Let's Talk About Radar Detectors a Moment,...

[Don O]

Originally Posted by monstertodd

Does anyone have pictures of their radar detector installed in the Camaro?

To the right of the mirror.

Don O

[Black LS3]

Originally Posted by Don O

To the right of the mirror.

Don O

Which Model is that one Don O?

I like the Slimness of it.
Is that the Escort Passport 9500ix?

[scythezo6]

A police officer always will say "those are a waste of money" but my escort passport has more than paid for itself in saving my ass numerous times. Where I live the police use Ka band and my radar can pick it up from about a mile and a half away - so far that even if I was alone on the road Id have way more than enough time to slow down. Ive had my detector since 2002 and I cannot complain. The warranty was for like 3 or 4 years and when I dropped it (!!!!!) the company fixed it and updated the software in it for only $45 post warranty. Good customer service. Im not a fan of all the "addons" and service upgrades some detectors come with (wasted time and money?) especially since I just plug mine in and I know that even after 8 years its still protecting me.

[CamaroSkooter]

Originally Posted by Black LS3

Well I forget how much I paid for my Whistler but it wasnt a lot of money and not once did i ever get pulled over for speeding while using it so I can't say that it's been a bad Radar Detector at all for me. I dont know How Good it is, Probably NO Where Near as good as the V1 but to tell you the truth I was kind of hoping to maybe spend somwhere around $200-$250 for one.

I tried to find that V1 for sale and I see that there might be 2 different versions of it out there, 1 that has 2 Bands and I'm guessing that the other has only 1 Band. How do you know for sure which is the 2 Band Model?

Hesh,...
Which Beltronics and Passport were you refering to on http://www.radarbusters.com/

Were you refering to the 5 Star Model's?

The Valentine 1 picks up four bands, X, K, Ka, and Laser (which is technically not radar).

I don't know what you're referring to. And there's only one model of Valentine 1, unless someone is trying to sell one on ebay that they bought 10 years ago and never sent in to have upgraded...

Originally Posted by meanmike

Buy the time it has detected the po po it's to late they have already got you....... The only time it may be benificial is when your in a lot of traffic, if your all alone then your screwed.

Like has been said before, this is only true with Laser or instant on modes. In the case of the radar instant on, just about every court will not acknowledge a speed reading taken by instant on radar. I'm not knowledgeable enough on the legality, but I know Radar Roy talks about it on his site.

Originally Posted by Don O

Justin,

You're not factoring the radar detector records the location AND signal band. So when you "program out" a speed warning sign in K band, but a cop setups up shop with his Ka band, bingo it is still detected. He obviously cannot be using the same band as the speed warning sign or his gun would be useless. I've had 4 detectors and the 3 previous were good detectors but annoying everyday back and forth to work with a dozen false alarms each way. Once the GPS enabled ones are "trained" you really response to a hit. They can also "mark" a location for speed traps, etc. There is a certain stretch of road on my way to work were the cops setup shop a couple times a month. My detector "reminds" me with "Speed trap ahead" every time I approach the marked location, about 500 ft from either direction. The V1 is really good, but without GPS they all are really annoying.

Don O

Well, I guess it's all a matter of preference on how much you want to be able to mess with your detector. I could easily see myself accidentally screwing myself over by incorrectly "programming" my detector. To each his own

[CamaroSkooter]

So, while driving along, I had some questions of my own about radar detectors, and radar in general.

1) How effective are radar guns and radar detectors in foggy conditions?

Since it was very foggy this morning, I was just kind of curious about this.

2) If car A has a radar detector, and car B has a radar jammer, will car A's radar detector pick up car B's radar jammer as a "bogey?"

