Should I invest In a V1 Radar Detector

[scottz5]

Sold both of mine.

[BrooklynG87]

Not to beat a dead horse but I've had mine since I was 17 years old and it has saved me from approximately $2500 in tickets and probably 15 or so points (on a NY license). I cannot live without it!

[Krozi]

Ya

[Brosef]

get the V1, no question. I even take mine with me when I leave town if I'll be renting a car and doing a meaningful amount of driving.

[mact3333]

Havent used mine in over 5 yrs...imho, waste of time/money...laser shifters on other hand are quite useful, esp where I live where everyone using laser guns...laser detectors are worthless because once they go off, you are done.

Shifters truly prevent tickets...Laser interceptor and Blinder make excellent products, but they cost more than V1.

[PKL]

Shoulda bought the V1 before you even took delivery of the car!

[Chrisb1231]

Just so u know if you are a city driver the passport 9500xi (or ix) has a gps and automatically marks false positives after you drive by them 3 times so the thing isn't constantly going off I think it also auto mutes or lowers the volume automatically. It doesn't have the arrow which are awesome. Either way I think both detectors are great and my dads v1 have saved both me and my dad thousands of dollars

[disapr]

I have V1's in both of my cars and a laser jammer on my DD. I'm probably going to also put a jammer on the M at some point. Get it! Be sure to order the remote display while you're at it or look into the V1 mirror.

[Brosef]

Originally Posted by E=mc2

I have 9500 ix and I highly recommend it if you are living in a big city like I do. The first couple months of owning this detector, I can tell you it was going off almost every 10 minutes. Every time I get on turnpike, almost every single shopping mall, gas station, any thing that has an automatic door would set it off. Not to mention, if you live in a state where they utilize red light cameras and speed cameras (NY has a lot of them), you have to have this thing. It has a database that gets updated every week with those locations as well as police hot spots (where cops usually hide). It's fantastic.

V1 is hardcore, but its old, looks ugly, doesn't have half of these features. The only thing it does have is an arrow showing you whether the signal is coming from front or back. But to be honest with you, when I hear that thing going off, I'm slamming on the brakes, I don't give a shit where its coming from and I'm staying under the limit until things are quiet.

I could not be happier seriously, the GPS feature and the memory is simply outstanding.

those features sound great, but the arrows are worth more to me (not to mention, the added protection of having a sensor on the rear of the detector). I also actually really like the look of the V1, and the volume knob that doubles as a power switch is awesome - makes turning on/off and adjust volume a breeze.

[Chrisb1231]

I'm fairly certain the 9500 series also reads radars that are behind you. Just no arrows.

[Jbook]

The v1 pays for itself by saving you from one ticket so yeah, get it. First thing I bought after picking up my m3.

[pbonsalb]

These days you need a laser jammer just as much as a radar detector in many states.

[Brosef]

Originally Posted by Chrisb1231

I'm fairly certain the 9500 series also reads radars that are behind you. Just no arrows.

it can detect signals that come from behind you, but only does so by radar waves bouncing off the windshield and hitting the front receptor (which is less than ideal).

Valentine holds a patent for radar detectors with front AND rear receptors, so it's the only one that has it in both places (if I'm not mistaken). it is the presence of both receptors that allows the V1 to determine if the signal is in front of or behind you (timing difference between when the signal hits the front and rear).

[swartzentruber]

As the owner of both the V1 and multiple Escort detectors, including most recently the 9500ix, I'd have to agree with the naysayers and give a resounding no. Buy a 9500ix instead. I'm probably going to be selling mine soon (and as evidenced by the group that still loves it, hopefully can get a good price). The V1 just falses too much, pure, plain, and simple. City or highway (as evidenced by a recent drive from Cincinnati back to Chicago), if I were to pay attention to the V1, I'd never speed. Recently in a business area, it told me I had I had 10 radar signals -- uh, really? In what universe is that useful? The arrows are, IMO, overblown. With the 9500ix, if I'm getting a signal, I know it's likely to be true radar and slow down, so it doesn't really matter if it's behind or in front. I don't just speed up because I passed the cop, so the whole "behind and in front trap" as an advantage to V1 is not compelling.

