Beltronics STI help on issues

**V350GT** · 09-14-2007, 11:52 AM

I saw on my car forum and this forum that the STI has a bug. My questions are:
How do you know if ur effected by this bug?
What are the best recommended settings on the STI if any?
Where is the best place to locate your STI on the windshield?

My current STI settings are: xband off... k, ka, pop, laser on
And I currently have the STI centered in the middle of the windshield
but I see a lot of people haveing it an inch or so above the dash?

Thanks in advanced for ur advice

**V350GT** · 09-14-2007, 12:22 PM

Anyone? :?

**V350GT** · 09-14-2007, 01:01 PM

Guess no one here can help me..... thanks either way

**MetalFlame** · 09-14-2007, 01:13 PM

Please use the "SEARCH" button.Use term:"STi bug"
It's not that I don't want to tell you about STi 33.8 bug,
but there's too much to say and here you'll find A LOT
of threads about STi bug and bug-fix.

So your best bet is -like I suggested above- use "search" function
and you'll get detailed info about bug/bug-fix.

BTW,First see on your STi,when it was produced.I think 2607 and above,
don't have 33.8 bug.

Good Luck,searching and welcome to the RD.net forum

**V350GT** · 09-14-2007, 01:20 PM

How about the settings?
Its not that I dont want to search, I just want to kill 3 birds with one stone but point taken

**MEM-TEK** · 09-14-2007, 02:26 PM

Originally Posted by V350GT

I saw on my car forum and this forum that the STI has a bug. My questions are:
How do you know if ur effected by this bug?
What are the best recommended settings on the STI if any?
Where is the best place to locate your STI on the windshield?

My current STI settings are: xband off... k, ka, pop, laser on
And I currently have the STI centered in the middle of the windshield
but I see a lot of people haveing it an inch or so above the dash?

Thanks in advanced for ur advice

Hi V350GT,

Look at the last four digits of your STi's serial number. They indicate the week and year of production. All STi's produced before 2107 definitely have the 33.8 bug. There is a grey area between 2107 and 2507 where Bel isn't quite sure which STi's had the bugfix incorporated or not. All STi's produced during or after 2607 definitely have the bugfix. Bel will re-flash any STi produced before 2607 at no charge as long as you have a sales receipt and it is still under warranty. Several forum members have gotten their out-of-warranty STi's re-flashed at no charge if they included a copy of their sales receipt.

Also, apparently Bel has received the new high temp speakers from PUI. Ask about having the new high temp speaker installed if your STi has to go in to be re-flashed to fix the 33.8 bug. However, the original speaker should hold up fine as long as you don't leave your STi roasting in sunlight when you park your car.

Your STi settings look good. I don't have POP turned on since it isn't used in my area. I would suggest turning POP off if it isn't used in your area either. Keep SWS turned off since it somewhat lowers overall sensitivity.

As far as mounting location, a few inches above the dash is optimal for allowing the STi to also pick up radar reflections which bounce off of your car's hood. On the other hand, mounting your STi up high allows it to have a better view of the road ahead. I've hardwired my STi and have it mounted up high just above my rear view mirror. Its turned out to be a very convenient mounting location because it doesn't obstruct the view through my windshield, there is no dangling cord, it is easier to reach, and since it stays cooler since it is mostly shaded from direct sunlight. It is much less likely to pick up a rear laser hit, but you are toast anyway if you are shot from behind with laser.

Best Regards,

--Michael

**methos** · 09-14-2007, 03:39 PM

Originally Posted by MEM-TEK

Originally Posted by V350GT

I saw on my car forum and this forum that the STI has a bug. My questions are:
How do you know if ur effected by this bug?
What are the best recommended settings on the STI if any?
Where is the best place to locate your STI on the windshield?

My current STI settings are: xband off... k, ka, pop, laser on
And I currently have the STI centered in the middle of the windshield
but I see a lot of people haveing it an inch or so above the dash?

Thanks in advanced for ur advice

Hi V350GT,

Look at the last four digits of your STi's serial number. They indicate the week and year of production. All STi's produced before 2107 definitely have the 33.8 bug. There is a grey area between 2107 and 2507 where Bel isn't quite sure which STi's had the bugfix incorporated or not. All STi's produced during or after 2607 definitely have the bugfix. Bel will re-flash any STi produced before 2607 at no charge as long as you have a sales receipt and it is still under warranty. Several forum members have gotten their out-of-warranty STi's re-flashed at no charge if they included a copy of their sales receipt.

