Buellwinkle

Search the forum, one person did get the shuttle in his ashtray (I couldn't easily and then door wouldn't close) but it would require some customization. Also check their forum, www.siriusbackstage.com

As for XM, the Skyfi has the 4 line display advantage over the 3 line Roady and the Roady has the channel changer on the top right corner on the side where it's hard to reach in a recessed install, the Skyfi has in it front. The Skyfi install requires disassembling the holster that holds it to remove the eletronics out of it or it won't fit. The Roady will sound better as it has higher level line outs that will match your radio, the Skyfi will sound weaker than your FM radio and on some cars it may buzz/humm in the background (this was fixed in the Roady) but a ground loop isolator would fix that. Also the Roady lets you pick from 7 different display colors and is much brighter than the Skyfi and doesn't wash out in the sun like the Skyfi. I know because we have both the Roady and the Skyfi. The biggest advantage with the Skyfi is the boombox, but if you don't need it it's not big deal. For a permanent install you may want to look at the Commander, it has a small display and a seperate receiver you mount elsewhere. Check their top forum, www.XMFan.com for more details.

The Delphi FM mod is very good, better than the Pioneer I tried. Don't forget to get both antenna adapters.

If you want a nice clean install, check the Circuit City in Irvine (Tustin Marketplace) and ask for Rudy. GTIDan on the forum works there and this guy did my first install, very clean and he did Dan's Pioneer. I don't normally recommend CC's and the one in Laguna Hills ruined my C230 HU and I had to get it replaced because they are idiots and ran the radio while installing speakers.

CitronC230K_03

i saw the commander on the xm website. i like the way it looks. though the commander seems to have a 2 line display, roady a 3 and skyfi a 4. im not to keen on hearing there may be background noise with the skyfi. if thats the case i may just go with the commander. im looking for a permanent install and dont have another car to put it in and dont care to move it around. where i place it is where it will stay.

ill check out CC in Irvine. so Buell you think the commander is the way to go?

i just checked it out in more detail and the commander has only a blue backlighting display. which wouldnt be too bad because the COMAND is blue at night. but i like the orange/amber on the roady and skyfi because the rest of the dash is that color.

hey Buell- one more question for you. will background noise be there if i run it through the Aux input of COMAND?

Buellwinkle

If you are using AUX-In there should not be any problems, the ground loop problems with the skifi were with the FM mod I believe.

Ideally the Skyfi 4 line display will give you everything, artist/song/channel, a 3 line display like on the Roady or Commander will give you artist/song or channel/artist or chanel song. Your saying, hey, that's only 2 lines but they 3rd/4th line is the status info (signal strength, etc) so it's not changeable. What I do is keep it on the artist/song setting since I typically know what station I'm on. If I want to see the station/catagory quickly I press the catagory button and it flashes the info for a second or two without changing any of the settings.

Installation wise, the Roady is the easiest, no cradle, no seperate box to hide. The orange color of the Roady or Skyfi is not close to the amber of the MB display, I keep my Roady set on blue. Right now they have a special offer on the Roady, you can get the home kit (antenna, cradle, power supply) for free or a free wireless FM transmitter/power adapter that's great if you want to take the Roady in a rental car or someone elses car during a road trip.

CitronC230K_03

i saw the roady at CC or goodguys. dont remember which. is changing the stations going to be difficult with the knob up in the corner like it is and installed in the ashtray?

Buellwinkle

First realize that there are not only 30 presets but you can enter the station number directly with the numeric pad so using the jog dial is not 100% necessary. Second, if you mount the Roady on the left most side of the ashtray you will have plenty of room to get your finger in there to use the dial.

