Radar detectors? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

RandallNeighbour · 09-23-2009, 08:11 AM

Jeph, I was waiting for you to join this thread

1. If someone has never used a V1, that person really cannot discuss a valid opinion about having the arrows vs. not having them in a detector. Jeph, you said that when your passport goes off, you slow down regardless of the source. I do not do this. I look at the arrows and then decide if it's a threat. When I see side arrows that quickly move to a rear arrow, I speed up most of the time or resist the urge to slam on my brake. Without arrows and what Valentine calls "situational awareness", you have no choice. You must slow down and start looking through all your windows and mirrors because you have no situational awareness of the radar threat. It's really quite simple. I've been on both sides of this situation and the awareness of the directional source has dramatically changed my reaction to an alert. If you've not used both kinds of detectors on short and long trips, you can't comment on the arrows the same education as a V1 user who has used detectors with and without arrows.

2. The Passport cannot be upgraded. You must buy another one when the technology changes or purchase the upgrade option which knocks $50 or less off the price of the new one. I believe the Valentine upgrade path is part of the reason why the V1's sturdy metal enclosure has not changed through the years. When something new is invented for radar use for law enforcement and widely used, Valentine is committed to existing customers enough to upgrade their equipment for a small fee. All the others? Sell your old one to someone for a fraction of what you paid for it and shell out another $399 or more or take Escort's pitiful $50 "trade in" value of your old one.

3. The bogey counter. When I see a 2 or 3 (or even a 4!) on the big LED display, I know the noises I'm hearing and the bars I'm seeing represent more than one threat and not to speed up after I pass the first cop. This is a huge advantage combined with the arrows. It has saved me a half dozen times in complex radar traps. I pass the first cop shooting Ka and the arrows go to the back but there's an arrow forward with a new threat on the counter and the K band indicator is also lighting up. The Escorts probably show both kinds of radar on the display, but without those numbers combines with the arrows, you just don't know how many threats you should be aware of and the directional source of the radar.

If anyone is reading this thread and debating which unit to buy, BUY BOTH just before you leave on a driving trip. Return the one that you don't like under the 30 day, money-back guarantee. Buy a double socket to power them both up on your dash, and run them side by side. Then, do a second test on your own reaction to each unit. Run them alone for a day per unit to see how you react and then decide for yourself. This is the only real way to have a solid comparison of which one is best for YOU. Many V1 users swear by the arrows, upgrade path, and bogey counter. Many Escort users, especially the owners of the newer GPS models swear by them for their connectivity to satellites and the internet for speed camera updates.

Kirk · 09-23-2009, 09:47 AM

Quite a debate, again I'm on the V1 side, but only because it works great for ME. I think both units have their merits. What's important to you probably depends a lot on how you use the radar detector.

I live in a more rural area. I don't care about speed cameras as there are none in my state. Even still, if the speed camera has radar on all the time, then the V1 will pick it up 2 miles away! The closest city to me only has three red light cameras and I know where each one is, so again not a concern. I also really don't have any issues with false alarms as they seldom occur.

So for me there is little benefit to the extra technology that the Passport has. I prefer to have the directional arrows so I know where the cop is when I do actually pick one up on the highway. Now if I lived in a big city with lots of red light cameras and lots of places with false alarms, then I might really want the GPS function of the Passport instead.

So... to each their own, both detectors have their merits and their uses. Obviously you have to pick which one suits you and your situation the best.

Kirk

JackG · 09-23-2009, 01:00 PM

Randall, in response to your three points:

1. Your reaction to the arrows is precisely what earned my friend a couple of tickets with his V1. He thought the arrows were showing him things they weren't, or can't. Results: busted, and he doesn't use it anymore.

2. This is wrong... the Passport can be upgraded, and without sending it back. Uses a USB cable, and both the location database and the detector software (it's a software, DSP-based unit) can be upgraded.

3. The Passport has an "Expert" mode which allows you to track and display multiple bogeys across multiple bands.

Hey, I think the V1 is a good unit, you're just propagating bad info.

jaykay · 09-23-2009, 07:05 PM

has anyone used the bel sti-r?

Jeph · 09-23-2009, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaykay

has anyone used the bel sti-r?

Haven't used that one, but I understand that's the way to go if you're state or province outlaws detectors. It's supposedly undetectable by radar detector detectors (and great at detecting radar period).

RandallNeighbour · 09-24-2009, 04:48 AM

Jeph, you make a great point.

If Escort could wiggle around the arrow display and directional patents that Valentine holds and fiercely defends, AND I did not own a perfectly good detector with arrows, I'd seriously consider an Escort product. That would make for an apples-to-apples comparison.

Jeph · 09-23-2009, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackG

Randall, in response to your three points:

1. Your reaction to the arrows is precisely what earned my friend a couple of tickets with his V1. He thought the arrows were showing him things they weren't, or can't. Results: busted, and he doesn't use it anymore.

