Death knell for XM on the SB?

[tubesguy]

Just a note to say that I got an "urgent" email today from XM, indicating that if want to continue to receive XM online, I need to upgrade my XM subscription and pay an additional $2.99 per month. I'm assuming that this will effectively end the interest in and perhaps the ability to implement an XM plugin for the future. :-(

[jdc]

I think its very much up in the air.

I for one will be paying to continue xm online provided I can get it on my SB - still cheaper than a second xm receiver - and will be very happy with the higher bitrates. (I understand I may be in the minority, but doubt I'm alone).

Best case, they will integrate XM and Sirius online services and then we can then use the Sirius plug-in. This might make a lot of sense for everyone - it will be the same bitrates, same stations (basically)... would probably greatly simplify their (merged?) online departments.

If not, I'll consider trying to write a new plug-in myself, if no one else steps up. Not sure the best approach- fork from the Sirius plugin, or the old XM plugin, or it might also be cool to go the general dlna client approach, connected to uXM, which would have some other advantages. (Or maybe Vortexbox will do it!)

We'll see after the changeover - worst case and I have to start coding, I think it would be silly to start until after they've done whatever they're going to do to their feeds in mid-March.

[raglencross]

After having myself received the dreaded XM email, I requested in another thread if Logitech would comment on the possibility that XM would be folded into the offical Sirius plugin. As expected, I didn't get a reply, probably because it is their policy not to comment on future plans.

Not to be a "kill-joy", but will XM/Sirius be willing to provide the API details necessary to code a new plugin given that users will shortly be expected to play a fee for online access to their streams? The free 3rd party plugin for Sirius gives you the low bit streams as opposed to the paid for high ones through the official Logitech plugin. It is my reading of the XM email that free access ends in March and I would bet that is the case for Sirius.

[jdc]

Very good point, I guess we'll have to wait and see. I saw your earlier thread and was hoping someone (official) would reply.

As is, its mildly annoying that I'm stuck running 7.2.1 to get XM. However, if we're locked out completely in March that will be pretty sad.

jd

[speedle]

Do you think I can assume that the "No Stations" message I get has something to do with all of this? Or is it perhaps another plugin issue because I just upgraded to the latest squeezecenter?

[raglencross]

The plugin stopped working with SC7.3.x.

[jarome]

Well, I subscribed in response to that e-mail, and then saw that XM-Sirius is preparing to file for bankruptcy. I hope that my money has not gone down the proverbial tubes.

I hate Howard Stern, Martha Stewart, Oprah,... I only listen to the classical music channels and Radio Classics (old radio shows). If they can get rid of these contracts, it might be better for us all.

What does work now (on a Mac) is Pulsar from Rogue Amoeba software. It is still in beta, but it works. However, not remotely.