Your Next XM or Sirius Satellite Radio Unit?

[Capt._Chaos]

First off, this isn't another "Which is better? XM or Sirius?" thread.

This is a thread to discuss about which XM or Sirius RECIEVER you're considering buying next.

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I'm currently using a Pioneer AirWare in my truck (which I hate), but I'm considering going to a Pioneer Inno or getting an Alpine CD head unit with built-in XM (like what I have in my pickup).

[Big_Dave]

I won't be looking for a new XM unit until one of the ones I have dies.

Why replace something if it works perfectly? :wtf:

[snoope]

Capt..

When I get back to work ( vaca till 01/02/07 :) ) I will ask our "Petercar" pilots what they are running...Both have "Sirius"....the newest unit was given away by the "Boss" at our X-mas party w/ a years subscription ( lucky sob ;) ).... The unit was purchased from our local "Pete" dealer and is supposedly "all that"" ;) .....

I know these units are easy to use.because these 2 have too many other buttons and switches to play with going down the road ;) :D :D :D ..

And sorry thats all the ifo I can give because I'm always busy on the CB ( my "lil Magnum radio will talk the talk ;) :cool: :cool: ) or on the "Mobile" with Momma ;) :D :D ....My MACK radio does its job or the CD player fills the airwaves....

Enjoy the rest of your Holiday week and Happy New Year.......


Snoope back quiet

[Gator]

I've been going with the Roady unit for XM,XM offered me a deal and I bought the Roady 2 over a year ago,even though the other still worked fine.For what I do as a company driver,the Roady works well,no work to install or uninstall.

I also have the Sirius,not even sure what it is,but its almost exactly like the Roady,I quit listening to it altogether.Wife listens to it,don't know what I'd replace it with.

XM does something Sirius never does,which is sends me offers via email or mail.To replace a Roady,I'd probably take them up on some offer.

If my situation were different,like if I owned the truck,I'd go with something more permanent.

[snoope]

Gator,

Same with us..the "Boss" lets us upgrade but if it modifies ( chrome and lights must stay on ;) :) :) ) beyond factory it will remain on the truck...

That being said,interior lighting....( yes a few have them..coffin lites :classic: ;) ) radio swaps or even switches can go with you.....

Back to XM/Sirius..these units are the portables ( I guess ..one driver yanks it every night and puts it in his p/u.. ;) )...Little blue screen unit attachs to his lower windshield,plugs in ,connects antenna and HOWARD here he comes :D :D ;) ...They both carry remotes so I suppose thats how they program..change channels...Our loader ( the Big'in 980 Cat has XM ) operator makes it through 12-14 hour days because of this......Do not want the guy loading 8 yards at a time Moody ;) :harhar: :harhar: :harhar: ..This unit takes a beating,even with an enclosed cab dust finds its way.BUT no problems yet ;) :) .

Snoope back quiet

[Big_Dave]

Our loader ( the Big'in 980 Cat has XM ) operator makes it through 12-14 hour days because of this......Do not want the guy loading 8 yards at a time Moody ;) :harhar: :harhar: :harhar: ..This unit takes a beating,even with an enclosed cab dust finds its way.BUT no problems yet ;) :) .
8 yards at once is quite a jolt to the truck driver if the operator is PO'd. :yikes:

We got one operator in one of the pits we load out of that can dump it soooo smooooothly that if you ain't counting the 'scoops' he dumps, you don't know your loaded unless he beeps the horn. :wow: :cool:

[snoope]

Big Dave,

Funny you mention that....can I tell you how many drivers have left without their full loads......the phone,CB or some other distraction makes for " interesting conversations" over the Nextel ( he will ,the 980 op...not run a CB ;) ).....
I can tell when the "Stupids" have been in that day..when he leaves for lunch and I go to load myself..the windows are" just a rockin" care of that XM and its pioneer side kicks ;) :cool: :cool: .....


Snoope back quiet

p.s. Big Dave,we do not piss off the 365 op.either..that bad boy takes only 1-1/2 buckets to fill the wheelers...usually 2' minus ledge... ;) :D :D .... back on point..this machine is supposed to get Xm too.... ;)

[scubadiver]

I'm with Dave on this sort of. Won't know till the one I have " a Roady 2" is replaced.

