Comparing the V1 to the STi and 9500ci...

[MEM-TEK]

Hi everyone,

Most of you are aware that DJ has lent me his newly factory serviced 3.864 V1 for testing. Today I had some time to do some preliminary X and K band performance testing against some of my favorite X and K band door openers located around town. These tests are just "quick and dirty" tests, and more thorough testing along with videos will be posted in the future.

Test Setup:

-- The STi was mounted in its usual position just above the left side of my RVM. The V1 was mounted just to the left of the STi, but it was placed approximately 1/2" lower so that the front of the V1's antenna was located approximately 3/4" forward of the STi's antenna. This was necessary in order to prevent the STi from "seeing" the LO leakage from the V1.

-- All tests were performed with either the V1 or the STi turned on, and all tests were repeated with both windshield mounted RDs turned on. The 9500ci remained turned on at all times since its antenna is mounted in front of the radiator. Interestingly, at least as far as X and K band is concerned, the V1 mounted as described above did not affect the STi's or 9500ci's X or K band sensitivity in any way. Likewise the STi adjacent to the V1 didn't affect the V1's X or K band sensitivity. So at least as far as X and K band are concerned, the test setup with the windshield mounted RDs mounted as high as possible and with the V1's antenna deliberately placed a bit forward of the STi's antenna, does not cause any problems for X and K detection. Note that this might not hold true when I eventually test Ka band performance.

-- The V1 was reset to all of its factory defualts and was being operated in the "A" all bogeys mode. The STi and 9500ci were being operated in their Highway modes.

-- Specific long range were performed against some of my favorite "test" X and K band door openers located around town. A specific over-the-hill test was also performed against one particular K band door opener.

-- I didn't pay too much attention to the V1's arrows or bogey counter since these tests only were concerned with overall X and K band sensitivity comparisons of these radar detectors. Yet I can say that the arrows appeared to work rather well.

X band:

-- My recently reflashed STi (flashed with the new audio ramp-up code) matched the V1 for alerting to my favorite lone X band door opener. I did several tests, approaching the door opener from different directions. Both the STi and the V1 would start to alert to the door opener literally within a few feet of each other on the road regardless of whether both RDs were turned on or when only one or the other RD was turned on.

K band:

-- The V1 alerted approximately 30 feet sooner than the STi when approaching a specific K band door opener which was located over a shallow hill. Yet the 9500ci began to alert to this same door opener approximately 300 feet sooner than the V1. The 9500ci was almost always was showing a signal strength of 2 bars when the V1 began to alert to the same K band signal. I then did some specific long range tests against a few more of my favorite "test" K band door openers. My conclusions are that the V1 is nearly twice as sensitive to K band compared to my STi. I estimate that the V1 is 2dB to 2.5dB more sensitive to K band compared to my STi. The 9500ci is a different story. In all tests the 9500ci alerted first by significant margins. I conclude that the 9500ci is 4 times as sensitive (6dB) to K band compared to the V1.

Ka band:

-- Not tested. Ka band testing will be performed at a later date.

[YTCD]

Haha thats awsome. Im a little suprised with the margin on K band with the V1 and STI but I think that Beltronics did that deliberatly but I didn't know to that extreme. Ka will be a different story though especially off-axis. But the 9500ci is insane!

Can't wait for Ka band and videos mem-tek, keep us updated. And hopefully its before the 27/26th! haha

[hockey005]

keep up the good work mem!

[MEM-TEK]

Haha thats awsome. Im a little suprised with the margin on K band with the V1 and STI but I think that Beltronics did that deliberatly but I didn't know to that extreme.

I'm not quite sure what you mean, that "Beltronics did that deliberately". I have concluded that the V1 is approximately 2 to 2.5 dB more sensitive than the STi on K band, but not a full 3dB which would be twice the sensitivity. My STi would begin to alert to K band while driving around town only a second or two after the V1, which is about right since K band door openers have nowhere the output power of a K band police radar gun. Occasionally but rarely both would alert to a distant K band door opener at virtually the same time. Yet as I mentioned, the 9500ci is a completely different story, many times alerting to the presence of an off-axis K band door opener while both the V1 and STi remained silent. Additionally the 9500ci always alerted first to any K band door opener by a few to several seconds while driving around town.

Anyway, these tests were fairly short and what I like to think of as "quick and dirty" tests -- enough to give me a good idea of sensitivity differences, but not enough to allow me to nail down sensitivity differences to better than 2dB.

The only thing so far which I really don't like about the V1 is its huge and very bright arrows. I now see why most V1 owners decide to purchase its optional remote display. Those arrows really need to be the first thing which begins to dim as evening twilight approaches. Other than that, its a neat radar detector and one which is obviously designed to be used on the open highway. This seems to be its particular market niche even though other manufacturers offer models which also are designed with this market niche in mind. I know that I am going to enjoy further testing of the V1. Its just a somewhat different radar detector compared to what I am used to using.

[V1 on the go]

I cant wait for your reviews. I just loved reading your other reviews.

[MEM-TEK]

Whats really cool is that there are several really good (in terms of both performance and build quality) North American designed radar detector models. This is one of my primary reasons for reviewing the V1. We as a group need to steer the general public away from the cheap overseas designed and manufactured radar detectors since the differences in both performance and build quality are substantial. And with the present economy, I would hate to see us lose any of the North American based radar detector manufacturers. Besides, the present economy will cause a dramatic rise in revenue generation from questionable speeding tickets. This could be a golden opportunity for the specific RD manufacturers which we all know produce high performance products -- if they play their cards right.

[category4]

Your results compare with what have seen with my V1 and 9500ci. I wonder if the STi-R and V1 would have similar results?

[MEM-TEK]

Your results compare with what have seen with my V1 and 9500ci. I wonder if the STi-R and V1 would have similar results?

They should have identical results.

[samq45]

They should have identical results.

+1

The relationship between my STi and Sti-R sounds identical to what Mem-Tek Describes between the STI and 9500ci. K band the -R will beat the Sti by as many as 5-6 seconds or a bit more depending on conditions. Can't wait for Ka Band test. Any idea which Freq's you might test?


Mem-Tek - Do you plan on completing any quick trigger tests too. Love to see that and have an -R included to see what your results are with the Radar Junking on or off.

Thanks for taking the time.

[category4]

They should have identical results.

The reason I ask is that my STi-R does not seem to pickup much greater than the V1, maybe one to two seconds, but the ci blows the V1 away. About half the time the V1 alerts just before or at the same time, always the ci beats the V1 sometimes by as much as 20 seconds or more.