My V1 saved my butt today

[2000SoCalBoxsterS]

Originally Posted by porsche986spyder

So what's the price of one of these V1? I have the Belltronics and am very happy. I heard the V1 was very expensive.

A ticket is expensive too and the attendant insurance cost increases. The V1 is $400 which is actually cheap for the protection and quality. Lesser detectors at maybe $200 or $300 are expensive if you get tickets using them. So just look at the the difference in price. You are paying an extra $100 to not get tickets and get the great feature.

[NickCats]

Valentine One is $399.00 :

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

For $299.95, the Escort 8500 x50 is a great radar detector as well :

http://www.escortradar.com/8500.htm

Nick

[Middle Age Crazy]

All this talk about radar detectors makes me envious. Illegal here in Ontario.

The only radar detector allowed here is an alert passenger with binoculars!

[RandallNeighbour]

The debate over whether the arrows and bogey counter are really worth the extra hundred bucks will rage on for anyone who has never used both the V1 and all the others. If you used a V1 in a LEO and Walmart infested area, you'd quickly stop all the debate.

The Beltronics or the Escort will certainly keep you out of trouble with Johnny law, and if you currently own one enjoy the protection it affords you. Just know that I've tried both and sensitivity aside, these other detectors will not tell you if the LEO has passed you or not, going the other way, and you may not know if more LEOs are on the prowl.

Moreover, these other detectors are not upgradeable and not programmable.

So, buy purchasing a V1, you get these unique features:

• Arrows which tell you where the threat is coming from which gives you the ability to look in one direction for the threat, not three or four and keep wondering where he's sitting or driving. No one really understands how wonderful this is until he or she actually use the V1.

• A bogey counter which indicates more than one threat, which also gives you the ability to keep your speed low until you're past all the threats. No one really understands how wonderful this feature is either until he or she uses the V1.

• A programmable detector. Because X band is only used in one or two states now due to it's old technology and age, I programmed my V1 to simply ignore any X band readings. This knocked out a vast majority of the false alarms coming from WarMarts and Kmarts, etc. Other detectors cannot block bands or change sensitivity thresholds like the V1.

• An upgradeable detector. Three years ago, my wife asked me to come into the breakfast room and sort through a junk drawer. In the drawer I had stored 3 radar detectors from the past 20 years of marriage. I bought them new and used, all of which were abandoned for a newer model that was more sensitive, filtered out more false readings, or had more options (Ka, Laser, a rear-facing sensor, etc.). The V1 can be programmed for a small fee for new threats and will probably be the last dash-mounted detector I need to buy. This is a huge benefit to me personally.

My conclusion and recommendation:
If you're reading this and you own a Bel or Escort and want to argue more, resist the urge and just buy a V1 and try it for a month, risk free. If you don't think the arrows, the bogey counter, the ability to turn off X band and upgrade it is worth it, return the detector and get all your money back.

I seriously doubt you'll return it though. I've never encountered a V1 owner who was not so impressed with it that he or she said they'd rather buy a different detector next time. Period.

[JackG]

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

The Beltronics or the Escort will certainly keep you out of trouble with Johnny law, and if you currently own one enjoy the protection it affords you. Just know that I've tried both and sensitivity aside, these other detectors will not tell you if the LEO has passed you or not, going the other way, and you may not know if more LEOs are on the prowl.

Moreover, these other detectors are not upgradeable and not programmable.
Not true. The 8500 is programmable.

So, buy purchasing a V1, you get these unique features:
Not so unique...

• Arrows
I just slow down until the threat is gone.

• A bogey counter which indicates more than one threat,
In Expert mode, the 8500 can track and display up to 8 signals at one time.

• A programmable detector. Because X band is only used in one or two states now due to it's old technology and age, I programmed my V1 to simply ignore any X band readings. Other detectors cannot block bands or change sensitivity thresholds like the V1.
Untrue. The 8500 is programmable, allowing you to turn off individual bands and change sensitivity, among other things.

• An upgradeable detector.
Looks like V1 would get it right the first time.

My conclusion and recommendation:

Buy an 8500. It doesn't have the "cool" arrows, but it is programmable, can track multiple bogeys (if that's really necessary), and has better KA sensitivity, in my own experience. My 8500 alerted me to a KA threat about 6 seconds before my friend's V1 alerted him. We were traveling side-by-side on a four-lane, and he wondered why I hit the brakes. A little while later his V1 got around to telling him why, complete with a nice arrow pointed forward!

I'll take my 8500.

Originally Posted by JackG

Buy an 8500. It doesn't have the "cool" arrows, but it is programmable, can track multiple bogeys (if that's really necessary), and has better KA sensitivity, in my own experience. My 8500 alerted me to a KA threat about 6 seconds before my friend's V1 alerted him. We were traveling side-by-side on a four-lane, and he wondered why I hit the brakes. A little while later his V1 got around to telling him why, complete with a nice arrow pointed forward!

I'll take my 8500.

The arrows are very very functional. That's what makes them "cool". I'm a form follows function kind of guy. If you had one you'd know. I can't tell you why your 8500 had the 6 sec. heads up in your experience, there could be a plethora of explanations and not limited to, e.g., different program running on V1: L, vs l vs A, or different mounting position, different car therefore different diffraction profile, the radar gun was biased to your lane, V1 is broken, baby Jimbo stuck a piece of gum on the front antenna of V1, etc... I dunno.

I do know most scientific testing disagrees with you. The V1 virtually dominates all others, i.e.

