Bel Express 795 30 min drive test...

[ES13Raven]

So I was going to give my sister my Whistler Pro 58 because she recently got a ticket from CHP. The CHP (Ka) was going the opposite direction and a RD could have totally saved her butt.

But then I read this thread (http://www.radardetector.net/BEL795-vs-Whistler-PRO58-5766t.php) where Boomerman tested the Bel Express795 (only available from RadioShack) against the Pro 58 in a "drivability test" and the Bel showed better filtering, but still had great range. After having the RX65 and X50 - I am definitely a Bel fan. The major feature I look for now is less false alerts but still having great range, and Bel has mastered that.

So I decided to buy the Express e795 at RS while it is on sale for $80. RadarTest recently rated this detector 5/5 stars and best in overall performance for RDs under $100 HERE (http://www.radartest.com/article.asp?articleID=10051).

It looks like the higher end Vector models, rather than the other Express models and has the RJ-11 style power adapter:
http://www.radartest.com/images/under_100/BEL_express_795.jpg
I did a 30 minute drive test around town where I knew there are known X, K and sometimes Ka falses. The 795 did not false in several places where the Pro 58 does. In fact I would say that the filtering was almost that of the RX65 or X50 except for the fact that the 795 would Ka false where there was a strong X false, due to that 3rd harmonic of X issue. The RX65 and X50 implement algorithms to check for this, where the 795 does not.

The City mode only filters X band, but you still get a visual alert to X under a certain threshold, which is nice. That is one thing that the RX65 does as well, but not the X50.

All in all, I would say that this should be the best detector for under $100, and definitely a steal at $80. I would recommend this detector over all others under $150 for friends and family.

If anyone wants a good deal on a Pro-58, let me know :wink:

[AirMoore]

Going to have a hard time telling the PRO-58 now after that post :lol:

I think (from also having this detector and posting my review[s] of it on this website) that it is also the best under 100dollar detector you can buy as far as overall performance (little falsing/detection range etc etc) ...from my experience. I wouldnt not trade it in for my higher end detectors, but would be very confident as using it as a backup for them...I think you will find the detection is ample in most cases in further test drives.

[Ace2525]

Ok...new ?....i see the picture at radioshack and it has a signal indicator with 4 red dots...and i see the 3 yellow indicators for k, ka and x....what does the green dots P and C mean?

is this detector (795) the exact same as the 935 except for the LED vs LCD?

[A-TownNavi]

Ok...new ?....i see the picture at radioshack and it has a signal indicator with 4 red dots...and i see the 3 yellow indicators for k, ka and x....what does the green dots P and C mean?

is this detector (795) the exact same as the 935 except for the LED vs LCD?

P=Power
C=City

[Ace2525]

thanks...do u know the answer to the other ?....

[aust3333]

I bought the E795 on 12-16-05 and after 2 1/2 days I am not impressed. I see that everyone is raving about this detector that is the reason I bouhgt it. It is suppose to be my backup and is going to be installed in my wifes Ford Explorer. I have been testing it and the local falses such as CVS and Walgreens the E795 did not alert at all to the K band doors. I mean not 1 time. Don't tell me that its filtering is superior to the RX65. I got a Ka band alert today and it alerted when I was right on top of the cop.
I even took the first E795 back to RS because the way it was performing, did not match up to all the post by Boomerman, Airmoore and others. I'm going to give it to the end of the week just to be fair. If I decide not to keep this detector, can any of you guys recommend a backup detector for me that has a better display and better range. Also, I would like to disable X band with a similar price range. When I say similar I mean $150.00 or so. The Pro series Whistlers are out because I have owned those and can not tolerate the falses.

[boomerman]

I bought the E795 on 12-16-05 and after 2 1/2 days I am not impressed. I see that everyone is raving about this detector that is the reason I bouhgt it. It is suppose to be my backup and is going to be installed in my wifes Ford Explorer. I have been testing it and the local falses such as CVS and Walgreens the E795 did not alert at all to the K band doors. I mean not 1 time. Don't tell me that its filtering is superior to the RX65. I got a Ka band alert today and it alerted when I was right on top of the cop.
I even took the first E795 back to RS because the way it was performing, did not match up to all the post by Boomerman, Airmoore and others. I'm going to give it to the end of the week just to be fair. If I decide not to keep this detector, can any of you guys recommend a backup detector for me that has a better display and better range. Also, I would like to disable X band with a similar price range. When I say similar I mean $150.00 or so. The Pro series Whistlers are out because I have owned those and can not tolerate the falses.

Not falsing at CVS and Walgreens was one of the big reasons I like the unit.
I think the filtering may be better since it may not be as sensitive compared to the RX 65

As far as the KA band alert I have noticed a lot of the Indiana State Police are using instant on now, so that could be the reason it did not detect it until you were up on him.
I would not disable X band since it is being used still in Indiana.
The range I have gotten with this unit has been quite impressive.