I also find the GPS enablement of the 9500ix to be extremely useful, as it warns of red light cameras and common speed traps. It's also smart enough to ignore the radar signals that seems to be so common now around construction sites.

[ersin]

Yes, you need a V1. You also need a Laser Interceptor.

The V1 is the only detector that can possibly save you from laser, but not something to depend upon, so get the LI too. People say that if you get a laser alert then it is too late, the LEO has your speed. However, I've found on many occasions that the V1 will pick up reflections of the laser from cars being hit ahead of me, around turns and so on. It doesn't happen all the time but it has saved me in the past.

The V1 also happens to be the best, rivaled only by the 9500ci and STi-R, at picking up "quick trigger" radar operators. Not only does it have the reaction time and sensitivity, but it also has very sane "ramp up" characteristics that actually give you a good indication of how far away a radar threat is. Combining this with the arrows means you have the best situational awareness detector there is. I know some think the arrows are useless but you must try them and make your own decision. It's the only one out there that can tell me if an alert is really a threat.

The V1 is however, not stealthy. It can be picked up with the Spectre RDD. If you drive in Virginia, operate commercially or drive on military bases then consider the Bel STi and Escort Redline as they are undetectable. They are also a rival to the V1 as a windshield mount detector. The Redline may be the most sensitive detector there is. Unfortunately, it suffers in ramp-up behavior and reaction time compared to other detectorsw.

The 9500ci and STi-R are both remote mount, cost more and installing them is more involved. But they are both the match of the V1, in some cases more sensitive.

You should consider installing any of these top line detectors -- V1, Redline, STi driver, 9500ci or STi-R -- paired with a good laser jammer, the Laser Interceptor being the best. And lastly, know how to operate them effectively and pay attention while driving.


Cheers.

[Brosef]

Originally Posted by E=mc2

9500 ix also has 360 degree protection.

The only thing V1 has 9500 ix doesn't is the arrows, however, I don't know how someone can say directional arrows is worth getting the V1 over 9500ix. This argument has been going on for years now, it's older than M3 vs 335. I don't think anybody is stupid enough to check the direction of the signal and then take action when they are driving. Once your radar detector goes off, you SLOW DOWN, who gives a shit where the cop is. Will you do something different if he is behind you or ahead of you? Be it false or not false, if I get ANY warning, I always slow down. I don't give a shit if it's the drug store doors or garage door.

I guarantee you half of you V1 owners don't even know the full feature set of the 9500 and that if you knew or if you used the radar detector for a week, you wouldn't want to go back to V1. Yes V1 had the upper hand for several years, but the past 3 years or so things have changed. The features of 9500 are very nice.

For example 9500 will show you multiple bands at the same time giving each signal its proper magnitude. So you can see something like:

K || Ka ||| X |||||

All at once. That's VERY useful where I live and it would be for anyone else living in the city as well. For example every time I pass by the police station in my area, I know I'll get a Ka band warning, but what sometimes happens is, the cops from the same station hide accross the station towards the oncoming traffic, and guess what, now you get both K and Ka warning. If you had V1 and you simply ignored the warning because you always got "some" warning as you passed by the station, you'd get fucked.

Same thing with speed cameras or red light cameras or automatically remembering falses or un-remembering them when they need to be. The detector is so smart that if itself or you choose to ignore a warning and it later on detects that in fact was a true radar warning, it will remove it from its list of ignored warnings.

Lastly, all of you fast drivers, should consider redline from the same company (escort), which has far better range than V1. It's range is so ridiculous, I think they have hard time finding a radar gun that'll reach to the car from that far away. If you are driving 100+, you need redline, V1 or 9500ix isn't going to save you unless you slam on your brakes to the point of enabling ABS. Maximum warning you are going to get with these (V1/9500) type of detectors above 80+ is less than 10-15 seconds. That's not much given the speed you are traveling, in that case redline is a better choice - but it doesn't have the goodies 9500 has (definitely marketing reasons).

interesting stuff - I've never heard of the Escort Redline.

however, please explain how the 360-degree protection from the 9500 is as good as it is on the V1 considering the 9500 doesn't have a receptor on the back. I always look at the arrows, as I would imagine all V1 owners do. knowing which way the threat is coming from is extremely important. especially if you're on the highway and you want to know if there is a cop behind you, if he's using instant-on, etc. don't discount the value of the arrows.

