Satellite Radio - Just wanted to share my recent experience with purchasing and installing an XM satellite radio in my '04 3500 Laramie. Let me say, I am not going to get into a debate which is best, XM or Sirius - fact is, my factory navigation unit does not allow me to simply attach a tuner and antenna and use the factory head unit - so, it's after-market for me. And XM because my wife's new car has XM and you get a subscription discount for a second XM account.

For those folks sitting on the fence about satellite radio - DON'T! Just get one.

I don't know about other model years, but an '04 Ram has an open area in the center of the dash just below the AC controls. It's about 8" W, 5" D, 2" H. Perfect spot for an after-market satellite radio.

I can't stand junk plastered to the dash and wires running all over the dash and cab, so it was vital that I got a radio that fit inside the space I described. And I did.

I purchased - and after 2 weeks can strongly recommend - the Audiovox XM Commander MT. Price at Best Buy - $175. New in unopened factory box on eBay, $65 including shipping.

I no longer wish to screw around installing stuff - so Best Buy installed it right where I described, and using the snap in trim piece furnished with the radio it looks as close to a factory job as one can get. Direct line hook-up with FM at the back of the factory radio/nav unit allows distortion free sound through truck's Infinity speakers, and the antenna mounted just in front of the 3rd brake light and run through the brake light and under headliner. NO VISIBLE WIRES!! - Cost of install - $82 and some change.

I haven't listened to regular radio in the two weeks I've had it.

Highly recommend!!

 

BTW...Sirius bought XM, and completed the merger ~3 months ago.

And, yes, I do like the sat radio, particularly on road trips.

Tony

 

Lets see some pics of it installed...

Im actually thinking about ditching satellite. Since they merged and replaced Buzzsaw with that crap Boneyard, my last saving grace was Mandatory Metallica on 27. That was temporary, and now since its gone, there really isnt much to listen too...Im disappointed after the merger that, in my opinion, shouldnt have happened

 

RIP Buzzsaw, that was preset #1 on mine.
I haven't listened to regular radio since I put mine in about 2 years ago.
Did anyone hear who won the election for president? LOL !

 

I'm a 65 yr. old retired cardio-vascular surgeon - I don't know how to download pictures on these sites. Seriously, I don't!! LMAO

Go to xmfanstore.com - find the XM commander MT on the site. On the right side of the picture of the radio itself you will see 4 pictures. Click on the 2nd picture down from the top and it will give you a real good idea what it looks like installed in a similar dash tray.

Trust me, it is a very clean install.

As for XM and Sirius being one in the same, please be advised that while I think it was XM that bought out Sirius, they do not share account discounts.

Hope this helps

 

Here's a pic of my Sirius. I drilled a hole in the top of the compartment and ran all the wiring up under the stereo. I spliced a 12v outlet into the stereo power wire so the Sirius receiver shuts off with the key. The best thing I did was get the hard wired fm modulator. I still get some interferance when I'm near a radio station that has a strong signal, but it's a 1000 times better than the wireless transmitter.

 

Looks very similar to 4X4 Freak's install. Only difference is the XM Commander radio is just a smidgin less in height, thus allowing it to fit perfectly flush with dash tray once finish trim radio surround is installed.

And, yes, Best Buy hooked it up so it only comes on with ignition.

As a matter of fact, I had the radio installed precisely where Freak did - on the left side of the opening. That way I have a 3" space on the right of the radio for the remote control and my clip-on sun glasses.

 

I'm not a huge fan of the new programming I got when they merged. I let the XM expire in my '07 Tahoe because I didn't care for it. I loved the Sirius programming that came in the truck. I still like the Sirius enough to re-up my year subscription a couple weeks back. Just don't like it as much as I did.

When I drive the Tahoe or my Blazer I want to pull my hair out after about 2 miles. My local radio stations SUCK!!!!!

I haven't listened to a local station in my truck since I bought it over 2 years ago.

 

I went one step up and installed the kenwood kvt-512 (replaced stock stereo looks sweeet) with navigation where you can add sirius and xm. I got the sirius subscription and I agree I love it my only problem is I get all those channels and listen to only about 5. I will be adding the xm weather subcription to run through the navigation. I'll post pics later best buy did a great job at install. Also was able to add back up camera through unit. (no more fights with wife when trying to back me up to trailer)

 

I've been an XM subscriber since they first started, and I am NOT very happy with all the recent changes. I subscribed to listen to music, not some DJ flapping his jaw for minutes on end. Still, because I can't pick up any radio stations reliably where I live, I keep subscribing. But, reading some postings on an XM forum, we may all be in trouble. It seems that, despite the merger, XM/Sirius is in dire financial straits and there are rumors that some communications giant is in negotiations to buy them and then use that bandwidth for their own needs. We would all be stuck with unuseable satellite radios!

 

Looking at the variety and shear number of stations one can get over the two networks it is hard to imagine that one is clearly superior to the other. Perhaps Serius, with Howard Stern and that kind of programming appeals to a younger audience, I don't know.

What I do know is that I am having no difficulty whatsoever finding plenty of stations to listen to on XM Radio. I have preset 3 different talk stations along with the FOX News Channel, 3 comedy channels, 4 sports channels (ESPN, etc.) and several music channels - the radio allows for up to 30 pre-sets.

We split time living in rural areas of both Idaho and Nevada, and we travel to Texas twice per year, as well as other locations. In other words, decent stations, sometimes stations of any sort, are often hard to come by. Satellite radios are really easy to get used to under those circumstances and become "must have" devices rather quickly.

As for satellite radio going out of business. I have not heard about that, but for those in a bind with money I can see where a non-essential item might have to go - but at $12.95/mo or less, one would really have to be up against it to discard the service. Also, in the last few years satellite radios have become almost standard issue on new vehicles. Finally, the way our government is handing out our money to and for everything from GM and the banks to studying the bowel movements of the Tse Tse Fly, it is hard to imagine satellite radio service falling by the wayside at this point. But, you never know.

 

Here's mine...

 

Had XM for almost 2 years, the merger has given some better channels from Sirius but i'm still not very impressed. If I am listening online it's better because I can view what's on all channels easier, but it's a lot tougher in the truck. I am into rap, country, and rock and XM sure doesn't offer much of the good stuff, there is some but you have to really look. Much happier downloading music and putting it on the Iphone to listen to, and it doesn't cost me $100 a year....

 

Doc,

What unit is in your truck? I have a factory RB1 Nav unit that is absolutely factory wired for Sirius. I bought the add on stuff from ebay and plugged it in about 3 years ago and its awesome. Just want to make sure you don't spend money on something that you don't need to.

 

Sirius/XM is indeed in bad financial shape. I believe its DirecTV thats trying to overtake them. If its not DirecTV, its Dish Network. Anyway, the head of one of the satellite TV providers is wanting to overtake satellite radio. Hes tried to do so in an agreement, but Sirius/XM (BTW, Sirius took over XM...) has flatly refused. There is a way he can do so in a hostile takeover, but Im not sure how that exactly works. Whoevers in charge at Sirius/XM CAN lose the company, even if they dont want to. And its all legit, all legal, if the satellite TV guy does so in proper accordance with the laws. Theres some criteria that needs to be met on both sides...