red86vette

I know there has been several post on this subject in the past and I was wondering everyones thought on it. What detector is the best between the bel 980 and the v1? I like the v1 knowing the direction of the radar and think it would be nice, but the bel in some test have shown to pick up radar at twice the distance. What does everyone think? Greg

R23HTC

I'm very happy with my V1. Direction and number of radar are much more important in day to day driving than just distance. I will never own another that has a plastic case. Internals fry to fast in the TX. heat. I don't know what kind of case the Bel has but that's my .02! :yesnod:

jfb

The Bel cannot pick up radar at twice the distance than a V1. Where did you read that jibberish? The most sensitive detector on the market is the V1. See any Car and Driver test, their tests are unbiased. Go to http://www.valentine1.com and see what they have to say about detectors and what a fair test is. Don't believe radartest.com or radarzone.com because both are owned by people that offer themselves to detector companies as consultants and if you decline, they make false claims about your detector performance.

sloth

Excuse me, you want us to go to V-1's web site, for unbiased information- you must be delusional. R94LT1, is correct about the Bel 980, and also the Passport 9500. Both of these out perform V-1 x2. The V-1 is HUGE, and gaudy. What is the fascination with arrows? Correct me if I am being illogical, I would rather have a more sensative alert, which means more time to slow down, the an arrow light, with less time to slow down. Also, using the V-1 at night, is like a light show in the car. One can't dim the alert or arrows. If interested in reading unbiased radar tests go to radar test.com and speedzones.com. I myself was going to buy the V-1, only because, that is what most people on this forum were saying to buy. However, after doing my research, it came to be clear, V-1 is not the best out there; only the most expensive.

R23HTC

Excuse me, but I NEVER said that. You missed quoted me BIG TIME! The V1 in my opinion is the BEST and is the ONLY I would personally HAVE! You need to re-read the test, I was very concerned with the fact that those two detectors were basically full lit at those ranges. What the heck do you want a meter for any way? To let you know you're getting closer and closer. NOT to tell you there's radar and give you no idea whether it's 2 miles or 2 feet. I personally would rather have mine go off with one light and gradually add lights as I get closer like IT'S SUPPOSE TO DO! Any company can set their detector to go full blast at ANY site of radar. IF that's what YOU REALLY want on a day to day bases, then by all means, by the cheap ones. You get what you pay for! Oh, and BTW, do ANY of those have rear receivers for RADAR? NO! So next time yours goes beep, I'll know where it's at and you'll still be guessing! Oh, and as far as the lights dimming, I have no problems. IT's got a standard photo sensitive receiver in it and it dims itself, and there's the optional remote if I want to be really picky. And lastly, fasination with arrows. Let's put it this way, if your in a F-16 and you've got a MIG in the area, do you want to know there's a missle in the air or where the HECK it's actually coming from so you can avoid it!!!!!!!!! Not much difference on the ground if you ask me.

sloth

I like your comparison of being killed by a radar guided missle and being hit by a pig radar. I see no realistic comparison there. Also, the Bel, and Passport, do not light all at once. The closer the radar, the higher the number scale reads. One last thing, both of those units have rear dedection, true not as sensative as in the V-1. About dimming the V-1, buy the accessory, buy, buy- when does it end. $500- 600 for an average radar detector?

caveat: I was talking about JFB's post


[Modified by sloth, 3:06 PM 9/2/2001]

jfb

Yes, I am asking you to go to Valentine's website for unbiased info. Go see what they have to say, and particularly about fair radar test comparisons, see http://www.valentine1.com/lab/MikesLabRpt5.asp . What is their fascination with arrows? Easy, you need to know where the source of radar is from if you want total protection. Drive by the same shopping center everyday and you will ignore the door openers on the x and k radar band. But one day you drive by the shopping center and your V1 shows that you have one more radar source ( the count is shown in the front display, called a bogey counter) than you usually see, and the arrows will go from side to front , which alerts you to the fact that a patrolman is using the door openers to lull the owners of cheap detectors and he's gottcha. I said it before, but radartest and speedzones are both owned by (Craig Peterson, radartest and Carl Fors, speedzone) people that offer their services as a consultant and Valentine has declined both of them, so the V1 doesn't make it to #1 position like it does in a fair test of radar detectors such as in Car and Driver magazine tests.
Unless you are an EE familiar with microwave receivers like myself, I probably won't be able to convince you that the Bel and Passport receivers do not have as technically sophisticated front ends (microwave circuits that intercept radar and convert it to the IF , or intermediate frequency and detector circuits). If they did, they couldn't cost less than the V1. By the way, Both Bel and Escort
are owned by the same man. Best of luck with your cheap detector.