[carlito]

I bought the E795 on 12-16-05 and after 2 1/2 days I am not impressed. I see that everyone is raving about this detector that is the reason I bouhgt it. It is suppose to be my backup and is going to be installed in my wifes Ford Explorer. I have been testing it and the local falses such as CVS and Walgreens the E795 did not alert at all to the K band doors. I mean not 1 time. Don't tell me that its filtering is superior to the RX65. I got a Ka band alert today and it alerted when I was right on top of the cop.
I even took the first E795 back to RS because the way it was performing, did not match up to all the post by Boomerman, Airmoore and others. I'm going to give it to the end of the week just to be fair. If I decide not to keep this detector, can any of you guys recommend a backup detector for me that has a better display and better range. Also, I would like to disable X band with a similar price range. When I say similar I mean $150.00 or so. The Pro series Whistlers are out because I have owned those and can not tolerate the falses. return the unit its not working right try one more if that one does the same then buy the whistler model :lol:

[ES13Raven]

I even took the first E795 back to RS because the way it was performing, did not match up to all the post by Boomerman, Airmoore and others. I'm going to give it to the end of the week just to be fair.
I hope that means that you took the first one back, and are now on your 2nd one to test out. I think any RD can have its bad apples and maybe you got one.
If you are on your 2nd one, give it at least a weeks worth of driving with it until you make your final opinion of it. :wink:

[speedqueen]

I have had the Bel795 for a few weeks now. I like the fact that it does not give alot of falses as the Whistlers. In Indiana, I drive Highway 465 every day. They are going to alot on instant on. I little surprised with the instant on's. I have seen just here lately 2 State LEO's sitting just beyond the exit lane on the right side of the highway, doing instant on with another LEO on the left side of the highway doing the running. I would have never thought they would be on the opposite side of the highway, only caught it because I was in slow lane. They was no radar detection, but then all of of sudden the detector went crazy and than it stopped again than I seen the LEO. Was really happy that day of being in the slow lane. Unusal for me. They are so sneaky. I always get plenty of notice in Carmel, Indiana because they radar continuously. I do not believe that any RD is going to give you a good alert if they are going to instant on. But I do like the Bel795.

[AirMoore]

I bought the E795 on 12-16-05 and after 2 1/2 days I am not impressed. I see that everyone is raving about this detector that is the reason I bought it. It is suppose to be my backup and is going to be installed in my wifes Ford Explorer. I have been testing it and the local falses such as CVS and Walgreens the E795 did not alert at all to the K band doors. I mean not 1 time.

I think that is a good thing...personally that is why I like this detector as my backup...it has very few falses in your normal false locations.
(I hope as ES13Raven said that you got another E795 detector from them...maybe you got a lemon...its very possible out of the thousands upon thousands made.)


Don't tell me that its filtering is superior to the RX65. I got a Ka band alert today and it alerted when I was right on top of the cop.
See the post 'Boomerman' made above for this.



I even took the first E795 back to RS because the way it was performing, did not match up to all the post by Boomerman, Airmoore and others.
Everyone else who has it [and has posted about it]: ( Speedqueen, Carlito, Boomerman, Me, ES13 to name a few) dont seem to have the complaints you have had.
Again hope you got a different unit back from them.



I'm going to give it to the end of the week just to be fair. If I decide not to keep this detector, can any of you guys recommend a backup detector for me that has a better display and better range. Also, I would like to disable X band with a similar price range. When I say similar I mean $150.00 or so. The Pro series Whistlers are out because I have owned those and can not tolerate the falses.

I think if you havent got a new detector from them (a 2nd different one) do that, then give that (new) detector a week. I think it is questionable that so many people get great results from this detector for its price and you seem to be the only person having problems with it (again maybe you got a lemon).
One last thing is remember this is NOT the RX65. You paid $80 for it, not over $280 so dont base all your ideas about this detector to the RX65 that wont be fair to it(the 795).

Not to mention: If you end up not liking this detector, and you cannot tolerate the Pro series falses you dont leave yourself much room to go in the under $150 department as far as I am concerned (for solid detection). You will kind of be putting your back to a corner with those restrictions. Not saying there arent other detectors out there in that price range BUT:
There is a reason why their (E795&ProSeries) names are always mentioned in that price range...because they are some of the best in that range.

[aust3333]

Wow, thanks for all the replies guys. Boomerman the cop that I ran into was a local cop running constant on Ka. I have never seen instant on in my town ever. I am a little spoiled to the RX65 but I have another low end Bel that is a friend of mines it is a Bel 950 and it falses in the exact same spots as the RX65 and actually matches it performance minus the features. So I guess i was expecting the same falses out of the E795. Anybody know anything about the Bel 935 and how it performs. I like the display on that one better than the 795 but haven't heard anything about this unit. It is $129.00 at an authorized Bel dealer. Well guys, I will give the E795 a little more time and see what happens. After all this is my second unit and I'm not totally sure if the first was defective. I'm going to continue to use it too and from work (Indiana to Chicago) and see if it will grow on me as it did on all of you. Thanks fellas for all of the replies. I hope to become a believer soon.

[Silhouette]

I've got my 795 from RadioShack sometimes a week ago. It should go to my wife's car. Curently I'm using Bel 970 LR. SO before give it away I decided to compare it to existing 970. In overall 795 is more quiet and on a real alert falses only a second later. But one thing I can not understand. After I added 795 to my windshield close to my existing 970, old unit periodicaly goes crazy on k band. Ones per 5 min it displays highest alert for a second or so and goes to nothing right after that. And it doesn't happend if I remove 795. So does it look like new unit periodicaly emmits something to the air? Is it realistic suppose? Is it because they are to close to each other? :roll:

Any thoughts or ideas?

[ES13Raven]

Radar detectors are not meant to be run together in the same car. There are many topics on this if you would like to do a search, but it cause all kinds of issues and is not a good idea.

[compu44]

http://guysoflidar.com/twodetectors.html

[Silhouette]

Guys,
Thanks for putting me on to the ground :)

So, what is the best way to compare them?

[boomerman]

Moving them farther away from each other on the windshield may help.

[ES13Raven]

So, what is the best way to compare them?
Well, if you lived with the older Bel for some period of time and you drive a lot of the same roads in your town, you probably know certain areas where you can drive through that have known false alerts.

I would drive through these areas with only the 795 plugged in and compare where and how often the falses come with the 795. If you can find a LEO and real radar/laser encounter - use that too. :wink: