Got Chipped! Looking for best radar detector
- Thread starter NewTdi
- Start date
Jordan_Elias
Veteran Member
most of the new ones are pretty good. Ive seen quite a few bell ones that have pre programmed gps spots for red light cameras even.
dieseldorf
Top Post Dawg
Why settle for detection when you can locate the perp?
TdiTaff
Veteran Member
LiLredTDI
Veteran Member
I have a Bell Vector 995 that works great,but would sure like to try the V 1.
Coming outta DC last night (detectors illegal there) just before crossing the line into Maryland on the Suitland Pky. (where they ARE legal) POP! I triggered a roadside speed camera. Flash nearly made me crash as it scared the poop out of me. Guess i will be getting a nice fat ticket in the mail
Has anyone tried the jammers? Laser is not in wide use however even the best detector cannot easily alert you in enough time for it or instant on.
Interested to hear your responses.
Coming outta DC last night (detectors illegal there) just before crossing the line into Maryland on the Suitland Pky. (where they ARE legal) POP! I triggered a roadside speed camera. Flash nearly made me crash as it scared the poop out of me. Guess i will be getting a nice fat ticket in the mail
Has anyone tried the jammers? Laser is not in wide use however even the best detector cannot easily alert you in enough time for it or instant on.
Interested to hear your responses.
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40X40
Experienced
Radar test (dot) com has zero credibility.
Get the best, Valentine One.
Bill
Get the best, Valentine One.
Bill
TDIkev
Veteran Member
Great Info, thank you for the link!
Farfromovin
Torque Addict
I've been a V1 diehard for the last 14 years or so. I love the arrows, but the V1 is really really chatty compared to other newer designs. The 9500 and STI detectors seem to get great reviews as well. My advice is to just read up! Check out my concealed display, nice to keep the bright lights out of the windows at night:
autoelf92
Veteran Member
V1 all the way. It can be a little chatty, but normally I only get false readings in places where I definitely shouldn't be speeding. Aka in front of strip malls and other places with infrared shoplifting detectors.
Poolboy1191
Well-known member
My Cobra 9745 has saved me more than a few times! It has an unbelievably long range, easily 3/4 mile to 1 mile range.
I don't hardly ever get false alarms, and it has so many other options.
(the screen has a dimmer on it. It dims automatically at night.)
I don't hardly ever get false alarms, and it has so many other options.
(the screen has a dimmer on it. It dims automatically at night.)
paramedick
TDIClub Enthusiast, Vendor
Valentine One. I've got three of them in the cars. Also very easy to run the power line thru the headliner to the detector. No cords hanging down.
I love my Valentine...it works great all the time and will not let the bad guys sneak up behind you unless they use instant on. After a while you learn how to read it when it chirps so no problems there. Just curious about everyone else that says there V1 chirps alot...have you upgraded?
tomo366
TDI Lifer, Member #68
Valentine One! there is no equal!
LiLredTDI
Veteran Member
I guess the V 1 must be the best. I always thought the V 1 was just popular due to marketing hype and it for a long time was by far the most expensive. Funny every site I find that has radar info do not push the V 1. Makes me think Bell/Escort sponsor all these forums.
I recommend the Escort Passport 9500ix. (It's the one hanging in my window) Much quieter than the Valentine V1 because of the integrated GPS, it remembers all the false signals.
The V1 however indicates where the cop is, in the front or rear and that provides some added value. However, it goes off a lot, a major portion of the times they are false alarm. Kindda like the kid crying wolf all the time. When the wolf finally came, no one believed him. It is however a top notch system as long as you don't mind a lot of false alarms.
The passport is quiet but when it does goes off, you better lift off the throttle and pull up on the emergency brake... cause Leo is just down the road!
IMHO, these are the two best ones out there & market leaders. I believe one get a little more value with the passport 9500ix due the the integrated GPS and the ability to block out false signals and I like mine quiet so that my preference. If you come to the fest, you'll be able to drive in a car with both models.
I would not bother with the other K-Mart ones out there. They may be cheaper but you get what you pay for.
The V1 however indicates where the cop is, in the front or rear and that provides some added value. However, it goes off a lot, a major portion of the times they are false alarm. Kindda like the kid crying wolf all the time. When the wolf finally came, no one believed him. It is however a top notch system as long as you don't mind a lot of false alarms.
The passport is quiet but when it does goes off, you better lift off the throttle and pull up on the emergency brake... cause Leo is just down the road!
IMHO, these are the two best ones out there & market leaders. I believe one get a little more value with the passport 9500ix due the the integrated GPS and the ability to block out false signals and I like mine quiet so that my preference. If you come to the fest, you'll be able to drive in a car with both models.
I would not bother with the other K-Mart ones out there. They may be cheaper but you get what you pay for.
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40X40
Experienced
Funny how that works..
Valentine is the only maker that ONLY sells direct. There is absolutely no advantage to any of the 'test' sites to promote the V1, but when you look at the Car and Driver(?) tests V1 always wins or comes in second. Always! (and for decades...)
V1 advertises in that mag, but so do all the other makers... Heh.
What other detector tells you HOW MANY transmitters and WHICH DIRECTION they are in as well as signal strength?