[Capt._Chaos]

I have an old Roady 1 that still works. I carry it with me in the truck for a "back-up".

[USAF_2T2]

I just got an XM2GO unit. It is silver and looks kinda like an MP3 player but bigger. I have it in my patrol car and love it. Opie and Anthony are awesome.

[Capt._Chaos]

Damn, I think I jinxed my Pioneer AirWare by posting this thread! :yikes: I've had problems with it for the last 6 months & I think it's going to bite the dust soon.

Has anyone here been using the Samsung Helix (http://store.xmfanstore.com/samsunghelix.html) or Pioneer Inno (http://store.xmfanstore.com/pioneerinno.html) yet?

I need a portable unit, since I'm out of my truck & on my mountain bike pretty often when the weather's nice.

Thanks!

[Capt._Chaos]

I saw that my Pioneer AirWare was still covered undr warranty, so I took it back to Best Buy & they gave me credit to use toward a new Pioneer Inno, which I bought tonight.

Unfortunately, they didn't have any Inno car kits for this unit (which was free for a limited time). They gave me a "rain check" to get one if i can find one.

For now, I pulled out my old Roady I that I've had forever & re-activated it so I can have XM for now until I locate an Inno car kit.

[Capt._Chaos]

I installed the Inno Car Kit in my Freightliner Century yesterday & I LIKE the Inno very well.

I did find that it's easier to use with the remote when you're in the driver's seat & the Inno is in its car cradle, as it appears it would be too distracting to use the built-in controls on the unit while driving.

It's pretty user-friendly otherwise. If & when it warms up outside I'm looking forward to taking it with me on a run one morning. The earbud headphones that came with it are comfortable to wear over a long period of time.

On feature I like on the Inno is being able to record individual songs or an entire program anywhere it can get a signal & play it back anywhere you can't get XM reception (like in a building). You can even set it up like a TIVO & record some programming on another channel to play back later! :cool:

[EVlLBOB]

I have an Alpine stereo and Alpine xm receiver. The problem with my stereo is that the lights that show what channel you are on have gone out. I believe it is a liquid crystal display so there ain't no fixing it. It hasn't been an issue since my display for my xm radio is fine and the stereo stays on the same channel (the one set up to receive xm) all the time. However, I think in order to get better sound quality a system that doesn't broadcast or is received on an unused fm channel would be better since there is less chance for interference.

Alpine is the only stereo that I know of that makes a radio with the xm components built into the radio. I am pretty sure that you don't have to plug in an adapter or anything like that. The system is complete. Jackie Cooper electronics is the only store near me in Okie City that carries the Alpine system. Crutchfield electronics has it also but I have yet to see it at any of the big electronics stores like Best Buy or Circuit City. Anyway, I will eventually replace my existing system with that Alpine system.

[Capt._Chaos]

EVILBOB, I'm using an older Alpine CD player in my Freightliner and had to get the LCD display repaired once- they found a bad solder joint in the faceplate & repaired it- has worked fine ever since it was repaired 4 years ago by a local repair shop (The Sound Idea in San Antonio, Texas). Their turnaround time is pretty quick.

If you want to contact this shop and make arrangements to send your radio in, send me a PM and I will give you their info.

The Alpine CDA-9820XM (http://www.crutchfield.com/S-ETZIJJbbM7r/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?search=Alpine+CDA9820XM&i=500CDA9820) is the only car stereo I've heard about that has true built-in XM radio & only needs an antenna and a subsccription activation to work. The others (like the Alpine in my pickup) are "XM Ready" & require a separate tuner box & antenna to recieve XM.

I've seen some of Alpine's "lower-end" stuff at Circuit City, but like at Best Buy too many of the people working there really don't have a clue about anything they sell. I refuse to do business at Best Buy any more.

While I was in high school & before I went to college I worked as an installer for a locally-owned car audio dealer for a few years. Unlike the Circuit City & Best Buy employees, the salespeople there knew a LOT MORE about what they were selling & were paid on commission, so they had to prove themselves to customers to get the repeat business & referrals- and that helped us installers stay busy (and we were paid on commission as well).

When one does their own thorough research & have it noted exactly what they're wanting (including the model numbers, and part numbers for any necessary installation accessories), they can buy from Crutchfield (www.crutchfield.com) or anywhere else they can find a better deal on quality equipment.

