RAY CATENA JUST CALLED ME, AND SAID THAT IT WAS ONLY AVAILABLE ON 2004 MODELS....I HAVE A 2003 WITH NAVIGATION

 

I just called Ray Catena, too. They discouraged me from getting that antenna mounted on the trunk of my SL500. Anyway, I have an order for an '05 SL55 so I called Ray Catena again to ask if the antenna will somehow be 'built-in' to the '05 SL. He said, no. The satellite radio is always going to be a dealer-installed option. So I guess no other antenna besides the trunk-mounted one.

 

My dealer also discouraged me from installing the trunk-mounted antenna on my SL 500. They said they will most likely come out with a better solution.

I wouldn't have done the trunk-mounted antenna anyway, IMHO it ruins the look of the car.

 

While they are very well trained, are NOT communications people. Satellite radio is NOT like conventional radio in that it is beamed from outer space. The satellite antenna must be line of sight to the satellites. Thats why there are more than 1 Sirius satellites transmitting to earth. ANY misalignment in the line of sight from the satellite to the antenna results in no reception. That is why the receivers have a 6 second buffer (recorded inside the radio, then released to the speakers for you to hear.)

That is why people with Dish TV must situate their dishes no matter what they look like on their houses. The dishes also are line of sight. Too many tree limbs will interrupt the signal. Indeed, if you are travelling slowly thru an underpass, the radio will blank out & you will have no sound, if you use up the 6 second delay. Usually you are travelling fast enough not to hear the dead air, but it does occaisionally happen.

The entertainment value of all of the stations is incredible, The lack of interruption by DJ's is refreshing...and no comercials is unbelieveable. Yeah, satellite is great & the sound is great. (No more CD's for me).

To not have it because of the satellite antenna is akin to not getting a telephone installed in your home 60 years ago because of the unsightly poles and wires they had to bring down the street up your driveway, and into your house. In all the years we have had TV, have "rabbit ear" antennas gotten any smaller or attractive? Remember you can't get cable radio into your car & go anywhere.

The day after you activate your Sirius subscription, you will cease to see the antenna.

No offense, but salesmen who talk people out of installing Satellite radio actually jeapordize the satellite radio programming because it is taking vehicle manufacturers far too long to make OEM radios and afterbuild retrofits available to vehicle owners as it is. For satellite to succeed, they must amass a big listener base quickly. Satellite radio has no commercials & must support itself with subscriptions. If they have to resort to commercials to survive, that will take alot away from it value.

Go for it! You WILL enjoy the hell out of it.
Just my .02

 

Barry--
From my experience using XM Sat Radio in Dallas, I would disagree with your statements regarding line of sight. My office antenna is on my window sill, pointed into an enclosed atrium with no visible windows. Home antenna is lying on a shelf in my entertainment center in the exact center of my house. And my car antenna is lying on the back deck of my car. All receivers work fine. This could be because of XM having terrestial repeaters in Dallas. Not sure if Sirius does or not.

My point is that the limitations for antenna installation may not be that limited.

 

Sirius says they have them too. Either they are only in the midst of the large city building clusters, or they are very weak, or the MB set up is not also connected to the AM/FM antenna system in the car, because when the signal is blocked to the satellite only antenna by an overpass there is no reception & the radio displays "Acquiring Signal" (looking for the satellite). If there were an alternate feed (signal) to an altyernate antenna, the sound would not drop out. Also the repeaters are not digital but are only meant as a momentary gap filling signal.

Sirius and XM use different orbits for their satellites each believing that their method of transmission is better. Sort of like Beta Max VS VHS. I honestly don't think there is room for both of them to exist, but to a large extent, I believe the survivor will have rolled it out to car owner faster.

 

I agree that it will be difficult for them both to exist. Interesting article in Time last week discussing sat radio and seemed to have the view that both would. Frankly, I wish MB had struck up a deal with XM simply because they are much larger and more likely to be the acquirer. Also, I do like the multiple alternative rock channels of XM and have heard complaints about Sirius being more repetitive and not as deep. Not sure if that is based on fact though. However, I am much more motivated to have a fully functional OEM installation than loyal to XM.

Of course, I am still waiting for my dealer to get the 'kits'! Jealous of you having it for a couple weeks. Enjoy!

 

Barry45RPM, I'd check to be sure they installed a washer with that allen bolt. With a washer it should be very water resistant, if that was the cause of the failure.

My guess is the antenna will look sleeker and be factory integrated somewhere else for the delaers to install sometime in the future.

I agree that if you have Sat. a cd changer can be redundant.

BTW nice color/interior color combo on your car!

 

I have XM in my car and enjoy it. When I get tired of the '50s station, I flip to the '40s station. (I am 59). There is always interesting music. At work, I listen to the classical pops station in the background. (I have XMPCR at work). With the diversity of music on satellite radio, if one can't find a music genre to enjoy at the moment, one must be awfully picky.

 

The antenna looks huge in the pics. In reality it is much smaller than the palm of my hand. (From the base of my fingers to the heel of my hand) I can completely envelope it.

 

Barry, could you email me a couple more pics, and put something next to the antenna for a size reference? Maybe an actual Microsoft mouse, or a dollar bill, or something so we get a good idea of scale/size. Thanks.

kevin

 

Had my Sirius installed last week using T-Bone's method. Works great & no visible antenna.

With simple instructions and T-bone's photos, my dealer had no trouble installing it.

 

How are you guys getting the Sirius kit from the MB dealers already? Every dealer I've called (three so far) say they still don't have the Sirius sat kit, and they have no idea when it's coming in.

 

Maybe its being released regionally (East to West?) due to short supply of kits. I know the dealer I had it installed at, (Long Island, NY) had to photocopy my Registration & supply a VIN to MB to get the kit shipped to them.

 

I checked with my local dealer and they are quoting $1004 for the SAT receiver and install. Does anyone know of any MBZ dealers or parts houses selling factory receivers???

btw, this is for a 2004 CLK 500

 

Are you planning to save money and install it yourself?

Even if you get the kit and install it yourself, you still need the dealer to use the STAR diagnose to version code it so that your car recognizes that it has been installed thus allowing it to work.

 

I thought about putting something next to it for a size reference & will do so shortly. (I have to shot a couple of more pix & then develop them) Yeah, still using film.

 

For all of you who are interested in seeing the install bulletins for the Sattelite Radio option I just added them to my website. Go to it here Paul's MB Info Website and select the Satellite Bulletin page. You can download your specific model from there ....

Paul

 

Like I said before, this forum is where I learn everything.

 

Have you got the owners manual for the Sirius unit? Would like to download if possible. Thanks.

 

No, I am sorry, I don't have that ..... yet. I don't know for sure if there is one???? It might be part of the Owner's Manual for 2004 vehicles .... anyone out there have one????

Paul

 

Paul, do you know where I could download an owners manual for a 2004 E500 Command system. I've ordered a 2005, but should be pretty similar.

Thanks, Dick

 

You guys should check out the Blitzsafe micro antenna. They have a website. I had this antenna installed on my S500 with XM. Its the size of a matchbook and gets excellent reception. I mounted it right by the nav antenna and had it painted body color. It is barely noticable.

 

 

What is so different from the satelite XM or Sirrus and navigation satelite reception.

Steve installed my Euro Comand, putting a small antenna under the plastic top of the instrument dash.

Anyone try the same location with an XM or Sirrus antenna?