Getting an S, need to add Sirius.

[timk225]

I'm getting a 2013 Model S 85 soon, and according to the window sticker, its current radio is the "200 watt 7 speaker stereo with am/fm/hd radio, supports mp3, aac, and mp4 music formats". I don't know if that is the base radio or upgraded one.

Anyway, I need to get a Sirius receiver and add in Sirius so I can continue to listen to Howard Stern and certain 80', 90's, and comedy channels.

So how hard will this be to add? Does the S radio have an AUX input jack? A USB? Or will I have to do it the hard way and have a stereo shop manually wire the Sirius receiver to each speaker to bypass the Tesla sound system?

My S has the black painted roof, so I have no problem with attaching an antenna to it, be is magnetic or double sticky tape. I can run the antenna wire through one of the rear windows, no one will ever be back there anyhow.

Ideas?

 

[araxara]

Basically, the answer is No. Your best bet would be to use a steaming XM app on your phone or an FM transmitter. I’m not sure, but I don’t think you can use a Bluetooth transmitter, since the Model S only connects to phones via Bluetooth.

 

[timk225]

So I can get a Sirius receiver that transmits out on FM? Do they make those? I have to try and look them up or call a car audio shop.

 

[araxara]

So I can get a Sirius receiver that transmits out on FM? Do they make those? I have to try and look them up or call a car audio shop.

Yes. You can get a separate FM transmitter or an XM radio with FM built in. Here is an example: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sirius-XM-XPL1V1-Onyx-Plus-With-Vehicle-Kit/40081617

 

[MIT_S60]

So I can get a Sirius receiver that transmits out on FM? Do they make those? I have to try and look them up or call a car audio shop.

Won't that sound like crap? Does SiriusXM offer a service where you can stream to your phone, and simply play the music through Bluetooth to the speakers in the car?

 

[araxara]

Won't that sound like crap? Does SiriusXM offer a service where you can stream to your phone, and simply play the music through Bluetooth to the speakers in the car?

There is an app for the iPhone that allows you to take input from the microphone port and output it via Bluetooth: Microphone Free | VonBruno on the App Store. It's a free app, so it's easy to check and see if this would work - and there are probably a dozen more apps that do this. But the audio quality may be dependent on the frequency response of the microphone input.

Also, if there were a FM-HD transmitter available, then that may give better frequency response.

 

[timk225]

I have a Galaxy S5 Android phone.

 

[araxara]

I have a Galaxy S5 Android phone.

See this thread as to why Bluetooth audio quality on Android is currently not as good as iPhone: Why doesn't Tesla's Bluetooth support AptX?. I would recommend using the FM transmitter route for now.

If you have a good internet connection on your phone, then I would also recommend XM Radio online streaming. You run an app on your phone (SiriusXM - Android Apps on Google Play) and then you can play it directly in the car once your phone is connected. You could at least give that a try. I think they charge something like $5/mo on top of your XM subscription. They also have a free trail available, but I'm not sure that's available for the internet streaming (SiriusXM 30-day Free Trial! Get Top Music, Sports News & Talk Radio)

 

[Don TLR]

Listen to araxara, I've been streaming Sirius since day 1 of ownership using the iPhone app. The car has XM but I've got 2 Sirius Lifetime subscriptions so no way to get it in my car unless I stream through the phone or purchase an XM subscription that I don't need..
It works great along with pausing when you get out of the car and picking back up where you left off upon returning, unless its been hours.