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The path to Netflix-enhanced glory hasn't been entirely trouble free for everyone, this time it's posters on AVForum noticing a distinct lack of audio on Xbox 360s connected to their HDTV by HDMI. So far suggested solutions for the afflicted include plugging in the hard drive while the system is on, or waiting several minutes before switching the monitor to HDMI, and repeating them every time the system is started. It's not the first time we've heard of UK-centric HDMI weirdness, any of you hearing a whole lot of nothing while gaming (that's not attributable to hard drive installs)?
Wireless iPod docks were all the rage back in 2006 (seriously, we remember nerds camping out for them), but the trend sort of petered out as 2007 emerged and focus turned to more important matters. Now, Marantz is looking to bring it all back in style with the IS301, a Lucullan wireless iPod dock that transmits both audio and video sans cabling and includes a port-filled receiver for tight-knit home theater integration. Practically every dock-connecting iPod (no iPhones allowed, at least not officially) will work fine here, and there's also Bluetooth 2.1 support for receiving and beaming tunes from BT-enabled devices. Expect the bundle to storm Japan in January for ¥26,250 ($277), after which we Americans will drop down on bended knee and plead for a US version.
You probably recall that two days ago, when the new Xbox Experience launched, sadly, about 300 Sony Pictures films were unavailable for Netflix Watch Instantly on NXE, thus quashing your hopes of streaming The Karate Kid series. At the time, it seemed possible that missing titles were due to the fact that Xbox 360 manufacturer Microsoft and Sony are direct competitors. Well, according to a Sony spokesperson, the problem isn't specific to the Xbox, nor is their beef competition-related in any way. Sony also says it is in talks with the several "relevant parties" to work out these vague licensing issues, though there was no word on when the issue would be resolved. We really do hope it's soon because we're dying to see how everything turns out with the Cobra Kai.
2009 isn't even here yet (at least on the right coast of Planet Earth), but Okoro's being exceptionally proactive by announcing that its '09 OMS-LX100 is already shipping. The system, which is a revamp of the original that popped out in 2006, is situated in the outfit's "low profile" range of HTPCs, and it brings to the table a 2.2GHz Core 2 Duo E2200 processor, 4GB of DDR2 RAM, a front-panel display, optional 7-inch touchscreen, dual-layer DVD writer, up to 2TB of HDD space, NVIDIA's GeForce 9300 with 512MB of RAM, an ATI Digital CableCARD tuner, 7.1-channel audio output and an OTA HDTV tuner. Power users can certainly push the $1,725 base configuration well north of two large should they choose, but good luck explaining that to the SO.
Chrismakwanzika has come early for anyone remotely interested in Vizio kit, and quite honestly, even for those that aren't. From the top, we've got the 55-inch VF550XVT1A, a 1080p HDTV with 120Hz Smooth Motion Video technology, a 50,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, five HDMI inputs, SRS TruSurround HD and a $1,999 MSRP. Next up is the firm's own soundbar and wireless subwoofer kit (VSB210WS), which has finally escaped rumor purgatory to pop official. The kit sports four 3-inch speakers alongside a single 1-inch tweeter for each channel, and the long throw 6.5-inch subbie makes sure the lows are well addressed, too. Just a single cable is needed to connect the VSB210WS to any flat-panel, and just $349.99 is needed to bring it home. On deck are a trio of smaller LCDs: the 19-inch VA19 ($249.99), 22-inch VA22 ($349.99) and 26-inch VA26 ($449.99), with the middle guy becoming Vizio's smallest 1080p HDTV ever. Closing things out is the 26-inch VMM26, a 25.5-inch "multimedia monitor" with a 1,920 x 1,200 resolution, HDMI / USB ports, touch-activated menus and a $429.99 sticker. All but the first two products mentioned are on sale now, while the first two will be available just before your '09 Super Bowl bash.
For home theater junkies who've been having a difficult time taking the Apple TV seriously, you should definitely have a look at what the latest software update brings to the dinner table. First off, we should warn you that any non-Apple TV software (like, you know, Boxee) will be banished should you choose to update, but if you're kosher on that front, we'll continue on. Apple's changelog notes that AirTunes streaming is now enabled, meaning that tunes can be streamed from the STB to AirPort Express speakers or other ATV units nearby. Additionally, the box can now learn other remotes, meaning that you can probably get your universal remote to handle this bugger, too. The last big addition is that Playlists in iTunes can now be seen on Apple TV, and there's also support for volume control in Music. Grab the download from within your box now if you dare, and feel free to chime in with any other noteworthy changes you happen upon.