Also, apparently Bel has received the new high temp speakers from PUI. Ask about having the new high temp speaker installed if your STi has to go in to be re-flashed to fix the 33.8 bug. However, the original speaker should hold up fine as long as you don't leave your STi roasting in sunlight when you park your car.

Your STi settings look good. I don't have POP turned on since it isn't used in my area. I would suggest turning POP off if it isn't used in your area either. Keep SWS turned off since it somewhat lowers overall sensitivity.

As far as mounting location, a few inches above the dash is optimal for allowing the STi to also pick up radar reflections which bounce off of your car's hood. On the other hand, mounting your STi up high allows it to have a better view of the road ahead. I've hardwired my STi and have it mounted up high just above my rear view mirror. Its turned out to be a very convenient mounting location because it doesn't obstruct the view through my windshield, there is no dangling cord, it is easier to reach, and since it stays cooler since it is mostly shaded from direct sunlight. It is much less likely to pick up a rear laser hit, but you are toast anyway if you are shot from behind with laser.

Best Regards,

--Michael

Are we certain that ALL older Stis have the bug? Both samples tested in Jan. 2006 by GOL seemed to do just fine on 33.8...even with the radar angled across the road as they tested. If the bug is the result of anti-falsing algorithms as some have stated here, that code often changes with new firmware releases. It's possible that the bug could have been introduced with a later firmware release.

**MEM-TEK** · 09-14-2007, 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by methos

Are we certain that ALL older Stis have the bug? Both samples tested in Jan. 2006 by GOL seemed to do just fine on 33.8...even with the radar angled across the road as they tested. If the bug is the result of anti-falsing algorithms as some have stated here, that code often changes with new firmware releases. It's possible that the bug could have been introduced with a later firmware release.

Hi Methos,

Supposedly all older STi's have the 33.8 bug even though the bug didn't rear its ugly head during the January 2006 GOL tests. If you look at GOL's October 2006 tests, the bug is obvious since the STi had significantly reduced range for Ka 33.8 radar yet did extremely well for the other two Ka radar bands.

BUT NOTE: In the January GOL tests the radar guns were simply angled across the road in order to limit the range at which they could be detected. Yet in the October GOL tests, several layers of Eccosorb radar absorbing foam were used in front of the radar guns to reduce their power output.

This leads me to an interesting hypothesis which Jimbonzzz might be able to answer. Could the layers of radar absorbing foam, while reducing the power output of the radar guns, somehow have introduced some weak phase shifts to the radar beams? If so, this could be what tripped up the STi into possibly thinking that it was seeing a harmonic from another radar detector when examining extremely weak 33.8 Ka signals from the radar gun.

Anyway, this is just a hypothesis, but it could also go a long ways towards explaining some of the results for GOL's recent off-axis tests where radar absorbing foam was also used.

Jimbonzzz, what do you think? More happy, happy horse@#$% from me or is it a possibility?

Best Regards,

--Michael

**methos** · 09-14-2007, 08:11 PM

Michael,

Why do we believe that the early STIs have the bug? Do you have any links to tests or videos of an A1M7 or A2M8 that show them to exhibit the 33 .8 issue? Or has Beltronics stated that all of them have the bug? I'm not saying you're wrong, I just haven't found any posts on this forum so far of someone claiming that this issue exists with an early unit. I welcome anyone to jump in and correct me if I err, however.

Thanks,
Methos

**MEM-TEK** · 09-14-2007, 08:29 PM

Originally Posted by methos

Michael,

Why do we believe that the early STIs have the bug? Do you have any links to tests or videos of an A1M7 or A2M8 that show them to exhibit the 33 .8 issue? Or has Beltronics stated that all of them have the bug? I'm not saying you're wrong, I just haven't found any posts on this forum so far of someone claiming that this issue exists with an early unit. I welcome anyone to jump in and correct me if I err, however.

Thanks,
Methos

Hi Methos,

I am not 100% sure myself, although I seem to recall a post by one of the forum members who has inside connections with Belscort and who said that the bug affects all STi's without the bugfix. Anyway, I'll call Escort Monday and will ask to speak to Steve (one of their most experienced technicians) and get his answer to this question.