I have a 2004 Solara that has a SAT button on the radio. What do I need to get xm or Sirrius? Will the dealer do it or are there better sources for the retrofit?. I want to keep the radio I have --just as the SAT radio to it.
Cheers,
Bojangles
Usually, there's a simple external module that tunes the selected service. Some radios can accept external tuners for either service, many are either-or. The antenna may already be there, or you may need to purchase one. Ask at your dealer and local car stereo shops.
Once you have the hardware, you'll simply subscribe to your selected service and enjoy.
Both services offer free online trials to sample music content. My brother has Sirius, I have had XM for 3 years, we're both thrilled. My preferences are very wide, his lean more towards popular or was-popular stuff.
Be aware of the following:
- Online sound quality is poor. Both services sound excellent with actual tuners. although not truly CD quality.
- Legalities prevent either service from putting much syndicated talk content online.
- The satellite radio newsgroup is full of psychotics with little useful information to offer. Go there at your own risk!
Toyota uses XM. All this does is give you the XM controls frm the head unit, you will still need an XM receiver. It's a bit pricey, I think, to use the Toyota system -- that is, add it after-sale. My brother has the XM SkyFi unit that has a modulator that feedes into the radio head unit, but he controls his XM from the XM itself -- actually he uses the remote control, but the idea is the same.
The Toyota head unit has the ability to select the XM receiver as the input device, and it will give you the XM controls right in the head unit itself. It is a very clean setup, but I seem to recall that it costs more than the less-elegant ways of getting the same thing.
If you want to take advantage of the Toyota head unit, I am pretty sure you'll need to visit your local Toyota dealer.
Another difference is that XM offers Major League Baseball, Sirius has NFL. They both offer the audio channel of the national (cable) news programs.
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