hotlips

My 2013 A6 is only able to get Sirius based on the radio installed that year. I don't know when Sirius/XM became available ('15/'16?). Anyone know if my radio can be upgraded to enable S/XM? Btw, S/XM has quite a number more channels in the sports arena, i.e., channels 187-205 - MLB, NFL, NBA play-by-play in the car.

AoA doesn't seem to know and I guess I'll contact the dealer but anyone had an experience with this?

Thanks

El Gato

You will need to contact a Sirius/XM. They have merged but they still act like 2 companies which can make the customer experience extremely frustrating. Even on new cars. If your radio is classified as a "Sirius" radio you can only get Sirius programming. If it's classified as an XM radio you can only get that programming. Even though the two companies are now one. Even in my new car last year with a Sirius/XM radio they told me the radio was really a Sirius radio and the package was limited because of that. I argued that this radio was made and installed by Sirius/XM after the merger and my bill says Sirius/XM but I cannot get the Sirius/XM programming? They said that my car is listed as primarily Sirius so no dice. Makes zero sense. My guess is that because of the receiver in your car you are stuck with the programming that is available for it. I went through that last year on the exact same question. I am usually very appreciative of satellite radio but when it comes to,stuff like this it makes me want to dump them. But of course satellite radio is just too useful to me to pass up. Good luck, I think your only choice may be getting a different receiver installed that has the right classification for the programming you want. Call them maybe it's changed since last year, but I doubt it

hotlips

Thanks, already talked to Sirius and based on radio ID they tell me it's only capable of Sirius, not Sirius/XM, hence my question about upgrading hardware.

Diogenes

You guessed right.

El Gato

Okay. I would suggest you go to a car stereo shop or big box electronics store that installs sound systems in cars and ask them about your options for a permanent install of an after market Sirius/XM radio. You can get a supplemental unit that you can play through your existing factory sound system (it would be an auxilliary input) if there are no options from AOA (which does not surprise me). It's going to be easier (and cheaper) to install an add-on receiver than replace what you have. Especially since it's all tightly integrated into the car's proprietary system and hardware. I would be surprised if there is any solution that makes your Audi system work like OEM only with a different sattelite receiver. And if there is I would imagine it would cost an arm and a leg. A custom shop would have ideas. I asked an Audi dealer about this a few years ago and they looked all confused and then shook their head and said "why would you want to do that?" (Basically useless).

cbl1

Sirius and XM are the same company now but they still have certain licensing deals that they struck when they were still 2 companies. They also utilize two different satellite systems. Actually I get a lot better signal with Sirius then I do XM. I have Sirius in a couple cars and XM in my Audi.


So if you get basic Sirius package it doesn't include some of the popular XM sports channels etc. The Sirius All Access and Premier packages add some of that back as they have duplicated some of the top XM stations on the Sirius satellite (they used to call the upgraded package the Best of XM package).

cbl1

If I have something that isn't on my XM in my Audi. I go onto the Sirius XM mobile app and just stream the channel via Bluetooth. Not the best answer but great if there is a game or something I want to listen to that one or the other satellite doesn't have (XM or Sirius),