Sirius reception
Thread Starter
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Joined: Dec 2001
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From: so cal
2007 E550 and 2007 335i
Sirius reception
I am rather disappointed in the sat. radio reception. I have the factory setup in my 2007 E and when driving near tall trees or under any overpass I lose the signal. I have a circuit city installed xm radio that's 4 years old in my 2002 C class and it only loses the signal when I go under a looong tunnel like under the runways at Lax. In addition the xm antenna I am using is smaller than a matchbook. Also it is placed inside the car on top of package shelf. The install instructions said that this was a terrible place to put the antenna but it works much better than my new Sirius. Is everyone else having similar reception issues?
Thanks
Stevec32
Thanks
Stevec32
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Joined: Mar 2005
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From: san antonio
2011 S550
the reception in sirius is not as good, bottom line.
XM antenna can be in the car and you will have no problems.
The rotation of the sirius satellites is not the same as XM, also XM seems to have more repeaters hence less loss of signal.
i have both. programs on sirius IMHO is better but interface on XM is better.
XM antenna can be in the car and you will have no problems.
The rotation of the sirius satellites is not the same as XM, also XM seems to have more repeaters hence less loss of signal.
i have both. programs on sirius IMHO is better but interface on XM is better.
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Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Long Island, NY
2004 E320
When it's working properly, how is the Sirius sound quality (music) compared to FM and CD, particularly CD. I wish Sirius had a trial period for car units, even if only for a couple of days. I tried their internet radio trial and it sucked,
only 35kbits/sec ( medium quality mp3 is 192 !)
only 35kbits/sec ( medium quality mp3 is 192 !)
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Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Bay Area
03 E55
I am rather disappointed in the sat. radio reception. I have the factory setup in my 2007 E and when driving near tall trees or under any overpass I lose the signal. I have a circuit city installed xm radio that's 4 years old in my 2002 C class and it only loses the signal when I go under a looong tunnel like under the runways at Lax. In addition the xm antenna I am using is smaller than a matchbook. Also it is placed inside the car on top of package shelf. The install instructions said that this was a terrible place to put the antenna but it works much better than my new Sirius. Is everyone else having similar reception issues?
Thanks
Stevec32
Thanks
Stevec32
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From: Sacramento
'08 AM Vantage V8 - '03 E500
I have the XM micro-antenna on the rear package shelf connected to (ahem) an XM MyFi portable. Reception is excellent, with no dropouts except in deep canyons or in the "shadow" of buildings. After hearing the many complaints about Sirius reception, I'm forced to the conclusion that, other things being equal, XM just has better reception, at least in a W211. True Sirius fans will, of course, beg to differ.
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From: Rockville, MD
Our E320 has an XM receiver from Best Buy
They installed it so the unit was the only give away. The antenna is mounted on the roof, it uses a heavy magnet. Reception is great 95% of the time (tunnels and such are the exceptions).
A friend has Sirius and it is always cutting out, reception is horrible.
I wish that MB would offer a choice, I prefer XM programming.
A friend has Sirius and it is always cutting out, reception is horrible.
I wish that MB would offer a choice, I prefer XM programming.
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Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Oregon
Harley-Davidson
The signal drops out frequently on mine as well. Any drive along a winding, tree-lined road or more than a second or two beneath any overhead object triggers a few seconds of silence while the screen displays "acquiring signal". I am getting in the habit of hitting the Audio button to switch to a radio station when I get a red light at a location without a clear view of the sky.
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 487
Likes: 4
From: North Carolina, US
'06 E500, '99 ML430 and '07 SL65
I had my SDAR unit swapped out and it greatly improved my reception. I had it done because it would show that it was searching for signal even when it was playing. Swapping the unit out didn't solve the initial problem but my reception is much improved.
Getting the SDAR swapped might help you out.
Getting the SDAR swapped might help you out.
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Joined: May 2005
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E500 4matic, 2014 GL320, 2013 C300, 2015 Stingray
Antenna question
OK -
Great thread - i have the exact same issues w/ my Sirius reception. Most overpasses i go under, anytime i drive on tree covered streets, always losing reception.
