I just bought a new Sportster Replay 4 for my car and I am giving my wife my SR3. The SR4 is way cooler looking! Anyone have one yet?

where did you buy it? online? i'm getting one soon...

Saw them in Best Buy, I want to replace my current Sportster with it.... its too cool looking to pass up.

If you regularly use the FM transmitter on your Sportster 3, I'd be hestitant to upgrade. The FM output on the 4 is much lower. Performance over looks for me. Just sayin'.

where did you buy it? online? i'm getting one soon...

From the Sirius store

If you regularly use the FM transmitter on your Sportster 3, I'd be hestitant to upgrade. The FM output on the 4 is much lower. Performance over looks for me. Just sayin'.

This is a very good point. The Sportster 3 has an incredible FM transmitter built in, and the new Sportster 4 transmitter is noticeably less powerful. I had the opportunity to play with one over the weekend and I was pretty shocked at the weak FM reception. It should be fine for very short range and is of course fine for in the car, but if you want a strong FM signal throughout your house or apartment you should stick with the Sportster 3 or purchase an external FM transmitter.

I just got a Sportster 4 as a replacement to a warranty claim on my wife's Starmate. It looks nice, but the FM signal is very weak. I get a lot of static unless the receiver is less than 5 inches from the radio. It only comes with 2 mounts, too - the window suction cup or the vent mount. The starmate had the metal brackets, I liked those better. Still, it's a damn fine looking radio and performs well. It's my third radio and this is the only one I've had that has a good remote (I have the old Xact that looks like a cell and then the Starmate).

I just got a Sportster 4 as a replacement to a warranty claim on my wife's Starmate. It looks nice, but the FM signal is very weak. I get a lot of static unless the receiver is less than 5 inches from the radio. It only comes with 2 mounts, too - the window suction cup or the vent mount. The starmate had the metal brackets, I liked those better. Still, it's a damn fine looking radio and performs well. It's my third radio and this is the only one I've had that has a good remote (I have the old Xact that looks like a cell and then the Starmate).

Buy this Wired FM Modulator:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7262892&st=sirius&lp=10&type=product&cp=1&id=1117177049245

For $19.99, it will solve ALL your static problems permanently and it's fairly easy to install!! It allows you to connect the Sirius receiver directly into your car's stereo. It detects when you turn on the Sirius unit, and will automatically disconnect the car stereo's antenna signal to the headunit. It's really nice and well worth the price. You'll never have static again! Good luck.

I got a replacement Sportster 4. Very nice unit. I am hesitant to keep it. The 1 reason, no auxilary input on the dock. The dock has a spot were the aux input would go, but no jack. What gives?

I just bought a new Sportster Replay 4 for my car and I am giving my wife my SR3. The SR4 is way cooler looking! Anyone have one yet?

I got is last wednesday....I like it alot...I like how small and compact it is....

I just upgraded to the Sportster Replay 4 , it works awesome i love the New look. And the Aux Option is killer. :D

I have the Clarion Calypso and the transmitter is GREAT! Got my wife the Sportster Replay from the free Sirius offer and the transmitter sucks donkey balls! I had to unscrew the antenna to cut out all the extra static. Gonna have to get the FM modulator.

The new FCC regulations have ruined the FM transmitter signal!!

yes I bought one on 10-11-06 after my older(Streamer) died after only 10 months--the FM signal is very weak--it will play through your Fm only in the same room or the next room with some static--my old radio played all over the house.......

I purchased a Sportster4 on 10/1 the FM transmitter was so bad that I thought it was broken so I returned it to Best Buy. The second Sportster4 was actually just as bad. Then I tried to contact Sirius about the problems. It took 2 weeks and over 400 of my cell phone minutes of waiting before I could talk to product support. They said every Sportster4 has had the FM transmitter horribly crippled. They offered no help or support other than keep replacing the radio at Best Buy until I found one I liked. I lost my cool, got the next 3 months of service for free, then finally returned the Sportster4 and reinstalled my original 2-year old Starmate.

Do yourself a favor and buy anything other than a Sportster4 if you plan to use an FM transmitter. It could not broadcast a clear signal even 6 inches from a normal stereo.

I purchased a Sportster4 on 10/1 the FM transmitter was so bad that I thought it was broken so I returned it to Best Buy. The second Sportster4 was actually just as bad. Then I tried to contact Sirius about the problems. It took 2 weeks and over 400 of my cell phone minutes of waiting before I could talk to product support. They said every Sportster4 has had the FM transmitter horribly crippled. They offered no help or support other than keep replacing the radio at Best Buy until I found one I liked. I lost my cool, got the next 3 months of service for free, then finally returned the Sportster4 and reinstalled my original 2-year old Starmate.