Also, the V1 not only shows you each and all of the different radar bands that it detects at any point in time (X, K, Ka, laser), but it also has a "bogey counter" that allows you to see how many different signals it's detecting. So in the case you cited of driving by the police station, you would see if there was an extra radar signal than would otherwise be present normally.

also, 10-15 seconds of warning is quite a lot (I can't imagine what kind of speeds you would need to be doing on public roads for that to not be enough time to slow down), and I've seen even more advanced warnings for police radars.

[FSHNGRY]

My v1 paid for it self in the first week of purchase. I was driving late night, no one on the road.. about to go over a bridge and blast it on this straight away (about a 1/2 mile long) near my house.. i would never do it during the day because of the lights and traffic, but at 2 the in the morning was a different story, anyway, right before I wanted to WOT, the L blipped on my new v1. I slowed down and saw a cop about half way up backed into a parking lot. Had I not had my radar, I was looking at an easy double the limit ticket, and possibly losing my drivers lisc. Moral of the story: buy it, get it hardwired, and you will NEVER regret it

[disapr]

Here is what a friend of mine had to say about the whole V1 vs. 9500ci

The 9500ci has four main features that the V1 does not:

1. Laser Shifters. The 9500ci comes with Escort ZR4 laser shifters. Not a big deal for you though since you already have the best laser jammer system available. Plus, the laser shifters that come with the 9500ci have sub par performance against most laser guns. These alone are "worth" $400.

2. GPS Capabilities. The 9500ci comes pre-loaded with known RLC locations, speed camera locations, etc. You can also mark speed trap locations. Also, the GPS functionality allows you to manually or automatically lock out false alert locations so you won't have to listen to them constantly like you would have to with the V1. This specific GPS functionality is called Truelock or Autolearn. There is a catch though. When locking out false alert locations, there is a chance of locking out a real threat if the real threat is in the same vicinity. Also, since Truelock filters out false alert locations based on the false alert's frequency, if a LEO decides to run radar in the same area one day and the frequency of the LEO's radar unit is within 30MHz of the frequency of the false alert, you will not receive an alert on the 9500ci. I admit the odds of either scenario that I described above are slim but I would personally go the "better safe than sorry" approach. This is one of the reasons why I run a V1 alongside my 9500ci at all times especially where K band radar is used.

3. Custom Installation. The 9500ci had be "custom installed" into your vehicle. So, you wouldn't have to worry about anyone stealing it and it'll be less obvious to passengers in your vehicle that you are running a radar detector. This can also be useful if you ever get pulled over for speeding one day. The LEO wouldn't know you had a radar detector and may be more lenient with you.

4. The M3 antenna. The 9500ci's M3 radar antenna is very unique. Unlike other radar detector antennas, the M3 cannot be picked up by a radar detector detector. This really isn't that crucial to us though since radar detectors are legal in Texas. But, if you lived in Virginia or Ontario where detectors are illegal, then it would be more crucial. Also, the M3 antenna is the most sensitive radar detector antenna available in today's market (even more sensitive than the V1 especially against Ka 35.5, off-axis radar, and forward facing radar). This is only valid reason I would see in switching over from the V1 to the 9500ci or buying a 9500ci to supplement your V1. If you've been disappointed with your V1's overal performance and are looking for even better sensitivity, then the 9500ci will not disappoint you. Also, having a more sensitive radar detector increases your chances of getting advanced warning against Instant-On. But again, there is a catch. The 9500ci's radar antenna may be the most sensitive but it isn't the most reactive. In fact, the 9500ci is one of the worst radar detector when it comes to reactivity. A radar detector's reactivity is very important if a traffic enforcement method called quick-trigger (QT) is used in your area. QT is a subset of Instant-On (I/O). Same idea (turning the radar unit on then off) but when a LEO is shooting QT, he only allows the radar antenna to emit a signal for less than a second. Since the 9500ci is not a very reactive detector, it has a very real chance of missing a QT burst entirely. The V1 though is one of the most reactive detectors available and will consistently pick up these short QT bursts. Unfortunately for us, TX DPS loves to shoot a mixture QT and I/O Ka 34.7. I've run into it mainly on the interstates (up to Dallas, San Antonio, and all the way to the Louisiana border).


