Poor XM Reception?
#1
Poor XM Reception?
Hey guys, I've had my '10 Max SV w/ Nav since the end of March and I am very disappointed in the XM reception in my car.
I had a 07 Honda Accord and had perfect reception almost everywhere (except for when stopped under an overpass kinda places)
I drive the same route to work as I did with my Honda and the XM never fuzzed out or anything ever. Now every time I drive the route the XM is constantly fading in and out.
My cousin has a 09 G37 and has the same issues, so I know its not just my particular car.
Anyone know if Nissan uses crappy antennas or why this would occur?
I understand that if tall trees to the south or whatnot could cause signal interruption, but there is no reason I think this should happen in one car and not another.
Any insights???
I had a 07 Honda Accord and had perfect reception almost everywhere (except for when stopped under an overpass kinda places)
I drive the same route to work as I did with my Honda and the XM never fuzzed out or anything ever. Now every time I drive the route the XM is constantly fading in and out.
My cousin has a 09 G37 and has the same issues, so I know its not just my particular car.
Anyone know if Nissan uses crappy antennas or why this would occur?
I understand that if tall trees to the south or whatnot could cause signal interruption, but there is no reason I think this should happen in one car and not another.
Any insights???
#2
If it was just your car, I'd say you had a bad antenna/wire. But someone else with the same issue, odd.
Not to be a party pooper, but mine has been perfect with the standard interruptions that can happen to ANY sat radio. Heavy rain, trees, tunnels, etc.
Maybe something you might want to get checked out at the dealership?
You did try a few different XM stations to see that it just wasn't that channel I hope. I've seem them screw up broadcasting on a channel or 2. I'm sure you did tho.
Not to be a party pooper, but mine has been perfect with the standard interruptions that can happen to ANY sat radio. Heavy rain, trees, tunnels, etc.
Maybe something you might want to get checked out at the dealership?
You did try a few different XM stations to see that it just wasn't that channel I hope. I've seem them screw up broadcasting on a channel or 2. I'm sure you did tho.
#3
XM receiver hardware sucks! XM and Sirius satellite technology and orbits are different. Sirius has the advantage in terms of orbit such that building and trees and what not do not block the signal. I know they are one company now, technically speaking, however, they still have two completely separate satellite systems feeding two receiver systems.
Check it out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirius_...ver_technology
The biggest edge that the Sirius receivers have is that the satellites move in orbit. The XM satellites are stainary with respect to the ground.
I have the XM in my car and I also have a stand-alone sirius receiver. My sirius receiver picks up a signal EVERYWHERE and I DO MEAN everywhere! My XM would go in and out passing under trees that had no leaves on them back in the winter. Hell, it would go out sitting next to a tall building at an intersection. My Sirius stand-alone receives a signal a 1/4 mile into the tunnel here in Boston.
My built in XM fades out just going under an overpass on the highway!
My stand-alone Sirius receiver NEVER fades out in any of those conditions! (except when well into the tunnel here)
Needless to say, I'll be hardwiring in my Sirius when my free XM subscription ends this week!!
Check it out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirius_...ver_technology
The orbit allows the satellites to broadcast from directly overhead the continental United States, avoiding the problem of large buildings or objects blocking the signal and requiring a much smaller terrestrial repeater network than does sister network XM.
I have the XM in my car and I also have a stand-alone sirius receiver. My sirius receiver picks up a signal EVERYWHERE and I DO MEAN everywhere! My XM would go in and out passing under trees that had no leaves on them back in the winter. Hell, it would go out sitting next to a tall building at an intersection. My Sirius stand-alone receives a signal a 1/4 mile into the tunnel here in Boston.
My built in XM fades out just going under an overpass on the highway!
standard interruptions that can happen to ANY sat radio. Heavy rain, trees, tunnels, etc
Needless to say, I'll be hardwiring in my Sirius when my free XM subscription ends this week!!