[Bikerboy]

I'm running a Pioneer DEH-P670MP head unit and SIRIUS CONNECT pioneer compatible tuner box, in my pickup. The tuner box is hidden under the dash and and wired direct to the head unit power wire and wired into the BUS port on the head unit. And the antenna is hidden under the wipe cowl.
So you can;t even tell from looking at my truck, that i have sirius, I love it. sounds awesome.

Sound even better wired direct than my sportster does with fm modulation
also it never loses signal, unlike the sportser does.

I also have a sirius sportster portable receiver, with vehicle kit and sportster boombox too I need to get the antenna outside my house somehow for the boom box to work better.

I might use the sportster in the dump trucks at work this summer.

[Sandman]

Good discussion... I need one that can be completely removed from one vehicle and installed into another without hiring three mechanics and a monkey who knows what he's doing. In other words, I need a driver-proof unit that can handle bumps, dust, and temperature extremes and still function a year from now. Suggestions?

[towstrap]

I won't be looking for a new XM unit until one of the ones I have dies.

Why replace something if it works perfectly? :wtf:

We're kinda weird that way huh Dave, kinda like the headset thing. ;)

I personally use the Roady 2 and love it. :cheers:

[Big_Dave]

Well the antenna on my XM unit went to hell and of course they no longer make that model of antenna. I looked for one on fleabay and sent the guy an email asking a question about it. He sold it before he even replied to my email. :wtf: Now to find another antenna so I can use my 'old' XM unit again and maybe put this Express in the kitchen for the wife. ;)

So, I bought an Audiovox XM Xpress (XMCK-10A) unit. $54 including tax at Best Buy. Plug-n-play, easy operation. Would most likely be 'driver proof' if I wasn't operating it. :rofl:

Before I go back on the road later this fall, I will buy the adapter kit (direct inline adapter) for the antenna so I don't have to switch radio frequecies in metro areas.

[Big_Dave]

I won't be looking for a new XM unit until one of the ones I have dies.

Why replace something if it works perfectly? :wtf:

We're kinda weird that way huh Dave, kinda like the headset thing. ;)

I personally use the Roady 2 and love it. :cheers:
Yep, weird as can be. :rofl: ;)

I have the original model Roady permenantly mounted in my pickup. I like the larger display that the Roady and my new Xpress has verses the 10 digit/character display of my original XM unit. Only thing I don't like about the bigger displays is they are too 'bright' for my likeing at night, even with the 'brightness' at the lowest setting.

[Sandman]

I went ahead and got a Sirius Sportster 4 (with car kit) ....

http://akamai.edeal.com/images/catalog2640/folder17052/img5197143.jpg

.... + a year's subscription. Installed in my wife's car to activate it, then moved it to my work truck. Made my run to Chicago and back, enjoyed the flawless reception and wide programming range (mostly Spectrum channel for music and various sports and news channels, plus the Chicago area traffic alerts). The whole thing is pretty impressive... can't figure why I ever waited so long to get hooked up.

The only downside I've found is the wireless FM transmitter and how it operates within my work truck. That's not the fault of the device or it's components (they all worked great in my wife's '99 Oldsmobile Cutlass). The Mack I'm driving is relatively new, and uses a combined antenna system for AM/FM/Weather/CB receivers. I think it's that combined antenna system that messes up the Sporter 4's own FM transmitter system.

Luckily I think a visit to Radio Shack will clear up the problem... It turns out the AM/FM radio in my work truck has RCA inputs on the back, and it's easy to pull out and get at those jacks. A trip to Radio Shack for a 1/8th inch mini stereo plug with RCA stereo leads at the other end will solve my problem.

And it will be a "two birds with one stone" thing... Now I can leave my MP3 player/FM transmitter plugged in and not have to worry about it interfering with the Sirius set. Just turn the truck's radio to Aux-In and have the satellite radio playing, and turn it to FM to have my MP3 player working (and thus have my converted audio books played back - I'm half-way through "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire", which is book 4 of 7; I've listened to the first three over the last couple weeks).

