Radar Detector Choice

[B1GHAM]

I'm all about my Valentine - by FAR the best (it's also saved me BIG time!)

My friend & I did side by side comparisons of the V1 and the 8500 when I first got my detector, and found them to be nearly identical in every instance it was tested. There were times the escort would pick up sooner, then others where the V1 would pickup sooner. These differences though, didnt make a difference though in terms of time needed to stop. We are talking 1 second difference TOPS.

 

[TampaBlackMSP]

I hear ya, I'm just saying I'm glad I have the one I have. All the higher end choices can't be that far off from one another, can they?

 

[clos561]

where can u get a cheap one? right now i use a cobra

 

[Mocoso]

I just bought the Excort 8500 X50... the 9500i and STI are nice but I dont live in Virginia or DC where I need to worry about hidding the fact I have a radar detector and i didnt want to pay 150 bucks for a GPS option

The Valentine is also nice but you think that they would add a few "mainstream" options in 15 yrs..just think they are milking the current "directional arrow thing" until they need to... its missing some basic features the others have (you can argue its not needed etc but still for the price there really is no reason they shouldnt included them)

 

[ragindark]

The Valentine One is still the best radar/laser detector according to the latest unbiased independent testing.

http://guysoflidar.com/august-2007/radar-detector-test.html

 

[utopia]

I bought the 8500 X50 in November 2006. Hahahah, thanks for the heads ups though

 

[Mocoso]

The Valentine One is still the best radar/laser detector according to the latest unbiased independent testing.

http://guysoflidar.com/august-2007/radar-detector-test.html

what this test doesnt show is if they are "over-sensitive"... I've yet to see the final and definitive answer on "too many false positives" vs "range"

I havent figured out why by default POP is OFF on the Escort... based on the results above it seems as if having POP on lowers the range by 10-20 ft... just curious why you would want it OFF...

 

[Mocoso]

I bought the 8500 X50 in November 2006. Hahahah, thanks for the heads ups though

That explains why you are limiting choices to the STI and the 9500i - I would throw the Valentine into the mix given the price range you are looking at.. what exactly are you looking for that is triggering the upgrade? that may help you narrow down the choice...

 

[redspeed3tk]

do you live in a state where they use instant on for the radar guns like pa bc those wont do anything against them as they only turn on as u go by check it before ya waste money thinkin ur safe from a ticket or just drive responsible and save 400$...jmo

 

[Mocoso]

do you live in a state where they use instant on for the radar guns like pa bc those wont do anything against them as they only turn on as u go by check it before ya waste money thinkin ur safe from a ticket or just drive responsible and save 400$...jmo

The 9500 has POP detection..not sure about the STI... interesting thing is that on my 8500 it is OFF by default... from some of the tests it seems as if POP detection lowers the range by a few feet... havent figured out if Im better having POP on or not....

And no radar is going to save you if an officer sneaks behind you and turns it on while its being aimed at you... all that will tell you is "smile you've been clocked"

 

[Ryz]

The valentine 1 is tested in "all bogey mode" and the others filter at all times, so yes they are going to have less false alarms, the V1 kicks their butts in real world.

 

[Krazee]

valentine one

 

[ragindark]

The 9500 has POP detection..not sure about the STI... interesting thing is that on my 8500 it is OFF by default... from some of the tests it seems as if POP detection lowers the range by a few feet... havent figured out if Im better having POP on or not....

http://www.guysoflidar.com/march-2007/radar-detector-test.html

It depends on if you are talking about 67ms K band POP radar or 67ms Ka band POP radar.

The Valentine One alerts 4 out of 5 times to Ka band POP radar and 5 out of 5 times to K band POP radar.

The Bel STi alerts 5 out of 5 times to Ka band POP radar and 1 out of 5 times to K band POP radar.

The Escort 9500i alerts 5 out of 5 times to Ka band POP radar and 0 out of 5 times to K band POP radar.

The Escort 8500 X50 alerts 2 out of 5 times to Ka band POP radar and 0 out of 5 times to K band POP radar.

 

[mrlilguy157]

v1 for the win.

 

[mspHtown]

im a big fan of the passport x50

 

[Jon45189]

I have a Bel STi. I've gotten three tickets while using it, though. Two were for speeding.

 

[MS38449]

Well let a OTR driver tell ya just buy a couple of cheap 1's to give to the Law Dog if you get pulled over(Just 1 of them). But the best way to go Rocky Mountain Top Jammer or a hidden Escort Jammer.

Other than that it really doesn't mater cause if ther just not running down the road/highway with it on your ****** when they paint you.

We have s*** load's of these fuckers that are unmarked here in OK, hell I've even been painted by a pick up truck in St. Louis, MO. Couldn't even tell it was a Law Dog.

 

[mspHtown]

Well let a OTR driver tell ya just buy a couple of cheap 1's to give to the Law Dog if you get pulled over(Just 1 of them). But the best way to go Rocky Mountain Top Jammer or a hidden Escort Jammer.

Other than that it really doesn't mater cause if ther just not running down the road/highway with it on your ****** when they paint you.

We have s*** load's of these fuckers that are unmarked here in OK, hell I've even been painted by a pick up truck in St. Louis, MO. Couldn't even tell it was a Law Dog.

reading that made me laugh

 

[MS38449]

Glad to make ya laugh

 

[novAKs47]

http://www.radardetector.net/

Tons of info on there. Check it out. I did before I got mine, and I'm glad I did! My lesser Beltronics(V955) has saved me 3 times in my first year of owning it.