Sirius radio signal

[RBollengier]

I expect the tunnel and gas station signal loss. It's the trees and rain that bug me. I will talk to the dealer about it, but won't hold my breath. Most of the time it works great.

 

[BK]

Just to chime in to talk about the differences, This is how I understand it...



The XM has "terrestrial" local back up transmitters (land based RF repeaters, like small FM stations) to fill in the gaps that their satellite transmitters can't cover. According to Sirius that's XM's weakness, but by XM filling in their gaps that way , if they have them in your area, you get better coverage in tunnels, under heavy trees, under car ports and or garages.



Sirius has terrestrial reception built into the receivers I've used... BUT, I haven't heard of them putting any terrestrial repeaters in the air. And I've never seen a terristrial RF signal registered on the strength meter.



The sound quality has to do with the compression used on each channel... more compression used on a broadcast, the less bandwidth used... but sounds worse.

Less compression used, more bandwidth used... sounds better.

 

[Foil Freak 1211]

I think the problems must be related to installation (yes, factory installation can be bad). I had Sirius added to my truck and my boat, and am one of those guys that only lose reception in tunnels. I think the sound quality is good as well. I would go with Sirius again without thinking about it.

 

[DocDetonancour]

Wife has Sirus in her Jeep. It was put in by Best Buy and has worked great from day one. Doc

 

[BK]

Above I mentioned the technical differences, as I understand them. .



My experience...

I have a Sirius unit I move between my Jeep and TDRam.

I go directly into RCA jacks in to the pre amp of my receiver.

My antenna isn't in a optimal position, it's on a window mount on the windshield.

I only have issues with tunnels and on stormy days. A second or two or three might drop. If a storm is brewing, and the clouds building, then I'll also notice an occasional drop out when I pass under a heavy tree lined street.



Throughout the open highways of up state NY (I90, rt17, 390), I don't ever remember loosing the signal.



On the Sirius channels I listen to, the side quality is better than FM.



IMHO, If your using the RF link, either through the antenna hard connection, or through the low power re-broadcast... the signal can get distorted by local FM radio transmitters and the Sirius can never sound better than the FM receiver it's being picked up and demodulated on. The RCA input is the best way to experience the sound. But that being said, again, channel to channel the compression rate is different.

 

[ilovetrains]

We have the facotry Sirius unit on my wife's 06 Commander. I have noticed that at times the reception is horrible, drops out, no signal on straight clear patches of road. No explanation, other days it will work in the garage.



No rhyme nor reason.

 

[Hercules130]

Sirius has terrestrial transmitters in NYC. I only know because i didn't lose signal in the tunnels. now if they would only put them up in baltimore.

 

[MLimpert]

I have a $39 el cheapo Sirius unit in my Jeep. The sound is OK but not great in my opinion. It sounds like a poorly encoded MP3 on some occasions, but not enough to really bother me. My antenna is just sitting in the far corner of the dash looking up through the windshield. It recieves pretty well, except on tree covered roads. So far rain and clouds have not bothered my unit.



All in all its worth the 12 bucks a month to me for those longer trips when theres nothing to listen to on regular radio.

 

[BK]

Sirius has terrestrial transmitters in NYC. I only know because i didn't lose signal in the tunnels. now if they would only put them up in baltimore.

Cool... . Which tunnels?

This past fall - winter (2005) I was in and out of mid town alot. And lost it going thru the mid town tunnel. . I had cell phone coverage thru the tunnel, cingular must have micro cell sites in there.

Went through the down town tunnel, but I had quests with me, so the radio was off.

 

[RGardner]

Mine was a free unit that plugs into the factory radio. The receiver is under the dash near the emergency brake. I guess I can't complain too much since the weekend we bought the truck you got a free sirius upgrade and a free lifetime subscription. Lifetime of the reciever that is!

 

[Hercules130]

Cool... . Which tunnels?

This past fall - winter (2005) I was in and out of mid town alot. And lost it going thru the mid town tunnel. . I had cell phone coverage thru the tunnel, cingular must have micro cell sites in there.

Went through the down town tunnel, but I had quests with me, so the radio was off.

Whichever tunnel 95 takes you through.

 

[BK]

Whichever tunnel 95 takes you through.

Ah your in MD, so your comming in from the NJ side?

Lincoln Tunnel probably? That's nearly directly off of 95. .

There's the smaller Holland Tunnel, but it's not directly off of 95.

I come in from the Long Island side, haven't been through the Lincoln Tunnel or Holland Tunnel.