[ghoticov]

Does anyone know if you can hook up an aftermarket XM Radio to the back on the stock Caliber 6 disc radio? I don't want a stand alone player, I want it integrated with my current radio. Only thing showing outside would be the antenna.

I called the dealer and of course, they can do Sirrus but I really want XM. I called a friend of mine that does it for a living and he said he "thinks" it should work, as long as there is a plug in the back of the radio for it (he called the plug something but I can't remember what it was called).

Anyone know if XM will work with the stock Caliber radio?

 

[draed]

I'm going to say probably not, but you might want to look and see if there is a set of forums for xm, I know sirius has the siriusbackstage forums where you can find out similar information, XM might have a unit that will work with DCX head units.

The reason I say probably not is that the head units probably aren't compatibile. I know the Head Units that GM uses are different, and all the head units use a specific protocol for GM vehicles, so even if the head unit is a rebranded Pioneer, a pioneer sat unit won't work 100%. So for example GM is XM exclusively, if you want to connect a Sirius unit to a GM HU, you have to buy a particular Sirius radio that is made specifically to hook up to GM sat ready units. From what I understand, you pull the XM box out, put the sirius box in and connect it to the XM cables and you're set. The problem is that the SIRGM1's have been delayed several times, and I don't think they are even on the market yet.

XM may have a unit that is similar to replace the Sirius Box in Chrysler vehicles. I haven't heard of one, but I tend to have a Sirius bias.

A month or so ago I did see an announcement that XM and Sirius had come to an agreement to work on a design that would allow radios to be used for either service. If there is not an XM unit that will connect at the moment, maybe that agreement will help in the future, but probably only on radios produced after the design is finalized.

This probably isn't all that helpful, but I hope you can find something.

 

[ghoticov]

I'm going to say probably not, but you might want to look and see if there is a set of forums for xm, I know sirius has the siriusbackstage forums where you can find out similar information, XM might have a unit that will work with DCX head units.

The reason I say probably not is that the head units probably aren't compatibile. I know the Head Units that GM uses are different, and all the head units use a specific protocol for GM vehicles, so even if the head unit is a rebranded Pioneer, a pioneer sat unit won't work 100%. So for example GM is XM exclusively, if you want to connect a Sirius unit to a GM HU, you have to buy a particular Sirius radio that is made specifically to hook up to GM sat ready units. From what I understand, you pull the XM box out, put the sirius box in and connect it to the XM cables and you're set. The problem is that the SIRGM1's have been delayed several times, and I don't think they are even on the market yet.

XM may have a unit that is similar to replace the Sirius Box in Chrysler vehicles. I haven't heard of one, but I tend to have a Sirius bias.

A month or so ago I did see an announcement that XM and Sirius had come to an agreement to work on a design that would allow radios to be used for either service. If there is not an XM unit that will connect at the moment, maybe that agreement will help in the future, but probably only on radios produced after the design is finalized.

This probably isn't all that helpful, but I hope you can find something.

The radio dude said he isn't sure it would fit because the Caliber is so new and they know nothing about them. He did say, however, that it does fit on the 2006 Dodge line so he thinks it may just fit on the 2007.

 

[draed]

It sounds like its worth a try then. Someone from Dodge posted earlier that the headunits are the same between The Caliber and the 2006 LX (Charger/magnum/etc) line so it sounds like it should work.

I'll look around later and see if I can find the post where they said the in dash systems were the same, I can't remember if it was Dan or one of the other guys that posted that. It was a few weeks ago and probably in one of the threads talking about MP3 compatibility.

 

[DodgeInfoCenter]

It sounds like its worth a try then. Someone from Dodge posted earlier that the headunits are the same between The Caliber and the 2006 LX (Charger/magnum/etc) line so it sounds like it should work.

I'll look around later and see if I can find the post where they said the in dash systems were the same, I can't remember if it was Dan or one of the other guys that posted that. It was a few weeks ago and probably in one of the threads talking about MP3 compatibility.

The Head Unit choices arent entirely new, they are used in many of our other models. My original post can be located Here.

