Hi all. Installing a SiruxXM Onyx into my dad's Silverado for X-Mas (He's always wanted satellite radio but doesn't want to pay big bucks for a new deck ect ect).

He has the RDS stereo with the CD and cassette deck. No BOSE, CD Changer, or XM Built in. The stereo has a "Tape" button next to the AM/FM button.

I found a couple ways of going about it. There's the mod where you can open up the radio and solder right to the chip where the audio L & R are for the tape deck (Link1). Or you can splice the wires going to the harness (Link2). Either way, you need to keep a blank casette in the stereo to fool the stereo into thinking it's playing a cassette. This method is OK, but I still don't like it very much. It's a little too unprofessional for me.

I was reading in the car manual where you can configure the stereo to work with the factory CD Changer (if you were to buy it after you bought your tuck?). You push a couple buttons to configure it and then you can push another button to get to the CD Changer. Is there a way to splice into the harness where the CD Changer would go and use the CD changer's L&R and ground for a simple AUX in? Or do you need to fool the stereo once again so it thinks it's plugged into a CD Changer?

Finally, I found a device called the PAC AAI-GM12. It's more than I need I think, but it's reasonably priced and should be pretty easy to use. Give it 12V and plug it into the 12 pin harness. Does anyone know if that'll work for my dad's stereo with its "tape" button and lack of CD changer and XM Radio?

Thank you very much!

 

I called up PAC Audio to inquire about the adapter, and the one I listed above won't work unless I have a "Slave" device like a CD changer. Since I don't, it won't work in my Dad's truck. I was directed towards the ISGM535, which is a more expensive device. I'm leaning towards it since it will probably be the easiest and cleanest way to go.

 

How about just a cheap pioneer radio they have great deals at walmart on them plus he will be able to equalize his music and have more power for the speakers and they sell the wire and dash bezel kit very cheap on ebay

 

Now i havent seen it in person, but dorman i believe (i know its an autozone part) sells a factory radio with an aux port right beside the cd insert. I will do more searching on it

 

Hey guys. Thanks for chiming in. I picked up an isgm535 for cheap on eBay. I'm hoping it works.

I wouldn't have kept the gift within budget if I went with even the most inexpensive stereo (actually, I'm sure u can find some for $50, but that's too cheap for a stereo IMHO). My dad is very simple. Power, volume, tune button. I don't think he knows how to set presets without looking it up in the manual. Some of those aftermarket stereos look out of place and have tiny buttons. Tiny buttons are also not for my dad, haha. Oh, one of the things he did mention to me when he went and looked into getting one for himself is how u need to get an adapter that lets you use the steering wheel buttons. So I think loosing those buttons would be a deal breaker for him. I looked on crutch field for stereos with built in sirus/xm and factory steering wheel adapters and they were way over budget. Budget was right around $80 and between the external xm unit and the adapter, I nailed it.

More info on the dorman stereo would be cool. I have a former coworker that worked for dorman briefly. I didn't know they made stereos too.

 

You could have just purchased a wired fm mod specific for Sat Radio. The part number is FMDA25 IIRC. Just set the radio to which ever station you have the SAT set too and it will play clear. There about 20 bucks from BestBuy. You will need two ant. adapters, 40GM10 and 40GM20 from Metra.

 

MikeD,
I've never heard of a wired FM modulator before, but it sounds pretty compelling. I hate the standard wireless FM modulators since they can get significant interference and you're down-sampling your audio to FM audio quality, which is pretty terrible. Do the wired FM modulators do that?

Just looked at it on BB and here's what someone says,
So it's not completely static free, but I'm sure it's better than the wireless FM modulators.

I wish I had found this before. Thanks for the info!