All in all, I'm tickled. :)

Oh, one thing about the vehicle mounting options for the Sportster 4 unit: you can select either a suction-cup on the window or a rather nifty device to mount it on a air vent. Both are included, so the owner has either option available. I don't have an air vent that is conveniently located in the Mack I'm driving, so I decided to see if the windshield suction cup was strong enough... If it could stay attached throughout a full day's traveling back and forth over Chicago's (far less than smooth) highways, then all is well.

The windshield suction cup method worked great. Not once did it look like it might try to slide or fall off. I was impressed... My Mack is a rough riding beast (despite the air ride suspension, cab and driver's seat). And, even though Chicago is constantly trying to improve it's roadways, those roadways are so heavily traveled that keeping up with the maintenance is a losing battle. Despite the sharp concrete pad drop-offs, pot-holes, and general rough condition of the roads, the Sportster 4 stayed securely mounted and operational.

[Bikerboy]

Ive got a sportster too, i got it mounted to the dash on an international 9900 just above the air brake buttons, the suction cup sticks really good to the smooth dash panel.
I did have it mounted to the windsheild, but its too far away to reach without leaning way ahead.

I really like the playboy and maxim channels haha

i need some adapter to wire it direct to the radio too, cuz everytime i get near citys i am always changing fm stations to keep it working.

[Big_Dave]

i need some adapter to wire it direct to the radio too, cuz everytime i get near citys i am always changing fm stations to keep it working.
That's what I need for my new XM Xpress unit.........if I keep it. Might just see if one of my kids wants the damn thing.

I'm still looking for an antenna for my 'old' XM unit. :cheers:

[Sandman]

i need some adapter to wire it direct to the radio too, cuz everytime i get near citys i am always changing fm stations to keep it working.

Depending on your FM unit, you can pick up an adapter that fits at Radio Shack for about $7.00. You need a cable (however long you need, I got a 6' length) with a stereo 1/8th inch plug on one end (90 degree elbow connection), and one of the following options for the other end:

... a pair of RCA male jacks (one red, one white usually) to plug into the back of your FM unit (this is the one I use)
... a single stereo mini-jack to plug into the auxiliary input on the front of your FM unit

Image link from the Sirius site showing the two types of cable: LINK (http://akamai.edeal.com/images/catalog2640/folder17051/img5080967.jpg)

Radio Shack carries both types of cabling in a variety of lengths.

The one downside with the funky radio in the Mack I drive is that the auxiliary input volume is not controlled by the FM radio... I need to use the output volume on the Sportster to control the volume level. And it doesn't go quite as high as I'd like (there are times I like to CRANK IT UP!). The minor upside to this is that I can use the Sportster's remote to control the volume.

There are other options as well, including a device that plugs directly into the FM antenna. Or rather you plug the FM antenna into this device, plug the output from the Sportster into it, and a third wire plugs into the FM's antenna jack. I'd expect very little static with that setup, but you'll have the same trouble finding an empty radio frequency near large cities. But the Sportster's output should still over-power anything but a very close, high power radio station.

Remember that with any of the 'hard-wired' connection methods, you have to turn off the Sportster's built-in FM transmitter.

/EDIT/

Here's a couple links from the Sirius web site with details of various installation methods and the hardware they sell (for a bit more than what you could spend by going to Radio Shack of course) :

This Link (http://shop.sirius.com/edealinv/servlet/ExecMacro?nurl=control/StoreItem.vm&ctl_nbr=2640&siId=2555451&catParentID=10799&scId=10799) is for the 'direct wired' kit, which includes both types of cabling I mention above, for $9.99 + S/H.

This Link (http://shop.sirius.com/edealinv/servlet/ExecMacro?nurl=control/StoreItem.vm&ctl_nbr=2640&siId=1998401&catParentID=7872&scId=7872) has info on using the vehicle's antenna system method

[Capt._Chaos]

I'm still looking for an antenna for my 'old' XM unit. :cheers:

Dave, PM me your address & when I get home I will ship you my old Pioneer GEX-FM903XM system that has the antenna in it you need.

