danielemccabe

ok guys, amazingly, i have not found threads on this site about this. maybe they're there, but I can't find them.

i'm getting sirius put in my car (because of Howard Stern of course) and here's my plan so far. install the receiver in the ash tray (after removing the tray itself) and using the aux jack in the glove. i will hard wire using the lighter power.

HERE'S THE PROBLEM
I'm not putting the antenna on the truck deck. not happening. i don't care if it's painted or not, i think it will look terrible.

the only solution i have seen so far is attaching it under the grill on the hood. and apparently reception is so perfect from there.

anyone do anything creative with this? I'd like to find a combo antenna to put on the back window, but i'm not sure if they make one.

i need help here guys. what are my options? has anyone researched this?

RawAMGpower

What year is your car and do you have nav on it? If you want the system covered under warranty your only option is to have it installed on the trunk lid. Have you seen the new antenna? It's very small and designed pretty nice. Also if your car is a MY04 or later why would you take out your ash tray and use the lighter to install the receiver when you have it built into your factory radio?

danielemccabe

i've got a 2003 C32 with command. i really don't want to put the antenna on my trunk. i don't care how small it is. have you seen anything else?

Moviela

The factory receiver interfaces nicely with the comand head unit. There is a version for D2B, which might install in your car. Check with the parts department. The antenna on the trunk is not attractive, even color matched, so I don't blame you for not wanting a wart on there.

I am not sure where the antenna is mounted on the 2006 cars, but I can't see it on the E and ML. You might be able to buy that antenna. I have seen cars with the antenna mounted in the grill on the hood, and under the dash pad beneath the windshield.

I have the factory receiver, and tried the antenna in the grill, but my foothill location did not give me satisfactory reception. It was a tough nut to run the cables to the rear of the car, too. I bit the bullet and cut a 20mm hole in the roof (mine is a wagon) and mounted the hockey puck there. I painted it white, and that looked terrible next to the black roof rails, so I took the paint off. The recption is fine, and I can spot my car in a lot full of Benzes.

Stern is one of the most creative people in radio today. With $500 Million to play with, I hope he finally gets Gary's teeth fixed!

RBMBC32

So I stopped by my local MB dealership to find out about Sirius. I figured it would be a $200-300 for installation... Boy was I wrong!! $700 for parts and $500 for installation. This doesn't even include the cost to color match the antenna or Sirius service. I've been a Stern listern for years but I don't think I can justify the cost to continue to listen to him.

danielemccabe

dont' think i want to have the dealer put it in for 1200, but i can probably get it done at circuit city using the aux input for around 250.

moviela, when you say the factory unit, are you talking about a unit that will actually integrate with my command unit? does it mount somewhere in the car and then my current display is used? how does it work? I'd be interested in this? give me some details if you have them. i'm stopping by the dealer tomorrow to look into a C55 spoiler, so i'll ask about the sirius.

so you say you put the antenna in the grill on your hood and it got bad reception? hmmmm i had high hopes that would work for me. there's got to be something that can be done if I through enough money at it!!!!

i want to know if there is a double antenna that i can use for my command and the sirius radio

RBMBC32

I would stay away from Circuit City if I were you unless you know the installers. All you need is some newbie installer working on your ride. I would find a high end car audio installer instead of going to Bestbuy or Circuit City. Just my opinion.

Moviela

The factory receiver is the size of a paperback book. It mounts in the rear of the car on a bracket supplied in the kit. The Kit has a dealer cost of $ 486. It retails for $ 699.
I paid $ 543. plus $12 for antenna templates, and $ 10 for primer to dress the antenna hole. My car was a prewired MOST car. It only took me two hours to do the first one because I followed the instructions. It took 30 mins to do the next one cause I did not have to remove the covers over the phone stuff. (no phone)

I live in the foothills, so reception was not good with the antenna mounted in the hood grill. Mounting it in the roof works fine. I guess if you live in flat territory, it might work fine. Keep in mind that the connectors are tough to find for the antenna.

The receiver looks the same but has different fiber optic connectors for D2B or MOST systems. Hook-up is easy, but you do need a dealer to finish the job by doing the "version coding" so the Head Unit and the car knows the sat receiver is onboard. I paid the dealer $ 50 to do the coding.

The integration is seamless and nice. You can use the steering wheel controls to change the "party" and "channel". The station name and song title are available on the COMAND screen, and the channel is shown in the little display next to the speedo.