Car and Driver,

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/1993/the-great-detector-test-page3.html


And my favorite,

http://www.guysoflidar.com/radar-detector-test-fall-2006/radar-detector-test.html


It can be argued there is a bias there, but that's a stretch. (Although I do believe there are a few dummy forums out there that I ran into, especially Craig Peterson smells fishy http://valentine1.com/lab/V1Hater.asp). I say that because I have read ALL the reviews word for word, and feel he has a clear bias which is unfounded. It's ok to have a bias, it's a free world for the most part. My thing is that I prefer a bias that's well founded. Hey that's why I drive a Boxster instead of a VW bug type I.

[JackG]

boxsterz,

I've had some experience with a V1, and I just didn't find the arrows that useful. If there's an alert, I slow down. When it's gone, I resume. For me, the arrows are not a must-have, just "cool", and not worth an extra $100.

My post was merely an attempt to correct the mis-information that keeps flowing, and to relate a real-world experience I had. It's obvious that many people have become passionate about V1's. Whether it's because of a great product or great marketing doesn't matter. I think they are a good detector, but I'm not a V1 cheerleader. Others are, and that's OK.

As you point out, most of the "tests" and forums out there are biased in some way. You point out two tests that rated the V1 as better, but I'm sure you know that there have been tests that rated the 8500 as the winner as well. Also, even if one of those sensitivity tests were actually run properly so the results can really be compared evenly, that doesn't mean those lab results will translate to the real world. There are abundant examples of that.

In the end, you pay your money and you take your chances.

[QUOTE=JackG]boxsterz,

I've had some experience with a V1, and I just didn't find the arrows that useful. If there's an alert, I slow down. When it's gone, I resume. For me, the arrows are not a must-have, just "cool", and not worth an extra $100.

Originally Posted by JackG

JackG,

I don't think you had it long enough. The arrows help in scenarios like this ( from another post of mine of personal experience) ..."I get 2 signals on my V1. One behind, and one in front. Traffic is light on the freeway and it's lightly sprinkling. Only 4 cars including me. The one in front has me puzzled because it's an Infinity, so I concentrate on the two cars behind me. No biggie, I'm going the speed limit. I've traveled this road many times, and sometimes there is a faint false, but it never follows me. Sure enough I spot the car with cop like running lights. As he closes on me, signal gets stronger. I make damn sure I'm going the speed limit. As he passes I spot him. Yup! State Trooper. The other car was probably going 65 but he doesn't pull him over . About 3 miles later, I see flashing lights. He pulls over a white minivan! I'm so glad I got the V1. Any other detector and I wouldn't have known WHERE TO FOCUS my attention."


If falses never occured, then you simply slow down. However, since falses do happen and far exceed real traps, it's annoying slowing down on every warning (false or legit). That's when the arrows help you weed out the falses. The same is true for the bogey counter, on a familiar overpass that gives me 1 false sometimes. Bogey counter told me 2, so I slowed, and sure enough smokey was on top THAT time zapping people.

Originally Posted by JackG

My post was merely an attempt to correct the mis-information that keeps flowing, and to relate a real-world experience I had. It's obvious that many people have become passionate about V1's. Whether it's because of a great product or great marketing doesn't matter. I think they are a good detector, but I'm not a V1 cheerleader. Others are, and that's OK.

That's why I'm here. I wouldn't call myself a cheerleader. I'm like you, here to learn the real deal, and to correct mis-information when I see it. That is my sole purpose in posting this, I have nothing to gain whatsoever and have no agenda. So when you say the arrows aren't that important, you see where I'm coming from. They are important.

Originally Posted by JackG

As you point out, most of the "tests" and forums out there are biased in some way. You point out two tests that rated the V1 as better, but I'm sure you know that there have been tests that rated the 8500 as the winner as well.

I've always felt Car and Driver as being honest and thorough. I also trust GOL. Neither of which have been criticised as biased that I am aware of (which is not to say it's impossible). The Peterson reviews have known critics as you've seen, besides his affiliation makes anything he says suspect.

Originally Posted by JackG

Also, even if one of those sensitivity tests were actually run properly so the results can really be compared evenly, that doesn't mean those lab results will translate to the real world. There are abundant examples of that.

They are comparing it as evenly as possible. It's as good as it gets. Testing conditions are standardized. As for your "anomaly", it does seem strange that it contradicts, standardized scientific trusted sources. I think it was probably due to different sensitivity settings in the respective detectors. I don't know.


In the end, if you're happy with your detector, great good for you. My $100 is well spent on the gas and brake pads SAVED from not slowing down on every single false.

[RaDaRkInG]

Originally Posted by boxsterz

It can be argued there is a bias there, but that's a stretch. (Although I do believe there are a few dummy forums out there that I ran into, especially Craig Peterson smells fishy http://valentine1.com/lab/V1Hater.asp). I say that because I have read ALL the reviews word for word, and feel he has a clear bias which is unfounded. It's ok to have a bias, it's a free world for the most part. My thing is that I prefer a bias that's well founded. Hey that's why I drive a Boxster instead of a VW bug type I.

Craig Peterson runs Radartest.com and he works for Bel and Escort so he bashes the Valentine One every chance he gets. He tried to sabotage the Guysoflidar radar/laser detector test because he knows they are completely unbiased and the Valentine One usually wins in their testing.

Read about this loser here:

http://www.guysoflidar.com/march-2007/sabotage.html