Valentine 1 Users, Chime in please!

[disapr]

Happy V1 owner here! I speed every day and it helps me avoid the mobile extortion units very effectively.

I have a V1 in all of my cars and one of them also has a laser jammer.

[I M STIG]

I love my V1. Interestingly enough, so many people told me not to get it because of the false alarms, etc. However, since I've had it I've realized that my local PD doesn't use Ka, they use X and K bands... I do get some Ka and Laser going down the highway, but not a lot.

Like others said, you'll really get used to the false alarms, but I love that fact that it'll report more than 1 and show me where all of them are.

Story time: I was cruising down the highway going about 10 over, and I came up on a spot that is a normal false alarm (Ka), however I noticed there were two alerts, both up ahead. There was a cop hiding near the spot where the false alarm was being given... Had I not had my V1 showing two separate signals in similar locations, I would have gotten tagged. The highway is already 70 mph, so going 80 or more, that would have been a nice North Carolina fine.

That type of situation has happened to me a few times, and I would never get another detector. Plus, Alex Roy, the famous NY to LA record holder, told me to buy a V1, because that's all he uses... Alex is a pretty good friend and had a lot of advice about where to place it, etc. I have mine hidden right in front of my rear view mirror with the chord going into my ceiling and down my passenger side A-pillar.

[thorny]

Originally Posted by W Cole

Yes, once I turned off all alerts except for Ka and Laser. Tempted to turn off laser since I get so many false alerts but I do a lot of city driving so I've left it on for now.

+1. I scan Ka and laser only. I get zero bs false alarms. If cops in your area dont use k and x, do yourself a huge favor, turn them off! I run passport 9500 on my x5 (i had it forever, works great). For my M3 i bought a V1, hardwired it into the fuse box. Personally, i dont feel the difference between passport and v1 in terms of performance, but i prefer v1 for its arrows and slightly cooler design.

[I M STIG]

Originally Posted by Rolf-Dieter

I never use such devices ... I try to stay with the flow of the traffic or about 10% or so above posted speed limits when I drive in North America.

I get my kicks on the Autobahn when I visit the old country as the saying goes ... or as the American saying goes ... "I get my kicks on Route 66"

In all of my years of driving (and they have been many) I only had 3 speeding tickets.

Nevertheless Hot|Ice, I wish you well with your V1

See, I never used a radar detector before. I always felt my gut and my eyes were better, and they have never let me down... However, since I've gotten this M3 and started driving regularly down to my parents' beach house about 3 hours away, I've realized that I speed more than normal because the drive is SO DAMN BORING!

One day I was driving down and I saw a few cars way up in the distance slamming on their brakes, so I brought myself down to the exact speed limit, and sure enough, there was a State Trooper right around the corner and plain sight just tagging people with Laser. He stared me down the whole time, and I saw him point it back at me when I had already driven by. That's when I said, f--- it... I'm getting a V1.

I keep it turned down almost all the time, though. I literally just notice the lights and look, because I'm hardly ever speeding unless I'm traveling down the highway to the beach, or I'm really, really late for something important.

But since I've noticed the extra attention I've gotten in my local areas with my M3, I didn't want to risk it.

[persian54]

I had a V1 for 5+ years

I recently switched to a Passport 9500Xi

not because I didn't like the V1, I loved it, i just wanted to try something different

so once i Have more use with it, I can give a better comparison review

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by persian54

I had a V1 for 5+ years

I recently switched to a Passport 9500Xi

not because I didn't like the V1, I loved it, i just wanted to try something different

so once i Have more use with it, I can give a better comparison review

The new Escort Live smartphone feature looks like the first big advance in a while. Valentine has bee resting on their laurels for a long time.

[W Cole]

Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon

The new Escort Live smartphone feature looks like the first big advance in a while. Valentine has bee resting on their laurels for a long time.

Seems like a very good idea. I'm curious to see if there will be enough users for it to work well.

[persian54]

Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon

The new Escort Live smartphone feature looks like the first big advance in a while. Valentine has bee resting on their laurels for a long time.

wait what? i don't remember this feature...

