unit once my free trial runs out.

 

[1engineer]

You must live where cell service is really good. Don't assume the rest of the country is the same. I live where XM occasionally cuts out because of mountains and cell has no prayer.

 

[westwind77]

I ran the trial of XM then the $20/5 mo promo....but did not renew after that. I run Pandora off my Droid.....but I hate how slow it is between songs if you try to skip or 'thumbdown' a song. On my 3g network (verizon) it can take up to 30 seconds to load/start a new song, that is just way too long. If you are a person who will listen to anything then Pandora is a great choice. I keep toying with going back to an XM subscription, I should have added it to my Christmas list this year, oh well. I keep a 4GB thumbdrive with my music in the usb port, that tends to be my main music. It has been months since the 4R has actually been tuned into an FM station! I have a feeling I will be switching to an iPhone in the next few months (wait and see what the next release it, no rush).

 

[bluebullet]

Check out the "Tune-in" radio app. I use it on my iPhone to get any radio station, from any city, including dedicated stations like Grateful Dead Radio etc... and the app us free!

I use the pro version ($.99) on my iPod Touch and record Radio Paradise for 8 hrs at a time at home via wifi. I have about 6 8 hr sessions stored on my iPod and can play them via BT or USB connect. Cell phone coverage is really limited where I live. I get cheap cellphone pay as you go coverage thru Kitty Wireless (Page Plus dealer) w/oj a data plan and just use the Touch recordings. Pick your station(s) and off you go. An added feature of the pro version is you can record one program in the future (daily, weekly, etc). I use my $50 Pixi Plus smartphone mainly as a phone though gmail, calendar, and contacts are synched.

I like to buy new 4Runners and cheap, outdated gadgets to play in them.

 

[uncbasketball]

Check out the "Tune-in" radio app. I use it on my iPhone to get any radio station, from any city, including dedicated stations like Grateful Dead Radio etc... and the app us free!

Trying out tunein pro right now. I really like it. Fortunately, I live in an area with good cell coverage. I really can't live without my smart phone. It is a necessity for me with my job at the hospital.

 

[tprice1985]

Xm

I love my XM for the O&A show....But when my year runs out I would say I will

let my XM go unless they cut a really good deal. I would use Pandora but I am on the 2GB limit on my cell.

 

[RandyDaytona]

Believe it or not there are places without cell coverage.

Yup. You're actually describing every place I have to go, almost every day. In fact, I have two cell phones: one personal and one company-owned, each with different providers, and I still manage to find places on a regular basis with no coverage. But every the time the phones area dead, satellite radio is still going strong.

The only exceptions are the interruptions you get in some very narrow streets with tall buildings, which I don't see very often, anyway. The same could be said of some extremely steep canyons, but most people will never see these, either.

I've had Sirius (the dash-mounted unit) since the summer of 2004 and still like it enough to pay for it - even though the price has gone up quite a bit since then. I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times it's been dead since then. It's zero. And this is driving all over the continental U.S.

I actually lived in southeast AK for two years. I didn't have Sirius when I lived there because the service wasn't available, however, I know a lot of fishing boats that had it installed in Seattle and could pick it up, anyway.

 

[WFO_Racer]

OP must be a city dweller only. For me the 72 bucks I paid for the year is no big deal when you are off the grid killing game and want some tunes.

I use Pandora and XM equally during my day to day. My Tundra Crew Max has a Sirius subscription we paid 300 bucks for back when I bought it in 07, one time fee lifetime subscription :surfer:

 

[TreeFarmer]

Scotty Ferral on Howard 101 is the man!
If you are not paying for best of Sirius and getting Howard 101 you are missing the boat

 

[Renegad44]

Love my XM in the 4Runner, and Sirius in my Corvette. Watercolors, ch66, and Bluesville, ch77, my favorites. It's a lil pricey, but I'll keep it. :cheers:

 

[Wkndr]

2012 Trail with Display Audio

I just bought this truck last Friday, so far so good. First Toyota for me.
I have been reading the owners manuals but I was wondering if any of you have experienced low volume levels/sound quality while streaming music from a smartphone via Bluetooth? I have not tried the USB connection yet but i thought perhaps there was a setting I need to change to remedy this?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.