DSI-Computer Stinger

[Carlos from Spain]

I have a Stinger DSI installed in my car currently, I have had the Bel966 and also tried the Bel975, and the RoadPilot Micro w/ radarhorn.

The DSI has better detection range tha the Bel975 and Bel966.

The Bel966 and Bel975 have equal Multanpva detection range.

The Bel966 has much less false alerts in Ka band than the Bel975. The DSI is in between.

The Bel975 is cheaper then the Bel966 by 100€ here in Spain (450 vs 550€). The DSI is 1800€.

The Bel975 has a problem that it may freeze up when it encounters a very strong Ka signal and it does so without any warning so you don't know that is has happened and the next radar you encounter it will not alert you. We know of cases were they have been fined because of this, and we have reproduced and verified this effect in the laboratory with the Bel975. This does not happen to the Bel966R. I you turn off then on the Bel975 then it goes back to normal, so people do this when they encounter a strong Ka alert.

In particular to Spain, there is a new radar in the 35,5GHz frecuency, the Bel975 can pick this up in narrowband along with the 34,4GHZ of the Multanovas, but the Bel966 cannot. These radars are few in number and all fixed. The BEl975 picks this frecuency in narrowband without the need to open the superwide Ka band becuase if you do this the sensitivety to the weak multanova is greatly reduced and your detection distances against spanish multanovas will be close to 0, especially in the fixed version in gauntry or roadside cabin.

The DSI also has GPS incorporated and has added GPS warning capability through a database you download to the unit via computer.

The other option is the RoadPilot Micro with the optional radar horn, price is close to 1000€ but has the detection capability of a Bel975 (uses same antena) with the added capabillity of a GPS warning system (the micro itself), like the DSI. The DSI will give you better warning distances since the RoadPilot uses the Bel975 antena, but the RoadPilot's GPS part is more advanced and has more functions.

The DSI is invisible to the Spectre III RDD, but there has not been a case of a RDD being used in Spain. The fine in Spain for suing a detector is just 150€ and you loose 2 licence points, its the same as talking on a mobile phone or not using a seatbelt. And they do not confiscate the device.

[nvr2fast]

Hi Carlos!

So the problems with the 975/966:

966 may miss a Multanova if you are near a GSM tower, because the chip blocks the signal but also blocks the Multanova if they are close by

975 may crash/hang if a very strong Ka signal is encountered. Workaround is to reset the unit after passing a Multanova or other strong Ka signal.

I guess the best one is 975 then, because at least there is a workaround by resetting it manually, whereas with the 966 there is no way or method to fix that (as it is a feature).


Is Beltronics still actively developing the 975? If it is, no doubt they can fix this in a software/firmware update, because it doesn't sound like a hardware problem, it sounds like a software "overflow" or something where the signal gets too high and the software cannot handle the high signal maybe.

But if Bel is forgetting the 975 and not actively updating it... guess it will never be fixed :cry:

[Carlos from Spain]

Hi nvr2fast,

966 may miss a Multanova if you are near a GSM tower, because the chip blocks the signal but also blocks the Multanova if they are close by

I have never encountered this problem with the 996 nor heard of anyone in Spain to whom this has happened. The problem with the GSM towers is that even though they emit in GSM frecuencies that are different from police radar, their harmonics may fall within police radar frecuencies and cause detectors to give false signals. This happens to the Bel975 but not the Bel966, sometimes users also find that when they try to use their mobile phone in their car, the Bel975 goes crazy. This happens only with certain phones and certain places.
But I have never encountered any inteference from GSM towers on the Bel966 to cause it not to alert, nor heard of anyone in Spain were the Bel966 has not alerted due to this, at least with Ka band (we don't have K band, only a docen in the whole country). So I can't comment on it since I have no experience with this problem.

Is Beltronics still actively developing the 975? If it is, no doubt they can fix this in a software/firmware update, because it doesn't sound like a hardware problem, it sounds like a software "overflow" or something where the signal gets too high and the software cannot handle the high signal maybe.

But if Bel is forgetting the 975 and not actively updating it... guess it will never be fixed :cry:

No, they are not. The Bel975 has basically been replaced by the Bel RX-75, but they keep making the Bel975 still because there is still a market outside northamerica due to its narrowband 34,3GHz. However, it hasn't been changed or evolved in years, since the RX-75. Furthermore, this problem doesn't seem to exist in northamerica since we haven't heard of it happening there (there is no 34,3GHz in US) so they may not be aware of it or don't care.

But it doesn't happen very very often, and if you take care of switching on/off the unit after a strong alert you should be fine in most cases, the problem is more with people that do not know that this can happen.

[Harold]

We found out that the drop out of the 975 was caused by a bad battery or a low voltage at the moment the 975 is switched on:

When you also have connected the 2 laser receivers on the 975 you will some times have this problem. You can solve this by first starting your cars engine, and than switch on the 975.

The problem with the Ka false alert with mobile cell phones can be caused by a bad ground to the battery.

[Carlos from Spain]

Good point but that is a different case, the one I'm refering to is after the cars of the users were on the road and the 975 operating normally, not on start up. Also was replicated with the unit not installed in a car.

[Harold]

I had it once with my Bel 915. also when I was driving, it was still on, but didn't alert anymore, when you reset it, then it works again.

[Carlos from Spain]

I had it once with my Bel 915. also when I was driving, it was still on, but didn't alert anymore, when you reset it, then it works again.

Thats the one. Apparently it happens when the detector encounters a max strength 34,3GHz signal. It starts to alert normally to that signal but as the strength increases, if it reaches a certain very hig level it freezes up and quiets down, leading the driver to belive that its because the signal is over and passed. Then as you continue to drive, when you encounter the next Ka radar, the detector will not alert you to it and continue frozen and quiet. Only after you turn if OFF and then back ON, will the unit start to operate normally again.

We tested all the Bel996/975 remote variants and it happens only to the Bel975/915 branch. But it does not happen to the Bel966R/Target 660/Stinger Ventura branch. These last units have a different horn inside the antena housing and software for the Ku reception.

[WRC]

what do you guys think about the bel 995, is it good for detecting photo radar?

[nvr2fast]

I had it once with my Bel 915. also when I was driving, it was still on, but didn't alert anymore, when you reset it, then it works again.

Thats the one. Apparently it happens when the detector encounters a max strength 34,3GHz signal. It starts to alert normally to that signal but as the strength increases, if it reaches a certain very hig level it freezes up and quiets down, leading the driver to belive that its because the signal is over and passed. Then as you continue to drive, when you encounter the next Ka radar, the detector will not alert you to it and continue frozen and quiet. Only after you turn if OFF and then back ON, will the unit start to operate normally again.

We tested all the Bel996/975 remote variants and it happens only to the Bel975/915 branch. But it does not happen to the Bel966R/Target 660/Stinger Ventura branch. These last units have a different horn inside the antena housing and software for the Ku reception.

Ouch but this is probably a very rare thing to happen, right?

I'm guessing the 975 being digital should be better because the tuning should stay "correct" longer I presume? Otherwise Bel would stay with analog and not switch to digital in the newer models... must be an advantage.

[Harold]

The 966 is replaced by the 966 Evo and is based on the 975, so I think so.