Sirius XM Radio Starbase SC-FM1 Satellite

Got the Starbase when I purchased my 2005 Lexus RX330 because I wanted a low-profile unit. I was able to mount the display below the shifter and hide the head unit completely out of sight - a nice clean install. The first problem I had was that the antenna, while seemingly plugged into the head unit properly, was not making good contact and I was experiencing bad signal dropouts. I fixed this by using electrical tape to securely hold the antenna in place - absolutely no problems since. And since the head unit is hidden, it's not a cosmetic issue either. My biggest dissatisfaction was with the audio quality. Using the RF modulator, the sound is clipped/slightly distorted. Some channels sounded worse than others, but all were bad enough to make for an unpleasant listening experience. In desperation I figured the only way to get better sound was to connect the head unit to the stereo using audio cables. Doing so forced me to purchase an aftermarket unit ($300!), since there is no direct way to make the connection. Money well-spent, since now the audio is perfect - I would say close to CD quality.

Once I got the unit installed to my liking it has performed like a champ, and has been virtually trouble-free for nearly two years. Actually, about the only thing I can complain about is that the buttons are a little small for my big fingers. But i think that's the tradeoff for having a very unobtrusive display unit.

I would recommend the Starbase only if you are able to make a direct audio connection to your car stereo via audio cables. If you can do so it is a superb unit. If you plan to use the RF connection, look elsewhere or you will be sadly disappointed with the audio quality.