CitronC230K_03

i went and looked at all three units today. the skyfi, roady and commander. i feel even more confused than i was but at teh same time i have better idea of what is required and what isnt.

buell, i read somewhere that you said the best way to run permenant power is to run a wire from the fuse box and just plug the cig lighter into that. how can this be done exactly. will the install shops know what i want? every place i go to tells me i need an fm modulator, i tell them about the aux input and they still want to sell me an fm modulator. i want to basically install my unit just like this one. the only difference being that i am going to run my line out to my aux in of COMAND. im just confused over power. im told over and over that i have to buy an fm modulator for direct power, without the cig lighter. only one place said i can do it by splicing the cig lighter and runing to the fuse box. do you know if this is true?

https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...atellite+auxin

kokketiel

CitronC230K_03, you can most certainly tap into the AUX input - it is just an audio input, no mystery there. You can either put a wire tap on the harness where it plugs into the HU, or build a modified harness where you tap into the input. I suspect that the audio shops that you have spoken to, is not familiar with the wiring, but it you show them where the wiring comes from, they should be able to figure it out very easily.

As for power, you can either tap into the cigarette lighter power or run another wire from the fuse box, using a fuse extender.

There should be no dependencies on the way the sound is input to the unit (FM modulator vs AUX in), and where the unit gets its power from.

breastroker

Here is a great link to Comand info:http://www.ibex.co.uk/mbstuff/

9) Auxiliary Input COMAND can have an Auxiliary audio input – this is normally found in the glovebox and can be used to connect a cassette/mp3/md player or other music source.

The input connections are on the C2 connector and are as follows: -

Right Signal 4

Right Ground 5

Left Signal 13

Left Ground 14

Shielded 3 core cable should be used with the shield connected to pin 14 of connector C2.

There is a loom available from Mercedes for this, part number

A210 440 50 05 or (A 203 540 61 07)

You will have to remove the connector that is on that, and then wire it directly into connector C2 on the COMAND. It is probably easier just to make up the appropriate loom.



You can hard wire the Sirus line out to the C2 pins indicated. Your C2 connector may not have the pins installed, if not get the pins part # A 008 545 55 26

CitronC230K_03

that is exactly what i thought. power hould be power no matter how the unit gets it from. the docking craadle for the XM unit has a power plug built into it, and whether the power comes from a cig lighter or direct. it is still power. how could a work out a fuse extender? its this somewhat common. is that the plug that comes off the fuse box where the cig lighter adapter plugs right into it, and this could be place behind the dash somewhere so it is consealed, right?

Buellwinkle

You need the cig lighter adapter because it converts 12V to 6V plus it has the connetor that goes to the device. Do not cut/splice that wire, you can not run 12V into the Roady/Skyfi, it will not sound twice as loud. Go to any auto supply store or Rat Shack and get a hardwire 12V socket and attach one end to ground, the other to the ignition +12V source if you want the device to turn off when the key is out of the ignition (I tapped into the wire on the radio harness but don't remember the color), then plug the cig lighter plug into the socket, wrap it all in electrical tape and you are done wiring the power.

breastroker

I bought the Roady XM today at BestBuy. $119 with free FM trans.
Bestbuy had a 10% off coupon for this weekend, plus a $19 rebate

I will try the FM transmitter until my Comand Aux input cable gets in.

CitronC230K_03

i bought the SkyFi unit at Best Buy this weekend with a 10% discount as well. im not going to install it until i get the Aux line hooked up. let me know the sound quality difference between the FM mod and aux when you make the change over.

hey breastroker, if i buy the loom A 203 540 61 07, then i just wire up those 4 wires to the C2 connector and thats that right? then i just plug the line out line of my sat radio to the line in jack of the aux and i should be good to go.

dode

In January 2004 I posted my install here .

I now have the antenna above the hatchback. It works well and sounds great!

Dode
Near Lowell, Massachusetts

CitronC230K_03

can you email pics of the install. the pics arent coming up on the thread. the sirius shuttle unit you bought is it the one that looks like the delphi SkyFi and where did you place it?

dode

I now see the pictures now longer appear in that old posting. So, here is the center console:

dode

There have been many questions about using the FM modulator. Here is my modulator, which is inline with the FM lead. Then hidden and powered from the cigarette lighter:

dode

And finally, the tuner is hidden in the back. I still have room for the first aid package, too:

CitronC230K_03

that looks really good. if i still had my old radio id most likely set it up like that. since i dont have the lower did anymore i want to hide the unit in my ash tray! thanks for the pic though