OK - now my question - can you put a splitter where the antenna plugs inot the main unit on the drivers side trunk, run another antenna to the front window area, and thus have 2 antennas? Will this work (signal wise)?
My current antenna is on the rear shelf, thinking the front & rear placement should work.
Any thoughts?
Aceman
Great thread - i have the exact same issues w/ my Sirius reception. Most overpasses i go under, anytime i drive on tree covered streets, always losing reception.
OK - now my question - can you put a splitter where the antenna plugs inot the main unit on the drivers side trunk, run another antenna to the front window area, and thus have 2 antennas? Will this work (signal wise)?
My current antenna is on the rear shelf, thinking the front & rear placement should work.
Any thoughts?
Aceman
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 280
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From: Dallas, Texas
SL550
Some issues here as well, though I've done pretty well with keeping reception through underpasses. My biggest issue is it sometimes saying "Acquiring Signal" when I start up the car despite being in a place where the signal and reception should be perfectly clear. Sometimes when all seems well, the signal will randomly go in and out while driving in areas with no overhead obstructions. I'd say I'm about 80% satisfied with Sirius.
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Joined: Nov 2003
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2004 E500
Reception is likely dependent on one's geographic location
XM and Sirius use rather different satellite orbits, if I recall correctly, making any comparison difficult as much depends on where one is located.
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Joined: Mar 2006
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From: San Jose area
'19 E63S sedan
I was so disappointed with the Sirius reception on my wife's C55 I skipped it on my S65. Not only does it lose lock on winding roads it loses lock under every overpass, even at highway speeds.
Audio quality is disappointing at best. The real bandwidth is way too small and the lossy compression makes for very annoying distortions. It's ok for talk radio, but not for quality music reproduction.
Audio quality is disappointing at best. The real bandwidth is way too small and the lossy compression makes for very annoying distortions. It's ok for talk radio, but not for quality music reproduction.
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From: Long Island, NY
2004 E320
Well, I guess that's the answer to my question in post #4 above. Thanks.
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From: North Carolina, US
'06 E500, '99 ML430 and '07 SL65
I was so disappointed with the Sirius reception on my wife's C55 I skipped it on my S65. Not only does it lose lock on winding roads it loses lock under every overpass, even at highway speeds.
Audio quality is disappointing at best. The real bandwidth is way too small and the lossy compression makes for very annoying distortions. It's ok for talk radio, but not for quality music reproduction.
Audio quality is disappointing at best. The real bandwidth is way too small and the lossy compression makes for very annoying distortions. It's ok for talk radio, but not for quality music reproduction.
XM uses 2 birds each covering one half of the continental US whether Sirius uses 3 satellites on rotational basis as they orbital paths come to bear on the whole US.
I have never (in my MB or previous cars) had any problems with the quality of the signal and the music received. I have had situations where I could not get a signal but once it was there it was as good as a CD.
I am not married to either XM or Sirius but don't blame them for something that is not under their control. -and no, I don't work for either radio station.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 82
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From: so cal
2007 E550 and 2007 335i
Thanks for your thoughts
It seems many people have similar issues with sirius radio. Both sirius and xm have ground repeaters. I was under the impression that sirius had much better satellite location so that they needed many less repeaters. I believed that since xm had a bad satellite location very far south that they used many many cell towers to make up for the difference. I long for the reception of a 4 year old matchbook xm antenna under glass verses my 9 inch rudder on top of my 60k car. And the sound quality of Mercedes sirius is equal to fm, the sound of aftermarket xm in my 2002 c32 is equal to a cd. Oh well such is life....
stevec32
stevec32
Last edited by stevec32; Oct 28, 2006 at 12:23 AM.
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From: Long Island, NY
2004 E320
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From: Northern NJ
2014 BMW 550i
I don't have huge problems with reception on my ML, but it does cut out. My experience is similar to sgaar, where the quality is just fine, but it will search for signal under some tree lined areas, under some bridges, and in my apartment parking garage.