Do yourself a favor and buy anything other than a Sportster4 if you plan to use an FM transmitter. It could not broadcast a clear signal even 6 inches from a normal stereo.

I bought the Sportster 4, bought the wired FM modulator(seen here: http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/SIRIUS-FM-Module-Relay-DEI-14110/sem/rpsm/oid/124111/catOid/-14641/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do), for $22 it sends the FM-Out signal from the Sportster 4 directly(via wire) into the antenna connection of the car's stereo headunit. Simultaneously, it automatically senses when you turn the receiver on and disconnects the car's antenna via an electronic relay. When you decide to use your car's stereo, the relay automatically reconnects the car's antenna. It took me 10 minutes to install it. End result: you get perfect, interference free, Sirius content without having to worry about the built-in wireless FM transmitter's strength, and it sounds much better. FYI... the FCC ordered both Sirius and XM to reduce the strength of their new receiver's built-in transmitters or face serious repercussions. They had no other options.

So anyone buying a Sportster 4, do yourself a favor, and by the $22 FM module relay, install it, and forget about having problems in the future. You'll enjoy interference free Sirius content.

I got the Sportster 4 about a month and a half a go and while it is a good looking unit, there are a couple of things I don't like about it. First the range of the FM transmitter sucks (as we all now know). Second, the number of FM frequencies that the unit can use to transmit is reduced. Third, the receiver doesn't have a feature that allows you to program several FM frequency presets so that if you get interference on one, you can switch to another one quickly with the push of a button. My Starmate Replay that I bought last December is without a doubt a superior product that allows all of the above. Then the fucking FCC got involved. All of the problems relating to the Sportster 4 are their fault. Any new receivers manufactured will have their FM transmitters dialed back to comply with FCC rules. Fucking FCC! I hate them and I don't even live in the US. :mad:

just hard wire your sportster 4 to your stock head unit. its not much trouble with most modern cars. i did it in my 05 xterra, cost me an extra 70 bucks in parts and 30 minutes of hiding wires but its well worth it.

I purchased a Sportster4 on 10/1 the FM transmitter was so bad that I thought it was broken so I returned it to Best Buy. The second Sportster4 was actually just as bad. Then I tried to contact Sirius about the problems. It took 2 weeks and over 400 of my cell phone minutes of waiting before I could talk to product support. They said every Sportster4 has had the FM transmitter horribly crippled. They offered no help or support other than keep replacing the radio at Best Buy until I found one I liked. I lost my cool, got the next 3 months of service for free, then finally returned the Sportster4 and reinstalled my original 2-year old Starmate.

Do yourself a favor and buy anything other than a Sportster4 if you plan to use an FM transmitter. It could not broadcast a clear signal even 6 inches from a normal stereo.

You are going to have a hard time finding any new radios with a powerful FM transmitter. They all violate the FCC regulations.
NPR just asked the FCC to make all companies recall their products that violate the signal strength. (Satellite Radio, iPod and other).

http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2006/10/26/business/doc454129ab74c4d713082869.txt


Try one of these before they are banned (The FM30 is nice since everything is digital settings, and most don't need the extreme power of the FM35 or FM100)

Synthesized FM Stereo Transmitter FM25B (http://www.hobbytron.com/Synthesized-FM-Stereo-Transmitter.html)

FM30-WT Synthesized FM Stereo Digital Transmitter (http://www.hobbytron.com/ramsey-fm-transmitter-fm30-wt.html)

FM35-1 WATT Digital Stereo FM Transmitter (http://www.hobbytron.com/FM35-1-WATT-Digital-Stereo-FM-Transmitter.html)

Super-Pro FM Stereo Radio Station FM100B (http://www.hobbytron.com/1-watt-fm-transmitter.html)

For the car just spend the $20 for the modulator and you will have NO problems, it a direct connection.

I didn't know the sportster 4 FM transmitter was so bad, i bought a Sportster Replay IR [SPTK2] last Dec. and can transmit to my old fashion radio out to my patio from the living room where i listen to Bubba every afternoon. My advice is get the SPTK2 if you can!

I just got the Sportster 4 boombox and the sound on it is great. I don't need to concern myself with weak FM output anymore.