What's new - The Bel STi-r Plus. It'll be coming out in the next month or so. It is made by Beltronics (Escort's partner company) and is pretty much a Escort 9500ci without the laser shifters. Beltronics fixed the M3's slow reaction times to quick-trigger by adding two functions: RDR and Ka Segmentation. With these two functionalities, it will make the STi-r Plus not only the most sensitive radar detector available but also the most reactive (even more reactive than the V1).

I still say V1 and LI FTW!

[OC3]

Originally Posted by E=mc2

9500 ix also has 360 degree protection.

The only thing V1 has 9500 ix doesn't is the arrows, however, I don't know how someone can say directional arrows is worth getting the V1 over 9500ix. This argument has been going on for years now, it's older than M3 vs 335. I don't think anybody is stupid enough to check the direction of the signal and then take action when they are driving. Once your radar detector goes off, you SLOW DOWN, who gives a shit where the cop is. Will you do something different if he is behind you or ahead of you? Be it false or not false, if I get ANY warning, I always slow down. I don't give a shit if it's the drug store doors or garage door.

I guarantee you half of you V1 owners don't even know the full feature set of the 9500 and that if you knew or if you used the radar detector for a week, you wouldn't want to go back to V1. Yes V1 had the upper hand for several years, but the past 3 years or so things have changed. The features of 9500 are very nice.

For example 9500 will show you multiple bands at the same time giving each signal its proper magnitude. So you can see something like:

K || Ka ||| X |||||

All at once. That's VERY useful where I live and it would be for anyone else living in the city as well. For example every time I pass by the police station in my area, I know I'll get a Ka band warning, but what sometimes happens is, the cops from the same station hide accross the station towards the oncoming traffic, and guess what, now you get both K and Ka warning. If you had V1 and you simply ignored the warning because you always got "some" warning as you passed by the station, you'd get fucked.

Same thing with speed cameras or red light cameras or automatically remembering falses or un-remembering them when they need to be. The detector is so smart that if itself or you choose to ignore a warning and it later on detects that in fact was a true radar warning, it will remove it from its list of ignored warnings.

Lastly, all of you fast drivers, should consider redline from the same company (escort), which has far better range than V1. It's range is so ridiculous, I think they have hard time finding a radar gun that'll reach to the car from that far away. If you are driving 100+, you need redline, V1 or 9500ix isn't going to save you unless you slam on your brakes to the point of enabling ABS. Maximum warning you are going to get with these (V1/9500) type of detectors above 80+ is less than 10-15 seconds. That's not much given the speed you are traveling, in that case redline is a better choice - but it doesn't have the goodies 9500 has (definitely marketing reasons).

Going off on a tangent a bit, I know what Ka & X bands are, but is K band law enforcement? or, just those collision avoidance systems on Mercedes & such?

[dnvrdrvr]

Originally Posted by FlashTwoSix

what is the latest V1 version? I have V1.7

I've had mine two years so I checked it a few weeks ago to see if they'd updated it. I have version 1.8 and their little configuration tool told me I had the most current version.

[ersin]

Originally Posted by E=mc2

Again, I don't understand how its "extremely important". It's a nice to have, but it's not extremely important. How does it matter where the warning is coming from? Do you not slow down when you get any type of warning?