The navigation and Sirius antennas are different. You need both. The NAV antenna is mounted above the speedo UNDER the dash pad, so you don't see it. The birds for NAV are geosynchronous, so they are "hanging" over the same spot all the time. The dash position works fine because there are a handful of birds. If the NAV loses the signal in the canyons or tunnels, it keeps track of your location with data from the wheels, until it can see the sky again.

Sirius uses 3 birds in an eliptical orbit. They are over the US for 16 hours at a time, but the position is constantly changing. So in the same place the reception might be fine, and other times when the bird is close to the horizon, you might loose signal. Hills are a greater problem. In some urban areas like NYC there are gound transmitters to cover the concrete canyons.

If you want to use the aux input, wait a bit. Sirius says a new improved portable version will be coming soon.

Vader13

Here is my stealth XM install, you need it outside for good reception.

danielemccabe

hmmmmm, ok, i have a 2003 C32 with command. i was under the impression that i could not get a direct link to my head unit. are you suggesting that i need to get a new head unit.

what is MOST and D2B?

like the stealth XM hook up, where'd you put the radio? is it integrated?

can't wait for the mobile unit, might miss the first day of howard stern.

have either of you guys put the antenna in the back window, on the inside? one of the techs at mercedes said his works fine in his jetta with a similar sloping window.

danielemccabe

i think that the integrated satillite systems were only available as of 05 cars.

Moviela

D2B and MOST are the names of fiber optic connections inside the car. The audio signal from the phone, CD changer, and Sat receiver are connected to the Head Unit on this "ring."

Newer cars have MOST, older cars have D2B. They are not compatable. That is why there are two receivers. I did a D2B install in a 2004 wagon, then a MOST install in an 05.

Check with the parts department using your VIN to see if a kit is offered for your car. I don't know if you need to change the head unit, or if it can be flashed to use the Sat receiver. Here again you need an experienced parts man.

The antenna in the rear window works, but only sorta. The slope of the glass is not very important, but the composition, imbedded antennas, and window heaters can affect reception. XM seems to be better with that trick than Sirius, but XM has no Stern.

Moviela

[QUOTE=Vader13]Here is my stealth XM install, you need it outside for good reception.

Very nice custom install. Are those speakers or jet afterburners?

Must sound sensational with all that power available.

danielemccabe

i talked to my guys at my dealer here in West Chester, pa, and they weren't real knowledgable. anyone know if the 2003 c-class command can be integrated with satallite?

Vader13

use logic man, your command was designed way before sat radio was even available.

danielemccabe

many head units with chips in them often can be flashed, or updated. i was hoping for that. XM satelite started before 03, so i don't think the question was unreasonable....man

Vader13

The command fiber optic system sucks anyway, I use an Alpine XM Head unit and it supports all that power in the truck.

danielemccabe

i did give thought to getting an aftermarket system, but i didn't want to change the look of the car inside. do you have any photos of you alpine unit- on the inside? love to see what you did...

thanks

Vader13

I just got a new unit and dont have a pic, basically your whole command comes out and your sterio shop puts in an adapter. The top part is where the head unit goes then you get a neat stasch spot under it.

m3_eater

- or place to put the V1 display :v

Vader13

I stuck mine right behind my steering wheel. I got this little plastic L and slid it in.
Then I double sided the V1 display to the L. Its great becuase its in my direct view.

Moviela

Or put the V1 display in the mirror.

liquid7sid

I installed mine in the ash tray, works great there. Tried the AUX input, but didn't like having to go through the menu to listen and reset the sound setting everytime. I run it over the radio. I put my antenna under the hood grill and have had no problems with it. I only loose signal under heavy trees or bridges.

m3_eater

In the mirror? That sounds like a great idea - how does that look? Got any pics?

danielemccabe

i decided to put the sirius reciever in the ashtray, so i could close it and it still looks stock, and i got the attenna painted 040 black and i'm going to put it on the roof just ahead of the command antenna.

interesting to hear that it worked fine under the the hood grill. i dont' want to get this thing and be disappointed witht the hood grill mount. i think mine will look good on the roof. and i think it will look good now that it is painted glossy black.

also, i'm using the aux input. i can't stand the idea of using the FM frequency (wireless) and losing sound quality like that. going throught the menus to get there is annoying. why didn't Mercedes just use that last button for aux????? does that last command button actually do anything with some feature i don't have? I have every feature possible except the the rain sensor and the back sunshade. does anyone know why mercedes left that button on the command empty?