SiriusXM - Signup tips, tricks for saving $$$, how to, etc...

[Usagi]

ItsOver, you were asking for someone who had been using the app "awhile," which I haven't.  However, I've been using it fairly often for about week.  It's never cut out on me, but I've only used it on wifi.

The app has some wonky bits to it, but it's all more or less petty annoyances that hopefully they'll get around to addressing at some point.  I find the computer online player to be more annoying in some respects. 

Perhaps the most concerning issue for us Art listeners is that the app times out if you are "inactive" for an hour, which obviously is not fun for those of us driving, working, cleaning, half-sleeping, doin' it, etc. etc. while listening to Art.  There's the potential for missing some of the program while you fumble with your phone should you forget to do something on it once an hour.  For a service that I'm paying for, it shouldn't time out... but, whatever...

[jazmunda]

ItsOver, you were asking for someone who had been using the app "awhile," which I haven't.  However, I've been using it fairly often for about week.  It's never cut out on me, but I've only used it on wifi.

The app has some wonky bits to it, but it's all more or less petty annoyances that hopefully they'll get around to addressing at some point.  I find the computer online player to be more annoying in some respects. 

Perhaps the most concerning issue for us Art listeners is that the app times out if you are "inactive" for an hour, which obviously is not fun for those of us driving, working, cleaning, half-sleeping, doin' it, etc. etc. while listening to Art.  There's the potential for missing some of the program while you fumble with your phone should you forget to do something on it once an hour.  For a service that I'm paying for, it shouldn't time out... but, whatever...

I concur.

I have been using the app (both in WIFI and cellular [LTE and 3G]) and the online web player on my computer and it has never dropped out.

Both work seamlessly and the fact that you can pause rewind and go back up to five hours is going to rock come live Art Bell. If you come into the show late just rewind back to the start. Fast forward through the Ads and you'll be back to listening live. Need to go to the toilet? No problem just pause it or take the app with you and enjoy doing both.

The one downside is as Usagi mentioned being that the app times out after either an hour or 90 mins of inactivity meaning that if you leave it playing and do not use the app or your phone then the connection will automatically cut out. I have not had this happen as I have not listened for that long straight but once Art starts up I am sure that I will. You don't want to be on a long drive and it gets to 90 mins and you have pull over to restart the app.

I will most likely listen to the Art Bell show through WIFI but I am monitoring my usage of the app and it's cellular data usage over the next week to see how much it chews through. I have a large cellular data plan so I should be right but I will report back soon.

Also in the car I have been connected to my car speakers over bluetooth or connected via USB if I am charging the phone and it sounds fantastic. I can't wait to hear Art's voice.

[DesertFox]

ItsOver, you were asking for someone who had been using the app "awhile," which I haven't.  However, I've been using it fairly often for about week.  It's never cut out on me, but I've only used it on wifi.

The app has some wonky bits to it, but it's all more or less petty annoyances that hopefully they'll get around to addressing at some point.  I find the computer online player to be more annoying in some respects. 

Perhaps the most concerning issue for us Art listeners is that the app times out if you are "inactive" for an hour, which obviously is not fun for those of us driving, working, cleaning, half-sleeping, doin' it, etc. etc. while listening to Art.  There's the potential for missing some of the program while you fumble with your phone should you forget to do something on it once an hour.  For a service that I'm paying for, it shouldn't time out... but, whatever...

So you are talking about the app on mobile devices that time out?  But the player directly on your computer--does that time out too?  If you are listening to the SiriusXm internet radio on your home computer--without the app--does that have the time out problem too?

[DesertFox]

My friend wants to listen to Art on the internet but has the dinosaur AOL dial-up--he wants to know if he needs to upgrade to broadband to be able to hear Art on internet radio?  Anyone know for sure?

[Morgus]

So you are talking about the app on mobile devices that time out?  But the player directly on your computer--does that time out too?  If you are listening to the SiriusXm internet radio on your home computer--without the app--does that have the time out problem too?

reportedly yes, the sirius internet app (on PC or devices) times out after about 90min without key activity.
its to be sure someone is there physically listening, not just recording.
so for Art's 3 hour long broadcast you would have to touch some keys at least once in the middle of the show.

[Morgus]

My friend wants to listen to Art on the internet but has the dinosaur AOL dial-up--he wants to know if he needs to upgrade to broadband to be able to hear Art on internet radio?  Anyone know for sure?

i would expect so, bitrates for modern audio streams are too high for dial up and sirius/xm uses a fairly high quality stream.

[Usagi]

dinosaur AOL dial-up

Wow.

And, yes, it times out on the mobile app as well as on the computer player.  Is it 90 minutes and not an hour?  I wasn't timing the time out, I guess.    Anyway... still applies.

[jazmunda]

I just did a test with the web player. I used Audio Hijack Pro to rip an On Demand episode of Howard Stern into an mp3 and left it to run and it recorded all 4 hours and 54 minutes of it.

I'm not sure if it didn't time out because Audio Hijack Pro was doing its thing or because it was playing an On Demand file and not the Stream so I will do a test leaving the Stream running for a few hours and report back.

[ItsOver]

I concur.

I have been using the app (both in WIFI and cellular [LTE and 3G]) and the online web player on my computer and it has never dropped out....

I will most likely listen to the Art Bell show through WIFI but I am monitoring my usage of the app and it's cellular data usage over the next week to see how much it chews through. I have a large cellular data plan so I should be right but I will report back soon.

Also in the car I have been connected to my car speakers over bluetooth or connected via USB if I am charging the phone and it sounds fantastic. I can't wait to hear Art's voice.

Thanks all for the feedback on the Sirius app.  Glad to hear it seems to work OK most of the time.  Like you, Jaz, I have a large cellular data plan, too, so I'm not worried about chewing it up with Art's broadcast.  I use IHeart radio quite a bit and it's app works quite well on my phone.  I like how I can just plug it into my stereo receiver at home and then when I hit the road, I just tie it into my car stereo.  Looking forward to doing the same thing when Art starts on Sirius.  The time out sounds like a hassle but not something I can't live with.