8 ways to listen to XM satellite radio without the satellite radio

XmradioonlineWhen I’m not listening to tunes on my iPhone or from my Zune Pass subscription service you can pretty much bet I’ve got some satellite radio going on. As I tuned in to the Audio Visions channel on XM this morning for some blogging background music, it hit me that there’s quite a few ways to get satellite radio without a physical satellite radio. Many of these are old hat to some of you, but for new-ish XM addicts you might want to check these options. Most, but not all of these appraoches do require an active satellite radio subscription account and of course most require an Internet connection. Here’s a quick list of the top of my head; please add any I’ve missed or methods for Sirius in the comments.

1. XM Radio Online. I use this one daily because all it requires is a web-browser capable of Flash 7 and Windows Media Player support. That means it should work on most Windows PCs as well as Macs. You do need to sign in with your XM account credentials and once you do, you’re good to go. You can set up to 8 favorite channel presets and there’s a setting for your bandwidth. Set for low bandwidth and you’ll get a decent stream, but set it to high for a higher bitrate and better sound.

2. DIRECTV Network. You don’t need a satellite radio plan but you will need a DIRECTV plan (America’s Top 200 or better) for this one. Tune in to channels in the 800-range and you’ll find about 73 XM music channels piped to your satellite receiver. There’s a wide variety of genres and channels available.

Aolradioxm3. AOL Radio. Again, no satellite radio plan required here. If you’re not an AOL Member, you’ll be limited to about 20 different channels. Got an AOL or AIM screen name? If so, you’ll get access to more commercial free satellite radio streams. Good for Windows or Mac users although there is software you’ll need to download and there’s a particular set of instructions for Windows Vista users.

4. XM Gadget for Konfabulator / Yahoo! Widgets: you’ll have to be a paying XM subscriber for this one, but it has a nice small interface for tuning into your favorite XM channels. I’m not big into the Widget scene, but this might appeal to some Windows users.

Xmradiowidget5. XM Widget for Mac OS X: like the XM Gadget above, this widget requires an XM account. I’ve used it on my Mac although I run my Widgets right on the desktop, not on the Dashboard. I’ve found this one a little fluky as it sometimes doesn’t stop one stream when I choose another channel. I’ve heard some interesting mash-ups between Enya and Paul McCartney that way, but it’s not my preferred listening method. I’m a one-song at a time kinda guy.

6. XstreamXM Mobile for Windows Mobile: if you have a Windows Mobile-based device and an XM subscription, just point Internet Explorer Mobile or Pocket IE to http://www.xstreamxm.com/mobile/. Once you enter your credentials, you’ll get a choice of streaming channels and the same low/high bandwidth option as XM Online users. Great for use in a WiFi hotspot or over the air if you have a Windows Mobile phone and unlimited data plan.

7. XM Radio for Linux: how could we forget the open source crowd? Although I haven’t tested the solution, users in this thread indicate they’re streaming XM to their Linux boxes with some plug-ins. Again, you’ll need an active XM subscription, but it sounds like you can stream your satellite tunes with the right configuration.

Xmradiovista8. XM in Windows Media Center / Vista: it’s free if you have an XM account plus you should be able to stream the content over WiFi to an Xbox 360 or other Windows Media Extender; a nice option if you have a remote device connected to a HDTV and surround sound system like I do. You’ll get the option for around 80 channels.

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