GUMPA

V1 :yesnod:

18 years clean record, 4 years w/Vette @ triple digits all the time :reddevil

Good luck :cheers:

Tom73

Okay guys, a couple of quick questions. I have asked these on some other threads so hope am not duping too much.

Valentine 1 site disputes the validity of the test done at radartest.com and the methods used. But Valentine did not offer any other test results for comparison or any comparative numbers. Based on that I assume that there are no other tests out there to dispute the radartest.com results. Valentine discusses how a test should be conducted, about "dirty" detectors interfering with others (another test did not detect the Valentine 1, Bel 980, or Escort 8500 with a radar detector/detector, so none of them are dirty) and the importance of know where the source is but they did not offer any numbers or tests results of others. To me that is the same as saying they don't exist.

Anyone know of "good" tests published online that would dispute the radartest.com tests? I have been unable to find any.

tom...

sloth

Hey buddy, thanks for the support, go to speedzones.com. This site also does complete testing of assorted radar devices. You hit the nail on the head, If the V-1 is sooooo good, why hasn't the V-1 site displayed the results, out performing the Passport, Bel 980. I am quite confident they have run tests, but the results were/are not in V-1's favor.

2thDr

HERE!!!! http://www.radardirect.co.nz/2001tests4.jpg

I've posted this in other threads also....

These are test results from a recent test done in New Zealand. They have some of the toughest ant-speeding enforcement techniques in the world. They also have no reason to be biased one way or the other........

jfb

Speedzones.com is owned by Carl Fors who also has offered his consulting services to Valentine Research and was declined. So he doesn't rate the V1 as #1 in retaliation. I believe Car and Driver will soon publish radar detector test in an upcoming issue and their tests have been fair in the past.

GUMPA

I thought my answr. was a pretty good "test" of the V1, anybody able to beat "that" driving record with another detector :confused: "Real life" is the true test........ :yesnod:

There is also alot of disc. in the other "thread" entitled "Val-1" this "section".

The "Forum" is for "opinions" on all topics.......you can purchase whatever you like........IMO the V1 is the best out there.....Mike Valentine invented some of the "other's" and left to start his own Co., so he could build the "Very Best" , he succeeded, as mentioned in the other thread...... :yesnod:

Gordon Vibbert

I'm REALLY, REALLY happy with my K40 UN3000SWL. Never hear about those. Discreet install. Laser detector in cutout center part of "O" of front license plate cover. Speakers are buried in the air vents on either side of the steering wheel and the LEDs for front and rear cameras are: Front=LED located above analog oil pressure gauge, Rear=LED above 6 of tach. A bit pricey, but been worth it.

2000RagTop

" Ah Yes........Radar Wars Continue.............!!!!!"

:boxing :boxing :boxing :boxing :boxing :boxing :boxing

Have agreat day everyone :seeya


[Modified by 2000RagTop, 10:07 AM 9/6/2001]

2thDr

RagTop,

I think you've made this exact same post over a hundred times. Why?

jfb

The October issue of Car and Driver will have radar detector tests of the latest models. They have always had fair tests.

2000RagTop

2thdr...........

Thats :bs it's only been 99 times!!!

Just my opinion that this radar stuff is like a :boxing match!!!

by the way....... "I see that you say the same thing also about a test done in "New Zealand" :confused: :confused: :confused: ???

"have a good one"

2thDr

If you'll notice, someone asked if there were test results besides radartest.com and speedzones. I replied. As I will also reply whenever someone lists those two sites without listing others. It provides useful information for those who want to see it. "Radar wars continue" does not provide useful information. It's basically a free post.

I'm not complaining, just bringing your attention to it. :seeya