itr206

Here is the deal. . .

I bought my IS300 and already has an FM modulated Sirius unit activated and wired into the car.
All is dandy, but now I upgraded to a double din unit (pioneer P4300)and wanted to know if I can still milk the activated unit and integrate it with my DDIN screen to have the readouts by adding any other hardware to the mix?

Or if the only option to integrate is to buy the Pioneer Sirius connection package like this :: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_700SIRP...age.html?tp=87 and be forced to actually have to activate a unit.

I know it sounds ****ty, but Id like to milk the free service as much as I can and the external unit is old and garbage. Backlight doesnt work well and a pain to get to to switch stations. Not as convenient as having built in for sure.

Robert_J

Which Sirius unit is it? There's a 99% chance it won't work but until there are more details we can't be 100% sure.

As far as adding the Pioneer tuner, they are nice. I installed the XM tuner after upgrading my ES-350's head until to a P3300-BT. I wish I had gone with the Sirius model because it has a "rewind" function. Basically a short buffer to allow you to rewind and hear a song again. My SkiFy II home/car tuner has that and I really like it.

itr206

I gotta check. Its an old unit. I had the sticker I peeled off it the other week to research it and apparently not on my desk anymore so I gotta search more.

Not only would I like to milk the free service if I can, but more importantly I would like to not have to spend another $100-130 for another outboard unit if I dont have to

itr206

It looks like it might be an SC-FM1 from the sticker I pulled off it.

Here is the unit:

http://www.tss-radio.com/products/si...1-tuner-system

Robert_J

The only way to have the Pioneer head unit control the tuner and display Sirius information on the screen is via the PBUS connection. That unit only has an FM modulator and L/R audio outputs. It will not do what you want it to do.

itr206

I figured, but worth a shot I guess.
OK, I may order the Pioneer kit from Crutchfield then. Best deal I can find on that kit with the $30 rebate.

HOw you guys mounting your antenna? Mine is currently on the front of the dash by the windsheild. I assume the prev owner was weird about wires and tracks on the roof and mounted there. I can honestly say Im not overly fond of the idea either, but worth relocating?
Signal will cut now and again when going on roads under trees and cloudy days, but not sure if the antenna is just old and junk or relocating will resolve?

Robert_J

My antenna is about 1/8" to the left of the factory antenna. My wife didn't notice it for almost 2 weeks until I pointed it out to her. A picture of it is in my ES-350 audio upgrade thread (350 section). The antenna wire was run beside the factory wire. The tuner is behind a trunk panel and held in place with duct tape.

Sirius and XM use two completely different approaches to getting the signal to you. XM is like DirecTV and Dish Network in that they have 2 stationary satellites in geosynchronous orbit over the equator. There are a few repeaters in metro areas. I lose signal when buildings or large trucks block my view of the southern sky. I have never lost a signal due to clouds.

Sirius uses a bunch of different satellites orbiting the Earth and at any one time a few are visible to North America. They use lower power signals since you should be able to get the same signal from multiple sats at one time. This is where clouds can be a factor in clogging your view of the entire sky.

I would have gone with Sirius due to the "rewind" feature and lived with the occasional drop-out.