Rob from NH 87 S4

I visited my local stereo shop today to begin the process of replacing my old original equipment Blaupunkt (spelling?). I only need to replace the receiver in my 87 S4, and that is all I plan to do. I want the ability to play CD's and my old Blaupunkt is a cassette only unit, circa 1987.

However, I took a few minutes to learn about this new XM radio. For those of you who don't know what this is, it is a service that costs anywhere from $9.99 to $19.95 a month, depending on how many and what channels you purchase. The signal for these stations are transmitted from satellites that are in fixed geosynchronous orbit.
The benefit is that the signals are truly digital
(meaning they are clearer and not subject to hills, mountains, buildings, etc..)
and the channels don't have much in the way of commercials (yet). Also, they offer groups of channels that are categorized by music type, e.g. classical, classis rock, jazz, etc..

Now, in order to put one of these into your car (I have decided that I will not do so), you need to replace the radio in the dash with a radio that handles XM. Also, you need to install a powered receiver in a place that is out of the way. The powered XM receiver is about 10"x10" and requires it's own power lead. Also, the
unit needs it's own XM special antenna, and you cannot use an existing antenna, you must purchase one for the XM reception.

The cost just for the equipment was quoted as follows:

In dash radio (receiver) - $279
XM power receiver - $300
XM antenna $100
Installation - $100

I should note that the XM stations have their own bands just like AM and FM do on your existing radio. I should also note that you can receive your regular assortment of AM and FM stations as these bands are selectable on the XM receiver.

Finally, there are various price options with the antennas. You can purchase one for $39.99 and this requires you drill a hole in your car for mounting. The $100 antenna requires no holes drilled in your car and can be mounted externally using a magnetic antenna mount.

One more thing: you can get a converter that is much smaller - about the size of a pocket comb. This converter will pick up XM stations and provide an Analogue feed to your existing car radio. It mounts in the vicinity or on your dashboard. Of course the sound is not nearly as good as the signal is not truly digital. I think this was about $125. It is the cheapest way to get access to XM stations, without the benefits of the superior signal quality.

The truth is that for the 928, there aren't many places to hide an XM signal amplifier. Also, your choice of radios for XM are limited with respect to the getting one that is black. Also, the antenna poses a problem for me as well because I already have the antenna on the roof of my 928 just above the hatch window.. you know, the one that leans back and looks pretty slick.

So, after getting the full court sales pitch, I've decided that I will only replace the factory Blaupunkt with a receiver that allows me to play CD's. Everything else, I will leave stock.

I am open to any suggestions you folks might have for a new receiver/radio/cd-player for my 1987 S4 dash.

One last note: it is only a matter of time before the Xm radio manufacturers (Pioneer, Alpine and Sony) get their act together and come up with a single unit that will fit in the dashboard. This multi-component idea is a loser. Also, it is only a matter of time til they saturate their radio stations with commercials.. remember cable-TV when it first came out? Also, I suspect that after their audience spends $800 installing the equipment to receive the XM signal, the folks at XM will jack up the monthly fee. I don't know about anyone else, but I have enough monthly fees to pay without adding another one to my budget. <img src="graemlins/soapbox.gif" border="0" alt="[soapbox]" />

LastV8

Great information Rob. I remember reading a few bits on the XM radio and basically the monthly fee was supposed to prevent endless commercials. Since it's rather expensive to launch satellites and a few telecom ventures have failed already that relied on satellite launching due to lack of membership growth we'll see how long they hold out before they succumb. After reading what you had to say about XM radio not only would I not put one in my 928S4, I wouldn't put one in a new car either. Seems to me an MP3 player would be the way to go. Thanks for the write up.

<img src="graemlins/yltype.gif" border="0" alt="[typing]" />

Rob from NH 87 S4

LastV8 - I think that XM may actually lease channels from one of the companies that already provides digital music to the satellite TV companies. That would reduce their capital exposure for getting the service up and profitable. They claim that the list of stations will expand greatly in the very near future.
XM 'ready' new car sales are on the rise. Philisophically, I am in favor of having a lot of options when it comes to almost anything. However, as we have seen with Cable-TV, they hooked us in the beginning with commerical free programming, and now the commercials are almost non-stop. Also, cable-tv is no longer a small monthly fee. We pay 29.95 for basic service.
While I recognize that this is the price we pay for variety of programming, I don't want to see companies shift investment and value from AM/FM to XM, thereby creating a new standard that we'll all end up paying for. I am not a non-progressive person, but I can remember sitting on the porch in front of my house with my Dad on hot summer nights, listening to the Boston Red Sox on the transistor radio. It was free, and those were some of the best memories I have.

