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Sirius / DirecTV bundles already being considered

by Darren Murph posted Feb 27th 2009 at 12:22PM


We posed the question barely a week ago, and already we've got our answer. Or, not really, but pretty much. You see, Liberty Media (DirecTV's parent company) CEO Gregg Maffei told analysts on a recent conference call that "one could talk about or imagine bundles, probably the $80 [per month] DirecTV product offering free trials of the $11 [monthly] Sirius XM product more likely than the other way around." He continued by stating that he hoped Sirius and DirecTV could "proceed on some of those in ways that are obviously beneficial for both parties." Really, we feel that it's just a matter of time. DirecTV has been grappling for ways to outgun DISH for years, and it'd be tough to fathom the satcaster having Sirius as a cousin and not exploiting it. Whether or not bundled sat ratio will be enough to make prospective customers choose it over other pay-TV alternatives remains to be seen, but really, what does DirecTV (or Sirius, for that matter) have to lose?

[Thanks, Vanbrothers]

Will Liberty Media's rescue of Sirius XM lead to DirecTV partnerships?

by Darren Murph posted Feb 18th 2009 at 10:06AM


It's the question that's everyone's wondering, so we'll just put it out there. Will Liberty Media's saving of Sirius XM lead to any sort of Sirius-DirecTV tie-up? Earlier this week, Liberty Media (which owns DirecTV) decided to loan the nearly bankrupt Sirius XM $530 million in exchange for a 40 percent equity stake. Now, DirecTV is a direct cousin of yet another satellite-based company. We already knew that both DirecTV and DISH were considering the merits of mobile TV, but according to a new report from Reuters, this could be the deal that finally urges the former to pursue it. Liberty Chief Executive Greg Maffei stated that it "would be looking at the possibilities of co-marketing DirecTV and Sirius XM to each other's subscribers and joint content deals, as well as working on a mobile video initiative." Of course, those weren't the primary reasons the deal was done, but only time will tell if it was lingering on the back of Liberty's mind as the ink dried.

[Thanks, Vanbrothers]

Pioneer announces A/V receivers, DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD support

by Erik Hanson posted Jan 6th 2008 at 4:16PM

Pioneer logoPioneer is expanding its CES lineup with four new audio-video receivers, one of which supports the new high-definition audio codecs found in Blu-ray and HD DVD. The VSX-518-K, VSX-818V-K, VSX-918V-K, and VSX-1018TXH-K A/V receivers all feature Multi-Channel Acoustic Calibration with an included microphone for tweaking acoustics in the room, three 1080p-capable component inputs, and Auto Level Control for equalizing volume between sources. The VSX-518-K, 818V, and 918V all feature P.H.A.T (Pioneer Hybrid Amplifier Technology) power sources and support for WMA9 Pro over 5.1 channels, with the 518 dropping support for XM and Sirius satellite, iPod, and HDMI inputs. The big news is the VSX-1018TXH-K, with its support for 130 watts over 7.1 channels using a Direct Energy power supply, HDMI upscaling to 1080p, six digital inputs, and support for the lossy Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD High Resolution, and lossless Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio codecs. The VSX-518-K is priced at $199, the VSX-818V-K at $249, the VSX-918V-K at $349, all releasing in April, and the VSX-1018TXH-K will come to market in June for $599.

Onkyo intros the HT-SP908 and HT-SP904 do-it-all home theater systems

by Joshua Topolsky posted Oct 17th 2007 at 8:03AM


Have you ever been sitting at home at night, looking at your 19-inch CRT television and listening to your Victrola phonograph and thought, "Shazam! This setup stinks!"? Well, perhaps you're in dire need of an introduction to Onkyo's HT-SP908, a home theater in a box which does everything... and we mean everything. The progressive-scannin', multi-format-playin', 7.1 system offers 90-watts per channel, an iPod dock, XM and SIRIUS radio compatibility, 720p / 1080i / 1080p upscaling, 1080i and 1080p HDMI in / out, component in / out, optical and coaxial audio in / out, plus playback of DVD Video, Video CS, CD, CD-R/RW, DVD+/-R/RW, MP3, WMA, WMV, MPEG 4-AAC, DivX, and JPEG formats. If that's not enough, it also makes lunch, breaks up with annoying girlfriends, and organizes your t-shirts by color. The HT-SP908 is available now for $1099, a slimmed-down, 5.1 version called the HT-SP904 is also currently on shelves for $899.

Read -- HT-SP908
Read -- HT-SP904

Pioneer intros Elite X-Z9 audio system

by Steven Kim posted Sep 12th 2007 at 12:32AM

Pioneer X-Z9
Pioneer hasn't forgotten the audiophiles out there, and their new X-Z9 is for those who still listen to stereo music. The X-Z9 combines a SACD/CD deck and integrated digital amplifier (50W to each channel) in one chassis. All you have to do is connect the included speakers and you've got an audio listening station. In case you prefer music of the ripped variety, there are additional inputs available: Sirius/XM; interoperation with a PC via Home Media Gallery; iPod integration and USB drives. Supported digital formats include WMA, MPEG4-AAC, MP3 and FLAC. Available in October for $1799.