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From: Ft. Lauderdale Area, USA
2015 ML 350
Here too, but my Son's Honda Accord will play in an open walled 4 story parking garage on any floor. Why? Who knows?
I must say, Ilike the programming better on Sirius now, & for some reason, all factory XM cars display truncated song names & Artist names. Sirius equipped cars seem to display many more letters with less truncation. I've checked many XM cars on this... I dunno...
I must say, Ilike the programming better on Sirius now, & for some reason, all factory XM cars display truncated song names & Artist names. Sirius equipped cars seem to display many more letters with less truncation. I've checked many XM cars on this... I dunno...
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 487
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From: North Carolina, US
'06 E500, '99 ML430 and '07 SL65
That depends on the make of the car and how the manufacture implemented Sirius. In my previous car I also had Sirius and I got less imformation there than I do in my MB. Sirius sends the info to the unit and then the unit displays the info in the way the designer wants.
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From: Arizona
BMW FTW
I posted this a while back.... Sorry the links no longer work...
The sat radio is not a mercedes issue its a sirius issue (no pun intened) they have sats that are moving around in an orbit so you will get signal very strong sometimes and weak others or none. Thats why I went with XM they have geostationary sats so you dont run into must of any signal problems also XM is supposed to have more repeaters than sirius.
orbits of sirius birds.
http://www.heavens-above.com/orbitdi...sp?satid=26390 ---- sat 1
http://www.heavens-above.com/orbitdi...sp?satid=26483 --- sat 2
http://www.heavens-above.com/orbitdi...sp?satid=26626 --- sat 3
I dont have the link to XM's but I think they launched the 4th one recently. The first 2 they sent up had defects from boeing and could not operate at full power for long so they shut half of each one down and moved the 2 broke sats together and launched a fixed one to take over the eastern side. Recently I think they launched the 4th one that has no defect and the XM-3 and XM-4 are transmitting with XM-1 and XM-2 offline as back ups. But the XM sats are made by boeing and are the most powerful communications satellites that you can buy and have a fixed orbit.
The sat radio is not a mercedes issue its a sirius issue (no pun intened) they have sats that are moving around in an orbit so you will get signal very strong sometimes and weak others or none. Thats why I went with XM they have geostationary sats so you dont run into must of any signal problems also XM is supposed to have more repeaters than sirius.
orbits of sirius birds.
http://www.heavens-above.com/orbitdi...sp?satid=26390 ---- sat 1
http://www.heavens-above.com/orbitdi...sp?satid=26483 --- sat 2
http://www.heavens-above.com/orbitdi...sp?satid=26626 --- sat 3
I dont have the link to XM's but I think they launched the 4th one recently. The first 2 they sent up had defects from boeing and could not operate at full power for long so they shut half of each one down and moved the 2 broke sats together and launched a fixed one to take over the eastern side. Recently I think they launched the 4th one that has no defect and the XM-3 and XM-4 are transmitting with XM-1 and XM-2 offline as back ups. But the XM sats are made by boeing and are the most powerful communications satellites that you can buy and have a fixed orbit.
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From: Arizona
BMW FTW
Here too, but my Son's Honda Accord will play in an open walled 4 story parking garage on any floor. Why? Who knows?
I must say, Ilike the programming better on Sirius now, & for some reason, all factory XM cars display truncated song names & Artist names. Sirius equipped cars seem to display many more letters with less truncation. I've checked many XM cars on this... I dunno...
I must say, Ilike the programming better on Sirius now, & for some reason, all factory XM cars display truncated song names & Artist names. Sirius equipped cars seem to display many more letters with less truncation. I've checked many XM cars on this... I dunno...
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From: Arizona
BMW FTW
You might live near a repeater and be going off that vs the real satellites. Most signal in very populated areas comes from repeaters, which also explains why in some tunnels and parking garages you can get signal. You can do a google search both XM and Sirius legally must show the location of repeaters with the FCC and you can look that up but most of the time it gives you lat and long coordinates.