Bill
Farfromovin
Torque Addict
Then again, V1's have been plagued with ghost bogies for years. Where I have 1 radar signal, I'll show 3, almost every time. It's quite annoying. It really kills that feature for me. Complain to Valentine and they'll say it's calibrated correctly to give you maximum detection capabilities. Again, this goes down to what Pierre was saying in that the V1 and 9500ix are probably the top two, one is chatty, but provides some extra features (arrows). Pick your poison so to speak...Funny how that works..
Valentine is the only maker that ONLY sells direct. There is absolutely no advantage to any of the 'test' sites to promote the V1, but when you look at the Car and Driver(?) tests V1 always wins or comes in second. Always! (and for decades...)
V1 advertises in that mag, but so do all the other makers... Heh.
What other detector tells you HOW MANY transmitters and WHICH DIRECTION they are in as well as signal strength?
Bill
40X40
Experienced
In the Ham Radio world that is called multipath and the higher the freq, the more of it you may get...
When you are down in a hole and a large truck (or any vehicle for that matter) that is ahead of you climbs above the 'radio (radar) horizon' you might have a forward indication, but an experienced user will expect the forward to change to a backward arrow because there is a radar behind you shooting above you and bouncing back to your V1 even though you are out of the line of fire.
Complicated? Only to beginners or the uninterested. Physics can be used to your advantage if one pays attention..... BTW, my V1 has a range of MILES, so 'false alerts' are not always false, just way out of sight. LOL My V1 talks to me and I listen.
Bill
When you are down in a hole and a large truck (or any vehicle for that matter) that is ahead of you climbs above the 'radio (radar) horizon' you might have a forward indication, but an experienced user will expect the forward to change to a backward arrow because there is a radar behind you shooting above you and bouncing back to your V1 even though you are out of the line of fire.
Complicated? Only to beginners or the uninterested. Physics can be used to your advantage if one pays attention..... BTW, my V1 has a range of MILES, so 'false alerts' are not always false, just way out of sight. LOL My V1 talks to me and I listen.
Bill
Farfromovin
Torque Addict
Well, maybe I should send mine back to the factory for some tweaks. I've been the only car around for miles, on flat wide open unobstructed roads and came across a parked LEO and my V1 said 3 from when it first picked it up, said 3 when I was right up on him, and said 3 as I was leaving. The arrows are always correct, just not the bogey counter.
Like I said, maybe I should send mine in. This particular one is new from 2007 so it may have a software update available already. I know my fathers V1 with the same firmware does not have ghost issues
40X40
Experienced
Multipath can result in a receiver 'hearing/seeing' the same transmitter multiple times at the same time. IE, Once direct, Once off of a sign, and yet one more time off a bridge. I often get a 'multiple bogie' from a police car and the numbers keep dropping until only the direct path is left.
It just occurred to me that it is entirely possible to have the bogie counter reading more than 1 and there only be 1 police car as some of them TX radar both fore and aft at the same time.
There may also be another unseen transmitter, I have had this happen more often lately, more traffic makes for more missed transmitters and aging means I don't see everything as easily as I used to.
Radio signals can bounce, for example Hams can communicate through signals bounced off the MOON using only a few hundred watts of TX power. 5 watts or less (called QRP) regularly and easily circumnavigate the entire planet.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...a=X&ei=nQp7TLO1DZCjnQekqrzBAQ&ved=0CG0Q1QIoBw
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QRP_operation
HTH
Bill
It just occurred to me that it is entirely possible to have the bogie counter reading more than 1 and there only be 1 police car as some of them TX radar both fore and aft at the same time.
There may also be another unseen transmitter, I have had this happen more often lately, more traffic makes for more missed transmitters and aging means I don't see everything as easily as I used to.
Radio signals can bounce, for example Hams can communicate through signals bounced off the MOON using only a few hundred watts of TX power. 5 watts or less (called QRP) regularly and easily circumnavigate the entire planet.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...a=X&ei=nQp7TLO1DZCjnQekqrzBAQ&ved=0CG0Q1QIoBw
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QRP_operation
HTH
Bill
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delvi__acevedo
Mod'aholic
I love my V1
thebigarniedog
Master of the Obvious
LiLredTDI
Veteran Member
Your video is a 30 second clip of a nationwide commercial....***?
thebigarniedog
Master of the Obvious
LiLredTDI
Veteran Member
I "hear" this is the must have all around best detector at this time you can buy. I would still like to try a V 1 though. I do find it funny the people who tout the V 1 never post any real world experience with other detectors. I have had Cobras, Passports, Escorts and Bell's. They have all worked to some degree, but the Bell Vector 995 is the best I have had. Mostly because it is not too chatty in urban areas, and detects for long distances on flat open roads.
paramedick
TDIClub Enthusiast, Vendor
I've had them all over the last 30 years. Heck, my first radar detector was assembled from a kit I bought at Radio Shack....
. My V1 has been the best, hands down.False beeps? You bet but the V1 quickly interprets them as a junk signal, indicated a "J", and then ignores them.
Only one thing will screw up a V1 performance. If you have metallized tint in your car, get ready for a detector that doesn't know whether to **** or go blind. Gotta use the ceramic tint.