Sometimes, simpler really is better.

<img src="graemlins/r.gif" border="0" alt="[king]" />

Jim Nowak

I have been an XM Radio subscriber for over four months and I think it's great. In December, I took a vacation and drove over 2400 miles and the reception was crystal clear the entire trip. I like being able to listen to a station for as long as I like with perfect reception. Since subscribing to XM Radio, I haven't listened to a single CD and before the XM Radio all I listened to were CDs and a little FM radio. With 100 channels and all the different station formats it is virtually impossible not to find something you will want to hear. I drive over 50,000 miles a year and the XM Radio is the best thing since sliced bread. Once you get an XM Radio you will not understand why you waited so long to buy the equipment and subscribe.

My XM Radio is in my Mercedes. However, as soon as my 928 is out of the shop and finished with all of the engine modifications, I will install all the necessary components and have another vehicle with the XM Radio. In fact, my fiance's car is not equipped with the XM Radio but it will be very soon.

I installed mine in the Mercedes and the installation was a snap and the 928's installation will be even easier. I purchased and installed a Pioneer Premiere CD/XM Radio head-unit, XM receiver, and XM Radio antenna.

XM Radio is truly amazing,

Jim Nowak

Rob from NH 87 S4

Jim - Clearly, you think that XM is great...

I would get one too if it were not for the
prohibitive up-front equipment cost and the monthly fee. You drive a lot, and I suspect that this makes it even more attractive for someone like you.

I do have a question for you though:

You will have two cars with XM very soon. Does that mean that they will charge you the monthly fee x 2? Or does your single monthly fee allow you to have as many receivers as you would like?

Also, where will you put the XM receiver in your 928? Have you given any thought to that?

Finally, have you encountered any weather or EMI conditions that have interfered with the signal, e.g. rain, fog, snow, sun-spot activity?

And what about commercials? Are there any commercials, and if so, are they brief, or just like regular radio?

I appreciate and respect your opinion although for me, $800 is not worth it.. I drive my 928 weekends only, and when the weather is nice. That amounts to seven months of the year in New Hampshire.

WallyP

If you are interested in a Blaupunkt CD receiver at a super price, check at <a href="http://www.midwest-usa.com/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/cgi-bin/h_search?U+mw_store+jopc7025+cat=1000&c=jopc7025" target="_blank">http://www.midwest-usa.com/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/cgi-bin/h_search?U+mw_store+jopc7025+cat=1000&c=jopc7025</a>

You might have to just go to <a href="http://www.midwest-usa.com" target="_blank">http://www.midwest-usa.com</a>
and then go to "Receivers"

Rob from NH 87 S4

Outstanding web link Wally.. excellent assortment and great prices..

I have the original stock sound system in my 87-S4
and I am wondering what I need to know about ordering a radio? Do you I need one that supports two channels or four? Also, do I care about how many AMPs the radio is? I suspect that I don't as I believe the 928-S4 already has an AMP, am I correct about this?

Any suggested guidelines for what I might need in a radio in terms of the basic requirements?
<img src="confused.gif" border="0">

Alan

Why not hold out a while and get it all....

I was trawling for info recently when I came across this site:

<a href="http://www.boschusa.com/AutoOrigEquip/Electronic/SatelliteRadio/" target="_blank">http://www.boschusa.com/AutoOrigEquip/Electronic/SatelliteRadio/</a>

Blaupunkt is part of Bosch & this looks like a "futures mock up" as much as anything because I can't find any mention of these products yet on the Blaupunkt site but this could be interesting - looks like its in the works already... a standard Blaupunkt head with radio, satellite radio (either Sirrius or XM {or both?} by the looks of it) and CD changer control. Now if it still has a cassette & they add MP3 we'd have it all...

Except why not add a phone interface & navigation... uh oh, I guess you can never really do it all for everyone

Alan

Tom. M

Hey Rob,

I just picked up a new "old" Blaupunkt New Orleans from Midwest...$70 plus shipping and got it in less than 1 week. The unit fits nicely with the interior of my 87 S4 and it has dual pre-outs (I already had seperate amps in the back).

