I am curious about how it works.
My main question is FM/AM radio stations broadcast the usual way.
But XM is satellite so I am wondering do they just take the FM/AM stations from all over the world and rebroadcast them via XM satellite so the whole world can get the FM/AM stations out side there range/state.

I would think the best way to do this is have everything on internet (internet radio ) then take the internet feeds and rebroadcast them via satellite.

I am wondering if this is what they are actually doing and if so then using a laptop in your car with an aux port / internet radio (maybe an inverter to power it for every ) you would beable to have free XM for life ... (not taking into account the 3g prices )

Or does XM satellite stations every contain something/broadcast something that is not available on the internet radio?
I believe mostly all things are on the internet already. But from a marketing point of view it would serve them well to have something that is only on XM

 

No, they're not rebroadcasting FM/AM/internet stations. They produce their own channels.

The digital signal is sent to receivers in encrypted form. Each receiver has a serial number. When you subscribe, you provide your receiver's serial number to them. They then broadcast an activation signal which allows your receiver to decode the encrypted content.

 

No, they're not rebroadcasting FM/AM/internet stations. They produce their own channels.

Actually some stations are multicast. Feds are sent by high speed connection to XM and places like I Heart Radio where the content is rebroadcast but it happens almost instantaneously. Internet radio often lags the actual station.

But there are some XM only and internet radio only sites.

 

ok I see

Because XM could if they wanted to rebroadcast all the internet stations or at least of a channel used for people to select the internet station they want to here it would automatically rebroadcast it ....

Either way ok I see I think howard stern is on XM now.
Fairly cheap to subscribe to

Tip of the day
4 wheel drive is not going to provide you any extra stopping abilities on ice but for pulling yourself out of snow is another story.... follow physics and logic over beliefs

 

They would need a contract but XM does not broadcast from the internet radio, they would broadcast from a direct feed to XM from the station. HS sends a feed direct from his studio to XM were it is broadcast. Other shows such as Rush will send several feeds out. One to each of the affiliate stations and one to whatever satellite service Rush is contracted under (if he has one). It is all synchronized so commercial breaks all occur at the same time.