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Originally Posted by tropple
I don't think there is any Siruis compatible hardware that lets you tune the radio from the computer (XMPCR/PCRDIRECT). That's what sold me with XM. I can't give up the disk space or cpu resources to play MP3s on disk and I can't use streams at work. XM has really changed my music listening habits. Though, if Sirius had done the same thing, it would have been a toos up for me. It's the delivery and controlling software that won me over.
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A couple of issues that haven't been mentioned in this thread yet... Sirius doesn't have or need PC hardware to play from the computer. The previous poster mentions that he "can't use streams at work." I think that he means that there is a browser incompatability or that his work doesn't want the bandwidth being used for "recreational" uses. This wasn't an issue for me, but I do love being able to listen to music streams from Sirius on my PC at work or at home. This wasn't the top issue for me when selecting Sirius or XM. Let me see if I can rank the priorities of why I choose what I did.
1. Sirius offers a lifetime subscription plan where you can pay a one-time fee and that is it. This was a top priority for me since I hate recurring charges and I can do math. At $12.95/month, we'll be better off after just 3 years. Not too bad of a period for return on investment. XM did not offer a lifetime subscription. Both services offered a discount on a longer term of service.
2. Sirius offers streaming of all of their music channels through your PC with no extra hardware and at no extra cost. You can also preview their channels for free for three days to help you decide if Sirius is right for you.
3. My wife took a look at the business models of both Sirius and XM. She has an MBA, so her opinion held sway in our decision. XM has a larger subscriber base, but Sirius had a better cash-flow position and better business alliances with NFL, MLB, and NPR. She felt that Sirius would do well for years to come.
So we bought in and got a reciever unit with a car dock, a home dock, and the boombox. It has worked out pretty well for us. I like it better than I thought I would. I was pretty skeptical on the cost vs. benefit issue, but I have been pleasantly surprised. It makes our commute easier to bear. We use the Sirius as commercial-free background music when we are doing chores at home or having a dinner party. Having just moved to central Kentucky, radio choices were severly limited. Sirius has been a real benefit.
For the record, when we started looking into it seriously, I was leaning toward XM because I thought that the hardware looked better. I think that you will be happy with either of the systems you choose. As other posts have mentioned, both systems have good sound, plenty of listening choices, and a number of commercial free channels.