Will Sirius 'buffer' all multiple stations / channels?

[katumba1]

Recently I had a loaner from Ford (brand new Edge). It had an active Sirius account, but the interface had a new feature that my 2018 Expedition doesn't have and i'm hoping the new MME will have. Once you setup the 6 preset channels, the head unit will 'buffer' all six channels while listening so that if you change the channel, it will rewind to the start of the song, and allow you to back up even further on that preset. Its a really nice feature as it basically removes any DJ speaking, and lets you start a song from the beginning.

That should be something that's across the board for all new Fords, correct?

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[generaltso]

Yes, that's part of the SiriusXM TuneStart feature that's pretty common on vehicles made in the last several years.

 

[Maquis]

My '17 F150 does not have that feature (unless I don't know how to enable it).
I end up listening to the last half of a lot of songs I like!

 

[generaltso]

My '17 F150 does not have that feature (unless I don't know how to enable it).
I end up listening to the last half of a lot of songs I like!

My wife's '17 Pacifica and my '18 Outlander both have it. It's quite nice.

 

[GoGoGadgetMachE]

My '17 F150 does not have that feature (unless I don't know how to enable it).
I end up listening to the last half of a lot of songs I like!

yeah for whatever reason it seems like Ford waited until Sync 4 for this.

this is a case where Sync was noticeably behind other offerings.

 

[JamieGeek]

That feature is included in the SXM module and only works for preset channels as it requires a tuner for each monitored channel.

Note that the Mach-E includes even newer SXM features such as 360L which has a large streaming and on demand component:

https://www.motortrend.com/news/what-is-siriusxm-with-360l-streaming-audio/

 

[benk016]

I've been curious about this tech for a while. Does it use the built in modem in the vehicle to do the streaming, or do you have to connect your phone for it to work? I've never seen a clear answer on that. Sirius sells an add-on radio with the features but you have to connect it to wifi which makes since because its not built in.

 

[JamieGeek]

I've been curious about this tech for a while. Does it use the built in modem in the vehicle to do the streaming, or do you have to connect your phone for it to work? I've never seen a clear answer on that. Sirius sells an add-on radio with the features but you have to connect it to wifi which makes since because its not built in.

From what I remember its implementation dependent.

In the Mach-E I bet it uses the on board modem since is there (as long as its access is paid for).

 

[dbsb3233]

I've been curious about this tech for a while. Does it use the built in modem in the vehicle to do the streaming, or do you have to connect your phone for it to work? I've never seen a clear answer on that. Sirius sells an add-on radio with the features but you have to connect it to wifi which makes since because its not built in.

Not sure it needs to do either. No idea if it really works this way, but in theory it shouldn't need internet. It could simply be buffering a few minutes of 6 channels concurrently received through the satellite signal, and downloading that content inside the player's memory itself (or in this case the SiriusXM app built into the Ford screen).

 

[benk016]

From what I remember its implementation dependent.

In the Mach-E I bet it uses the on board modem since is there (as long as its access is paid for).

This is what I was thinking as well. Although even if you don't pay for it, the connection is active as its always able to communicate with Ford even if not activated. My 2019 Edge calls home all the time through the modem.

 

[JamieGeek]

This is what I was thinking as well. Although even if you don't pay for it, the connection is active as its always able to communicate with Ford even if not activated. My 2019 Edge calls home all the time through the modem.

I'm sure Ford can turn on/off SXM's access to the internet

 

[generaltso]

Not sure it needs to do either. No idea if it really works this way, but in theory it shouldn't need internet. It could simply be buffering a few minutes of 6 channels concurrently received through the satellite signal, and downloading that content inside the player's memory itself (or in this case the SiriusXM app built into the Ford screen).

I think he was asking about 360L, which streams over the Internet. TuneStart definitely doesn't require Internet access to do its buffering.

 

[GoGoGadgetMachE]

I've always assumed without documented evidence that TuneStart works by knowing when the song is starting and therefore when to trigger the buffer reset, because of course SXM radios have artist and song information.

One of the very curious things I've noticed on my Fusion (which is Sirius-derived by the way, vs. XM-derived) that I've always assumed is tied to both TuneStart and the "favorite song alert" feature is that the radio actually has both a "current" and a "next" track awareness. If you change channels at just the right time, you'll see the radio display the next track, not the current one, then jump back when it realizes it was too soon, then move forward again at the right time. I haven't timed it but I'd say it's maybe a 1.5s window or thereabouts from the information flip. It's a very strange thing when you first see it but pretty soon you figure out what's going on.

 

[JamieGeek]

I've always assumed without documented evidence that TuneStart works by knowing when the song is starting and therefore when to trigger the buffer reset, because of course SXM radios have artist and song information.

One of the very curious things I've noticed on my Fusion (which is Sirius-derived by the way, vs. XM-derived) that I've always assumed is tied to both TuneStart and the "favorite song alert" feature is that the radio actually has both a "current" and a "next" track awareness. If you change channels at just the right time, you'll see the radio display the next track, not the current one, then jump back when it realizes it was too soon, then move forward again at the right time. I haven't timed it but I'd say it's maybe a 1.5s window or thereabouts from the information flip. It's a very strange thing when you first see it but pretty soon you figure out what's going on.

It isn't really "next track" as the reciever already has that track--you just hear it a second or so later (e.g. the receiver buffers a few seconds of audio prior to playing).

Thus the receiver is really a second or so ahead of your ears.

 

[GoGoGadgetMachE]

It isn't really "next track" as the reciever already has that track--you just hear it a second or so later (e.g. the receiver buffers a few seconds of audio prior to playing).

Thus the receiver is really a second or so ahead of your ears.

interesting. I didn't know that.

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