Sirius radio - SiriusConnect versus plug-and-play

[d***@yahoo.com]

Hi,

I'm about ready to take the Sirius plunge. I just bought a new JVC
radio for my car, and plan to add a satellite radio to it.

I've seen the SiriusConnect and Sportster 4 type units in the stores.
The SiriusConnect units are about 3x the size (volume) of the plug-and-
play units such as the Sportster 4, weigh many times as much and use
(must have) the existing car radio as the interface with the user.

Yet the smaller plug-and-play units seem to offer much more to the
user. Besides being smaller and lighter, they can be moved from car
to home to elsewhere and don't need to be permanently installed.
Plus, they include the user interface (buttons, display) that the
SiriusConnect unit lacks.

This seems counter-intuitive. How can there be so much more
capability in the smaller, less massive Sportster 4 type units? Is
there something I'm missing? Are there some unstated advantages to
the SiriusConnect unit such as perhaps having a better tuner? Looking
at one, it's apparent that the unit has a large amount of metal which
might be a heat sink as is often required for amplifiers, yet the unit
is strictly a tuner, so why is it so large? It shouldn't need all
that mass if it doesn't include an audio or RF amp.

Any light you can shed on this will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Doug Sams

[David]

Post by d***@yahoo.com
Hi,
I'm about ready to take the Sirius plunge. I just bought a new JVC
radio for my car, and plan to add a satellite radio to it.
I've seen the SiriusConnect and Sportster 4 type units in the stores.
The SiriusConnect units are about 3x the size (volume) of the plug-and-
play units such as the Sportster 4, weigh many times as much and use
(must have) the existing car radio as the interface with the user.
Yet the smaller plug-and-play units seem to offer much more to the
user. Besides being smaller and lighter, they can be moved from car
to home to elsewhere and don't need to be permanently installed.
Plus, they include the user interface (buttons, display) that the
SiriusConnect unit lacks.
This seems counter-intuitive. How can there be so much more
capability in the smaller, less massive Sportster 4 type units? Is
there something I'm missing? Are there some unstated advantages to
the SiriusConnect unit such as perhaps having a better tuner? Looking
at one, it's apparent that the unit has a large amount of metal which
might be a heat sink as is often required for amplifiers, yet the unit
is strictly a tuner, so why is it so large? It shouldn't need all
that mass if it doesn't include an audio or RF amp.
Any light you can shed on this will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Doug Sams

Who cares? It's not visible once installed. It is much preferable to
a PNP because you can't see the wires and the audio transfer is super
clean. Get a SIGMA antenna and do it right.

[kenji]

Post by David
and the audio transfer is super
clean.

does the above mean the sound would be better than a PNP?

More fidelity?

[Doug Sams]

Post by David
Who cares? It's not visible once installed. It is much preferable to
a PNP because you can't see the wires and the audio transfer is super
clean. Get a SIGMA antenna and do it right.

Hi, David,

Thanks for your reply.

Yeah, I agree the SiriusConnect unit has the advantage of being hidden.
Can't you still get a clean transfer if you connect the PNP unit
baseband (instead of the FM link)?

What's a Sigma antenna?

Doug

[David]

Post by Doug Sams

Post by David
Who cares? It's not visible once installed. It is much preferable to
a PNP because you can't see the wires and the audio transfer is super
clean. Get a SIGMA antenna and do it right.

Hi, David,
Thanks for your reply.
Yeah, I agree the SiriusConnect unit has the advantage of being hidden.
Can't you still get a clean transfer if you connect the PNP unit
baseband (instead of the FM link)?
What's a Sigma antenna?
Doug

If you can find a LINE IN route to the head unit, sure.

Sirius Inside Glass Mounted Antenna

It goes inside at the top of the windshield, optimally forward of the
rear view mirror, otherwise on the passenger side.

http://www.courtesyparts.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=CP&Product_Code=999U9-SGMA1