OnStar

[Todd Covini]

OK...I've known it's coming.
Jan 2008...no more Onstar on our 2002 Denali.
Analog's going Digital...can't support my equipment anymore.
Yadda..Yadda...I know.

So what's the workaround?
Anyone know the scoop on making this work again?
Any digital OnStar units out there on eBay we can swap out?

I have a hard time believing I'm SOL...where's the OnStar 2.0 digital upgrade package for $199.99??

-=- T

[jeffburch]

I'd google "on star hack" or "digitalupgrade"
or search usenet.
Remember that?
Newsgroups.
The dark side of the net.

jb

[Todd Covini]

ooohhhh....like in that movie Dune, starring David Bowie.
I know exactly what you mean!

[j3ffbrooks]

People still actually use Onstar?


:shock:

[Todd Covini]

We don't use it.
We just send them money every month. :oops:

[jeffburch]

A cell phone!
Look into it.

jb

[Rob Liebbe]

Todd,

If you want to send somebody money every month and get nothing in return, you can make the checks payable to Rob Liebbe..........

[AllZWay]

Todd,

If you want to send somebody money every month and get nothing in return, you can make the checks payable to Rob Liebbe..........

I would like some of tha action too. :D

[Waco Racer]

Todd,

I believe that those checks would benefit you and your group more if they were made out to "NASA Texas Race Director". :twisted:

[mitchntx]

Or sent to Texas Drivetrain and Performance ...

[David Love AI27]

I'll tell you where to go for free..... :twisted:

[Rob Liebbe]

Or maybe Todd could use the money to fix the Ranchero.

[Todd Covini]

Alright all you comedians. :roll: :lol:

Here's the REAL reason I love OnStar.
It's cheap insurance.
When my son's health wasn't the best and we were running back & forth to the hospital, it was always great to know that at the touch of a button emergency services could be on the spot.

TRUE STORY- One time (not at band camp), coming home from the hospital after a bunch of tests/sedation, my son went into convulsions. My wife called me freaking out, frantic as she drove up the Hardy Toll Road watching our son in the rear view mirror. I was at work, a ways away. I simply responded "just push the red cross button on the dash and pull over at the safest area you can. Help will be there any moment."

OnStar knows exactly where the car is, the direction it's heading and the speed it's going. (Kinda freaky, actually.) But for our situation, it was sooo much better than having a cell phone.

On that day, it turned out to just be car sickness after coming off of the anesthesia but we were thinking the worst when the doctors didn't know what was wrong with the boy.

Tony turned 5 last week. :D :D :D

-=- Todd

[Nick]

Is he giving us the finger?

Happy Birthday Tony!

[Al Fernandez]

Everybody is a comedian. Does onstar use cellular technology? ie, is it any better at getting through when you're out in the middle of nowhere with no cell signal?

[gt40]

Everybody is a comedian. Does onstar use cellular technology? ie, is it any better at getting through when you're out in the middle of nowhere with no cell signal?Yes, OnStar uses cellular technology. Early versions used the AMPS cellular network, which uses an obsolete analog technology. (The earliest cellphones used AMPS.)Current cars equipped with OnStar use the CDMA cellular network, which is a digital network. It may be possible to upgrade your older OnStar equipment to use CDMA.

OnStar should have somewhat better cellphone coverage than your personal cellphone for two reasons:

1) OnStar transmits at 3 Watts, which is the maximum allowed for vehicle-based cellular transmitters (If you have an in-car kit for your cellphone that includes its own transmitter, chances are excellent that you're transmitting at 3 Watts, too.) Hand-held Cellphones are limited to far less radiated power.

2) OnStar uses an external antenna. Your handheld can't transmit as effectively inside a steel car.

[Todd Covini]

So far...my research tells me that I'm SOL for a 2002 model.
No analog upgrades available...have to buy a new GMC.

Cellular coverage/clarity/convenience was awesome...but at a premium price.

-=- T

[Adam Ginsberg]

So far...my research tells me that I'm SOL for a 2002 model.
No analog upgrades available...have to buy a new GMC.

Cellular coverage/clarity/convenience was awesome...but at a premium price.

-=- T

Hmmm....I wonder what it means for a 2003 model.

[gt40]

I'm not sure how comprehensive this is, but here's what looks like an official GM bulletin regarding OnStar upgrades.

http://www.cadillacfaq.com/stsfaq/tsb/data/tsb/05-08-46-006b.pdf

Best way though, is to contact your dealer and give him your VIN to see if it qualifies for an upgrade.

[David Love AI27]

last weekend I had a student with Onstar... whenever he got too sideways a voice would ask if he was ok... and requested a reply of "yes or no"... when he replyed "Fock off!!!" the computer responded with "incorrect response".... we started laughing so damn hard that he blew the next corner... but wait there is more...

This went on during EVERY session and finally during the last lap of the last session he ran out of gas... when the car came to a stop he said "Onstar will bring me 5 gallons of gas... Should I call them???"... I said "Think they will answer??? You realize you have been cussin' at 'em all weekend.."

we started cracking up so bad I thought I was gonna piss my pants... when the EV workers pulled up we were giggling like little girls... I'm sure they thought we were drunk...

one of those "you had to be there moments"...