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"Free" XM til Sep. 8

Discussion in 'Prius c Audio and Electronics' started by Chris92057, Sep 1, 2015.

  1. Chris92057

    Chris92057 Junior Member

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    XM is available for "free" until Sept. 8. Not all channels included; a great kick-tires thing. For me, XM is OK; but I find Pandora (and now Slacker) a better value.

    Cheers!
     
  2. striker308

    striker308 Three time Prius owner

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    I know its free but I still dont turn it on, even at free its of limited value. Pandora and Slacker are the way to go for sure,

    and they dont call you four times a day or fill your mailbox full of offers either
     
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  3. Chris92057

    Chris92057 Junior Member

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    Valid points!
     
  4. DKTVAV

    DKTVAV Active Member

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    I don't know why you said that. They're doing the free listening few times a year like Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas for about two weeks: all I need to do is turn it on when it's available for free. Never received any calls because no credit card, no phone provided or any kind of personal information.
     
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  5. el Crucero

    el Crucero Senior Member

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    Thanks DKTVAV, you are correct, no personal information required, just turn it on and dial in! NICE! (y)
     
  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Whenever those free times are on, part of me can't wait 'till they're over. Maybe 'cause we're further North, but reception drops out due to high rises and trees, to the point of being... pointless. Plus, I would never give them my credit card again, they play dirty.
     
    #6 Mendel Leisk, Sep 1, 2015
    Last edited: Sep 14, 2015
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  7. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Yeah, it might be the Prius' antenna (which is hidden beneath the radio whip/bee sting antenna) but mine cuts out for no apparent reason outside of downtown. Performance doesn't drop downtown as it still has the occasional drop in signal. Also, any bridge will cut reception. Try driving the road with multiple bridges (it exists.. there's a highway that's built into the ground like a canal and all surface streets cross at street level so they bridge across the highway. Fun)
     
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  8. el Crucero

    el Crucero Senior Member

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    No, it is because Sirius/XM is a satellite based system and the satellite is not focused/optimized on those areas north and south of our international borders. It appears that Sirius/XM does not like our neighbors and amigos north and south of us, eh? (I wonder if Sirius/XM is owned by a consortium of Donald Trump and Scott Walker? ;););)) Yes, the reception will cut out under bridges and tall buildings because it is line of sight satellite. There is a delay (somewhere around 10 seconds I think) to get you through most undercrossings and tall buildings, but yes long passages out of line of sight will get you lost reception. I also find the Traffic Alerts to be worth their weight in gold here in SoCal.

    If I were commuting in SoCal traffic for one hour or more each way per day, as many do, I could certainly justify the cost of the Sirius/XM service. But I am retired so I cannot justify the cost on an ongoing basis. Now FREE is fine for me every once in a while, along with my IPOD plugged into the JBL speaker system.
     
  9. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Yeah, it's basically centred over the United States. (Weather satellites are focused somewhere over NorCal and Indiana, west and east respectively, IIRC).

    Actually there is no delay here, I just lose reception for 1 second so the song is interrupted.

    I asked about it when I renewed my NavTraffic subscription and they didn't have NavTraffic in Canada after they merged databases and they mistakenly renewed me for the channels. I just let the "no activation fee" period expire because they couldn't offer me what I wanted. Every time they called, they wanted me to subscribe to the channels and not traffic.
     
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  10. SwhitePC

    SwhitePC Active Member

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    still don't like that a paid service is riddled with adds within their channels...like cable, which of course I've cut the cord to long ago
     
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  11. Chris92057

    Chris92057 Junior Member

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    I don't blame ya SwhitePC. I cut the big cord about three years back and use an ole fashioned TV antenna for the most part. As for the radio, it's a nice kick of the tires; the music I have heard is OK. But the Jimmy Buffett channel will play different versions of "Fins" at least once every two hours.
     
  12. el Crucero

    el Crucero Senior Member

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    I had the opportunity to make a couple of 2 hour commutes over the last two days. Used the free trial of XM/Sirius (classical, 60's, Buffet, Jazz). My opinion is "MEH!" So I tuned into local FM (classical, smooth jazz, international, NPR), OMG!, wall to wall commercials! So my conclusion is to rely on my iPod plugged into the JBL speakers. Works for me!
     
  13. striker308

    striker308 Three time Prius owner

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    all the personal information was provided to them by the dealer when you bought your car and it was turned on for the fiorst time.

    every time you use it during these free events they know it and then send you all sorts of offers "We miss you" and call your phone that was provided by the dealer........ every time I use the "free" I get calls for three months.

    dont think for a sec they dont know you have your radio turned on.
     
  14. Chris92057

    Chris92057 Junior Member

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    there is no way for the service to know you have the XM on; there is no communication back to XM or Sirrus on this. I called up the company and told them I did not want to be bothered by phone calls and junk mail from them. It has worked for over a year. Getting rid of them is like getting rid of Linked in request. Bastards; like a virus but eventual the requests stop.
     
  15. striker308

    striker308 Three time Prius owner

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    I've called the police on them five times in four years after reporting them to the do not call registry and the FCC, they still call.

    I have them on blocked call list now on my cell and it still shows they try every time I turn to a Sat station.

    They can tell every reciever that is tuned in, as soon as you turn it on it sends a pin to establish connection the same way your cell phone does.
     
  16. Chris92057

    Chris92057 Junior Member

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    I kindly disagree. There is no way the antenna on the Prius can broadcast a signal. It is too short in wavelength for a satnet reception. I generally do not tether my iPhone. I used the "service" when it was 'free'; and received no phone calls nor mail.
     
  17. striker308

    striker308 Three time Prius owner

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    your

    You’re lucky on not getting calls.
    As far as the antenna goes, not sure how much you have dealt with them on technical end but the one and only time I had to, the "tech" I was speaking with not only told me my radio number but also told me the station it was on, "pinged it" and then confirmed I changed stations twice.
    That would indicate he could see live time what my radio was tuned to, aside from his looking over my shoulder I don’t know of any other way to know this. working with network deceives all day in a healthcare setting both on a wired intranet and wireless intranet I can tell you that I know of no way to ping a device with only one way communication.
    If the XM receiver had only one way communication like a standard FM receiver there would be no way for them to turn your receiver off when your subscription was up.
     
  18. el Crucero

    el Crucero Senior Member

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    Same here! :cool:
     
  19. striker308

    striker308 Three time Prius owner

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    Your Lucky.

    Between XM and Dish it feels like they make up more than half of my snail mail and almost all of my "telemarketing calls". Always the same woman who cant speak English too.

    I told my sales guy if he ever gave out my cell number again I'd stuff him in a trunk.

    It's about 30 days or so I guess till the wife's gives up on the new four runner guess we will see then if it starts again.
    wont matter Ive had enough of a bad time with them to never turn it on even if free.
     
  20. Faster345

    Faster345 New Member

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    I've seen the sat channel referred to as XM here and in the owner's manual, but it's been Sirius/XM for many years. Is there a reason Toyota keeps calling it XM? Just curious.