[BC] HD Alliance

[R J Carpenter]

From: Rich Wood <richwood at pobox.com>
Subject: Re: [BC] HD Alliance

------ At 12:12 AM 1/15/2006, Alan Kline wrote: -------

  >This may be a dumb question, but why two subs for *each*?  Does 
each
>.>radio need its own subscription?  Seems like there should be a 
>cheaper
>>way to do that, as cable and sat TV do.

> Each receiver requires a separate activation. The second receiver is
> $6.95 a month.

XM is addressing that problem.  You may have missed the announcement 
of the "XM Passport" at CES.  It is a module 1.3 x 1.65 x 0.44 inches 
which plugs into a docking station. Both auto and home docking 
stations were announced. The docking stations contain the human 
interface. Price suggested was $29.95 for the module and for each 
docking station. Available in a couple of months.  I wonder what 
street prices will descend to.

One can imagine that further compatible docking arrangements will 
appear, perhaps a "hole" in the front of car radios like a cassette 
slot. I imagine the thinking is that this will provide a way for 
manufacturers to include an XM option with very little engineering 
effort.

This was promoted as a way that you only needed one "Passport" 
(subscription) and could _easily_ carry it with you to whatever 
docking station you wished.

I hope the contacts are durable and won't wear out quickly.

Of course the XM Roady tuners are small, but not this small and their 
second docking station price is much higher.

I think it is very unlikely that XM & Sirius will merge. It looks to 
me as though XM will have positive cash flow within about a year. 
Dual-system receivers will appear _someday_ when both outfits no 
longer see an advantage to locking-in listeners to their own system. 
Two subscriptions will be needed until the day that the two outfits 
might be able to apportion a single subscription between the two - 
highly unlikely in my lifetime.

bob c.