STI Cheap RD Falsing Testing

[SmaartAasSaabr]

I've been playing around with my new STI Driver which carries revision A3M8.

We've all heard the "constant Ka falsing" issue from neighboring detectors, usually those of the cheapie variety.

So I took my Uniden LRD-9000W (approx 12 years old, falling apart, surely quite the leaky unit, metallic casing) and my Sensoro Alpha / PNI RX5000 (a little over a year and supposedly VG2 / Spectre I immune by means of shifted LO - plastic casing)

The STi Driver was placed in Highway mode throughout the test. All bands on all detectors are activated. The Uniden recieves only "Wideband" Ka. The STi Driver was mounted high in a Saab 900 3-door (no tinting). The other detectors were mounted in another Saab 900 3-door (no tinting) parked alongside. The detectors were thusly approx 1 metre apart, both facing forwards.

First - the Uniden.

With POP mode off (default), there was no falsing at all on the STI Driver. Similarly the Uniden remained quiet. With POP mode activated on the STI, surprisingly - there was still no alert from the STI.

Now - the Sensoro.

With POP mode off, no falsing. With POP on, also no falsing

I then used a phone extension cord to bring the STI right up to the Sensoro.



As you can see, both detectors are remaining silent and with no alert. The Sensoro is displaying a compass heading, while the STI is displaying the voltage of my electrical system of the other car. The STI is in Highway mode with POP ON.

As well...

I have tested my STI Driver with a Target RLT-500 laser/radar tester. The STI will alert to laser, though it is rather sketchy in reception. I dare say that the Sensoro may be more sensitive. However I have not experimented enough with the laser to be able to genuinely give an answer. On the radar front, the STI will alert to K band at 24.138 GHz indicated very consistently and from quite a distance. However the STI filters out the Ka band (supposedly at 34,3 GHz) from the tester, presumably due to detector-like harmonics from the unit. However if you press the K and Ka buttons simultaneously, the STI will consistently alert to Ka at 35.538 GHz.

A visual comparison of the STI Driver and Sensoro:

[jimbonzzz]

The STI will alert to laser, though it is rather sketchy in reception. I dare say that the Sensoro may be more sensitive. However I have not experimented enough with the laser to be able to genuinely give an answer.

In playing with some PNI's on the bench, laser detection seems to be surprisingly good, although this is just my personal perception from palying around...

[Hessen]

What's up with the Blistex........ :?: Winters over Mon Ami.......

Got a "Chapping Problem"......... ops:

[SmaartAasSaabr]

What's up with the Blistex........ :?: Winters over Mon Ami.......

Got a "Chapping Problem"......... ops:

Once things hit the desk they don't tend to leave :wink:

At least you didn't notice the half-empty box of Trojans just outside the frame...

[pipinos1976]

This sensoro detector is exactly like Snooper models (S5R to be exact). Anyone know anything about that? Probably the same manufacturer from China, Tawain or somewhere else?

Thnx.

[SmaartAasSaabr]

This sensoro detector is exactly like Snooper models (S5R to be exact). Anyone know anything about that? Probably the same manufacturer from China, Tawain or somewhere else?

Thnx.

Yep it is exactly appearance as the Snooper. Mine has a matrix display (not LED), detects X, K and Ka, has 3 "city" modes (only acting on X - City 3 disables X band), it has voice alert in English / Spanish and has a compass display. the retail price in the USA is $149.95.

It says "Made in China" on the bottom... BGTech?

[pipinos1976]

Keep learning all the time.

The snooper S5R, the best model of snooper (when speaking only for radar / laser detection and not GPS) has a DOT Matrix display (there are some replicas that have LED displays but they are very few in the market) and 3 modes (Digital Logic) of operation.
1. All bands
2. All bands except X
3. Only K band and Laser (good for UK use only)

No snooper until now ever had voice alerts. Snooper S5R+ is a limited production with voice alerts.

The performance in radar detection is not as good as Bel's 550 even though the price is high, at about 320$ in UK. As it concerns laser detection I don't have a clue, but I haven't detected anything even with 550, so I don't expect much. Probably they use a Photodiode and lens to concentrate the IR light to the photodiode (I haven't opened it but the cheap RDs use this method).

Thnx.

[SmaartAasSaabr]

Looks a lot like the Snooper company overcharges a lot for this unit. I paid $30 for mine and it was still sealed in the box. I think it was made ~2003-2004.

The laser sensor is a photocell with light pipe on top and on front. But it does seem to work good for laser from the angles but I don't know if it works that great on the road. It did pick up laser but I was already doing speed limit.