XM Commander - Possibly $79.99 AR at Crutchfield

[bradolson]

Crutchfield has the new XM Commander for $159.99 with a $60 rebate. Use the MasterCard $20 off $100 promotion and get it for $79.99 plus shipping after the rebate. This unit has a built in FM modulator, and has direct outputs if your receiver has an available input. The tuner box can be hidden away to save space. It also comes with a remote.

The question is whether you have to also purchase a car stereo unit to get the rebate. There is a rebate on the XM Radio official site that requires you to buy a car stereo (at least $50) to get the rebate, but Crutchfield says nothing about that, just that you will get the rebate form with your shipment. This is probably a mistake on Crutchfield's site, but if you are going to be getting a new head unit, it is still a nice deal.

XM Commander

Brad

 

[Fritzo]

I write an electronics review column for a large national ISP, and after seeing the trends in satellite radio since it's inception I'm convinced that as soon as mid-next year the providers of satellite service will be doing the same thing that cell phone and digital TV providers are doing now: giving away their equipment for free to get you to subscribe to the service. I'd say by June of next year you should be able to get a free reciever for your $10-$20/month subscription.

 

[tm37]

I have the delphi system and I love it.

XM rocks.

 

[GreenGhost]

You can have free Sirius equipment now (Streamer), which includes either a home kit or a car kit (cassette or wireless FM). I'm waiting for similar offers from XM manufacturers.

 

[sat4fun]

Like I said before...XM Rocks. One million suscribers can't be wrong. XM hit that number quicker than any other consumer electronic item. Tivo just hit one million, and it has been in the market for at least three years longer. Forget about Sirius subscriber numbers. Check out the new Delphi portable for the Skyfi.

 

[Crapkilla]

Originally posted by: Fritzo
I write an electronics review column for a large national ISP, and after seeing the trends in satellite radio since it's inception I'm convinced that as soon as mid-next year the providers of satellite service will be doing the same thing that cell phone and digital TV providers are doing now: giving away their equipment for free to get you to subscribe to the service. I'd say by June of next year you should be able to get a free reciever for your $10-$20/month subscription.

True, but along with "free" comes a 1-2 year commitment and for the most part, the bottom-end phone or dish tuner.
Seriously, if $80 is out of your price range for one of the top-end, newest released reciever, perhaps the $120/year for service is too.

 

[sat4fun]

Originally posted by: Fritzo
I write an electronics review column for a large national ISP, and after seeing the trends in satellite radio since it's inception I'm convinced that as soon as mid-next year the providers of satellite service will be doing the same thing that cell phone and digital TV providers are doing now: giving away their equipment for free to get you to subscribe to the service. I'd say by June of next year you should be able to get a free reciever for your $10-$20/month subscription.

Common sense says that you are correct. Remember when a DirecTV setup cost $899? We have to wait until the majority of R&D costs are written off. However, I would not wait. The unit you buy today will be yesterdays news when the free stuff comes around. Enjoy your XM today.

 

[sat4fun]

Crutchfield seems pretty clear now regarding the need to add an HU to the order.

 

[OldOneEye]

I was at the SEMA show and asked about pricing on one of the Sirius pieces. Seems that they are subsidizing the equipment to the tune of $40 on a $80 dealer cost piece (so unsubsidized it would be $120). They are still not doing as well. I sell both on a major car audio website and my money is probably on XM surviving.

Juan

 

[Zorro]

Originally posted by: sat4fun
Crutchfield seems pretty clear now regarding the need to add an HU to the order.

Wish someone saved the webpage before thay changed the rebate offer.