New Toy

[Fla02LS]

For those that havent joined in on satellite radio i highly recommend it. With having several rentals that came with Sirius i got to sample the goods. Its like comparing standard cable TV to DirectTV. So many choices. I ended up getting the fairly bottom priced unit (Sirius Stratus) but it still performs its purpose, playing satellite radio. A plus side to that particular model is that its color blends almost perfectly to the '03+ silver interior. Looks almost factory.

 

[beaups]

just curious but why didn't you go w/the visteon dlp that integrates w/the factory radio? Smartest thing Sirius did was getting into rentals. sold me on it too!

 

[Fla02LS]

just curious but why didn't you go w/the visteon dlp that integrates w/the factory radio? Smartest thing Sirius did was getting into rentals. sold me on it too!

I thought about it. I have a pie adapter on its way, and from what i have read you cant have factory satellite and a pie adapter. I also want to have the ability to plug in my mp3 player. Plus almost all the new Sirius units are plug and play with other devices such as a boombox or home stereo. I went with the Stratus for the portability aspect. Couldnt justify spending about 10x the money just to listen in the car.

 

[SoonerLS]

I thought about it. I have a pie adapter on its way, and from what i have read you cant have factory satellite and a pie adapter. I also want to have the ability to plug in my mp3 player.

Almost, but not quite. You can't use the PIE iPod adapter that allows you to control your iPod via the steering wheel controls, but you can use the PIE X3. You can add the PIE UNI-POD to gain the charging and line-out (but not the steering wheel controls). The X3 gives you three line-ins, BTW.

I have the Visteon unit, the X3, and the UNI-POD, so I know that combo works quite well.

 

[2001LS8Sport]

just curious but why didn't you go w/the visteon dlp that integrates w/the factory radio? Smartest thing Sirius did was getting into rentals. sold me on it too!

My understanding is you can't use the factory sirrius set up with an 03. It has to be an 04 and up...the radio has to have the SAT button on it. I've put an XM radio in a couple of vehicles that were totally integrated with the factory radio. They had to have the SAT button or they wouldn't work.

Of course, if that is a picture of an 04 and up, please disregard my post! I can't tell from the pic.

 

[beaups]

fla02 has an 05.

 

[my04lincoln]

Since I have an 04 LS what do I need to hook this up to the factory radio? Also what brand do I need to get.
Thanks Ryan

 

[Fla02LS]

Now i am getting confused. From what i read on an '04+ with satellite button the pie adapter uses up the link for the factory sat. option. Where as on the older models the pie adapter uses the "CD" button to toggle between CD and DJ mode, the Sat. button does this on the '04+, therefore not allowing the use of both factory satellite and aux. input. As far as the X3, i thought that just took the standard pie adapter and turned it into three seperate inputs that you can switch between. Either way i just didnt want to spend the $$$ for such a permanent install of a satellite radio. Yes its nice to be integrated with the factory head unit, but just wasnt important for me. Like i said, the Sirius Stratus matches the interior great.

 

[Fla02LS]

Since I have an 04 LS what do I need to hook this up to the factory radio? Also what brand do I need to get.
Thanks Ryan

I think you can get a visteon unit off ebay for under $200. Its a general use "Ford" unit. But i think it should be installed by a dealer which just adds more $$ to the overall price. The Sirius Stratus costs $39.99 at Circuit City right now and has all the options you need. The fm modulator works ok which makes it about a 15 minute job from the box till your listening to Sirius. You'll get better sound quality though from a hard wired install (ex. pie adapter).

 

[SoonerLS]

I think you can get a visteon unit off ebay for under $200. Its a general use "Ford" unit. But i think it should be installed by a dealer which just adds more $$ to the overall price.

Dealer installation is definitely not needed -- the kit is plug and play, and comes with everything needed for installation. All you need is a modest amount of mechanical skill and an hour or so of free time. The hardest part (which is not terribly difficult) is disassembling everything to run all of the cabling.

FWIW, my dealer offered it to me at $325 installed.

 

[SoonerLS]

Now i am getting confused. From what i read on an '04+ with satellite button the pie adapter uses up the link for the factory sat. option. Where as on the older models the pie adapter uses the "CD" button to toggle between CD and DJ mode, the Sat. button does this on the '04+, therefore not allowing the use of both factory satellite and aux. input. As far as the X3, i thought that just took the standard pie adapter and turned it into three seperate inputs that you can switch between.

If you have the radio with the SAT button but do not have the Visteon unit installed, you can use the FRD03-POD/S, which allows you to control an iPod via the stereo controls and gives you the text readout on the head unit display.

If you have the Visteon unit installed, it takes up the only available aux input on the head unit. Ford accessories are smart enough to multiplex this aux input, but none of the aftermarket stuff is. To get around this, you can use the X3 with the appropriate harness, which goes between the Visteon unit and the head unit. Basically, it interrupts the audio signal from the Visteon unit and injects the audio from one of its line-level inputs. The UNI-POD provides power into and a line-level output from a dock-connector equipped iPod; when combined with an X3, it gives you most of the functionality of the FRD03-POD/S (though not the control or text display on the head unit--the text you see onscreen is from the Visteon unit).

 

[strapp]

What is the exact part needed for my 03' with NAV to get a Sirius SAT radio hardwired to the head unbit?

 

[beaups]

strapp, as you know only some 03 nav units work w/the software upgrade to support sat. If the last two digits of your head unit are AL you are screwed. I just got done with this excercise. I have the AL and the updates failed. Considering whether or not to buy a new head unit!

 

[2001LS8Sport]

That radio does look good Fla02. I was only saying if you have the SAT button on your radio, you have the option of using a sat radio that is controlled by your factory radio. Both Sirrius and XM models are available, but only Sirrius from Ford. XM is aftermarket...but I've used three of them and they are very good. By the way, I just put a Nav unit with XM in our 01. I found a perfect spot for the antennas. I mounted them under the dash where there is absolutely no evidence showing and they have very strong signals. I can peg my satellite meter for the nav. It's about a 15 minute job to do it too.