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  1. #1
    Radar Fanatic
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    Default Valentine with Pop

    I should have added a topic sentence. I should be getting my V1 with pop tomorrow or the next day. I have owned several V1s along with the original Escorts and Passports. I have also owned several Bel models but the chirps drove me crazy. I have never been disappointed with any V1 and living in rural Arizona im sure I will get a full test of this unit. Im not sure if the Arizona Highway Patrol uses the Bee II (III?) or not. As for my previous V1s I didnt consider any X band alerts to be falsing because at least I was warned about bank, shopping centers etc and of course it could have been the local police so I was glad of the alerts. I will keep you posted for those of you who are interested.

  2. #2
    Experienced
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    Default

    I would have rather seen that this conversation had never started in this forum.
    As I mentioned before, Mike V vs rest of (the world) war seems to be going on. And it's been since 1995????

    Detector users has one aim. To have most sensitive, not falsing detector ever with such features they like. It's definetely that V1 and Bel/Escort has different angels in approaching the same goal. And that's the way it should be.
    Nobody claims that one or other detector in this series is The Best. Only the features makes the difference.

    In those circumstances I use detector, the needed features are good sensitivity, minimum falsing and ZERO DETECTABILITY.

    No V1, X50 or RX65 offers me that. So is it important to have arrows or not?????

  3. #3
    Radar Fanatic
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    Default Valentine with Pop

    I agree about the price of the Valentine RDs. Just a tad steep but I am willing to pay that price for what I personally consider to be a top notch detector. I find the arrows to be helpful. I don't want to be looking in my rear view mirror when the arrow indicates radar ahead. We all purchase detectors according to our needs and percepted performance. I don't run down any RD brands. I feel it is counter productive to talk about switching off features when the purpose is to be alerted to - oh here I go again with Valentinespeak- "All Bogies" . I guess if I fiddled switching off this and that feature, I would be content with just a magnesium housing, a couple of lights, and being able to proudly proclaim that I have a super duper RD with never falses. Keep up the good work on reporting about ALL radar detectors and issues and heck who knows I might even go back to owning a Bel.

  4. #4
    Advanced Member
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    Default

    Well, as far as the $400 price tag goes, I tend to think of it like this:

    The V1 is like having two detectors in one case.
    Two Escorts or BELs could easily cost you $600+ !

    V1 has two antennas, front and rear, and is the only detector with this feature. And although some people complain about the case, even with both antennas crammed inside the V1 isn't twice the size of other detectors either. The V1 basically gives you the same protection as buying two Escorts or two Bels, pointing one forwards and one backwards. Even if you did this, you wouldn't be able to see the display on the rear-facing detector, and they wouldn't coordinate with each other, no arrows, rear muting, etc.

    All other detectors depend on rear radar to reflect off things in order to detect it using their front facing antennas. (Bi-directional antennas my a**!)

    People can downplay the importance of rear radar detection all they want, however MPH, Kustom, and Decatur have all had radar units on the market with same-lane moving mode for a long while now. Try detecting an officer sneaking up through traffic, hitting select vehicles with instant on. What is easier for an officer in moving mode: clock oncoming cars so he has to turn his vehicle around and catch up to the offender to pull him over, or come up behind vehicles going the same way he is, hit them with instant-on, and pull them over?

    Just my 2 cents...


    Jim

  5. #5
    Professional
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    Default

    the v1 has a metal case, not some cheap plastic... and the dimensions are small than their major competition.

  6. #6
    Yoda of Radar
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    Default

    Yes the Valentine One has a magnesium case.

    Good. The case feels nice and strong. Plastic detector cases suck, I mean, would you want a 9mm made of ABS plastic?

    When it comes to cost however, a magnesium case or a plastic case makes little or no difference. Would I pay the extra 13 cents to get a magnesium detector casing? Yeah.

    But, performance per dollar is my real interest, but the magnesium case is nice. And plastic detectors only began to hit the market in the 1990's...

    The V1 is pretty big however, it's really wide, and pretty long. Passport is much narrower, but extremely long. I prefer the detector to be similar to the size of a pack of Marlboros, not a carton

  7. #7
    Speed Demon
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by SmaartAasSaabr
    Yes the Valentine One has a magnesium case.

    Good. The case feels nice and strong. Plastic detector cases suck, I mean, would you want a 9mm made of ABS plastic?

    When it comes to cost however, a magnesium case or a plastic case makes little or no difference. Would I pay the extra 13 cents to get a magnesium detector casing? Yeah.

    But, performance per dollar is my real interest, but the magnesium case is nice. And plastic detectors only began to hit the market in the 1990's...

    The V1 is pretty big however, it's really wide, and pretty long. Passport is much narrower, but extremely long. I prefer the detector to be similar to the size of a pack of Marlboros, not a carton
    How do you figure the V1 is bigger than the X50??

    1.25" H x 2.85" W x 5.32" L for the X50

    1.00" H x 3.60" W x 4.50" L for the V1

    Looks like the X50 is higher by .25" and longer than the V1 by .82" but the V1 is wider by .75" but it has 2 antennas and it weighs less than the X50. Looks like the V1 wins in my book!!

    You also have to look at the fact that Escort and Bel both filed for bankruptcy within the past 7 years and Valentine Research has never filed for bankruptcy. Think of your radar detector like a high performance car, would you buy one from a company that filed for bankruptcy in 1997 and 2000?

  8. #8
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    Default Valentine with Pop

    I guess I am just lucky to live in the rural part of Arizona. I haven't encountered many of the problems with falsing that may exist in urban areas. Anyone know if the Arizona Highway Patrol uses POP and where?

  9. #9
    Yoda of Radar
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by BiGeAsYgUy
    Quote Originally Posted by SmaartAasSaabr
    Yes the Valentine One has a magnesium case.

    Good. The case feels nice and strong. Plastic detector cases suck, I mean, would you want a 9mm made of ABS plastic?

    When it comes to cost however, a magnesium case or a plastic case makes little or no difference. Would I pay the extra 13 cents to get a magnesium detector casing? Yeah.

    But, performance per dollar is my real interest, but the magnesium case is nice. And plastic detectors only began to hit the market in the 1990's...

    The V1 is pretty big however, it's really wide, and pretty long. Passport is much narrower, but extremely long. I prefer the detector to be similar to the size of a pack of Marlboros, not a carton
    How do you figure the V1 is bigger than the X50??

    1.25" H x 2.85" W x 5.32" L for the X50

    1.00" H x 3.60" W x 4.50" L for the V1

    Looks like the X50 is higher by .25" and longer than the V1 by .82" but the V1 is wider by .75" but it has 2 antennas and it weighs less than the X50. Looks like the V1 wins in my book!!

    You also have to look at the fact that Escort and Bel both filed for bankruptcy within the past 7 years and Valentine Research has never filed for bankruptcy. Think of your radar detector like a high performance car, would you buy one from a company that filed for bankruptcy in 1997 and 2000?

    Well... I DID!

    Saab was broke in the mid 1980's and got bought 50% by GM in 1990, then the other 50% was bought by GM in 2000! And they're still broke!

    The V1 is wider. Yes it "has more inside". I'm not saying V1 is bad. But V1's extra width makes it difficult to quickly store it... you see, detectors are not kosher everywhere....

    Escort and BEL filed for bankruptcy because Valentine made a superior product. Back then. Today I am not sure. V1 is definately amoung the top 3, the other two are Bel and Escort. Is V1 ahead? Maybe. Is Escort ahead? Maybe. They are very close performers. But comparing an mid-90's V1 to say a Passport 4600... who wins? I'll let you answer that.

 

 

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