Polk intros multi-stream SR-H1000 Sirius receiver

by Donald Melanson posted Sep 7th 2007 at 12:59PM

Those looking to add a little Sirius content to their home theater system now have yet another option from Polk Audio in the form of its new SR-H1000 receiver, which will also let you spread those satellite signals to other rooms in your house. That latter feature is made possible with the separate SC-H1 Home Connect Tuner, which you can also hook up to any old TV to view song and channel information. According to Electronic House, the main unit will also store up to 44 minutes of content with its Instant Replay feature, and it boasts so-called Game Alert and Game Zone feature to ensure you don't miss a minute of your favorite games. While there doesn't appear to be any word on how much extra the Home Connect Tuner will cost, the main SR-H1000 unit will reportedly set you back about $350 when it's released sometime this month.

New Pioneer Elite A/V receivers hit the streets

by Steven Kim posted Aug 20th 2007 at 10:30AM

Pioneer Elite VSX-94TXH
We've checked out the deets on two of Pioneer's new A/V receivers in their Elite range, the VSX-92TXH and VSX-94TXH and now they are finally shipping. As you'd expect from the Elite moniker, these units are pretty packed with goodies. They're both THX approved, 7.1 channel receivers rated at 130 and 140 Watts per channel, respectively. These are fully HD-ready by any sensible definition of "HD". For your eyes, they can pass 1080p, 24Hz video along their four HDMI 1.3a ports. Upscaling of analog video is handled by a Faroudja DCDi chip for all your digitally-deficient components. For your ears, these receivers handle Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD Master Audio audio signals. If you can't get enough THX goodness in your theater, these units also have Neural-THX Surround, the latest in audio trickery to get your ears to suspend disbelief. There's the usual gaggle of inputs on these units, on top of which Pioneer has added iPod, XM and Sirius device support.

[Thanks, Mark]

Polk Audio delivers miDock Portfolio for your Stiletto

by Darren Murph posted Aug 17th 2007 at 3:46AM

Although Polk Audio has made its miDock Portfolio available for your iPod in the past, it's about time that Stiletto receiver of yours received the same treatment. The SLPTD1, which can be powered with two AA cells or an AC adapter, was crafted to play nice with the Sirius Stiletto 10, 100, and shiny new Stiletto 2, and as any portable speaker station should, this one folds flat for easy travel, comes bundled with a protective case, boasts a 3.5-millimeter auxiliary jack, and even arrives with a "windowsill antenna." Look for it to land this October for around $129.99.

[Via MobileWhack]

Sirius teams up with Sonos for wireless multi-room audio

by Erik Hanson posted Aug 15th 2007 at 10:28AM


Satellite radio provider Sirius really is busy today, announcing a bunch of products, and also a collaboration with Sonos to deliver wireless multi-room streaming Sirius content via broadband. By updating to version 2.3 software, the Sonos hardware can directly connect to Sirius Internet Radio and stream throughout any of the 32 supported zones. Current Sonos owners can also get a 30-day trial to Sirius to try out the system, and decide whether compressed audio sounds better in the bathroom than it does from their computer speakers.

Integra's DTR-5.8 receiver does HDMI 1.3a, XM / Sirius

by Darren Murph posted Jul 13th 2007 at 11:29AM


If you've been scouting a leading-edge AV receiver with just about every amenity out there (including HDMI 1.3a), Integra's latest offering is likely to fit the bill. The DTR-5.8 sports a standard black enclosure, twin HDMI 1.3a inputs (and one output), built-in decoding for DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby TrueHD, and Dolby Digital Plus lossless, and a Faroudja DCDi chip for de-interlacing 480i signals. Home automaters will adore the range of control options, including a bi-directional RS-232 port, RIHD (Remote Interactive over HDMI) system, three programmable 12-volt triggers, dual IR inputs, and three unique assignable IR code sets. This two-zone, 7.1-channel unit even boasts a 90-watt-per-channel amplifier and XM / Sirius compatibility, but you're looking at a stiff $800 if these luxuries just can't be done without. Click on for a shot of the rear.

Continue reading Integra's DTR-5.8 receiver does HDMI 1.3a, XM / Sirius

Onkyo's new receivers feature both XM and Sirius satellite radio

by Erik Hanson posted Apr 24th 2007 at 9:28PM


Onkyo has the loot for you if you want to hear Oprah and Howard back-to-back, with announcements of five receivers featuring both XM and Sirius satellite radio compatibility. The TX-SR575, TX-SR705, TX-SR805, and TX-SR875 models all support both formats for your radio jones, while the high-end TX-NR905 model also adds support for HD Radio digital broadcasts and an Ethernet jack for Internet radio and multimedia streaming. The receivers all have the usual collection of video ins and outs, and sport 1.3a HDMI connectors with Deep Color capability for switching between sources up to 1080p resolution. No pricing or dates were announced for the TX-SR575, but the TX-SR805 will ship in May for $1099, the TX-SR875 in June for $1699, the TX-SR705 in July for $899, and the TX-NR905 in August for $2099.

Read - Onkyo THX Certified Receivers
Read - Onkyo TX-SR575




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