I have been to Best Buy and Circuit City looking at the XM radio's. Looks like I can get 1 for about $50. They will install it, but......I was reading some of the threads here and everyone is talking about "blitzsafe". What is it? or what does it do? Do I need it?

The xm radio i was looking at has a little box thing or tuner, that has to be mounted some where. I was looking at different mounts and trying to decide where to mount it.

With the "Blitzsafe" do I have to have the tuner box thing?

Someone please tell me what I need to have XM in my 05 MCS. Please be detailed as I will have to go buy it and then try and find someone to install it.

I guess what I am asking for is step by step instruction on exactally what to buy and how to install it.

PLEASE HELP, Sheri

 

Blitzsafe is what you need to run the XM through the stock stereo and what I'll do real soon but I'm dealing with a roady until I stop spending on other mods. Also it al tucks neatly in the boot. You will need an XM direct same exact antenna as any other aftermarket XM goes to a box then 2 plugs into blitzsafe, blitzsafe into wiring harness already installed and you're set!

 

Just to build on what MotorOn already posted, the model that you were looking at for $50 dollars is a XM Roady which is a portable unit can be moved rather easily from vehicle to vehicle. I have the roady and love it for my MINI, it's nothing to install it (plug in cigarette lighter, FM modulation or direct plug in if you have the AUX port, and run the antenna someplace discretely out of the boot). The only bit of installation that anyone might do with this one is run the antenna someplace unseen for you and/or install the MINI (or similar) auxillary input port.

The blitzsafe is an adapter that fits into a harness you have in the back of the MINI. It still takes an XM radio antenna to receive the stations but once that is installed everything can be controlled/seen on the stock radio head unit. This is a great choice if you don't want a XM Roady unit cluttering up your dash area or if you like things to be more integrated.

If I had only one car to drive I'd pick the blitzsafe, but if you have more than one car and want to have XM in all of them the Roady is the better choice, in my humble opinion.

 

What to buy and how to install, depends on what you are looking for. If you want to control the XM tuner directly through your stereo and don't want any of the XM components to be visible, the XM Direct tuner with a Blitzsafe adapter is the way to go. The Blitzsafe unit is a rectangular box that plugs into the CD changer harness in the boot of your MINI. It provides the logic that lets the XM tuner "talk" to your head unit. The XM Direct tuner (a small square black box) plugs into the Blitzsafe unit. Both of these can be neatly hidden in the passenger side boot liner. (Search the forums on XM and Blitzsafe should turn up some pic's). The last thing you need to do is run the antenna from the XM Direct tuner to the top of the car. Most hard top owners route it to end up next to your car's radio antenna.

The other option would be to get a portable unit (like a Roady2). You could attach this to the stereo via a cable to the Auxilliary port (which you'd need to buy separately). The aux. port lets you connect any external audio device (e.g. iPod, CD player, XM tuner) and play it through the stereo. In this configuration, you control the device directly from the unit itself - the only thing you would do on the stereo is press the Mode button until it shows "Aux" and adjust the volume. For an XM setup going this route, you would need to provide power to the XM receiver, typically via a power cord that plugs into your cigarette lighter. And you would still need to run an antenna although I've heard people have had success just placing the antenna on their dash. The advantage of this approach is you have an XM receiver you could take from the car and use in your home (if you had the home docking kit.) The downside is that the installation is much more cluttered with lots of wires and controlling the XM receiver isn't as convenient.

I went the Blitzsafe/XMDirect route. The installation is very easy - it can be done in well under 30 minutes. Hope this helps and doesn't confuse you further.

 

I vote for the Blitzsafe and XM1000 reciever combo. I'm using this combo in my 05 MCS. Works great. Easy to install.

Mine was purchased through www.enfig.com . Email the owner, Christian and he can help you out with the part numbers. His prices are reasonable and service is great.

 

To make it very simple, this is what you need
http://www.myradiostore.us/xm-radio-...ni-cooper.html

You may be able to find it cheaper online

You can go to most any local reliable car stereo shop and they can hook it up pretty cheaply.

good luck!

 

Thanks. This was big help! I did ot want the "roady" style because of having to mount it somewhere on the dash. The other option is a much better choise for me and more of what I was looking for.

Again, thank you all. Sheri

 

BamaGirl, I just installed my XM Direct today. The very same kind chows4us linked to. Working carefully it took less than a half hour. Well worth the effort.

Chuck

 

You got any pic to show of the install?

I talked to dad and he said I can sign up on his XM account so I will not have to pay as much for the monthly fee.

Thanks

 

The bad news....I'm sorry, but I didn't take any pictures.

The good news....Cooperb! did. Click on the link & you'll find his how to with some nice pictures. Attaboy Cooperb!

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=31985

That's what I used as my guide. It's really not too hard of a job.

Enjoy your XM BamaGirl. I'm lovin mine!

Chuck

 

Well,

The news gets even better. With this set up you can still have an iPod hook into your stero. You can either use the aux plug still or you can buy the blitzrate product that ends in 103 and that will let you hook up the icelink.

I did the aux because I did not want my ipod in the trunk and I mostly listen to books on my ipod, so don't need play lists as much.

 

thank you all for all the advise and help. I went with the blitz-safe set up and it is just right. Exactually what I wanted!!!!

 

You are most welcome. Glad it worked out for you.