The crew over at Engadget HD was part of a tour of the Microsoft eHome lab and was lucky enough to catch the un-announced DirecTV HDPC-20 in testing. Unfortunately Microsoft wasn't ready to announce any new products and even reminded everyone that things in the lab don't always make it to market. But despite this, we still have our hopes up that we'll one day soon be able to watch DirecTV HD on Windows Media Center.
It's just been a few short months since Neuros started shipping its OSD 2.0 set-top box, but it looks like the company is now already moving on to other devices that are equally boxy and open source-y. It's latest is the Neuros LINK, which promises to let you watch videos from Hulu, YouTube and other sites on your TV without a subscription courtesy of Neuros' own Neuros.TV service. Unlike the OSD, however, it doesn't look like the LINK has any internal storage of its own (at least beyond the bare necessity), but it does have a generous six USB ports to let you hook up some drives filled with music, photos or videos. Otherwise, you can expect both HDMI and optical S/PDIF outputs, as well as gigabit ethernet, 802.11b/g WiFi, and an included wireless "keymote" complete with a trackball. According to Neuros, while the device is available now for $300, it's still in a "gamma release," which means is primarily aimed at early adopters wiling to accept a few hiccups along the way.
Just hours before the Xbox 360's newest dashboard update hits tomorrow morning (10:00 a.m. GMT), our friends at Joystiq noticed the list of movies available for Netflix Watch Instantly streaming has suddenly dropped. The culprit? Sony Pictures Home Entertainment subsidiary Columbia Pictures, flicking previously available titles like Superbad, Bad Boys, and We Own the Night over to "Not available on Xbox" status (curiously, SPHE movies are still available to all.) Word from the official Netflix blog cites "the ebb and flow" of what is available on license at any given time causing a few hundred titles to be "temporarily" unavailable on the console, while still open for streaming for other devices, with an eye towards licensing them for the Xbox 360 soon. There's no way to know what movies won't work until adding them to your queue, so when you find your Karate Kid trilogy watching time suddenly wide open for more Gears of War 2 or Left 4 Dead action, just remember you have Sony to thank.
Given just how far VUDU has been getting into the custom install game, it's no shock at all to see it produce a set-top-box that's less STB and more integrator-friendly. The 1U rack-mountable XL2 sports a classic black motif and plays nice with systems from leading control and automation manufacturers such as Crestron, Logitech, Netstreams, Nevo and Philips. You'll be able to enjoy the spoils of integrated IP / IR control, a 1TB internal hard drive, optical / coaxial / RCA audio outputs and an HDMI port. Sadly, the XL2 can't be purchased online, meaning you'll have to coax a local installer to sell you one for $1,299.
Rather than just introducing these five items individually, Sony reckoned the world at large may pay more attention if they were unveiled in one fell swoop. To that end, we're left staring at a new pair of noise canceling headphones (MDR-NC7; $50), travel speakers (SRS-M50; $50), a universal remote (RM-VL610; $30), EX Series earbuds (MDR-EX36V; $30) and stereo Bluetooth headphones (DR-BT160AS; $160). While the first two are pretty self-explanatory, color lovers will appreciate the three swappable back plates for the remote, and the water-resistant BT 'phones pack a built-in microphone, rechargeable Li-ion cells and A2DP support. Everything should be available now if you look hard enough, and the full release with all the gory details is waiting just after the break.
Now here's an interesting combination. Sharp has decided to liberally splash its AQUOS labeling on an all new photo player, which pulls double duty as a photo printer and a photo, um, display-er. So far as we can tell, users can load up images via a variety of memory card slots, Bluetooth, Infrared and even the local network (HN-PP150 only), and from there, they can either print for showing to grandma or output the content through HDMI. For those who connect it to an AQUOS LCD TV, they can also utilize the music playback functionality that's baked in. The non-DLNA-compatible HN-PP100 (pictured) will go for ¥20,000 ($207) starting December 5th in Japan, while the network-friendly HN-PP150 tacks on another ¥5,000 ($52) and ships in January 2009.