Every once in a while I'll be driving and my detector will start going nuts and it's been very obvious to me that it had to do with a specific vehicle going past me that was very obviously not law enforcement. I'm just wondering if I was somehow picking up someone who had high-end countermeasures installed

[WICKEDSS]

The side arrows work on the V1 i had a cop friend of mine drive around my car about 50+ feet away and it kept that arrow pointing at him the whole time...The only thing i dont like about it on the side arrows is there all in one light and doesnt show what way he is it just lights up showing left and right..... But i enjoy my V1 it has helped out alot in the past, Im not a fast driver by all means but when i do get the itch to open her up then i know i have 50% better chance on not getting a ticket and this sucker will pick cops up miles down the road, I personaly have not tryed any other radar so cant say what one is better.

[Hesh]

Originally Posted by CamaroSkooter

And the GPS thing isn't a gimmick?

I'm not trying to bust your chops or anything, but I find the ability to "program out" false alarms to be a bad idea.

I'm not entirely sure why you'd want to "program out" a speed camera (I thought a speed camera was similar to a red-light camera), but let's say you "program out" one of those radar drones that's part of a big sign that tells you what your speed is, but doesn't actually do anything else. Now, let's say a cop decides one day to park about 50-feet beyond one of these signs. You've effectively screwed yourself over. Your radar detector sees the sign, disregards it, and fails to pick up the nice officer. Bam, you're toast.

I just don't see how the GPS option is anything more than just a gimmick itself.

The directional arrows on the V1 aren't really a gimmick. The thing tells me how many "bogeys" are around, and the arrows tell me where the closest one is if they happen to be both in front of and behind me. I will agree that the arrows that point to the sides are kinda fishy, since the radar detector doesn't have sideways facing sensors, but even then, that just tells me the radar detector is determining that one "bogey" that was in front of or behind you is moving beyond the viewable area of the sensors and it simply deduces that it must be beside you.

Anyway, I agree on the website. Radar Roy is a very valuable resource that everyone should use when considering purchase of a new detector

Its not a gimmik compared to a useless pointer. Does it really matter where the signals coming from, or how close? You are going to slow down no matter what correct? The GPS works to block out false alarms. If a new signal shows up there it picks it up. Also you dont program out the speed cameras. The location of the cameras are programed into the detectors gps, and you are able to upload new info when its avalible. Like location of new speed cameras that were just installed. If you're a reader of his testing then the V1 shouldnt be your number 1 choice. In his testing there are several Beltronics/Passport models that test just as good as the V1. I will give the edge on laser to the V1. They were better at picking up laser than the other models, but with laser if you pick it up its too late.

[POWERFREAK]

the pointers are the sort of thing that you really don't think much of them until you have the V1...then you learn to appreciate it.

[Hesh]

Originally Posted by Black LS3

Well I forget how much I paid for my Whistler but it wasnt a lot of money and not once did i ever get pulled over for speeding while using it so I can't say that it's been a bad Radar Detector at all for me. I dont know How Good it is, Probably NO Where Near as good as the V1 but to tell you the truth I was kind of hoping to maybe spend somwhere around $200-$250 for one.


Hesh,...
Which Beltronics and Passport were you refering to on http://www.radarbusters.com/

Were you refering to the 5 Star Model's?

I have the GX-65. Its about the same price as the V1, but comes with the GPS functions. Tested against the V1 it picked up just as good or better then the V1 in all areas, but laser. Tho if your detector picks up laser you might as well pull over no matter the brand. You have just been got!

[CamaroSkooter]

Originally Posted by Hesh

Its not a gimmik compared to a useless pointer. Does it really matter where the signals coming from, or how close? You are going to slow down no matter what correct? The GPS works to block out false alarms. If a new signal shows up there it picks it up. Also you dont program out the speed cameras. The location of the cameras are programed into the detectors gps, and you are able to upload new info when its avalible. Like location of new speed cameras that were just installed. If you're a reader of his testing then the V1 shouldnt be your number 1 choice. In his testing there are several Beltronics/Passport models that test just as good as the V1. I will give the edge on laser to the V1. They were better at picking up laser than the other models, but with laser if you pick it up its too late.