AM/FM/ Single CD w/ Aux Input (Sales Code REF)
- Magnum, Charger, Dakota, Ram, Durango, Commander, 300, PT Cruiser

AM/FM 6-disc CD with MP3 (Sales Code RAQ)
- Dakota, Ram, Durango, Commander, Grand Cherokee, PT Cruiser

AM/FM 6-disc CD/MP3 & Cassette (Sales Code RAK)
- Magnum, Charger, Ram, 300

Cheers,
Dan

 

[Ramsport47]

Does anyone know if you can hook up an aftermarket XM Radio to the back on the stock Caliber 6 disc radio? I don't want a stand alone player, I want it integrated with my current radio. Only thing showing outside would be the antenna.

I called the dealer and of course, they can do Sirrus but I really want XM. I called a friend of mine that does it for a living and he said he "thinks" it should work, as long as there is a plug in the back of the radio for it (he called the plug something but I can't remember what it was called).

Anyone know if XM will work with the stock Caliber radio?

one work....SIRIUS

 

[ghoticov]

Found out yesterday that XM won't work YET with the Caliber. He said it may be a month, it may be 6 months, it may be a year before they come out with something that will work. He said it has to do with the way the XM unit speaks to the radio. In this case, they cannot speak to each other yet but he said Dodge is taking the radio that is in the Caliber and putting it in everything so something should come out fairly quick.

 

[donsmith]

Well, RATS! I just bought my second Caliber but it had the REF radio in it and they ordered the RAQ (the 6-CD without Cassette) to replace it. Later this morning I head to the dealership to have the head unit switched out, but now, reading above, I see that if I had ordered the radio with the cassette (the RAK), then I could use a cassette adaptor for my AUX audio input and be able to use my iPod. Rats. I'll ask that the RAQ be returned and the RAK ordered. What a hassle. Wish I had thought of this sooner.

 

[donsmith]

Does anyone know if the RAK radio has the nice display of the RAQ and not the simple display of the REF?

 

[Huff]

Since 2004 most Dodge/Chrysler stereos use the CAN-BUS networking system. There is no XM tuner made so far that is CAN-BUS compatible.

Might call Peripheral Electronics and see what they have. They make all sorts of adapters for connecting peripherals to various car stereos including dodge/chrylser. I know they make a AUX input adapter for the RAQ or RAK stereo.

 

[HSKR]

Your best bet for XM is to get one of the external set ups like the RoadyXT, or SkiFi and use the antenna adapter that plug in behind the head unit to the antenna connector. You will have a seperate display from the head unit for your XM, but it's not that bad. I bought the RoadyXT for my Caliber and have it mounted in the cubby hole by the window on the drivers side. Looks good there, is in easy reach, and I never used that cubby for anything anyways. Will take pics tonight if you want. It's just temp mounted there for now until I can get the power hard wired in, and the adapter for the head unit. But then I will make it permanent. Just have the sat ant sitting on the fender next to the hood on the drivers side for now and it works great. Might eventually put it on the roof during the permanent install if I feel like routing the cable up there.

 

[gr81]

I have been researching this and found that Terk(audiovox) has a unit that has not been released yet that will work with (suposedly) all RDS style radios. I have inquired and was told that it will work with the RAQ in the Caliber, but didn't ask about the others.

XMDRDS100 is the item number. I wonder if the hold up is related to technical issues or something else.

Link

Currently have my Myfi hooked up using the FM transmitter for now and the quality is no where as good as it is using the same unit in my Chevy Blazer using the same FM frequency. If the RDS unit hits, the Myfi is going back in the blazer


Edit: forgot to add that everyone I have talked to has no clue whatsoever on when this will be available (if ever )

 

[Huff]

Doesn't look like Terk will ever release the XMDRDS100.

Besides, it is not a direct connect to the Calibers Can-Bus system like the factory Sirius tuner is. Instead the XMDRDS100 transmits in FM and uses an antenna connection. It uses the stereos RDS compatibility to display Author and Title information on the stereos display. I do not know how channel selection would work.