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Which is better? Are either any good?

Sirius is better...they'll have Howard Stern and the National Football League (NFL) which is huge.
 

Right now, XM ($9.99/month) has the fat market share and Sirius ($12.95) is the underdog -- I think about 3.1 million vs. 1 million.  Unfortunately, this is one of those times where popularity impacts quality since the masses get their needs served first.  Unless I don't know what I'm talking about.  Which is often.
 

It really depends on what you're looking for.  I'm not a Stern fan, and I don't like to LISTEN to sports.  However, I do like the hardware options available on XM (e.g., the super-compact Roady2, the live-pause features on the SkyFi2, and the SkyFi Boombox) and their programming's cheaper (a whopping $3 cheaper, but that's 30% of XM's fee).  In terms of music, the two are pretty similar.  

How could you pay for satellite radio when KIIS FM blesses the Golden State airwaves daily with its substantive melodic excellence?
 

XM may be cheaper monthly, but Sirius is $499 for a lifetime membership and XM costs $499 for 5 years of service.  The Sirius hardware will eventually be equivalent to that of XM so I wouldn't be concerned there. XM has greater market share right now, but that will change when Stern comes on board like him or not.  I'd go with Sirius and the lifetime membership and ride the bumps the first couple years until they catch up as a company.

I agree i think the users will come, especially with Stern promoting sirus like crazy right now.
the price difference is so marginally it will come down to which has the programs you like to listen to.  

I have the XM SkyFi2 and I've been pretty happy with it.  I have noticed some drop outs along areas with tall trees/buidlings though. I've heard this isn't as big an issue with Sirius.  

Has anyone installed either XM or Sirius hardware in their cars? Does a professional installer have to do it?  

I think this requires professional install just due to complexity but even if not I would be hard pressed to pull the dash off on my car.  

Installation complexity depends on which receiver you have.  If it's a CD player/receiver that's satellite radio ready, then yes, professional installation is probably your best bet.  However, portable plug-n-play receivers like XM's Roady2 or SkiFi or the Sirius Sportster are as easy as peeling off a sticker and mounting it on your dash.  The installation instructions recommend mounting the antenna on your roof and running the cable through your trunk to the receiver, but I just put it on my dash, and haven't had too many problems (see my earlier post).  Approximate plug-n-play installation time: about 10 min if you put the antenna on the dash, an hour if you run the cable through your trunk.
 

plus Im sure prices and alot of these things will change in Sirius' favor by 1-1-06  

What's the main draw of satellite radio?  The commercial-freeness, the variety, or the way you can see what's playing?

Is it higher-fidelity sound?  It's digital, right?  

Mazduh wrote:

What's the main draw of satellite radio?  The commercial-freeness, the variety, or the way you can see what's playing? Is it higher-fidelity sound?  It's digital, right?

By the way, XM subscriptions are jumping from to $12.95 starting April 2, which would match Sirius pricing.  You can lock in XM's old $9.99 rate for up to 5 years if you buy right this second.