For me, knowing where the radar is being picked up helps a lot. But, I guess the GPS features y'all so heartily love offset the lack of knowledge of which direction the radar is coming from. I'm curious, all this attention is being paid to GPS or arrow features, do the non-V1 users also have a readout of how many different signals the detector is picking up?

Originally Posted by Hesh

I have the GX-65. Its about the same price as the V1, but comes with the GPS functions. Tested against the V1 it picked up just as good or better then the V1 in all areas, but laser. Tho if your detector picks up laser you might as well pull over no matter the brand. You have just been got!

GX-65 versus V1 eh? From everything I've read, the only difference between the GX-65 and the RX-65 is the GPS feature. Compared side-by-side, the V1 destroys the RX-65.

Long range test: (V1 is better)

http://www.radarroysbuyersguide.com/...ong-range.html

Over the hill test: (V1 is better)

http://www.radarroysbuyersguide.com/...r-the-hill.htm

Against POP: (tied)

http://www.radarroysbuyersguide.com/...-detectors.htm

Detecting Laser: (V1 is better, though, I'll agree, if you're hit with Laser, you're 99% screwed)

http://www.radarroysbuyersguide.com/...-detectors.htm

Sensitivity: (V1 is better in K and Ka band, RX-65 is better in X band)

http://www.radarroysbuyersguide.com/...ensitivity.htm


Unless I'm missing something...

[rustybh1]

I'll try and take some pics of my Passport 9500ci install later, but basically I have the small display custom mounted above the rear view mirror and the controller on the dash, just to the right of the steering wheel on that little flat bit.

[Hesh]

Originally Posted by CamaroSkooter

For me, knowing where the radar is being picked up helps a lot. But, I guess the GPS features y'all so heartily love offset the lack of knowledge of which direction the radar is coming from. I'm curious, all this attention is being paid to GPS or arrow features, do the non-V1 users also have a readout of how many different signals the detector is picking up?



GX-65 versus V1 eh? From everything I've read, the only difference between the GX-65 and the RX-65 is the GPS feature. Compared side-by-side, the V1 destroys the RX-65.

Long range test: (V1 is better)

http://www.radarroysbuyersguide.com/...ong-range.html

Over the hill test: (V1 is better)

http://www.radarroysbuyersguide.com/...r-the-hill.htm

Against POP: (tied)

http://www.radarroysbuyersguide.com/...-detectors.htm

Detecting Laser: (V1 is better, though, I'll agree, if you're hit with Laser, you're 99% screwed)

http://www.radarroysbuyersguide.com/...-detectors.htm

Sensitivity: (V1 is better in K and Ka band, RX-65 is better in X band)

http://www.radarroysbuyersguide.com/...ensitivity.htm


Unless I'm missing something...

Yep, the GX-65 gives a voice and audible alert for different bands. Yes there is a difference between the Rx, and GX models besides the GPS. The GX-65 is the Bel version of the 9500i/9500ix Escort series but the 9500 is auto learn and the GX-65 is manual learn. Between the two it was a toss up who was better. With the Escort/Bel models there is fewer false alarms due to the ability to turn off X band completely, or program out known trouble areas. I use the GPS function for the speed/red light cameras mainly. With the useless X-band off on mine I have no false alarms. With the GX-65 you also get the option to interface a Blinder model laser jammer. It really comes down to your personal choice.

[thalilbear02]

Valentine 1 is the only way to go. Yeah it's a bit more pricey than the others, but I've had mine for a few years now and it just doesn't compare to the others.

[mlee]

Originally Posted by CamaroSkooter

Unless I'm missing something...

Uhhhhhhh yeah.... the main reason for buying an Escort... "GPS"

Remembers and stores all false alarms in the GPS system. My wife doesn't think it works cause it never makes a sound.
When it does, it displays my speed and type of threat.

Both are the top 2 choices...

Bottom line is: do you want to know where your threat is coming from? (V1)
or do you want to store false alarms (GPS) so it doesn't go off all the time? (Escort)

The choice is yours...