[Sandman]

An update on my Radio Shack cable: The dang end came off while I was re-routing the cables. A light tug to unplug an RCA end out of the back of the radio and I was left holding a wire with no end. Oh well... get what you pay for, I guess. :angry:

I went back to using the supplied FM transmitter thing, but it doesn't work very well in the Mack. I happened to stumble across one of the Sirius FM in-line adapters, picked it up and things are much nicer now. The only time an outside radio station interferes with the signal is if I'm right next to the transmit tower, otherwise the Sirius is crystal clear and -bonus- I can use the CB and not have to turn the FM off due to back-feed issues. (it was an ongoing problem with the truck I drive).

[Big_Dave]

I bought an Audiovox XM Xpress (XMCK-10A) unit. $54 including tax at Best Buy. Plug-n-play, easy operation. Would most likely be 'driver proof' if I wasn't operating it. :rofl:

Before I go back on the road later this fall, I will buy the adapter kit (direct inline adapter) for the antenna so I don't have to switch radio frequecies in metro areas.
Well, the new XM unit worked pretty good for the first 2-3 weeks, then nothing but static. :wtf: :vmad: Been listening (kinda) to broadcast FM the past week or so. F@#*ing commercials! :vmad:

Tonight after work I stopped at Best Buy and picked up the XMFM-1 direct inline antenna adapter. I'll install that in the morning when I get to work. Bad part about this is it cost $29.99 + tax. Over half of what the XM unit itself cost! :wtf:

If this doesn't 'fix' my reception problem, the whole thing will take a test flight out the window at about 60 mph tomorrow.

Oh, had to buy a new headset for my phone since the wire in the old one broke. No big deal, the old one was 4-5 years old. Best $20 value in a long time to last that long. New headset cost $14.99 & works like a dream. :cheers:

[Mark-the-Spark]

Well, I took the dedicated XM route when my factory Freightliner cassette player died, but it wasn't the cheap route. Seems that Delphi makes a direct replacement for Freightliners (uses the same harness) with a built in XM receiver, but it's not for the faint of pocketbook -- retail is about $500, but I picked one up at Bob's CB in Strattanville PA for $375 plus tax. As you can see, it does CD's too, but it is a rather basic unit compared to all the other stuff out there.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/sparks19/DCP01226.jpg

Again, the nice thing is that it is plug and play, no accessories needed. However, one good accessory is a $20 iPod cable that also charges the iPod from the factory harness:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/sparks19/DCP01227.jpg

However, from a fidelity and power standpoint, the Delphi radio really has no more horsepower than the stock radio, so a 200 watt mosfet 6.5" Bazooka subwoofer helps:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/sparks19/SW_In_Situ.jpg

The optional Bazooka subwoofer control panel, mounted on the dash of course, makes tweaking the sound a bit easier:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/sparks19/SW_Remote_Control.jpg

Lotta work... sounds pretty good :)

[Capt._Chaos]

I've been in Mark's truck- he's got the "Pimp My Ride- Doin' It Yourself Edition" episode going on! :cheers:

[Big_Dave]

I've been in Mark's truck- he's got the "Pimp My Ride- Doin' It Yourself Edition" episode going on! :cheers:
What were you doing in Marks' truck? :wow: :p

Does his stereo have the capability to plug in your guitar? :rofl:

Oh, that XMFM-1 unit that I bought for my XM, works pretty good. I'm happy now. :cheers:

[Sandman]

I like the iPod (or in my case, Sandisk Sansa MP3 player) setup Mark has. I bought an adapter that plugs into an open cig lighter and then to the Sansa, has it's own FM transmitter that can be tuned to any FM frequency, with three pre-sets available. I use it to store MP3 versions of my unabridged books-on-CD and listen to them while tooling down the road. It's handy to be able to hit the pause button and pick up later *exactly* where I left off. :)

When I'm done, I wipe the memory clean and get a new book (sometimes from library, others from book stores). Using software (Rhapsody) that came with the Sansa, I can copy ("rip" it's called, but NOT 'rip off'... I pay for the audio books I listen to!) CD audio to MP3 and import it to the device. The Sansa I use has 4gb of memory... not much when compared to some iPods with lots more, but plenty for what I need.

I've listened to the entire Harry Potter series that way... While a kid's series, it's actually an entertaining story. It helps that the guy reading the series is very good at it. Some audio books I've listened to were very difficult to follow because the reader was more like a college professor droning on than, for example, a radio announcer.

I like the Mosfet sub-woofer setup, too. Sometimes it's good to feel the music as well as hear it. :D