Microsoft's new Xbox Experience dashboard doesn't officially launch until Wednesday the 19th. But if you signed up for the preview (and who didn't?) with a valid console ID then it's available now according to Major Nelson. What's more, Netflix has confirmed its Xbox 360 launch details: more than 12,000 movies and TV episodes and 300 streaming HD titles. Remember, streaming is free for Netflix members who are also Xbox Live Gold members. The HD video streams will be limited to SD audio, however -- multi-channel audio is in the works as are additional HD titles. Now get outta here kid, NXE awaits.
Man, you just can't win these days. So Apple offers up an energy-efficient, forward-thinking Mini DisplayPort on its latest MacBook / MacBook Pro, and now users that are still rocking displays sans HDCP-compliant HDMI / DVI ports are up fecal's creek without a paddle. Apparently select content in the iTunes Store is laced in HDCP, which isn't all that unexpected in and of itself; the problem comes in when you realize that the new unibody machines don't offer a VGA / VGA-to-component output, meaning that you have to connect it to an HDCP-compliant display if you want to see anything. We know, one word in particular keeps coming to mind to describe this fiasco: awesome.
We asked, and we're receiving. LaCie's LaCinema Rugged was initially announced across the pond late last month, yet we rough Americans were left wondering if it would ever see the light of day on US soil. Just in time for the holiday rush, LaCie has indeed announced US pricing and availability for the bulked up multimedia drive, and it's not like you even have to wait around to get your mitts on one. Try right now starting at $199.99, with sizes including 250GB, 320GB and 500GB.
It sure is tough for iPod docks to stand out from the pack these days, but it looks like Logic3 has found one fairly unique way to get its new i-Station Rotate unit noticed, with it packing a rotating mechanism that will let you adjust your iPod or iPhone to suit your screen format. Other than that, it looks to be a fairly standard speaker dock, with it boasting a whopping 10W of total output power, a video output for some larger screen viewing, a 3.5mm line-in jack to accommodate your non-Apple devices, a remote control, and accommodations for four AA batteries to let you take it on the road. You won't be able to get your hands on this one until January, however, when it'll set you back $130.
Clearly catering towards the wants, nay, needs of the average American couch potato is TiVo and Domino's Pizza, which have collaborated in order to bring on-sofa pizza ordering to broadband-connected TiVo subscribers. If you'll recall, this service was actually announced for Australia earlier this month, but users in the US of A get the first chance to indulge. 'Course, this is far from the first unorthodox method of ordering pizza, and the lack of a scheduled delivery option is certainly a weak point, but this widget does reveal that all sorts of differentiating applications could eventually find their way to a TiVo box near you. Feel free to give it a spin tonight, but don't blame us if that backlit remote gets dimmed from grease seeping into the crevices.
Earlier this year, we were fortunate (or unfortunate, depending on perspective) enough to get our rumps on one of the famed ButtKickers. For those unaware, these devices are meant for installation underneath a seat or sofa in order to provide chair-rumbling effects to help you "feel" the film. Now, the Guitammer Company is making them even easier to install by cutting the wires, bringing low frequency audio transducers just inches from your derriere without any cords necessary. The above pictured kit will go on sale next Friday (yes, that's Black Friday for you Americans) for under $300 on Amazon -- are you really ready to rumble?
It took 'em long enough, but Netgear has at long last decided to ship the two powerline adapters it announced way back at CES in January. The Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter Kit (XAVB101; pictured above), which is based on the HomePlug AV standard, and the UPA-based HDXB111 Powerline HD Plus Ethernet Adapter Kit (which is obviously capable of transmitting HD footage) can both be snapped up in time for the holidays. Each set is designed for plug 'n play action and for those who'd rather network their wares via installed cabling instead of running something new. Of course, performance is always the questionable aspect of these type devices, but those with faith (and a North American address) can finally lay down their $149.99 / $169.99 and get busy. The full release and a shot of the HDXB111 can be found after the break.
Just last week we heard that Warner Bros. was ending its home video / DVD business in South Korea due to rampant piracy, and now we've got a report from China suggesting that sophisticated pirates are duping buyers with faux Blu-ray Discs that are actually DVDs. As the story goes, movie pirates in select parts of Asia are ripping bona fide BDs and then burning them in AVCHD format (which uses 720 horizontal lines of resolution compared to Blu-ray's 1,080) on writable DVDs. Word on the street has it that these discs are being offered for around $7 each, and they even boast the BD hologram and the iconic blue hues on the packaging. Reportedly, none of the discs have made it outside of Asia just yet, but stay sharp should you ever get the urge to snag a discounted BD title while traveling abroad.
