2.0 is on the internet. It is not from the satellites, or only minimally from the satellites, depending upon who you want to believe. The big plan is to use a new system, "HM" to squeeze more channels out of the same satellite spectrum. Still under testing. They have to give up some channels to create the new. More channels in the same space. They don't have unused space to do this in. New XM radios can decode this. There is talk of some old XM radios being able to be reprogrammed to receive the new satellite signals. Old Sirius radios will not be able to. Some XM spectrum will be used to transmit in the old fashion, at least for some years, for older XM radios, while some spectrum shifts to the new method. An old radio that was unaware of the new "compression" method certainly cannot "decompress" it, anymore than a 721 can read MPEG-4.
By year's end it should be obvious if they have shut down some repeaters. That will lend some credence to the story.
Smart money is on: Buy only a SXM radio that is certified to be compatible with 2.0. Many more will come onto the market. In fact, in light of car manufacturers moving from Sirius to XM, I'd say avoid any Sirius-only radio. Forget Howard.
It would cost me hundreds to replace my in dash Sirius radio, even if they came out with a 2.0 version. And my radio is linked to steering wheel controls and other functions. Not likely I'll see such a radio offered. So I hope you're right, and my radio will keep getting Sirius, even in a limited fashion, for a few more years past 2015. I don't plan to replace that car until 2019, when it's ten years old.
I'm done. Very little out there, most built on posts from a site owner who claims to have inside sources and documents. Gee, I have good experience with site owners posting inside info.