No, I don't automatically slow down on every warning. I look at the information the V1 is telling me (number of bogies, direction, band and strength) then look for the bogey. If it's in front I check my speed, lane and traffic and adjust accordingly. If in the rear I look in the mirror to try to find the LEO. If s/he's on an overpass or on-ramp I check my speed and wait until I'm out of visual range. If they are far behind, and I can usually spot them if the strength shows strong enough, then I don't worry. If I cannot see them and the strength is low then they are out of visual range and again, I don't worry. Off to the side is no worries until past. It gives me time to adjust. The whole reason for the arrows is to find where the threat lies for a visual confirmation. Once visual contact is made then appropriate action is taken, or not. Depending on the environment, if I can't make a visual contact then I may ignore the alert or not.

Originally Posted by E=mc2

Given that V1 falses so much and has no way remembering previous falses, if you suddenly start getting a warning from behind traveling in highway, yes, you will take it more seriously. But with 9500ix, ANY warning is a serious one and you SLOW DOWN, no matter how strong the signal is or what type it is.

Redline is by far the best radar detector out there when it comes to advance warning. It doesn't have the nice features 9500ix has, but its distance is far better than the arrows of the V1.

The Redline falses more than my V1. It has an M3 antenna (not the car, the Bel/Escort antenna design) like the 9500ci and STi-R as well as superb sensitivity. However, there is more to a detector than sensitivity. Research "reaction time" and "ramp-up" for example. Now if the Escort would would fix these two issues and give it the same tuning options that the STi-R has (Ka-band segmentation and the ability to turn RDR off) then this would be their best windshield mount detector by far.

The GPS features of the 9500ix do produce a false sense of security -- I've heard reports of the 9500ix remaining silent for real threats near a GPS learned lockout. It also is not as sensitive (it has the M4 antenna) as the others. The GPS feature that locks out alerts IMO is not perfect. The redlight camera warnings however are pretty good feature but I prefer other dedicated GPS devices to alert me to redlight cameras and speed traps, like Trapster and RadarActive. But the choice however comes down to: do you want to do the processing to determine if an alert is a threat yourself, or do you want the detector to do the processing.

Originally Posted by E=mc2

I don't know how the 360 on the 9500ix works, but I do know it works I have had 9500ix for about a year now. It warned me on 9 100% encounters (2 from back, 7 front/stationary) both in NJ/NY in X/K/Ka band. Not once I had a problem with its range or accuracy.

It works by picking up rear positioned radar reflections from the front. In fact, the 9500ix does have arrows for redlight cameras from the GPS, so theoretically, with a rear facing antenna added, it shouldn't take too much to add "arrows" to the radar alert.

Now that the Valentine 1 patent on the arrows and front/rear antenna processing has expired there is no reason that the 9500ix and others can't do the same. I expect in time they will add the arrows. Then we won't hear from Bel, Escort, Cobra, Whistler and all the others how useless the arrows are.

Seriously, you can do better than the 9500ix. The Redline and STi Driver are two windshield mount detectors from "Belscort" that are better than the 9500ix. And, of course, so is the V1. If you like the "silence" of the 9500ix that's great. For me, I don't want to take any chances of missing an alert so that leaves the more expensive models as I've explained.

The V1 could be better too. Some of the features of the 9500ci/STi-R/Redline/etc. like spec display would be very useful. It should be stealthier. And the V1 also loses in sensitivity to off-axis 35.5 GHz Ka band (fortunately, 35.5 GHz radars are hardly used in MD). However, everything considered, it gives me the information I want. If you like the 9500ix, that's fine. But it would be hard for me to recommend the 9500ix over the V1/Redline/9500ci/Sti driver or STi-R+.


Cheers.

[ersin]

Originally Posted by OC3

Going off on a tangent a bit, I know what Ka & X bands are, but is K band law enforcement? or, just those collision avoidance systems on Mercedes & such?

Yep, X, K and Ka are all bands that police radar use, depending on the model. X-band guns are hardly used anymore except in NJ and some other smaller areas.

These new collision avoidance systems are gonna be a big headache for detector owners if they become ubiquitous. I heard talk of making these things mandatory in the future. I hope not.

Another nuisance to detector owners are the radar traffic sensors. I hope these don't become commonplace either.


Cheers.