Art Bell

[Cynnie]

Did we ever decide where to get a cheap sirius radio? Any suggestions ? I want a back up

[awguy]

Question for the geeks -- what bit rate is the sirius internet stream, and how much data do you think it uses? I plan on listening to the first two hours at work on my cell phone, and I no longer have unlimited data. Guess I could always sign up for the Sirius trial and do a test...

Keith was saying a few weeks ago that Sirus/XM keeps this info very secret. Keith wants to post clips of the show on the website. He wants to match the Bit rate for those clips and couldn't get that info.

My guess... 96kbs. This is just by listening. This I DO know, the sound quality of sirius/XM on the internet is better than the quality I'm getting in my car. This is especially true on the music channels. There are a few exceptions but I've been generally disappointed with the audio quality on the music channels. It's not as annoying when listening to the talk stations. After all... Talk (more specifically Art) is why I signed up for satellite.

[McPhallus]

Just FYI, there are a couple of "Family-Friendly" options which don't include a few uncensored channels, and 104 is one of them. So you could have the premiere package with the family-friendly option.

I love the irony of them calling it the "premiere package."

[Sardondi]

I love the irony of them calling it the "premiere package."

Surely Sirius isn't treating Art's channel as a huge draw, like, say, Howard Stern, and are making his channel unavailable except in the more expensive packages, are they? Or is the 104 channel already considered "premium"?

[onan]

Surely Sirius isn't treating Art's channel as a huge draw, like, say, Howard Stern, and are making his channel unavailable except in the more expensive packages, are they? Or is the 104 channel already considered "premium"?

I don't know if channel 104 is considered "premium". I do know that as of now it isn't.

[Sardondi]

I don't know if channel 104 is considered "premium". I do know that as of now it isn't.

I had just noted someone's problem accessing 104, so I was wondering if that might be the case. I'm on the fence about whether I'll get internet Sirius. The only reason I'd be getting it would be Art.

[scottydawg]

On the subject of the internet in the 90's there weren't that many websites that you could go to to check & verify peoples stories you heard on C2C. Remember you could get the Encyclopedia Britannica on CD-Rom, but remember how expensive a
CD Rom drive was? also there weren't too many online magazines and newspapers back then either. Remember dial up at 14k on a windows 3.11 computer? Long time to download a page. Now my smartphone has more computing power than my first 4 laptops!
On recording arts show off SiriusXM, there are a few of the radios like mine that have a built in recorder. I've recorded hours of Bob & Tom on it to listen to later. Now I will be recording Dark Matter on it.

[Juan]

One of Art's (and Keith's) great innovations was creating a page for each guest and linking to the guest's website, or other information.  This was the days when a url might be "ucla.edu/~faculty/anthropology/whack_job_theories/hoagland?delusional/enterprise_mission/mars"  and giving out the website over the air was fraught with the possibility of mistake.

[ACE of CLUBS]

Anyone 'signing-up' for Sirius via artbell.com ? 

[nooryisawesome]

Anyone 'signing-up' for Sirius via artbell.com ?

Heard it is best to call them and haggle for a lower price.

[phrodo]

Anyone 'signing-up' for Sirius via artbell.com ?

I will on Sept 16th - just so I have a full month free -- and then call in to haggle a lower price to re-up. 

[nooryisawesome]

Another poster had the idea of art using George's Elvis songs as bumper music. Love the idea.

[PB the Deplorable]

Another poster had the idea of art using George's Elvis songs as bumper music. Love the idea.

Oh, that is inspired.  I missed the original post.  I second the idea.  One time only, the whole show.

And it's win-win, we all get a few laughs and George gets a royalty check.

[ringthane]

Keith was saying a few weeks ago that Sirus/XM keeps this info very secret. Keith wants to post clips of the show on the website. He wants to match the Bit rate for those clips and couldn't get that info.

My guess... 96kbs. This is just by listening. This I DO know, the sound quality of sirius/XM on the internet is better than the quality I'm getting in my car. This is especially true on the music channels. There are a few exceptions but I've been generally disappointed with the audio quality on the music channels. It's not as annoying when listening to the talk stations. After all... Talk (more specifically Art) is why I signed up for satellite.

I by no means have golden ears (actually, suffer from tinnitus), but I'm sort of a low-grade, wannabe audiophile. I actually listen to all my stuff at 320 and can tolerate stuff down to 192... I take bit rate into context, and realize I'm not listening to reference material on a high end DAC but on an iPod, etc. Not an audio snob. But anything 160 and below just gets too distracting. Hi hats sound watery/swimmy, ugh.

I noticed this on a friend's Sirius unit in his car. Music sounded terrible. But he seemed to love it, so I wasn't going to let my wannabe aficionado tastes get sour grapes all over his new deck.

Like you said, for voice/talk... the bit rate will probably be fine. iHeart seems perfectly fine for what it is... I can tell it's lossy, but it's clear and intelligible and whatever psychoacoustic BS that's at play with compressed music doesn't happen with voice.

Just did a quick rendering at 96kbps. About 750k/minute, 180mb per show. More quick math -- 5 shows/week, 20/month, we're looking at maybe 3.5gb of data or so a month?

For home use, not an issue. For listening on a cell phone's data plan... I may wanna up my 2GB data limit. Kind of feel like a bonehead for changing my Verizon plan away from the unlimited data, which they no longer offer. .: sigh :.

Oh, the problems we face here in the developed world...

[Morgus]

I will on Sept 16th - just so I have a full month free -- and then call in to haggle a lower price to re-up. 

Yep, thats the best way to go.
Get the free 30 days just before Art starts the show, thats for the internet only package.