Last edited by umdpru; 05-17-2010 at 05:06 AM.
#4
I get great reception
I find it interesting that you are having problems with the reception, since I live not too far from your area (Smithtown) and I find the reception to be outstanding! I drive west to Hicksville every day for work and I only notice the signal fading a tiny bit every once in a while. My previous ride had Sirius which definitely had worse reception. It would actually black out for a minute or so at some particular spots! I had the Max in the garage friday night so I could wax it and I was amazed that I was still getting crystal clear reception- even in the garage! I would prob have it checked out by the dealer if i was you. When I first got my car about a month ago the XM didn't even work i had to bring it in to be checked out. Turns out it was a loose wire Ever since then it's been fine tho
#5
Just like many other things with regards to technology, different users can have different experiences. My 2005 Maxima had Sirius and it would go out at the drop of a hat when passing under trees and bridges. My 2010 has XM and I get no drop outs at all when driving the same routes. I do not think Sirius or XM is inherently better than the other. I believe that they just behave differently under different circumstances. If you are on the wrong side of a particular circumstance, you are naturally going to dislike the technology you have and consider it inferior.
#6
I find it interesting that you are having problems with the reception, since I live not too far from your area (Smithtown) and I find the reception to be outstanding! I drive west to Hicksville every day for work and I only notice the signal fading a tiny bit every once in a while. My previous ride had Sirius which definitely had worse reception. It would actually black out for a minute or so at some particular spots! I had the Max in the garage friday night so I could wax it and I was amazed that I was still getting crystal clear reception- even in the garage! I would prob have it checked out by the dealer if i was you. When I first got my car about a month ago the XM didn't even work i had to bring it in to be checked out. Turns out it was a loose wire Ever since then it's been fine tho
I'm gonna try and research and see if the nav has anything to do with this (my Honda didn't have nav) or if maybe they just use a lesser quality receiver.
I would take the Max in to the dealer but like I said my cousins G37 has the same issues. So I'm thinking its just Nissan cheaping out on their antenna.
#8
Hmm... Maybe I'll have the dealer take a look at it when she gets her first oil change. It was really driving me nuts today. Every damn tree the signal faded. This should really not be like this.
#10
Mine has particularly bad reception. I can't figure it out either. When I pull up to my 2 story building at work it permanently cuts out until I back up about a car length. When I pull into my underground parking spot underneath a 7 story building it has zero issues. When I drive around downtown amongst the really tall buildings it is fine. When I drive past a bridge, not even underneath it sometimes, it cuts out. There will be dead spots randomly on a clear highway. Driving through the Rocky Mountains it is fine. Taking the 395 south through Washington on my way to Portland it has issues with the small hills the road has been cut out of.
#11
This is my first experience with satellite radio so I can't compare but I've noticed it as well, it seems particularly bad around power lines and it always cuts out when I pass the Interstate 20 weigh station on my way to work..
#13
how do you suppose the tint on the windows can cause interferance on the antenna which is located on the roof?
I wish the built-in receivers had a memory funciton like the stand-alone units where you can save a song or artist and each time the song/artist is played, the receiver beeps at you.
I wish the built-in receivers had a memory funciton like the stand-alone units where you can save a song or artist and each time the song/artist is played, the receiver beeps at you.
Last edited by umdpru; 05-20-2010 at 06:37 AM.
#14
Edit: typo
#16
So I was thinking that maybe it could be the glass roof, but since the Infiniti doesnt have that that cant be accurate.
Maybe it has something to do with navigation? Do they use the same antenna??
#17
Nope, they don't use the same antenna supposedly. I was glancing around at other areas on the net and saw they were having some issues with their terrestrial repeater antenna's, but that would be a short term issue.
#20
I have the same exact problem driving around in Mid-Town Atlanta with my XM reception where it cuts out at various times going by the taller buildings. My friend laughs when it happens as he never has the problem in his '05 VW GLI with Sirius.
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