Hello everyone, my name is Jovan from Chicago and I am a new member to your site. I have recently become a proud papa of a 2003 Bonneville SLE and have a nagging question about sat radio. My buddy has an 04 GXP that is XM equipped (I think also with the Monsoon system as well), mine is not, however, the head units are identical. Instead of going the usual route of having to buy another Sirius PIP, I saw advertised the direct tuner (SIR-GM1) and want to use that instead. Basically I'm being told two things, a. my head unit has a class 2 BUS on it which should be compatible, and b. since the car did not originally come XM ready, it will not work. AARRRGGHHHH can someone please clarify this for me. Has anyone tried connecting this receiver, can it work without being XM ready?

out

First, Welcome to the Club

I have done this. I installed one in my '02 SE a while back and it most definitely is possible. There are however a couple of requirements.

1. All 2000+ radios in the Bonnevilles use the class 2 serial data bus. This is only part of the requirement. Your factory head unit MUST have a 'BAND' button. If you only have "AM / FM" you are not satellite radio ready and would have to get a more current HU.

2. You will not have the wiring or connector required to plug directly into the car. The wiring can be added. I'm not sure what your technical skills are, but there are a total of seven connections which need to be made to facilitate installation. If you have a 12 disc changer in the trunk the process is simplified.

3. If you don't have a 12 disc changer, you MAY not have the wiring going to the radio connector. Without this wiring it becomes more of a challenge because you need the ability to add three terminals to the Dock-N-Lock connector in the back of the radio bay. The terminals are virtually impossible to find. If you decide to try this, I can guide you through the process to determine what wiring is in place and what you will need.

Here'* the down side... I found the Sirius SIR-GM1 tuner to be VERY slow in responding to the operator changing the tuning **** when compared with factory XM. Also, the display on the radio would periodically hang and wouldn't update unless I changed stations. There were instances where the satellite receiver would not process the command on the class 2 data bus to stop sending audio and I would hear both the 12 disc changer and satellite over top of each other. I would have to remove the fuse for the Sirius box once in a while to correct this. I don't believe this was an isolated defect in the tuner as it did this with two different, brand new products.

The seven connections required are:

1. +12 VDC
2. Ground
3. Audio Common
4. Audio Left
5. Audio Right
6. Audio cable shield drain
7. Class 2 serial data bus.

Please post whether you have a 12 disc changer or not. This will help me to give you more information.

I do not have the 12 disc changer in my trunk (damn, I wish I did though)

Anyway, I'm seriously considering ditching the head unit for an Alpine deck that is sat ready and Ipod compatible. Just want to review all my options before I proceed.

Thanks for the 411 by the way, I REALLY appreciate it!

You're most welcome, anytime

Why wouldnt you put in a fm Modulator..

and then just hook the XM up to that

I just bought one for my Ipod but decided to just get a New HU I'll use the Modulator for my XM

Specifically relating to the original, SLEighride03 was inquiring about the SIR-GM1. This device was designed such that it is wired directly into the vehicle and using an FM modulator would negate some of the reason for selecting this product. Personally I don't like using FM modulators for a couple of reasons. I like to keep everything "Factory Look & Feel". I've tried FM modulators, but the sound quality is still never as good as direct wired. Your suggestion however would be a very reasonable approach to using other "non-factory" units.

Sleigh and I were talking about this the other day as he was lamenting on where to install his Sirius headunit. I then informed him of this adaptor gizmo and that he may be able to tune through his Delco headunit itself.

I however, have the Monsoon unit with "band" and the 12 disc changer, so I will be doing this.

As to the Delco headunit being slow, my Sportster R itself is slow at times and is often showing info that is currently not on. I think this delay or slowness is on Sirius'* side in regard to each channels refresh rate on their RDS system, NOT the GM headunit

There may be some confusion in the delay I'm describing. It is not in updating the display, it relates to actually changing stations. I found that I had to turn the tuning **** very slowly or the SIR-GM1 wouldn't pick-up the command over the data bus to change stations (this delay does not occur with my factory XM receiver). My belief is that they need to work on communication over the class 2 data bus. I also have a Sirius Sportster which I use in a boom box and don't have the same delay as I did with my SIR-GM1. Hopefully you'll have better luck than I did.

Hopefully, but I too have had problems over the last few months with my Sportster. Right now the backlighting only comes on when it and the unit are warm. I've just been too lazy and for awhile, unemployed, so I wasn't going to go out and buy a new receiver.

Please let me know how everything works out. I prefer the programming on Sirius and if there is a way to improve things I may consider reinstalling my SIR-GM1