Awesome thanks for all the input guys. Looks like I have three detectors to study up on. I couldn't seem to narrow the field at all and really appreciate the advice. That article on POP may come in handy some day too. Are cops required to notate what mode they clocked you in?

 

FYI BEL is now owned by ESCORT so draw your own conclusions.

Anything on radartest.com can be taken witha grain of salt.

BTW, I have also owned a BEL radar detector. Many years ago they were clearly the best but the company was acquired and the products were never the same. They used to have the best geiger counter - clicking sound in mute mode that got faster as the signal increased. It was great.

 

In case describe, passport would show 2 threats, band, and strength of each 3 to 4 miles prior to both cops in my personal experience (even more miles prior if it's straight plain road). So the driver know that there is 2 threats, and both levels are rising, so they are approaching. And than when you pass one cop, one signal strength bar would start falling rapidly, and another would keep increasing.

DO YOU REALLY NEED big fat arrow to guess what's going on if that's the case? Would you really start speeding seeing that one threat is passed and another keep increasing?

 

If you go to court you can ask what model cop used. If it's MPH, you can ask did he used it in POP mode. Than you can ask if he aware of huge errors in POP mode and manufacturer suggestion to not use it for citations... Or you can find out all that stuff before court, requesting documents under Freedom of Information Act.

The problem here is that cop can lie and say he used normal mode. I saw cops liying to my face in court. And judge will rule in cops favor everytime.

I also had a case when cop did reading right by hi-frequency telecommunication tower. I did pictures of corner with street names sign just like stated in citation. With huge tower dominating landscape. Beautiful picture... Also close up of the label on tower gate, saying hi-frequency... I dig the manuals for the radar and showed the judge that manufacturer strongly suggesting that such a reading can be erroneous and should be avoided. But cop said that he never had erroneous readings here before and that he'd know if the reading is wrong. So I was found guilty.

So if MPH will give that sh*t to cops, they WILL use it to write citations. All they need to say is that they know that was the right reading because they operate radar a long time... Or some other BS like this... So drivers are screwed as usual... If I were a haker I'd hack MPH website and put that article about POP errors instead. Would be sweet

 

I dont know much about this but, is it illegal to have a detector. I mean if you drive by a cop and they see this thing stuck to your windshield (I know you can hide them too) are'nt they more likely to pull you over for the hell of it? They assume your a speeder because you have it? I wanna get one but just scared having it alone will get me done!

 

Vlad I never found the expert mode on the 8500 to be too useful. Firstly its hard to see and read when driving at high speed because the vertical bars on that size display are tiny nad crowded. Without expert mode, the 8500 can't do half what the V1 can. I suspect a small minority of 8500 users actually use expert mode. Post a poll and lets see.

Regardless what you might think, the V1 arrows are in fact very useful.

 

Are there any effective lazer jammers out there?

 

the Stealth bomber!? I dont see how you could jamm a beam of light, it'd be cool though!


"Are there any effective lazer jammers out there?"

 

I just found out tonight that the V1 offers a program to upgrade your hardware when new versions come out.

 

V1 is the better than the 8500. Thats a well established fact. You will find a few honks who have 8500s swearing by it, but mostly I think they're trying to convince themselves that they didn't waste their money on an inferior detector as they are convincing you to buy one.

FWIW - I bought both. Used them seperately for 2 weeks on the same section of US 59 between Houston and Lufkin Texas. While subjective, the V1 had better range, clearer information available, better features, modes, upgradeablity etc... So I returned the 8500.

For a person on a budget, get a 8500, the difference is not that great, unless you're really picky.

Also, FYI = Radartest.com = owned by escort, so what do you think they are going to report.

Lastly, laser does reflect. I dunno what research this guy claims he has done, I have experience. I'm sitting in bumper to bumper traffic right before a light leading into a school zone. There are about 20 cars between me and the light. Cops are running a laser trap where one guy with a lazer gun tags drivers coming off the light too fast into the school zone and waves them over. I picked up the signal in traffic where the angles would be impossible for the lazer to hit my V1, yet, it was going insane with laser warning.

V1 owns, end of subject.

 

[QUOTE] Originally posted by R.J._Vancouver
Valentine One; BAH! Get the Bel RX-65.



I was given the Bel RX-65 for Christmas and gave it away about a month after I had it. A friend of mine is a cop who has is on little stretch of highway he loves to write speeding tickets on. In his experience, he and his colleagues all agreed the V-1 is the best on the market. With that, another fiend of ours purchased the V-1 so he and I did our own test and the Bel didn't even come close to performing the way the V-1 did. It wasn't even in the same league!!! I don't know too much about the Escort 8500 but have heard some good things.

