XM is lousy in my 03; what to do?

[jsimpson]

With no tape deck, I have to use the FM modulator feature. All of the available channels have interference from local radio stations. What can I do to get good XM sound?

 

[Jeff Clark]

I added a Sirius tuner to my wife's Sub that uses a modulator and it had the same problem. It came with a plug-in wire for the back of the unit to help strengthen the signal. After that it worked great. Does your kit have that option? If so, try that. Or try moving the unit closer to the antenna to get a better signal.

 

[JGK]

There's an accessory for the Sirius systems that goes in line with the antenna to your FM radio and has a wire to plug directly into the sat. tuner base. That way, the tuner output is "hardwired" through the FM antenna. I got one just the other day as my FM doesn't have a separate input. That improved the sound.



I'd imagine the XM systems have a similar accessory.



-Jay

 

[Matt400]

Hardwire it to the CD changer port on your OE radio. . works real nice.

 

[Matt400]

Guess I should point that out better. .

Plug one of these into the aux. CD changer port (if your not using a CD changer) then plug in this adapter and then plug in your satellite radio to that. To operate you just select the Aux by pressing the “mode” button on your OE radio to get to the satellite devise.

 

[ThomasLawrence]

Or, for less than a third the price of those adapters, just pick up an FM modulator like this one. I use one very similar to this one, and there's zero interference (because you're never going 'over the air' - everything is hard-wired).



-Tom

 

[LightmanE300]

FM modulating is so offensive it makes me want to be sick. I understand wanting to avoid commercials or whatever, but if you're gonna drop the money to get satellite radio, which is a DIGITAL source, why go ruin the beautiful clarity by using fm modulation? Same thing with FM modulated cd changers, what a waste. Get yourself a real head unit with XM or Sirius ready technology, and hook it up right.



Stay tuned, as next post I'll tell you how I really feel In all seriousness, I hope you figure out your issue, but recommend upgrading the head unit.

 

[JPudenz]

Lightman,



I agree with the clarity issues associated with FM Modulation. In one vehicle I have an Alpine unit with built in XM, my truck a Delphi xm modulated... HUGE difference. But is there a deck out there that has the menu system and ability to find bands you like, and pause and replay live music like the Delphi SkiFI 2? I have been trying to find one but have had no luck...





Thanks,



JJ

 

[ThomasLawrence]

Get yourself a real head unit with XM or Sirius ready technology, and hook it up right.

Look... I understand the desire for "perfect" sound and all (well, actually I don't... but for argument's sake)... but for cryin' out loud, it's music in a TRUCK... a DIESEL truck at that... a big, loud, noisy engine roaring in the background. It is NOT an acoustically tuned recording studio. So, for $25, you can get decent-sounding music, or you can spend upwards of $300 (and toss the current XM receiver, BTW) to get something that, in the environment where it's used, sounds marginally better (so little so, that you probably couldn't discern a difference while driving down the road).



In my case, I have the RB1, and a CD changer. I wanted XM. Until recently, there wasn't an option for hooking it up directly. Now there is, but it's a $250 option. I went the $50 FM modulator route (got the fancy one that supplies it's own power to the receiver), and trust me - it sounds just fine.



-Tom

 

[Matt400]

and trust me - it sounds just fine.

I am sure it does but jsimpson's sounds like poop so he needs a hard wire.

You will never know the difference unless you compare back to back.

Hardwire makes the sound quality sound similar to a CD so if you want to hear the difference pop in a CD on your RB1 and you can listen to what satellite sounds like hardwired.

 

[Eric_77]

Jsimpson which unit do you have?

I have the Roady2 and I place the antenna out the passenger door and set it next to factory antenna. This overpowers most of the local stations broadcasts so I have a choice of about 4-5 stations to use and the satellite reception is pretty good compared to roof mount.

 

[ThomasLawrence]

I am sure it does but jsimpson's sounds like poop so he needs a hard wire.

His sounds like garbage because he's using the built-in wireless FM modulator, which broadcasts a weak FM signal from the satellite antenna. What I'm talking about is using a hard-wired FM modulator that sits in-line with the factory antenna (coax connection), and cuts off any inbound reception from the external antenna... effectively putting an FM signal directly onto the wire. There's no interference, no static, and while not technically as high a quality as a directly-wired connection, or a direct digital input, I still submit that the miniscule difference in sound quality between those methods is beyond perception to 99. 5% of the population in the environment of a vehicle being driven down the road.



-Tom

 

[Frak]

Stock Sirius Decks in 05 3500 SLT Bighorn

These should still display the name of artist, songs and such right?

 

[Matt400]

Oh. . I see Tom. I should have looked closer at what you were talking about.

I haven't tried that kind of modulator, interesting.

 

[Jeff Clark]

These should still display the name of artist, songs and such right?

It doesn't in my dad's 05.

 

[bill8333]

Ask and you shall receive this is what I put in my truck, like you I was tired of the crappie sound from my Roady.



Bill7975



http://www.myradiostore.us/xm-radio-receivers/xm-direct-chrysler-rvr-d-001-chy100.html

 

[Matt400]

These should still display the name of artist, songs and such right?

Only the RB1 will do that. The next best thing is to use a PnP (plug - n - play)

like one of these besides being able to see all that info you can pop it out and pop it into the boat, TT, Home, work etc. . and use just one subscription.

 

[Matt400]

Thats pretty slick Bill. I think that is a result of a government ruling that both XM and Sirius work on products so consumers wouldn't be tied to one specific service. Should be something coming like that so Sirius can be played on an XM equipped radio also.

 

[jsimpson]

There's an jack on the Roady2 for the tape deck attachment. Isn't there some way to hardwire that output to the CD changer input wthout shelling out $250 to Daimler Chrysler for an adaptor?

 

[ThomasLawrence]

Isn't there some way to hardwire that output to the CD changer input wthout shelling out $250 to Daimler Chrysler for an adaptor?

Yes - the two adapters that Matt400 listed earlier in this thread for $85 will get the job done.



-Tom