I Want To Upgrade My Car Audio System To Use Satellite Radio, How Do I Do This?

It doesn’t matter what you want to upgrade your car audio system to – have it be something audio or visual, you will need to follow certain steps in order to start and finish the project. Installing anything car related is usually more difficult than one would like, so if you do have problems there are a few things you can do. You can try checking out some of the various forums and blogs online that are dedicated to car lovers, you can also view various articles and content pieces online as well. Itve also seen several websites that are dedicated to the “How To” or “Do It Yourself” world – these should help you plenty if my tips do not help!

First and foremost you need to figure out what kind of satellite you can use in your car. Remember, just like all car audio speakers are not the same, all satellite systems are not the same either! One thing I would do is take a look at the car audio options you have installed now as far at watts, volts and amps are concerned. Once you find that information out, you can either visit the stereo manufacturer or you can visit those other sites listed above and ask them what kind of satellite system would be the best for your car.

If worst comes to worst, you might have to change a few other things as well – but this is to be expected since some systems simply can’t keep up with manufactured parts! I’m going with one of the more popular brands on the Market – Sirius.

1- Install the Sirius package receiver for your car. The directions for this SHOULD be on the package that you bought, but again if you have problems you can view the above mentioned sites or you could even visit a few video sites for an “hands on” approach. Videos always work better for me because I can visually see what they are doing! If you are happy with your existing car audio system you could just buy an attachment that would connect to your center console. However, if you want to upgrade your entire car audio system along with a few other options such as mobile video and car sub-woofers, you should think about buying a “plug and play” unit that has Sirius (or other satellite) components built into the system.

2- Next you will find an antenna (about the size of a pack of matches), you need to place this antenna on the roof of your car, preferably near a window or a hatch. Next you will need to figure out how to route this wire to the receiver. Most people opt in to “hide” the wire through the rubber stripping that is on your cars interior, you can also place it under carpets or plastic door frames as well if necessary.

3- Once that is set up, you will need to take a look at the Sirius manual so that you can find a match to the radio frequency versus the existing FM turner. Usually this is a frequency that is NOT being used in your area. Sounds difficult right? Well I did find a website online that is available for Sirius users. It allows you to put in your zip code, and allow you to find the best frequencies in YOUR location. Mine for example, were 107.3, 102.1, 96.5, 105.3 and 100.3. Very easy!

4- This is it pretty much. Now you will have to activate your satellite by visiting the Sirius website, logging in and paying for one of its subscription options using a credit card. Once you add the code to your receiver you will be able to receive the programming in a mere amount of minutes!

By the way you can also call them as well if you don’t have access to a computer, but assuming you are reading this on a computer, I’ll assume you will also be able to use the computer to activate your account! I really like Sirius, in my opinion it’s a fantastic option if you want uninterrupted programming; music, sports, talk/news. It’s also one of the clearest options you can choose as well. Even nowadays with the technology we have, I still would get static on my regular radio stations. But now? I get crystal clear car audio, and it’s an overall neat system to own.

While installing car audio such as a satellite is one of the “easier” things to install or upgrade, there are instances when dealing with other car projects like mobile video and DVD and car sub-woofers where you probably will need to ask help. If you can call a number for help, but they charge you for tech support – please always hang up, check online, and see what you can find for free. Chances are someone else has bought the same product as you concerning car audio, car sub-woofers or mobile video, and they are having the same difficulties – and I’m sure someone was able to fix their (and your) problem!