Will the XM or Sirius Satellite radio be available in any of the new ford units this year. What are they waiting on?

 

nope, not yet, and not for 04 either.

 

They won't offer an MP3 in the Lariat either but it is available in other sportier models and in the 04 Ranger.

Then you can not order it without a radio for a credit.

So I will then have to go Circuit City or such and buy a unit that does both (well at least the MP3). Great marketing!

 

are we sure the 04 wont offer satellite radio? That's a bummer. i want satellite FM in my next truck and i want it factory installed for a number of reasons.

 

This press release from Ford indicates that Sirius will be available on a number of 2004 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles, but the 2004 F150 is not mentioned, sorry.

http://media.ford.com/article_displa...ticle_id=15369

 

Yeah too bad about the MP3 too.

I really wanted that but couldn't order it on my XLT.

'

 

Yeah, I'd like to have a 21st century player as well. Guess I'll check the Crutchfield site...I'll likely end up with a Ford '04 radio/paperweight.

 

What's the name of the company that makes the stock decks for Ford?

It'd be nice to have something that matches

 

Just a suggestion and opinion...

Don't bother with the Sirius... go with XM.

Yes, you'll have to either get an FM modulated kit or a new head unit but, you'll really be satisfied.

The user numbers don't lie. XM's subscriber list continues to grow at an incrimental amount larger than Sirius. After talking to a couple of guys at Best Buy and at Circuit City, they both solidify those numbers by saying that (at BB) "we're selling about 15 XM units to one Sirius..." and (at CC) " I sell around 20 to 25 XM units over Sirius...".

When I asked them what they had or if they had it... both didn't hesitate and said they had XM.

Personally, I have XM as well and it's something I never dreamed that I'd enjoy as much as I do. It's opened up a broad horizon of new music that I really never had an opportunity to enjoy. Jazz, blues, techno... EVERY corner of the radio globe is covered. Heck, I even found myself listening to Raggae the other day. LOL!

It's great stuff. I know there are alot of folks that are 'anti-pay for radio' and I understand. I, too, was once like that but, after riding around with a buddy that had Sirius, I looked into it alot more and decided on XM. After that same buddy rode around with me with XM, he dropped his Sirius and went to XM.

It's a matter of preference. Get what will suit you best but, from the sounds of it, XM is kicking butt and is taking names.

RP

 

You arent stuck with a FM modulator or aftermarket radio, there are a few different companies that make adaptors for factory radios. I have a Blitzsafe adaptor that plugs into the pioneer 903 XM unit and makes your factory radio think its a cd changer. Works great.

 

How do you operate it? I mean, how can you tell what channel you're on and such? The factory deck isn't equipped to tell you that you're on XM 47 Ethel... nor is it equipped to show you that the song playing on XM 47 Ethel is Pearl Jam - Jeremy....

 

no, you still have to use the 903's display/buttons, but you dont have to run power and ground to the poineer 903, the adapter does that and the audio (P-bus) for you. The factory radio says "CD1 TR1 0:00" and the sound is fed into it like a changer. I'm just saying that this is better than a FM modulator as far as sound quality and stuff goes. I just hold the 903's control in my hand or put it on the console while driving.

heres some pics:

 

I gotcha. So, you're generally cutting out the modulator? I understand.

That's the same setup that I had with the modulator (but, then again, running it on the modulator or via the CD changer would be generally the same). Only difference is that you switch to CD and I would switch to FM 88.3.

That little control was going to be the cause of a future wreck for me thus, I went to an XM ready head unit though...

RP

 

Yep, thats it. But i noticed that the sound is better matched in volume and clarity after i went with the blitzsafe. The hand controller actually is better for me than a head unit because i can hold it in my lap and i know where all the buttons are by feel now. If i do need to look at the display, i have enough cord to actually hold it up into my line of sight with the road. And also, i can remove the whole system and swap it to another truck quickly, since i trade a lot. In fact, those pics i just posted are in my last truck, i have a different one now, lol.

 

Yeah, I'm similar in the respect that I can pull mine out and sell it. I kept all the modulator stuff along with the wired remote (just like yours) for the sudden urge that I may have to sell it. My XM will come with me. No question.

To remedy the worry of having a wreck, I went with a wireless remote controlled head unit and, like you, I've learned the keys and actually have learned to listen to figure out the station that I'm on... not too terribly difficlut when you get down to it because you're always switching at a incriment of 10. .. (ie: channel 20, channel 30, channel 40...)

RP