[USCTrojanMan29]

Originally Posted by SirSpeedy

I did a fair amount of research. I purchased the v1. There are one or two other equally capable detectors on the market, each with their respective strengths. I typically drive the same routes and have learned where false threats are sounded. I check my speed, hit the mute button, and reference the boggie counter. I disabled the X band which eliminates false alarms because that band is not used by law enforcement in the cities I frequently drive. I installed my V1 using the fuse tap method described on this forum. It's my favorite mod because it changes my driving behavior and increases my level of awareness. It's an instrument like a fuel gauge or altimeter.

The Valentine owner's manual is available online and is a good source of information. Lastly, it's American made, has a generous return policy, and valentine offers future hardware and firmware upgrades as they become available.

How do you go out turning off the X band?

[Prince_of_Persia]

Originally Posted by persian54

wait what? i don't remember this feature...

I think he means this: http://www.escortradar.com/escort-live/

I have a 9500xi as well but did not know about this feature till today. Has anyone tried this?

[Mr. ///M3 RD]

Originally Posted by AwesomeBMW2

See, I never used a radar detector before. I always felt my gut and my eyes were better, and they have never let me down... However, since I've gotten this M3 and started driving regularly down to my parents' beach house about 3 hours away, I've realized that I speed more than normal because the drive is SO DAMN BORING!

One day I was driving down and I saw a few cars way up in the distance slamming on their brakes, so I brought myself down to the exact speed limit, and sure enough, there was a State Trooper right around the corner and plain sight just tagging people with Laser. He stared me down the whole time, and I saw him point it back at me when I had already driven by. That's when I said, f--- it... I'm getting a V1.

I keep it turned down almost all the time, though. I literally just notice the lights and look, because I'm hardly ever speeding unless I'm traveling down the highway to the beach, or I'm really, really late for something important.

But since I've noticed the extra attention I've gotten in my local areas with my M3, I didn't want to risk it.

AwesomeBMW2, If it gives you that security kind of feeling then as they say "its's all good" just don't speed ... I like the power of my car when I need it like when sling-shooting past 18 wheelers and getting out of harms way

Happy Motoring ...

[outie]

Originally Posted by USCTrojanMan29

How do you go out turning off the X band?

Here's a good forum to learn more about the v1:

http://www.radardetector.net/forums/valentine-one/

Here's how you reprogram your v1:
http://www.valentine1.com/Lab/techreport3.asp

[datbimmerdoe]

v1 ftmfw!!!

only thing better is a v1 rear view integration, aww yee.

[ersin]

The newest feature of the Valentine 1 is traffic sensor suppression. I don't have this latest upgrade yet, but it is said to work very well at getting rid of falses from traffic monitoring radar. I don't see the traffic sensors all that much where I drive so this is not a priority for me. But even without this, compared to other top of the line (read sensitive) detectors the V1 is pretty quiet. However, you will need to program your V1 to realize all of the features that make it less "chatty".

A new thing just coming out from Valentine Research is called ESP (which I believe stands for Extended Serial Protocol). This will allow the V1 to interface with other devices. There already is an iPhone app that works with the V1: RadarActive. I believe ESP promises more functionality but we'll have to wait and see how third parties make use of this.

If you're in Virginia you'll probably want to get a non-detectable detector instead of the V1. This would include the Escort Redline or the 9500ci, or the Bel STi-R+. All are top notch detectors.


Cheers.

[Budge]

Originally Posted by Ateam

I don't know where people live but for the large majority of larger cities, instant on is the standard and the V1 or any radar often does nothing to catch this in time unless you have a car in front of you down the road getting "read" with his gun.

The real benefit of the V1 over other radar/laser detectors is it's sensitivity and range. I've tested Passports head to head against my V1, and the V1 detects K and Ka bands over 1/2 a mile sooner (depending on the terrain). If a LEO is "popping" his radar a mile ahead at someone else, you have a good chance of picking it up. But YOU HAVE TO BE AWARE. No radar detector is full proof. And with laser, your only real protection with the V1 or any other detector is if you pick up the laser reflecting off another vehicle first. It requires a little luck.

[nick123]

I love mine. Have it hardwired with one of the tutorials on here. Cops only use KA in Vegas so I had it programed to only alert on KA so I dont get any false alarms. Range is great, I get first notification a little over a mile out so it gives me plenty of time to slow down.

[gobrigavitch]

Originally Posted by Ateam

I don't know where people live but for the large majority of larger cities, instant on is the standard and the V1 or any radar often does nothing to catch this in time unless you have a car in front of you down the road getting "read" with his gun.