Simple in design, perfect in execution, we bring you Santiago Cantera's Escape Clock. No tiny snooze buttons to fumble with here dozy Joe, just one big key that shuts off the alarm when meeting the business end of a morning beef hammer. Set it on edge and you've switched from alarm clock mode to an in-room stereo. The worst part? It's just a concept... for now.
Okay, so maybe Memorex's Profile 1.1 MVBD-2510 was only $269 from the get-go, but busting through the unofficial $150 price barrier is a pretty big deal for Blu-ray. Granted, we're totally expecting a few more to join the fold come Black Friday, but who's not all about buying from the comfort of one's home versus braving frigid temperatures only to catch eight airborne diseases and shave 2.85 years from your life due to statistically significant levels of stress on a day off? Bottom line: $139.99 for a BD deck is pretty darn cheap (even for Woot's standards), and even if there's no BD-Live support baked in, it'll still handle the 1080p basics. Order now, debate later.
Remember that totally forgettable PoD that popped up and vanished back in June? You know -- that minuscule box (around the size of two cigarette packs) that plays back practically anything (torrents, web videos, etc.) on your TV without a PC in between? Yeah, that very unit has finally secured a legitimate release date and price, and we can safely say that we're riveted. For those needing a refresher, the wired / wireless unit scans your local network and detects any type of multimedia stored anywhere; from there, it streams content directly to your TV without any fuss -- much like the Neuros-powered WhereverTV, but with far fewer limitations. If you're intrigued, get set to pony up $99 on December 15th to quell your curiosity.
If you skipped Walmart's pre-Black Friday festivities pat yourself on the back, as -- despite its lawyers hard work C&Ding unauthorized early ad postings into oblivion -- CNNMoney reveals the "doorbuster" highlights probably not worth getting trampled for this year. Between 5-10 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving the already-discounted Magnavox Blu-ray player drops from $198 to $128 (a BDP-S300 might still be a better value), 50-inch Samsung plasma of unspecified resolution is only $798 (720p, bet on it), and Xbox 360 + Guitar Hero III & wireless guitar pack (all the real plastic guitar aficionados have moved on to Rock Band 2) drops in for $199. Slightly lower profile are a $398 HP desktop PC and $175 gas grill but c'mon, we all know it's the high definition (it'll be a lonely holiday without the suddenly too-good for us Vizio) that will have you shivering outside your local retailer with the soccer moms and other deal hunters.
Okay, so maybe Circuit City only formally closed 155 of its retail locations, but let's put it this way -- if we're up at 3:00AM and looking at which store to camp in front of, we're picking the one that, um, isn't bankrupt. All that aside, five pages of mildly delectable Black Friday deals have leaked for the company, giving you a full fortnight to think things over and handpick the bargains that you'll be hunting for. Of course, savvy online shoppers like yourself aren't apt to find anything here too fantastic, but we'd wager that even a $7.99 laptop sleeve is a far better value than a $12 Guns N' Roses CD.
This week's episode of Ask Engadget takes things back into the living room -- or the bedroom, or wherever you have a TV -- and looks at the selection of HTPCs below the $3,000 range. And c'mon, who's not into getting a bargain this day and age?
"My query is related to a what is commonly referred to as a Home Media PC. Recently I have gone through the wringer searching online for an HTPC which has the possibility of being upgraded when the time comes. I need it to do all the usual PC things (but on a 46-inch HDTV) and would also like to play RTS games, edit music / video and not go broke in the process. Looking online, most pre-fab vendors are charging upwards of $4,000 to $6,000 for potent media PCs -- what are my options for getting one between $2,000 and $3,000 (or less)?"
We know, the bulk of you are just moments away from blurting out "DIY!one1!," and while that's obviously a perfectly reasonable response, feel free to share of pre-built machines that just might fit the bill here. Later, you can beam in a question of your own to ask at engadget dawt com, but only if you feel led. No pressure.