I believe that you get what you pay for and even though I trust my V-1 beyond any doubt, I am sure you can't go wrong with either one....the 8500 or V-1 that is

 

"Well established fact"? Based on what? Inferior? Hardly. Haven't you noticed that Valentine likes to quote Car & Driver incessantly yet ignore all of the other magazines that do radar detector tests and comparisons and pick the 8500 over the V1, PLUS ignore speedzones.com and radartest.com, which are INDEPENDENT testing groups. Neither are owned by Escort, Valentine, BEL, or anyone else.

Also - in addition to all the #1 ratings they've quoted on their website, Escort even includes the Car & Driver tests where they're rated #2. You don't see Valentine doing that on their site. Who's more biased?


Good for you, I'm glad you're happy with your choice. But I will point out that the reason you picked the V1 over the 8500 was for purely subjective reasons that cannot be verified or reproduced in an objective comparison. I'll point out:

'better range' - based on subjective testing in a completely non-controlled environment. Sorry, I'll take the results from an independent testing agency, thanks.

'clearer information' - subjective.

'better features, modes' - subjective.

'upgradeability' - guess what, the 8500 has a flash ROM that's upgradeable too. Obviously you didn't know that.

I would agree with this. Given the results from Roundel, Speedzones, Motor Trend, Automobile, and Radartest, where the 8500 was picked #1 over the V1, the ONLY reason to spend the extra $100 on the V1 is if you can't live without the directional arrows. Performance-wise, they are virtually equal.

Where's your proof of this? This is the first time I've ever heard of such a thing.

Regardless - does Escort also own Speedzones, Automobile, Roundel, and Motor Trend?

By the way - check out the February 2004 issue of Motor Trend - the 8500 scored 94.9 points, the V1 94.8 in their tests performed by an independent testing agency. So again - all it boils down to is the extra $100 and the arrows. Motor Trend, in their conclusions, even said this, and that's why they picked the Escort as their top choice.

Your reasons are flawed, end of subject.

I've owned and used both, and ended up selling off the V1. I'd heartily recommend either detector because in terms of performance, they're about the same. I just preferred the better looking case and display of the 8500, as well as the cheaper price. Again - I AM NOT BASHING VALENTINE. But when I see some V1 owners overzealously making recommendations based purely on subjective, anecdotal evidence and conjecture, on behalf of the 8500 owners I won't hesitate to call them out on their claims.

 

In most states its legal to have a radar detector, visit http://www.rdrop.com/users/tedpet/radar.htm to see if its legal in your state. I am not sure how up to date that page is, but it should be. You can also check your local and state ordinances to see. Personal I love the V1, though its been the only one i've owned. Sadly I had to return it because my mom didn't like the idea of me having it in my car. Cops may watch you more often though if you do have a radar detector in your car, but if you are driving around in a Z there going to be watching you anyways since it is a sportier car.

 

When there are multiple signals the direction arrow and signal type flash to show which is the more dangerous threat, in addition, the audible beeps are signal specific. Meaning All I need to do is hear the beep type and look at the aarow to see if it is a threat. the beep tone changes when a new threat is deemed more dangerous. The display is so well set up that i dont have to take my eyes off the road to see signal strength and direction, even with out hearing the tone. And the display is self dimming at night to boot.

 

8500 has it too!

 

Really?? I heard they only did software upgrades.

 

It is useful. When I was shopping I compared both, and being an IT guy I liked the simple, organized display of 8500 much more than V1's leds.

Than I can say that without arrows V1 can't do half V1 can do with arraws. But that pointless argument. There is arrows on V1 and there is expert mode on 8500. Whether people use it or not it's their business. Probably all some people need is just an audio warning to slow down. But I prefer detailed information.

It's subjective. Some people can't live without them, some people can. When I was shopping I liked 8500 better. V1 owners mostly say other people buy other radars to save money. Becuase other people don't rich enough to spend 400(is that the price?) on radar detector. C'mon... extra 100 bucks is sure make all the difference to poor people who spend only 300 instead of 400

I din't buy 8500 to save money, I liked it better, and it has better review. If 8500 would have an arrows that would be great. But as it is between V1 with arrows and 8500 with expert mode, I've chosen expert mode. And reviews are better too.

 

Yeah, I meant software upgrades. As for hardware upgrades, you can trade-in your old detector I heard.

Now, HOW MANY TIMES DID YOU USE THAT HARDWARE UPGRADE PROGRAM? Thought so... they making same radar for last 12 years... so there is nothing to upgrade to

 

Since the search feature isn't working, does anyone know of a thread that states how to hardwire a radar detector in a 350Z? Specifically, I'm interested in hardwiring a V1 in a roadster.

Thanks

 

The latest idea was to hardware detector to the mirror wires and plase it righ behind mirror. I hardwared my to the fuse box, lighter fuse.