I had one but IMO it is more of a risk having one. When you have one you tend to speed more thinking your V1 will protect you. However there are many many times that it just simply does not work and various lasers also get around the V1 in addition to V1. So if you then feel comfortable to speed more than you normally would because you feel "safe" and then you get busted, you are usually quite a bit over speed and possibly dangerously so in a cops eyes.

Without one I found I just drive at less speed and do not get tickets. I actually have gotten no tickets without a V1 whereas I got 2 ticketes with one!

Better than a V1 is very defensive driving in regards to police. Of course this cannot always eliminate every risk but if you generally know the routes you drive and where cops tend to hang out with their guns or just hang out waiting then you obvoiusly take it easy in those zones. I constantly am looking in all my mirros and ahead of me at the cars coming on the on-ramps on the freeway making sure its not a cop, or not a cop somewhere in the distance behind me lurking. You get to be good at spotting a cop cars appearence in your rear view, even if its unmarked. Now there are some complete unmarked cops in normal vehicles that are impossible to tell but that is not the norm.

I personally only speed in the routes I know there is zero-low chance of a cop being around given experience driving that route tons of times. To me this is much safer than gambling with a V1 in unknown territory.

The key is to treat the V1 like a tool instead of like a "get out of jail free" card. For instance, in my city I know that all the police cars use Ka band radar and about 90% of the time just drive around with the units left on. I have turned down K band and turned off X band to decrease falses. I am now fairly confident around the city if I don't hear any Ka band beeps. I have been caught once coming around a corner where a police car had just turned on his gun.

On the local highways the majority have Ka band units in the cars and patrol by driving and aiming their guns at oncoming traffic. The majority of these units are run instant on. So when I'm on the highway I can't simply drive as fast as I want and feel I'm protected. I know I need to have a few cars in front of me and I still watch for cars in the distance that look like typical cruisers and slow down if I see one.

So as you can see the key is to know what the police in your area are doing and to only use the V1 as a tool. Used in that way it works great.

[1sikbmr]

Originally Posted by AwesomeBMW2

I love my V1. Interestingly enough, so many people told me not to get it because of the false alarms, etc. However, since I've had it I've realized that my local PD doesn't use Ka, they use X and K bands... I do get some Ka and Laser going down the highway, but not a lot.

Like others said, you'll really get used to the false alarms, but I love that fact that it'll report more than 1 and show me where all of them are.

Story time: I was cruising down the highway going about 10 over, and I came up on a spot that is a normal false alarm (Ka), however I noticed there were two alerts, both up ahead. There was a cop hiding near the spot where the false alarm was being given... Had I not had my V1 showing two separate signals in similar locations, I would have gotten tagged. The highway is already 70 mph, so going 80 or more, that would have been a nice North Carolina fine.

That type of situation has happened to me a few times, and I would never get another detector. Plus, Alex Roy, the famous NY to LA record holder, told me to buy a V1, because that's all he uses... Alex is a pretty good friend and had a lot of advice about where to place it, etc. I have mine hidden right in front of my rear view mirror with the chord going into my ceiling and down my passenger side A-pillar.

I have mine in that same exact spot! works great and I hardwired it using the fuse tap method so no wire is exposed as well.

[VegasEgg]

Originally Posted by nick123

I love mine. Have it hardwired with one of the tutorials on here. Cops only use KA in Vegas so I had it programed to only alert on KA so I dont get any false alarms. Range is great, I get first notification a little over a mile out so it gives me plenty of time to slow down.

I've been hit with K band couple times. Make sure your POP is on too!

[CMBeamerM5]

I'm very happy with BOTH my V1's....one of each ///M.

[RON1X]

Kinda dumb question considering I've had a V1 for over 10 years, but....

I just upgraded to the newest firmware/software and decided to mount it above the rear view mirror (saw this in other e92s), but was wondering if the roof of the coupe, as it slopes down towards the rear blocks the rear radar sensor on the V1?

I have always kept it mounted slightly below the rear view mirror (in the middle of the windshield) as it seems to be completely unobstructed towards the front and rear, but where is the best place?

[and to answer the thread, yes I love the v1 and am really excited for the newest traffic update software]

[I M STIG]

Originally Posted by 1sikbmr

I have mine in that same exact spot! works great and I hardwired it using the fuse tap method so no wire is exposed as well.

I need to do that... Did you tap into anywhere in particular in the fuse box?