Questions: satellite radio, etc.

[MrRedPants]

I just leased a new 2008 Camry LE with JBL sound system without navigation.
It's satellite ready however that means (basically) $500 to toyota for reciever and antenna install.

I'd rather just use auxilliary input and get aftermarket.

Some questions:
1. XM vs. sirius (I know there's no right answer)
2. Portable device (inno, stilleto) vs. not - I was leaning towards portable because I can put mp3 on them as well. The frustrating thing is it seems like even though it's marketed as portable, you STILL need car kit with antenna. If so, has anyone installed these devices, i.e. antenna? I see the magnetic things on peoples cars. Obviously on a leased vehicle I dont want to do too much but I'd like to have sat radio.

That's basically it.

Thanks in advance.

[Luna2]

Originally Posted by MrRedPants

I just leased a new 2008 Camry LE with JBL sound system without navigation.
It's satellite ready however that means (basically) $500 to toyota for reciever and antenna install.

I'd rather just use auxilliary input and get aftermarket.

Some questions:
1. XM vs. sirius (I know there's no right answer)
2. Portable device (inno, stilleto) vs. not - I was leaning towards portable because I can put mp3 on them as well. The frustrating thing is it seems like even though it's marketed as portable, you STILL need car kit with antenna. If so, has anyone installed these devices, i.e. antenna? I see the magnetic things on peoples cars. Obviously on a leased vehicle I dont want to do too much but I'd like to have sat radio.

That's basically it.

Thanks in advance.

I installed the "portable receiver" behind the trap door, using the aux power and audio input. The antenna was mounted next to the wind shield, in the center. The county and inspection sticker hides it. The antenna cable tucked in the space between the dash and windshield real nice. Routed under the dash above the glovebox to the receiver, entering the "pop out port". I do experiance some fade out but not too objectionable. The antenna isn't outside to be taken. Another option is using velcro as I did and attach to the rear deck. Gooooood Luck!!...

[MrRedPants]

Thanks for the response.

So, in your 'routing' of the anetenna cable, you just tucked it in, didn't actually remove any moldings, etc?

Did you get inno or stilleto? (i.e. xm or sirius)

[FlopShot]

Terk integrated XM tuner for Gen6

You could install this yourself in under 2 hrs with no permanent modification to the car. Then it would take you less than an hour to remove when your lease is up.

[Luna2]

Originally Posted by MrRedPants

Thanks for the response.

So, in your 'routing' of the anetenna cable, you just tucked it in, didn't actually remove any moldings, etc?

Did you get inno or stilleto? (i.e. xm or sirius)

Mine is an XM and I just tucked it in, about 30 min.

[thoots]

Originally Posted by MrRedPants

I just leased a new 2008 Camry LE with JBL sound system without navigation.
It's satellite ready however that means (basically) $500 to toyota for reciever and antenna install.

I'd rather just use auxilliary input and get aftermarket.

Some questions:
1. XM vs. sirius (I know there's no right answer)
2. Portable device (inno, stilleto) vs. not - I was leaning towards portable because I can put mp3 on them as well. The frustrating thing is it seems like even though it's marketed as portable, you STILL need car kit with antenna. If so, has anyone installed these devices, i.e. antenna? I see the magnetic things on peoples cars. Obviously on a leased vehicle I dont want to do too much but I'd like to have sat radio.

That's basically it.

Thanks in advance.

XM or Sirius? I've had XM for about three years. Lots of variety, but half the time I'm going, "Where do they COME UP with this stuff???" Or the corollary "Would it kill them to play ANYTHING I've ever heard of before???" I know this varies by channel, but very often, they sure don't just "play just the hits." Lots of strangeness I've never heard before.

Sirius, on the other hand, has people screaming about shallow playlists that repeat over and over again, and they're just sick of it. Seems like each is on the other end of the spectrum.

Personally, I wouldn't recommend getting into satellite radio at all right now, with the "proposed merger" hanging out there. And, if they do merge, it's just a Sirius buyout of XM -- it's like Sirius has to buy XM just so it can have a big enough customer base to pay Howard Stern half a billion dollars for his nonsense. (I'm no prude at all, but I just find Stern to be at some kind of 'junior high school' level. "Oooh, lesbians!" I just have a problem with contributing a stinking dime for his outrageous contract.)

Otherwise, "costwise," I don't think it'd be all that much more to install a Terk XM system than it would be to buy a portable system. Might as well go for the Terk, if you're gonna do it....