You can also wire in the stereo and bypass the external amp (alongside the passenger seat). I bet the internal amp of the newer stereos are better than the one there.....

I have also heard of a harness adapter from SW stereo(guy named Stephen who advertises in Excellence) that allows for a direct plug in for the blaupunkt units....Not sure on the cost.

If you can't find the ad, let me know and I'll dig out my copy of Excellence....

Good luck,

Tom
midlman@seanet.com 87 S4


[quote]Originally posted by Rob from NH 87 S4:
<strong>Outstanding web link Wally.. excellent assortment and great prices..

I have the original stock sound system in my 87-S4
and I am wondering what I need to know about ordering a radio? Do you I need one that supports two channels or four? Also, do I care about how many AMPs the radio is? I suspect that I don't as I believe the 928-S4 already has an AMP, am I correct about this?

Any suggested guidelines for what I might need in a radio in terms of the basic requirements?
</strong><hr></blockquote>

Eric Dvorak

Rob,
I,ve decided to put an Alpine system in my S4, the XM receiver fits under the passenger seat (or drivers), I went with the Terk antenna, the problem was I didn't want the ugly thing mounted on the car so I used clear silicone to mount it to/ under the back window just forward of the spoiler, it appears to work well. If your car is a daily driver I think you would enjoy XM, if it's a weekender only the cost may outweigh the joy.

Good Luck <img src="graemlins/bigok.gif" border="0" alt="[thumbsup]" />

Brett Matthews

I'll take this opportunity to thank Wally, that Midwest site helped me choose a radio fast. Until I had seen this site, I was looking at another site, SBH enterprises, who have really great prices on Pioneer, and others, of the current model production. My problem was that all of the new stuff has the LCD displays, which just screams to would-be thieves "break in and steal me!", in my oppinion. I really wanted black face like the one that was originally in the car, and the Blaupunkt CD2001 was close enough for me to order it. Got here in the UPS shipment today. Now, to get fix for time for instalation, and figuring out what needs to be changed, reworked, rewired, etc., etc.....

Jim Nowak

Rob,

I bought the Premiere XM Radio receiver/CD player, decoder, and XM antenna for less than $500 with all shipping at SBH Enterprises. I ordered the Pioneer 7300 and they shipped me the Premiere 730 instead. Wow, I was impressed they sent me a nicer model at no extra charge.

Yes, if you have two decoders, the price is 2x, but they are offering the first three months free. The subscription cost is worth the money. I used to buy three to four cds per month and now I don't buy any, so to me the XM Radio pays for itself.

I have never experienced the XM Radio signal failing due to poor weather. However, overhead obstructions like garages, tunnels, and gas station overhangs can knock the signal out until you are clear of the obstacles. The only time the signal fails under a bridge is if you are completely stationary and directly underneath the bridge.

The stations I listen to have very few to no commercials. Even if there were commercials, the quality of sound and diverse formats would be worth the price alone. The XM Radio sound is CD quality.

Mounting locations will not be a problem. The unit is the size of a crossover for an amplifier. You could mount the decoder under the seat, next to a cd changer, in your drivers or passenger side door or anywhere else there is enough space. The decoder really is unobtrusive and easy to mount/install. However, it would be noice if everything was self contained in the head-unit.

I think the XM Radio is would be worth it if I only listened to it on a commute to and from work. I get very annoyed with morning talk radio DJs blabbing and blabbing and blabbing with no music; not to mention, the quality of FM reception leaves much to be desired.

Jim Nowak

User X

If you are looking for digital audio, and are willing to wait a little longer, the radio industry is working on something that should be worth considering.

They are putting the finishing touches on something called IBOC digital broadcasting. IBOC is acronym for In Band, On Channel. In other words, the current crop of stations will be able to broadcast a digital version of their programming directly on top of the analog signal that you receive now, on the same frequency.

I am not on the road enough to justify the costs of the satellite systems, but I would like the digital sound if it were (for me) reasonably priced. Supposedly the cost of receiving this new signal will be moderate and will be much simpler, more portable and user friendly than the satellite alternative.

I am not an electronics or audio engineer so I cannot answer technical questions about this system, but it sounded good to me. Best of all, no subscription fees. <img src="graemlins/bigok.gif" border="0" alt="[thumbsup]" />


Cheers <img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

Joe Ferguson
'88 S4 A/T
'83S Euro 5sp <img src="graemlins/burnout.gif" border="0" alt="[burnout]" />