eblue

zdude
the lexus parts guys says i may have to buy a cover (extra $48) depending on my car's spec.-they will confirm back. anyway, i don't have a nav and rear a/c so hopefully i won't need it. i'm asking for a copy of the 17 page install manual also.

yes pls advise on your experiments to reloate the antenna to the inside rear deck . the question i have is how the wiring will be done from the trunk to the inside rear deck, plus whether unsightly holes will have to be done, let alone the effect on the signal because of the shade and/or the radio antenna wires on the rear windshield glass?

rgds,eblue

zdude

The shade is not a problem since the antenna can go in front of it. As far as where the wiring goes, that is the $64,000 question. I did not want to drill a hole but it looks like that will be the way to do it. I spent a couple of hours looking for an easy way to snake the wire but I did not find one. I am sure it can be done, I've seen an '03 LS430 with XM and he had the antenna by the back glass. I stuck the antenna by the rear glass on the deck lid (I ran the wiring around thru the door) and it worked by I noticed the signal was not as strong but I was in the garage and I think it will be fine in most situations.

LS430inTX

To answer the question of whether you can get XM on a non-nav LS as well ...the answer is yes. The NAV system simply has no bearing on this. Likewise, it plays no bearing as to why you cannot add the '04 XM receiver into a '01-'03 LS. Lexus changed the LAN protocol used to tie together the radio/CD, tuner, amp, NAV, and gateway ECU for '04 and is totally incompatible with the '01-'03.

massshelti

How did you run the wires from the trunk into the passenger compartment / Lexus Link console? Did you pull up the rocker panels? Under the carpet?

What did you use for power in the trunk?

How tough was it to mount the antenna? Was it easy to remove the trunk lid liner?


Thanks

zdude

massshelti, I assume you are asking me but I ran no wires from the trunk to the passenger compartment, I tested the antenna inside the car by routing the wires from the inside rear deck lid then outside the car through the door and around to the trunk. As far as power in the trunk, the cables with my XM kit provided everything needed. I did not remove the trunk lid liner, as per instructions, I did not see any point to it. The kit has a template you place on the trunk and the you place the antenna inside the template and then via gummy adhesive strips and magnet (on antenna), it holds it in place.

eblue

I have the kit and the 17 pp manual ready to go and self install. I've been checking out the parts and manual and noted that whether the Pioneer GEX-P910XM (list $200) could be used for this process-does anbody know?

The real value of the kit, I believe, is in the TUNER and the Tuner Cable -as it seems to have a different connector size/shape than the mass market P910XM-plus it has the special splitter connector configuration that inserts itself into the existing amplifier connector wiring.By the way, the antenna connector is the square fakra type ie, one could use Terk or other brands (connector wise) in place of the one provided.

I still have to look at my trunk and check why the centered location behind the brake light doesn't fly as an option for antenna location. My theory is that a) blocking the brake light could lead to lawsuits on their part b) most satellite antenna locations are done at the highest point of the car (ie roof) for maximum signal reception) and that the trunk side location (further aft of windshield) is the best compromise-and that too close to the windshield lessens clearfield reception.....

Hacking the bracket seems burdensome. Wish zdude can show us some pictures or instructions on how to hack it. Otherwise the factory way may be safer.

zdude

I am not sure what digital bus the '04 LS430 uses, so interfacing to it with the Pioneer or any other receiver would be difficult without this information. You might be right about the antenna blocking the rear brake light but I thought it was placed on the left side due to the metal hinge would create a better magnetic grip and the wires wrap nicely around the flex cable from the trunk. I am still going to move my antenna inside the vehicle once the weather breaks here and I have time to figure out how to route the wires from the rear deck to the tuner. If you happen to see a way to do this without drilling holes I would appreciate any info.

ultra63

I got the xm roady including home kit for $100. It works fine on a 98 LS400 and a 04 LS430 with the very light antenna placed in front of the rear sunscreen. I just place the small control unit in the front ashtray. Entirely portable. No work. No holes in the car and I can use it in the house as well as the car.

eblue

Have it running and activated my account with free activation and 1 month (lexus promo).
Have not fixed the antenna yet and have initially positioned it right behind the third brake light. Reception (all or nothing) is ok, except under bridges and overpasses. Sound quality seems to be better than good- reception FM but below than that of CDs. Digital artifacts seem to be more detailed with CD than this XM mode. Is it true that XM cuts off at 15KHz, lower than CDs?.

The Kit is considered a hardwire install which is supposed to be truly digital compared to the lower quality reception a)casette feed or the b)FM Modulator options.

The various stations exhibit variable volume levels and requires adjustments now and then. The jury's out on the value of this accessory especially in the light of the clumsy external location install of the antenna. One could be better of with buying a bunch of CD's were it not for CNBC,Bloomberg and XM Comedy, etc...

ultra63

I use it to get BBC, comedy, and sports so sound quality not a big issue though xm roady sound is excellent for my puposes. On my LS400 casette sound much better and louder than the regular radio. Less difference on the 04 ML system.

massshelti

Can someone post the link for the installation instructions for the XM radio? I want to look into doing the same kind of thing with an IPOD, and need to start getting some information. I'm guessing that Lexus did not design their Satellite receiver from scratch. The Nav screen must be able to send and receive data using some sort of standard in order to talk to the Satellite box. Don't know if any of this is possible, but it's worth looking into


Thanks

LS007

I imagine it's a Controller Area Network (CAN) or Intelligent Transport System Data Bus (IDB-C) used to communicate between the stereo, tuner, component amplifier and navigation units. I recall hearing the bus was changed for the 2004 model, probably from CAN to IDB-C. Lexus electrical engineering or Harmon engineering would know. It will be difficult to reverse engineer the protocol, but rewarding if you could interface other source units... like an IPod to the ML system.

eblue

I have a printed manual and not sure whether digital photos can reproduce well.
On the connection, I can only surmise it's using the same technology that Pioneer uses for its latest tuner,the GEX-P910XM which uses an "I/P Bus Control Unit Input/Output", although I noticed the size of the clip connector on the tuner to the amp is bigger on the Lexus (Toyota) tuner than it is on the GEX.

I also noticed that the GEX relies on an "FM Modulator" on the head unit. Does this mean the Lexus implementation is not a hardwire but is using an FM modulator (although, the satellite tuner goes thru the amp first before it goes to the head unit?)?

By the way, the SAT mode displays only 10 digits while Pioneer says it can do 16 on 2003 and later headunits.Am I missing out on counting the mode display as part of 16 digit display?