Anyone remember the Sanyo Tecnica Cosmo 1000 radar detector?

**man114** · 05-31-2011, 01:41 PM

Was digging through a box of car stereo equipment from my old F150 in the basement and low and behold I found my old Cosmo 1000! I last actively used this thing back in 2005 or so, I bought it when Sun TV was closing in 1998 for $50. I remember when it was out it was advertised as being totally undetectable by the VG2. I know there was a Cosmo 800 and 2000 but remember them only briefly. Last I used it Ka band was hardly used, laser wasn't widely used either. I remember it wasn't bad in K band. I remember the biggest drawback is it defaulted to city, had two city modes, requiring you to hit the button twice to put it in highway. It also had loads of LEDs that were bright and of various colors.

Wondering if I should take the old thing for a spin and see how it does on the Ka band now that it is more widely used. I'm personally curious how it performs in comparison to some more modern units.

**unmamfqlm** · 05-31-2011, 01:48 PM

Wow, that is one detector that I have never heard of in my life. Why not take it out for laughs, though? I wouldn't be speeding, but I think it would be interesting to see what it's capable of.

**man114** · 05-31-2011, 02:15 PM

I remember when I last drove with it its K band performance was at least in line with whatever else I was using at that time in my other cars.

It had one of the better visor clip mounts, a bent piece of wire that went in two holes in the unit, which is why I used it in my truck, the visors were very flat.

The supposed claim to fame was ZBL Zero Band Leakage technology to make it totally undetectable to VG2. I'd be cursious if it works against the Spectre.

**man114** · 05-31-2011, 02:33 PM

Company is still around, making CCTV systems and HID conversion kits. Found the receipt and instructions, purchased for 70% off practically right after it came out during Sun TV's closing sale for a princely $43.40. It couldn't have been that bad if I was using it for as long as I was. I know I had other detectors at my disposal but was running multiple cars at that time, even more so than now, so it was simpler to leave it in there than switch them around.

**TRun** · 05-31-2011, 07:15 PM

Look: http://www.radardetector.net/forums/...ad.php?t=72660

**man114** · 05-31-2011, 10:08 PM

Well I've got the V1 to compare it to. I've got a remote RMR unit (which blows majorly on K band but is fairly decent on Ka). I have several Escorts including a relatively new Solo, my wife's Bel, the RMR C302 I bought for $5 or so. I could possibly borrow the RMR-C475 again for kicks if my friend is up for it. I can even dig out the old Cobra RD-300 which I used back then and the Uniden.

It was priced middle of the road (not considering my discount) when it was out. Surprised it didn't find more buyers. It was quite compact for the time.

Back in the day, 1997 or so when I had this thing, my dad was still using radar detectors quite actively. He bought the Cobra cordless around the same time (same as the Escort Solo 5), which he still will use on occasion in a rental car (it had decent enough K band range).

Anyway, Sun TV started to close (the first time), and this showed up right before the going out of business sale. So did a Cosmo 800, priced way cheaper than anyone else. I recall having heard it was a new model around that time. Their price was good as it was compared to the going rate and the closing sale coupled with it made it a must try. I know it still went for 3 times what I paid a year after I bought it. My main drive to try it was their supposed demonstration of putting it right next to the VG2 at trade shows or whatever and the VG2 didn't even know.

I think at that time I had a Cobra RD-300 and an upper end Uniden. The RD-300, I would still be using if it weren't for the increased Ka band presence. That thing had wicked K band range. Shortly after this I bought a fancy Whistler and the V1. The Whistler I'm still steamed about as it's sound failed shortly after buying it. While I got a good deal I'd never buy another. The V1, though upgraded is my regular detector.

I always, and unfailingly used this thing in my truck from 1998 or so when I got up up until 2007 (just checked) when I got rid of it but by that time my days of highwaying that truck were long through I probably hadn't actively driven it long distances since 2005. I remember calling it the Calamity 1000. Not because it was bad at detecting just that it was a disaster of LEDs. I mean it has LEDs up the wazoo, they're bright as hell too. Was good for jolting you to your senses, made you want to use the dim. I always used its visor mount, its winshield mount sucked so bad you could have bought a better one aftermarket at that time.

Like I said before K band was king then. Laser? Ka? a super rare encounter if at all. I know the locals got the LTI maybe a year after I got this. I never even used it where VG2 would have been an issue. It was doing its job on K band until I retired the truck and thus the Cosmo.

Yet now Ka is becoming popular. The locals have that and their super low powered K band. Laser is all over the Thruway.

I don't think I'd mind testing it for a week or so, see if this old thing has any surprises. My biggest gripe is the fact you have to hit the SENSI button twice to put it into highway. I have my blinders plugged into neon lighting control center so I can just pull the plug if I get hit, so that would mean if I got hit I'm hitting the SENSI button twice again.

If anyone around Buffalo has a Spectre or VG2 I certainly wouldn't mind testing its Zero Band Leakage claim. Would be pretty interesting if a 14 year old detector defeated the Spectre. Would be a case of too ahead of its time.

So starting tomorrow the Cosmo rides again. We'll see what its made of.

**man114** · 06-17-2011, 07:32 AM

If anyone was curious I did drive around with it a few times. It is a pain to remember to put it in super sensitive mode every time you're on the highway. It almost never falses on city. K band performance is pretty decent. Some K band tests with my own gun and some informal Ka tests driving around. I was able to concurrently run the V1, Cosmo and RMR units without generating any falses between the 3 and while you shouldn't run multiples at a given time it wasn't really for overly scientfic purposes, just for fun.

K band range (conducted myself with MPH K55 K band gun, and some informal radar sign tests while driving around)
1. V1
2. Cosmo (super sensitive mode)
3. Escort Solo S2
4. RMR remote

Ka band range
1. V1
2. RMR remote
3. Cosmo
4. Escort Solo S2

Was a little suprised there, I thought the more modern S2 would beat it. Guess the cordless did not help the Solo any. While I've said regardless of what I think of RMR their remote unit has good very good Ka detection, the range difference between the V1 and RMR was a big step over the Cosmo and I had the Cosmo mounted high on the windshield because of its visor clip.

I ran into no laser speed traps.

The alerts are annoying as heck and it has so many flashing lights and warbling whistles. It falses a lot when you put it into super sensitive mode. At least as much as the V1 does in highway, most of them are spurious X band, which in this case you're stuck with and just ignore. Its really not bad I guess, still probably better than a crappy Cobra after all these years.