2. This is wrong... the Passport can be upgraded, and without sending it back. Uses a USB cable, and both the location database and the detector software (it's a software, DSP-based unit) can be upgraded.

3. The Passport has an "Expert" mode which allows you to track and display multiple bogeys across multiple bands.

Hey, I think the V1 is a good unit, you're just propagating bad info.

All good stuff there!

And Randall, I love you brother, but this part made me laugh...
"Jeph, you said that when your passport goes off, you slow down regardless of the source. I do not do this. I look at the arrows and then decide if it's a threat."
The beauty of the Passport is... it doesn't go off unless there is a threat! I guess if the detector doesn't block false alarms, it NEEDS the arrows (ha, crutch).

I'll say this though, if a detector could do everything as good as the Passport AND have arrows like a V1, there would be no debate here. (As long as it doesn't look like a V1.)

Jaxonalden · 09-24-2009, 05:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

Jeph, I was waiting for you to join this thread

1. If someone has never used a V1, that person really cannot discuss a valid opinion about having the arrows vs. not having them in a detector. Jeph, you said that when your passport goes off, you slow down regardless of the source. I do not do this. I look at the arrows and then decide if it's a threat. When I see side arrows that quickly move to a rear arrow, I speed up most of the time or resist the urge to slam on my brake. Without arrows and what Valentine calls "situational awareness", you have no choice. You must slow down and start looking through all your windows and mirrors because you have no situational awareness of the radar threat. It's really quite simple. I've been on both sides of this situation and the awareness of the directional source has dramatically changed my reaction to an alert. If you've not used both kinds of detectors on short and long trips, you can't comment on the arrows the same education as a V1 user who has used detectors with and without arrows.

2. The Passport cannot be upgraded. You must buy another one when the technology changes or purchase the upgrade option which knocks $50 or less off the price of the new one. I believe the Valentine upgrade path is part of the reason why the V1's sturdy metal enclosure has not changed through the years. When something new is invented for radar use for law enforcement and widely used, Valentine is committed to existing customers enough to upgrade their equipment for a small fee. All the others? Sell your old one to someone for a fraction of what you paid for it and shell out another $399 or more or take Escort's pitiful $50 "trade in" value of your old one.

3. The bogey counter. When I see a 2 or 3 (or even a 4!) on the big LED display, I know the noises I'm hearing and the bars I'm seeing represent more than one threat and not to speed up after I pass the first cop. This is a huge advantage combined with the arrows. It has saved me a half dozen times in complex radar traps. I pass the first cop shooting Ka and the arrows go to the back but there's an arrow forward with a new threat on the counter and the K band indicator is also lighting up. The Escorts probably show both kinds of radar on the display, but without those numbers combines with the arrows, you just don't know how many threats you should be aware of and the directional source of the radar.

If anyone is reading this thread and debating which unit to buy, BUY BOTH just before you leave on a driving trip. Return the one that you don't like under the 30 day, money-back guarantee. Buy a double socket to power them both up on your dash, and run them side by side. Then, do a second test on your own reaction to each unit. Run them alone for a day per unit to see how you react and then decide for yourself. This is the only real way to have a solid comparison of which one is best for YOU. Many V1 users swear by the arrows, upgrade path, and bogey counter. Many Escort users, especially the owners of the newer GPS models swear by them for their connectivity to satellites and the internet for speed camera updates.

RN,

Great post, wish I could add to it but you hit all the key points.

RandallNeighbour · 09-24-2009, 05:58 AM

Thanks Jax!

vath2001 · 09-26-2009, 05:48 PM

Since I started this debate... my final decision will be towards the Escort (and not a Ford Escort!). The V has high marks, but the Escort seems to do everything the V does and more. The fact I can upgrade the Escort using my PC pretty well seals the deal... no shipping back and forth.

Now... do I buy from Amazon, EBay or Escort direct?
No need to answer... I can handle this myself.
Thanks

RandallNeighbour · 09-26-2009, 05:57 PM

Vath, what Valentine One does is update circuit boards and chipsets to bring the unit up to speed with new radars and frequencies LEO's use (the last big one was to add POP). This cannot be done via a laptop connect.

I know you've made your decision, but I just thought I'd make this clarification.

If all the prices are the same, I always buy direct because the customer service is better should something go awry with the shipment or the unit you receive.

vath2001 · 09-26-2009, 06:16 PM

The Escort "updates" locations for radar traps... using the built in GPS. Kinda of a neat feature.

But price wise, the Escort is $70 more. How much does V charge for the upgrades?

RandallNeighbour · 09-26-2009, 06:24 PM

I must say that GPS update for current traps is a VERY attractive feature. I'd like it even more if the LEOs didn't move around so much in their patrol cars though.

Valentine charges varying amounts to upgrade their units, depending on the age of it. So, theoretically you could buy an older unit for cheap on eBay and send it in to have it upgraded to the newest version. Here's some details:

https://store.valentine1.com/upgrades/

If you own one like mine that's three years old, an update is about $60.