[phrodo]

Yep, thats the best way to go.
Get the free 30 days just before Art starts the show, thats for the internet only package.

And I figure if I do it the day of the show that it will be a "vote" for Art.

[Ravenna]

If anyone else besides me is going to be listening to Art's new show via "device" (smart phone, tablet computer), I highly recommend this little external speaker.  Fits in the palm of your hand, and very light, yet increases bass response on my Kindle (which has decent sound as it has Dolby speakers) by a good 50%, if not more.  I find listening to videos/movies/music on my Kindle MUCH more pleasurable to the ears since I bought this speaker, and I know it's going to make Art's voice sound just grand, too.  Charges via a port on your computer, and the charge lasts a long time.  Speaker itself plugs into the earphone jack of your device.  Price is right, too:  about $25.00 with shipping.  Comes in 5 colors.  I've seen it a couple dollars cheaper at other places online, but I always prefer buying from Amazon as they never give me any hassle with the returns.

http://www.amazon.com/Marware-UpSurge-Rechargable-Speaker-Headphone/dp/B008JL33U6

[Lunger]

If anyone else besides me is going to be listening to Art's new show via "device" (smart phone, tablet computer), I highly recommend this little external speaker.  Fits in the palm of your hand, and very light, yet increases bass response on my Kindle (which has decent sound as it has Dolby speakers) by a good 50%, if not more.  I find listening to videos/movies/music on my Kindle MUCH more pleasurable to the ears since I bought this speaker, and I know it's going to make Art's voice sound just grand, too.  Charges via a port on your computer, and the charge lasts a long time.  Speaker itself plugs into the earphone jack of your device.  Price is right, too:  about $25.00 with shipping.  Comes in 5 colors.  I've seen it a couple dollars cheaper at other places online, but I always prefer buying from Amazon as they never give me any hassle with the returns.

http://www.amazon.com/Marware-UpSurge-Rechargable-Speaker-Headphone/dp/B008JL33U6

I have one of these and it is awesome.

[Cherry Bomb]

I'm gonna take a ride!

[LeslieV]

Gonna sign up for the free month and also haggle when renewal time comes.  I don't travel much anymore so the Internet will be the best bet plus it will be possible to listen to the archives during normal hours after a well rested night since there is nothing on over night and if I have a sleepless night just turn on noodle brain and I will be back to sleep.     If I am up then the computer will be on and I can catch Art live.  Either way, I will be there and thankful that there will be something worth listening to again.  Even if Art is having a bad program it will be better than anything noodle brain could ever come up with.

Radio like it use to be with a modern twist.   

[Cherry Bomb]

I'm gonna haggle before signing up.  But their website does say 2 months free last I looked.

[WildCard]

I'm gonna haggle before signing up.  But their website does say 2 months free last I looked.

Link? All I'm seeing is the 30 day trial.

[Morgus]

Price is right, too:  about $25.00 with shipping.  Comes in 5 colors.

at amazon some of the colors are cheaper $19.99 w/free shipping vs  some other colors at $25?
i guess some colors are more popular and cost $5 more?

[jazmunda]

Another "new" classic Art Bell episode on Somewhere in Time this week highlighting the importance of SIT continuing.

Art Bell: Somewhere in Time journeys back to August 8, 1997, when Art hosted a weird night of Open Lines with Men In Black and time travelers.

[Cherry Bomb]

Link? All I'm seeing is the 30 day trial.

Hey WildCard
Wasn't online till now.  I found this but have not even read through it so if its bs I apologize in advance:
https://care.siriusxm.com/preownedvehiclestrial_view.action

I am good at this so I will PRE-haggle lol.  Then I don't have to haggle in the future and remember when I'm suppose too, blah blah.

Again I have not really researched at more than a glimpse but it sounds like 15/mth does it and that is okay with me.   But less IS better!

[Morgus]

I sure hope Art Bell on his new Sirius show has some special call in line topics with the ones he did back in the 90's: time travelers, aliens, Area 51 employees/whistleblowers, antichrists, men in black, etc.
Those were very specific and the best - unlike Noory's stupid ones like "tell your scariest story"

[coaster]

From Art's facebook-
"I guess it is about time to straighten a few things out. I had no input or voice into the choice of George Noory as Host...none. He recently, after Dark Matter was announced dropped my name from mention then he says put it back because it was the right thing to do, nonsense, he did it so he could stop open line callers from being cut off because they kept trying to mention my new show. That is why he announced it. I wanted my name dropped from the show as well as my Saturday shows stopped to be blunt because I hated the direction the show had taken and no longer wanted to be associated with it. George is I am sure a nice guy BUT he has become lazy and does not pay attention. I am sorry to be so blunt but that's how I feel. I hope what little competition I can provide will cause him to up his game"

[kingdomofsigh]

George...has become lazy and does not pay attention. I am sorry to be so blunt but that's how I feel..."

I resemble that remark.

[jazmunda]

Zing

[Disheartened]

From Art's facebook-
"I guess it is about time to straighten a few things out. I had no input or voice into the choice of George Noory as Host...none. He recently, after Dark Matter was announced dropped my name from mention then he says put it back because it was the right thing to do, nonsense, he did it so he could stop open line callers from being cut off because they kept trying to mention my new show. That is why he announced it. I wanted my name dropped from the show as well as my Saturday shows stopped to be blunt because I hated the direction the show had taken and no longer wanted to be associated with it. George is I am sure a nice guy BUT he has become lazy and does not pay attention. I am sorry to be so blunt but that's how I feel. I hope what little competition I can provide will cause him to up his game"

Wow! That's Art's harshest statement yet.