Xpress RC FM transmitter trouble

[Galaxie6411]

I recently purchased an Xpress RC with the built in FM transmitter. I have an old Tao XM2GO that also has one and it has a strong signal. I finally installed my RC in my car with no audio inputs and tried the FM transmitter and it is terrible. I have tried a dozen different FM channels and none of them are better than the others. I get a lot of static and the volume is low. The RC works great when I have it hooked up directly to the H/U in another vehicle. This new transmitter is terrible and nothing like my old one. So is anyone else using theirs like this and are you have signal strength troubles? My RC is only a few feet from my cars antenna and I have no idea why it can't transmit at least that far. Other than this one thing I love this newest XM receiver. I have the older black and white one as well and this one blows it away.

[davring]

I have the Roady and experienced the same FM interference problems, after switching it to another car, no matter the frequency I selected. I had the antenna outside on the last car and this car I placed it in the rear window. I sat signal was fine but the retransmission to my radio was poor and my stereo antenna is rear mounted. For the heck of it I stopped at a quick lube/alarm/stereo shop and inquired. They suggested I put the sat antenna on the dash?(car antenna in rear) I doubted them but they assured me it worked best being near the in dash factory radio. That has where it has stayed, works flawlessly. You can adjust the output level of your sat receiver in the menu to have the volume match your stereo.

[Scott in FL]

The older radios had a stronger FM transmitter, but the FCC cracked down and the new radios are all low power. With XM the FM transmitter does radiate from the Satellite antenna, so its placement may help as you found out. But the sure way to get static free reception is pay the extra for the direct-connect accessory. It costs $30 or $40, and it's a pain th install, but the FM transmitter is fed directly into the car radio's antenna input whenever your XM radio is powered on. I have used the XM direct connect, and also the Sirius version and they both work great no matter what frequency you choose.

[davring]

I looked into the direct connect adapter, looked like the way to go untill I looked again at my Buick's sound system. :) I have XM factory in my Yukon and love the way it is integrated into the radio, real smmoth.

[Galaxie6411]

Interesting. I'll play with it some more. I have 2 of those direct connect kits but haven't bothered to try them yet. The setup I have now is a front fender mounted Fm antenna and my XM is more or less above me on the rook of the car. I am planning on using this RC in multiple vehicles so it will be interesting to see how it works in them.

[david_jr]

I installed one of the direct adapters in my Ford Expedition and it works flawlessly. The problem I have now is that my RC no longer works in my home dock (tried 2). I suspect that when the unit was set for the car adapter the headphone out jack either got turned down or something.

[Galaxie6411]

There are a few things, there is an output level in the menu, then there is also the FM transmitter that can be turned on or off, if it is on then the output jack will not work.

My RC is still going strong but it shuts off every 2 hours and I cannot find a way around it. My Xpress R has a setting that will do the shutdown but I have not found it on my RC. Kills me when I pause it during the day and am trying to get caught up on a talk show only to have it shut off.

I've ended up using the direct connect with my Xpress R and the aux jacks in various vehicles with the RC and still use the FM transmitter in 1 truck with it. Major PITA trying to find an open station every 30-50 miles.

[david_jr]

Tried turning the transmitter off. You can only do it in the car dock. It would not play out the line out in the car dock either. I have not tried resetting factory defaults yet but I might.

Have you made sure that your sleep timer is not set?