Just when I think NASCAR is going the way of overhype, they come up with something like this plan with DirecTV. For $99.00 for the season, you can purchase a package which enables you to see the race from a driver’s perspective. Apparently, special channels will be allocated so you can watch the entire race from inside the cockpit of the car. From the article:

Viewers will have access to in-car audio communication, real-time statistics and cameras covering every angle from inside the race car to the pit box and all around the track.

There are no guarantees as to which drivers will be included in each race lineup, but it sounds good to me.

And Sirius Satellite Radio is taking over NASCAR coverage from XM in 2007 as well. And, they will be experimenting with new methods of coverage:

DirecTV isn’t the only medium offering new access next season. Sirius Satellite Radio plans to offer 10 driver channels that will combine the overall race broadcast with driver-to-pit crew chatter in 2007.

Now, we’re all about the children here at this old blog, so be advised, that live race chatter can get pretty, well, salty. I’m wondering how long it will take some bunch of do-gooders to begin a campaign against such broadcasts. So I’ll say it here, loudly: I’m paying for this coverage, so don’t mess with it. If you don’t like it, don’t tune in.

There.

-k-

Technorati Tags: directv, NASCAR, sirius

I don’t like reality shows. I hate the ads for reality shows. I hate preview scenes for reality shows. And not caring who got voted off the island/fired/hung by his thumbs/boiled in oil, I especially resent these pieces of drivel being elevated to news items on radio and teevee.

On the other hand, I guess I should be thankful that there’s not some breaking crisis that would force reality show coverage from the news lineup.
-k-

I just picked up the parcel referenced in the previous post. It turns out to be for SWMBO, whose significantly-numbered birthday is imminent. The package came from her sister, and I doubt her sister would buy her a Siderunners CD.

I need more patience … right now!

-k-

Technorati Tags: failedexperimentrecords, siderunners

How long do you suppose it will be before the RIAA demands payment from NASA for the wake-up call songs that are transmitted up to the shuttle? After all, these radio signals are being beamed into the endlessness of space, where they have the potential of being heard by countless interplanetary travelers. Think of it as reverse XM Radio. I won’t even discuss the possibility of the astronauts’ time-shifting these broadcasts.

-k-

Technorati Tags: NASA, RIAA

More good news from the weekly communique:

NEWSFLASH: Willie Nelson is the now the new proprietor of Hank’s Place. Hank’s Place will re-open as Willie’s Place, bringing along the same, good ole’ traditional country along with a few new exclusive programs. Doors open, July 10.

That’s on XM-13 if memory serves. Hot Damn!

-k-

Technorati Tags: willienelson, xmradio

If it’s July 4^th, it’s Picnic Time, with Willie Nelson, Ray Wylie, Billy Joe, and a magnificent cast of characters. A more detailed lineup in here. From the weekly mail-o-gram:

Willie Nelson’s 4th of July Picnic
X Country® – XM 12
Tuesday, July 4 from Noon to Midnight ET

The 33rd Annual Willie Nelson’s 4th of July Picnic returns to the Fort Worth Stockyards, July 4, 2006. XM on air hosts Jessie Scott and Eddie Kilroy in Ft. Worth, and co-anchors Ray Knight, Texas Fred, and JW in DC will take you live to the concert at the historic Fort Worth Stockyards. Artists that are scheduled to appear include Willie & Family, Kris Kristofferson, David Allan Coe, Ray Price, Billy Joe Shaver, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Leon Russell, Randy Rogers Band, Harmonic Tribe, Shooter Jennings and so many more.

SWMBO and I are visiting friends in WV on that day; I wonder if they would mind if I brought the XM Boombox along? I’d hate to miss tunage like that.

If you must, and if you think this is country, by all means listen and compare with the Picnic:

4th of July Fan Fair Flashback
Highway 16® – XM 16 – Monday, July 3 – 1AM ET – 9PM ET
We roll out an encore presentation of the exclusive performances from CMA Music Festival including Jo Dee Messina, Lee Ann Womack, Dierks Bentley, and many more.

You will see the light, I promise.

-k-

Technorati Tags: willienelson, willienelsonpicnic, xmradio

SWMBO and I took a test run at aiming the model SIR6 outside Sirius Radio Antenna this evening. We got a perfect signal, at exactly the place on the fence where she wanted the antenna placed. And yes, where she thought it should be placed is crucial.

So, between tomorrow’s forecasted thunderstorms, we should get this thing mounted and cabled up the way it should be.

-k-

Technorati Tags: sirius

Crutchfield has won the Sirius Satellite Smackdown, and we’re now the proud owners of a JVC Sirius Satellite Boombox. And our education was just beginning.

Our XM radio boombox and antenna perform well with the antenna facing generally south and east. We have a vaulted ceiling, with the associated high windows, in our TV room, and have been very pleased with XM’s performance.

Sirius wants to face north or west. No problem, I thought, we’ll just angle the palm-sized antenna for that one off to the north. No soap. A signal can be obtained, but for a short duration. We moved the rig to every room in the house over the weekend, with the same results. Putting the antenna on the patio table, and running the wire through the patio doors worked wonders, but clearly is not a viable solution in the long term.

Five minutes of interweb related research revealed that Sirius satellites aren’t in a stationary orbit; one forum claimed that their three satellites make a kind of figure-8 in the sky. Oops, looks like an in-house antenna probably isn’t going to cut it. An additional few minutes of shopping turned up the Terk SIR6 outdoor antenna, and the Sirius DBS/Radio combiner/splitter system. The fine folks at Crutchfield were most patient in discussing my dilemma, and said that, yea verily, both components are compatible with my radio. The combo splitter is a great thing; we can run the DirectTV and Sirius signals down the same hunk of coax outside, split them inside the house, and direct radio stuff to the radio, and TV stuff to the teevee. This will save me putting a hole from outside to inside to run the radio cable. So I unpacked those items tonight, to discover that the combo/splitter has a *huge* powerpack, which is going to upset the power distribution in the entertainment rack, every outlet therein being used and all.

Add to that the fact that the outside antenna and splitter cost a little more than the radio did after rebate, and I’ll be marveling at technology up to the time next month’s AmEx bill comes in.

At least Crutchfield is a great place with which to do business. I’d recommend them to anyone.

-k-

Technorati Tags: crutchfield, sirius

We’re about to become a two satellite radio household. I’m loyal, and will remain so, to XMRadio. But tonight, on QVC, I noticed their Today’s Special Value was a Sirius radio. The price was right, the offer attractive, and it’s on order. A phone call to a co-worker, who also has both Sirius and XM, revealed a hot special from Crutchfield. That one is also on order. So, shortly, we’ll have two models of Sirius radio goodness to compare in-house, and the loser gets shipped back. And with NASCAR going to Sirius in 2007, we’re covered there as well, not that I like racing or anything.

-k-

Technorati Tags: NASCAR, crutchfield, QVC, sirius, xmradio