You know, we typically have nothing but respect for the For Dummies line (with one title in particular being our fav), but this is just downright insulting. For those buying a new HDTV on Black Friday or soon after, 4D Global Partners and Cables To Go have linked up schemed to sucker you into buying this pathetic kit for hooking things up. Ironically enough, this supposedly simple package gets confusing right from the get-go by coming in two versions -- as if HDTV newbies will really understand which one to go for. Beyond that, the only difference between the HDTV Cable Kit For Dummies and the HDTV Premium Cable Kit For Dummies is the number of HDMI cables (two and three, respectively). Each box comes bundled with a few basic HDMI connectors, "additional cables required to connect non-HDMI components," reusable cable ties and a booklet that provides vague installation details for a TV you don't actually own. Worst of all, the For Dummies crew somehow got the idea that pricing these at $99.99 and $149.99 (in order of mention) was a bright idea, which makes us awfully suspicious that Noel Lee has his sketchy hands in this somewhere.
Call it coincidence or call it fate, but it seems something is afoot in the land of the Roku Netflix Player. Out of seemingly nowhere, a fair amount of users are finding that their once beautiful downloads have turned to pixelated iterations of their old selves, and to no fault of their internet connection. As the story goes, some users have found that their box is forcing streaming at "one-dot," or the lowest quality selection available, rather than the four-dot connection they were using just last week. As you'd expect, the quality of the one-dot stream is rather dreadful, and for those who've tried forcing a higher quality setting, they're stuck waiting eons for buffering and such. Have you too encountered this issue? Or are the internet elves looking out for you?
Back at CEDIA, you witnessed the best Universal Remote Control had to offer for the high-end and custom-install market, but the outfit's latest caters to the commercial crowd. Hailed as its new flagship unit for the consumer retail channel, the URC Digital R50 features a backlit, customizable color screen, PC-free setup, an IR blaster, support for up to 18 home theater components, an ARM7 microprocessor and backlit buttons for good measure. The unit gets powered by four AA cells and weighs just nine ounces with the batteries installed, and for those who are already drooling, you can snap it up now through major retailers for $149.
Okay, so maybe Atlona Technologies' latest whiz-bang adapter isn't that awesome, but then again, it's pretty awesome. The AT-HDPiX USB-to-HDMI adapter does precisely what it says by enabling any PC / digital signage display to accept an HDMI cable so long as a USB 2.0 socket is currently unoccupied. The device supports resolutions up to 1,600 x 1,200 (or 720p), and because it takes audio from a 3.5-millimeter stereo jack rather than through the USB port, the full bandwidth of the USB connection is reserved for high-def video. Expect this miracle worker to start shipping next month for $179.
Bang & Olufsen knows as well as anybody that you can't (usually) compete only on design and quality these days, people want functionality, and the much rumored, newly official BeoSound 5 is just such a monster. The unit is controlled by the BeoSound 5 controller, a rather large "remote" with a 10.4-inch XGA LCD and an aluminum scroll wheel. On the back end there's a 500GB BeoControl 5 music server running Windows XP Embedded with internet connectivity and patent pending intelligent playlist creation. Naturally there are outputs and inputs galore, and it's not just for audio: the box pumps out DVI-I and HDMI, and can play back plenty of video formats. Oh, but then there's the price. B&O isn't budging on this front, with a £3,500 tag (about $5,262 US) for when this hits in March 2009. We'll take two.
It's been a long, long time coming but the once separate XM and Sirius universes are now finally, officially intermingling, resulting in some new channels, some renamed channels, some moved channels, and no doubt quite a bit of confusion for satellite radio listeners. The short of it is that XM users can expect to find 22 new channels, while Sirius listeners get 11 (mostly music channels), with a whole slew of other channels either moved, renamed, or both. Dig into the links below for the complete details, and expect to wait two to five minutes to receive the update if you haven't already turned on your radio today.
Read - XM Satellite Radio New Channel Lineup Read - Sirius Satellite Radio New Channel Lineup
Technological progress marches forward, assimilating all those who resist -- we know this well in our line of work, but sometimes you've got to stand up and say, "The line must be drawn here! This far, no further!" Take the digital TV transition in the United States for example: all the analog TV signals will be shut off in February. It won't be pretty, but it'll be progress. Hawaii, though, has a dilemma: it just so happens that the analog towers that'll be torn down are awfully close to the nests of the state's adorable and endangered petrel birds, whose nesting season also occurs in February. Hence Hawaii's digital switch will occur a month early on January 15th, so you 17,000 affected Hawaiians have that much less time to grab converter boxes, or you'll end up watching the next season of Lost in person on your beautiful beaches instead of your ancient tube televisions.
