I found much discussion of this problem (which I'm obviously having) on a Canadian Sirius/XM forum, but no such problem reported here on AVS Forum.

So, just to find out if others here in the US on AVS are having the same problem I'm having...

I have no problem using the XM Online Player to receive XM on my computers. In fact, I like the XM player very much.

However the Sirius Online Player (aka "Sirius Internet Radio") seems to interface [badly] with MS Windows Media Player 11, at least under WinXP Pro. Lots of users on the Canadian forum report the same problem, namely that it just doesn't work!

It starts ok, you go through the motions of using the Channel Selector to select (1) music, (2) genre -> pop, and (3) channel -> say 50's on 5. Then the "what's playing" area populates its top half with the logo of the channel selected, and the black status bar at the bottom of that area shows "opening", and then "loading 100% of 1K" (odd file size), and then the status bar goes black and no music is playing. Nothing.

I can push the "stop" button and the window refreshes, with another brief burst of "loading" on the status bar and it again goes black. Push the "play" button, repeat the above, and again no sound. Nothing. Nothing streaming, nothing playing.

Internet search shows numerous proposed solutions, like backing of WMP11 to WMP10 but that didn't solve anything for me. Other technical proposals as well, and I tried all of them, and nothing worked for me.

I know I had used the older Sirius player perhaps a year or two ago, and had no problem. Since that time Windows has updated, along with WMP. Haven't used the Sirius player until this week when I wanted to listen to Howard, and I ran into this insurmountable technical problem.

I've tried to speak with Sirius tech support, but they're all morons and apparently in some other country that does not have very good English speakers. So no resolution or help whatsoever from them, other than to tell me to "get the latest WMP" (in contradiction to other users and some tech support folks who say exactly the opposite).

So... has anybody else here used the current Sirius online player successfully under WinXP Pro? Did you have to do anything magical to get it to work?

Any other suggestions?

Thanks.

Why are you using Windows Media Player? Just use the Sirius player and you shouldn't have any problems.

Go here. (http://www.sirius.com/siriusinternetradio) Click "Launch Player." As simple as it gets. If that doesn't work, the problem is on your end (check your firewall settings, etc.)

Why are you using Windows Media Player? Just use the Sirius player and you shouldn't have any problems.I'm not using Windows Media Player. I'm using the Sirius Player, which utilizes WMP interface under the covers.


Go here. (http://www.sirius.com/siriusinternetradio) Click "Launch Player." As simple as it gets.Exactly. That's exactly what I've done. You can also click on the "Media Player" link at the top of the page. Both launch "The Sirius Player"... WHICH STARTS FINE BUT THEN FAILS ON MY MACHINE, never actually ever playing any music even though it sure looks like it got going perfectly. Same symptom as as it does for numerous other very knowledgeable people out there (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=55547).


If that doesn't work, the problem is on your end (check your firewall settings, etc.)I realize you're probably trying to help, but you do sound like the "broken record" at Sirius Tech Support. Sure, blame it on my "firewall settings"... even though my router causes zero problems for 100% of my world, including XM Player. Only the Sirius Player is "gotten" by my router, right?

Now if you can tell me EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AT MY END I could probably get this working!

I'm no rookie, as those others on the other forum were not either. And whatever the explanation in our common configuration, I'm sure it's something in common with all of us. Now if only you could tell me what that was...

The problem is clearly with the Sirius Player's interface to WMP 11, or their interface under IE7, or who knows what?


So, I repeat. Can anybody here help me?

Go to starplayr.com and get the windows version of the Sirius player they provide. Much better than the sirius sites player. You still must have a valid Sirius account to use it.

I use the starplayr for mac and it works great. The best thing is that it doesn't ask you if you are still listening after however long and it doesn't kick you off if you don't answer.

I realize you're probably trying to help, but you do sound like the "broken record" at Sirius Tech Support. Sure, blame it on my "firewall settings"... even though my router causes zero problems for 100% of my world, including XM Player. Only the Sirius Player is "gotten" by my router, right?

Now if you can tell me EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AT MY END I could probably get this working!

I'm no rookie, as those others on the other forum were not either. And whatever the explanation in our common configuration, I'm sure it's something in common with all of us. Now if only you could tell me what that was...

The problem is clearly with the Sirius Player's interface to WMP 11, or their interface under IE7, or who knows what?


So, I repeat. Can anybody here help me?

The problem is obviously on your end - it's up to you to figure out what's wrong. You're a smart guy - I'm sure you can figure it out.

At least you've accomplished something: you've managed to make a person who was offering to help you (and who is currently able to listen to Sirius Internet Radio on a PC with Windows XP, WMP 11, and IE 7 installed) want absolutely nothing to do with you or your problem. So you've got that going for you.

Go to starplayr.com and get the windows version of the Sirius player they provide. Much better than the sirius sites player. You still must have a valid Sirius account to use it.YOU SIR, ARE A GENTLEMAN AND A SCHOLAR!!!

Works perfectly! Even displays cover art for the album from which the track playing is contained (of course allowing a direct link to purchase), which is always entertaining.

And it even allows me to use it simultaneously for Sirius and XM channels (I'm currently still subscribed to both).

And as you point out, it is FAR superior to the Sirius player from Sirius (at least from what I've been able to surmise. For one, it allows up to 10 or 20 presets to be visible (even better than the 8 available with the XM player, and apparently none for Sirius from what I can tell) mixing all channels available from both Sirius and XM.

And... IT WORKS! Howard on the old computer machine, along with my other favorite channels.

Don't know why I hadn't heard about this player before now, but I can't thank you enough.


I use the starplayr for mac and it works great. The best thing is that it doesn't ask you if you are still listening after however long and it doesn't kick you off if you don't answer.Well I'm very pleased with the simplicity of starting it up. The XM player used to allow a simple double-click to launch, but they changed it last year to require a login dialog every time followed by a "launch player" button push once you're logged in. And of course the Sirius player simply didn't work for me.

In contrast, StarPlayr automatically logs on quietly with retained userid/password, so I'm back to a simple double-click.

Excellent. I'm going to make a donation.

Thanks again.

Case closed.