Satellite radio is so far the most advanced radio service around. XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio are the two competitors providing this service to the United States and Canada. The technology is also referred to as subscription radio, since people pay for the service that allows them to receive the same digital signals and radio programming at any point in the world. This is the reason why satellite radio is often installed in cars.
Installation Costs
Different elements comprise the total amount a subscriber must spend on installation costs of satellite radio. Initially, you have to pay the activation costs to start the services, which are $5.00 for XM and $9.99 for Sirius. These companies also charge around $15 for telephone activation. Due to recent campaigns, these installation costs are significantly decreasing or sometimes offered free in some extreme cases.
Installation Procedures
The methods of installation may vary per company, or depending on what type of audio system you currently have. Since most subscribers maximize the mobility of the service by utilizing them in their vehicles, let’s discuss your two main options when installing satellite radio to your car.
You need not remove your existing radio tuner when installing satellite radio; in fact, you can even use it for a wireless connection. Some satellite radio units (like that of Sirius) have built-in FM transmitters that can be set to send FM signals to different frequencies. You simply have to find a non-broadcasting channel in your tuner and choose that frequency in the transmitter to receive the FM signal.
To avoid possible static and interference with FM signals, you can opt to have a direct or wired connection. Satellite radio units often have a LINE OUT port that can be connected to the AUX IN or LINE IN port of your tuner through an accessory cable. If not, a cassette adapter can be connected to the LINE OUT port of the satellite radio transmitter and inserted in your cassette slot.