2009 isn't even here yet (at least on the right coast of Planet Earth), but Okoro's being exceptionally proactive by announcing that its '09 OMS-LX100 is already shipping. The system, which is a revamp of the original that popped out in 2006, is situated in the outfit's "low profile" range of HTPCs, and it brings to the table a 2.2GHz Core 2 Duo E2200 processor, 4GB of DDR2 RAM, a front-panel display, optional 7-inch touchscreen, dual-layer DVD writer, up to 2TB of HDD space, NVIDIA's GeForce 9300 with 512MB of RAM, an ATI Digital CableCARD tuner, 7.1-channel audio output and an OTA HDTV tuner. Power users can certainly push the $1,725 base configuration well north of two large should they choose, but good luck explaining that to the SO.
Chrismakwanzika has come early for anyone remotely interested in Vizio kit, and quite honestly, even for those that aren't. From the top, we've got the 55-inch VF550XVT1A, a 1080p HDTV with 120Hz Smooth Motion Video technology, a 50,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, five HDMI inputs, SRS TruSurround HD and a $1,999 MSRP. Next up is the firm's own soundbar and wireless subwoofer kit (VSB210WS), which has finally escaped rumor purgatory to pop official. The kit sports four 3-inch speakers alongside a single 1-inch tweeter for each channel, and the long throw 6.5-inch subbie makes sure the lows are well addressed, too. Just a single cable is needed to connect the VSB210WS to any flat-panel, and just $349.99 is needed to bring it home. On deck are a trio of smaller LCDs: the 19-inch VA19 ($249.99), 22-inch VA22 ($349.99) and 26-inch VA26 ($449.99), with the middle guy becoming Vizio's smallest 1080p HDTV ever. Closing things out is the 26-inch VMM26, a 25.5-inch "multimedia monitor" with a 1,920 x 1,200 resolution, HDMI / USB ports, touch-activated menus and a $429.99 sticker. All but the first two products mentioned are on sale now, while the first two will be available just before your '09 Super Bowl bash.
If you skipped Walmart's pre-Black Friday festivities pat yourself on the back, as -- despite its lawyers hard work C&Ding unauthorized early ad postings into oblivion -- CNNMoney reveals the "doorbuster" highlights probably not worth getting trampled for this year. Between 5-10 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving the already-discounted Magnavox Blu-ray player drops from $198 to $128 (a BDP-S300 might still be a better value), 50-inch Samsung plasma of unspecified resolution is only $798 (720p, bet on it), and Xbox 360 + Guitar Hero III & wireless guitar pack (all the real plastic guitar aficionados have moved on to Rock Band 2) drops in for $199. Slightly lower profile are a $398 HP desktop PC and $175 gas grill but c'mon, we all know it's the high definition (it'll be a lonely holiday without the suddenly too-good for us Vizio) that will have you shivering outside your local retailer with the soccer moms and other deal hunters.
This week's episode of Ask Engadget takes things back into the living room -- or the bedroom, or wherever you have a TV -- and looks at the selection of HTPCs below the $3,000 range. And c'mon, who's not into getting a bargain this day and age? 
You know, we typically have nothing but respect for the For Dummies line (with one title in particular being our fav), but this is just downright insulting. For those buying a new HDTV on Black Friday or soon after, 4D Global Partners and Cables To Go have 
Okay, so maybe Atlona Technologies' latest whiz-bang adapter isn't that awesome, but then again, it's pretty awesome. The AT-HDPiX USB-to-HDMI adapter does precisely what it says by enabling any PC / digital signage display to accept an HDMI cable so long as a USB 2.0 socket is currently unoccupied. The device supports resolutions up to 1,600 x 1,200 (or 720p), and because it takes audio from a 3.5-millimeter stereo jack rather than through the USB port, the full bandwidth of the USB connection is reserved for high-def video. Expect this miracle worker to start shipping next month for $179.
It's been a long, long time coming but the once separate XM and Sirius universes are now finally, officially intermingling, resulting in some new channels, some renamed channels, some moved channels, and no doubt quite a bit of confusion for satellite radio listeners. The short of it is that XM users can expect to find 22 new channels, while Sirius listeners get 11 (mostly music channels), with a whole slew of other channels either moved, renamed, or both. Dig into the links below for the complete details, and expect to wait two to five minutes to receive the update if you haven't already turned on your radio today.