My SR4 is working great with the FM modulator...One question, is anyone connecting an Ipod to the Aux in?

is anyone connecting an Ipod to the Aux in?
Yes I just tried it yesterday.
The Sportster4 I received had the AUX IN hole plugged with a piece of rubber and a note in the box to disregard all mention of the AUX IN in the manual. I hadn't read anything about this "removal" so looked around online. I found that the pre release reviews mentioned the AUX IN being present on many new models docks.
But now Sirius has removed all mention(that I can find) of the AUX IN port, even the pictures of the dock have it removed. Most larger retailers have also removed this mention, although some still have the older picture that shows the AUX IN port.

I did find one post where someone said they just removed the rubber plug and it worked.
So I decided to try it... I plugged my ipod into the AUX-IN port on the dock,.... the Sportster 4 said AUX-IN where the antenna bars normally showed,...... and I could hear my ipod playing fine on my car radio. (the sportster4 must take the incoming signal and then broadcast it out on fm)





I'm not sure why it is being removed. There has to be a reason... Either to cut costs, a legal issue, or a design problem,(or maybe a PR, business, support issue).

I cant think it was to cut costs, its a cheap port and it wasn't included on my cheap Stratus dock already, just the more expensive Sportster4
Don't see a legal issue, Lots of car radios have an AUX IN, rebroadcasting on FM isn't a problem since there are hundreds of FM transmitters, it doesn't stop the Sirius service from rebroadcasting on FM, and they have lowered the FM signal strength to within FCC guidelines.
Could be a design problem... maybe there was a huge batch produced that it didn't work on, so instead of recalling them all right before the holiday season they decided to eliminate the "feature" Doubt its a dangerous design problem since I couldn't find any instance of that during a search and they would be required to do a recall if something was dangerous.

Its probably a Business/support issue. I could see an executive asking"Why are we providing a way for our customers to listen to their iPod instead of us?? Get that damn port off of there!!" Just as Howard was asking why they were doing commercials for the Fox news show on at the same time as them(although I didn't get his point on that rant, since he now has programing on 24 hours a day on two channels, so anything on TV or movies would be competition to his channels. Like NBC wouldn't do a commercial for CBS TV show)

I just ruled out what I thought might be the problem (I though that since the Sirius Unit has to convert the aux-in to FM it might not work on all the models that use the universal dock) but I just tested my stratus in my sportster4 dock and the AUX-IN still worked fine going through the Stratus (although there was no indication on the Stratus screen that it was using AUX-IN instead of what channel it was tuned to.

If anyone has a definitive reason why the Aux-In port has been removed please let us know.

I bought the Sportster 4, bought the wired FM modulator(seen here: http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/SIRIUS-FM-Module-Relay-DEI-14110/sem/rpsm/oid/124111/catOid/-14641/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do), for $22 it sends the FM-Out signal from the Sportster 4 directly(via wire) into the antenna connection of the car's stereo headunit. Simultaneously, it automatically senses when you turn the receiver on and disconnects the car's antenna via an electronic relay. When you decide to use your car's stereo, the relay automatically reconnects the car's antenna. It took me 10 minutes to install it. End result: you get perfect, interference free, Sirius content without having to worry about the built-in wireless FM transmitter's strength, and it sounds much better. FYI... the FCC ordered both Sirius and XM to reduce the strength of their new receiver's built-in transmitters or face serious repercussions. They had no other options.

So anyone buying a Sportster 4, do yourself a favor, and by the $22 FM module relay, install it, and forget about having problems in the future. You'll enjoy interference free Sirius content.
yes, people!! do this!! i have an FM Mod isntalled and it works great!! No static, no interference and the stereo comes out in full effect.

WARNING!!!: DO NOT!! Do not have them install an XM modulator and tell you its the same thing, if they are out of the Sirius modulator. It is not the same. The XM modulator dulls out your stereo sound and it will seem like you're listening to mono. Yes, all 4 channels will work, but that extra treble/stereo sound will be gone. They did that to me and figured out it was the actual XM modulator they had installed. The tech had no explanation why the XM didnt work the same since it's technically suppose to do the same job.

Yes I just tried it yesterday.
The Sportster4 I received had the AUX IN hole plugged with a piece of rubber and a note in the box to disregard all mention of the AUX IN in the manual. I hadn't read anything about this "removal" so looked around online. I found that the pre release reviews mentioned the AUX IN being present on many new models docks.

If anyone has a definitive reason why the Aux-In port has been removed please let us know.

hmmmm... the old starmate replay doesnt have an aux in , but the boomcube does have one and i used my ipod with it yesterday. it's a great selling point for the unit in my opinion since so many ppl have ipods.