Sir-gm1 Is A Total Pos

Mighty HD · May 16, 2007

Well I have been wanting to switch to Sirius for some time now. I really like their music vs XM.

Today I purchased 1 SIr-GM1 module.

I rushed home to do the install, and completed it.

NO signal.

On the phone to sirius---they say return it

I returned not only this one but FIVE (5) other modules. All have NO signal. Regardless if I use the Sirius antenna or the factory XM.

When I do get a signal, it comes and goes.

Module #5 which I have now, works...kinda. Get 100ft near a tree...NO SIGNAL, it has to be completely in the open with absolutely nothing around. A car passes? NO signal!

I'm very disappointed with Sirius---I was on the phone with them today for over 4 hours....they basically told me sorry---stay with xm we can't help.

What a joke.

Jimmy J · May 16, 2007

That's why I don't like either of them...Sirius or XM. I use an MP3 player instead. What I want, when I want it, and no drop outs!!!

Shaners · May 16, 2007

The Sirius in my wifes car works every bit as good as the XM in my truck. Both are factory installed units...

I wish I knew why your unit(s) don't work well...

Mighty HD · May 16, 2007

I never had a problem with XM.......Signal nearly everywhere I go...even in the house on the Roady my wife uses in her car.

Sirius is going back...screw them.

thecraft · May 17, 2007

That's why I don't like either of them...Sirius or XM. I use an MP3 player instead. What I want, when I want it, and no drop outs!!!

2500HD 8.1 · May 17, 2007

No problem here. I just installed the SIR-GM1, and I think its awesome. I will never go back to XM. Did Sirius have any suggestions why you are not getting a signal. You should get channel 184 even without a subscription.

How did you install it to your headunit? and does your vehicle have XM or is it satellite ready????????

I did notice that XM seems to get a better signal than Sirius. With Sirius you may lose a signal going under a bridge or with a lot of overhanging trees, but no when a car passes you.

Mighty HD · May 17, 2007

No problem here. I just installed the SIR-GM1, and I think its awesome. I will never go back to XM. Did Sirius have any suggestions why you are not getting a signal. You should get channel 184 even without a subscription.

How did you install it to your headunit? and does your vehicle have XM or is it satellite ready????????

I did notice that XM seems to get a better signal than Sirius. With Sirius you may lose a signal going under a bridge or with a lot of overhanging trees, but no when a car passes you.

I have factory XM. I simply used the wiring harness that came supplied with the unit. It's a very easy plug=n=play. My elderly mother could do this and not mess it up.

Channel 184 would fade in and out --- 90% of the time it was out. I was only able to get it to work in specific areas. Get near a tree and it's gone.

Sirius suggested all 5 times that I get a new module which I did. I finally gave up and they told me they could not help me and to go back to XM or just stay with FM.

Dense trees and loosing a signal? BS....XM works everywhere except a tunnel or under a bridge. I give them credit, their sound quality and reliability is superior to Sirius. I can even get XM to work inside the house.

I am very, very disappointed and have wasted nearly an entire day and an tank of gas swapping modules out. I was hoping this would work out but I guess not.

HDdave · May 17, 2007

Thats strange. I don't have either, but I would probablly get sirius just because I like their channels much better than the ones on XM that we have in our Tahoe.

Jimmy J · May 17, 2007

Just to add to my earlier response of using an MP3 player.....

When we first got our rig back in June of '06, it came with 3 free months of XM service. The Mrs. & I thought cool...we've been wanting to try satellite radio, but after only a month of service we grew tired of the so called "CHURN" aka: repeats and found ourselves listening to only 2 maybe 3 channels. To make matters worse, most of the driving we do is here in the Green Mountains of Vermont and we were constantly losing signal. We found it very unreliable. Well, needless to say after the 3 months were up we did not renew the service. Oh, and to this day...at least once a month, we get a calls from XM with some very descent offers to renew, but tell them every time we don't care for the "CHURN" or the fact that reception in our area is mediocre at best!

vxaxv17 · May 17, 2007

I have an aftermarket sirus unit in my truck. Very rarely will the signal cut out. I would definitely say your problem is either with the unit/wiring/antenna and not with the service itself. I realize this doesnt help you at all, but to say sirius sucks because you cant get it to work is a little misleading to others.

67ChevyRedneck · May 17, 2007

Sirrius and XM HAVE MERGED and will begin merging programming next year.

Mighty HD · May 17, 2007

I have an aftermarket sirus unit in my truck. Very rarely will the signal cut out. I would definitely say your problem is either with the unit/wiring/antenna and not with the service itself. I realize this doesnt help you at all, but to say sirius sucks because you cant get it to work is a little misleading to others.

How is it misleading? It does suck. I tried another brand new, never touched by human hands, in the box SIR-GM1 today from best buy.

Result? Same thing.

Drive under *a* tree, signal gone

Clouds in the sky, signal gone

pass by a grocery store, signal gone

It only will work in an open parking lot with NOTHING around, and not a cloud in the sky.

There is nothing misleading about that.

The antenna's are good, the modules are supposedly good, their service just sucks. I'm not the only one with this issue.

My best guess is that there is no terrestrial repeaters on the ground, or as many as XM has.

2500HD 8.1 · May 17, 2007

I can see your frustrations, and I dont blame you when you can compare it to XM. It does seem like a rare problem that you have, and it is only much more frustrating when it seems as though you are the only one with that problem.

I did this upgrade last week, and it is extremely simple like you said. I'm no electrician, but your problem could only be a bad unit, bad connection (to the head unit), or a bad antenna/bad antenna connection. Probably not the Sirius unit if you tried 5 different ones. Did you try a different wire harness (the Sirius wiring that comes with the unit)???? Maybe its bad.

I have had both XM and Sirius, but to me, Sirius is far superior in programming. XM does seem to get a better or stronger signal, but the Sirius should not lose a signal as easy as you said. I'm sure you tried everything, but I would guess a bad connection or a short in the wiring. I have a Sirius unit in my work car, and the antenna has a short in it, and I have to often shift the position of the antenna wire.

As to the merger between XM and Sirius, it is only an agreement as of now. It has to be approved by the gov't, and some financial experts on the internet are thinking the merger won't be approved. Just my opinion (after subscribing to both), but if the merger doesnt go thru, XM is done. Their programming has taken a big turn for the worse.

I wouldn't give up on the Sirius, but if you have tried everything, than I dont blame you. Try another wire harness or antenna. Good Luck.

Mighty HD · May 17, 2007

All the wiring harness, antenna, everything was brand new at each purchase..............

2500HD 8.1 · May 18, 2007

I would have to think that something is wrong with the stock wiring in your truck or the head unit itself. That doesn't explain why you didn't have a problem with XM, but I doubt that you got five bad units from Sirius.