Ultimate Radar Detector Review '05 - Bel, Escort, Valentine

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Originally Posted by compu44

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Originally Posted by LS2

:shock: I am so confused :x :shock:

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Well, post a little detail on precisely what is confusing you, and what you're looking for and i'll see if I could help you.

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Thank you very much for your assistance.
I just think that the V-1 should be alot lower priced than it is instead of being the most high priced for the old style, knobs and size of what you get. It is so odd shaped and big looking. I know performance should be over style and I have to get over that but the V-1 is the highest priced detector with less features than other detectors costing less than half of that. The V-1 never goes on sale and people keep buying them so I guess that means something :shock:
It is the arrow feature. I like the arrow feature and that is the only thing I like about the V-1 and for the fact it has a reputation of being the best in range and on those two things it would seem to be the detector to get if it really does outperform other detectors.
I am used to voice warnings as opposed to the confusing way the V-1 does it identification of signals with those little LEDS.
I'm concerned about false alarms that I hear the V-1 gets alot of because I can get those in my Cobra ESD-9850 and Whistler 1793 SE at more than half the price of $400 for the V-1.
I can still get that Pro-97 Radio Shack scanner on sale for 149.95 for a limited time only and that Panasonic 27 inch flat screen TV with DVD player/VCR combo. I guess maybe I have too many other things I can get...What's a guy to do??? :shock: but if in doubt between two things I usually get both :lol:

IMHO, the V1 is an excelent detector, but it's not quite worth the $400, that's why I purchased the RX65 instead. I just felt it was a better value for the money.

The reason that the v1 can command such a high price is the fact that it's the only detector that's really upgradable. Bel and Escort say that their detectors are upgradable, but they are upgradable in software only. For example, when POP became a threat, the original 8500 was not upgraded for it because it required a different antenna. The V1 was upgradable to detect POP without the purchase of a new unit.

The V1 also has the best laser sensitivity in the industry by a BIG margin, and is the only dash-mount detector with directional indicators. Those are the main reasons that it is so expensive.

Voice alerts are a personal preference. Personally, I got really tired of them on my RX65 and turned them off after a couple weeks. A good detector will have tones that area distinct enough that you don't need voice alerts.

False alerts - All detectors get false alerts alerts, some more than others. The reason that Cobra detectors are quiet in the city is that they lack sensitivity. While they will give less warning than a high-end detector on a door opener or other nuisnance alert, they will also give less warning to real police radar. The only way to overcome this is with advanced filtering methods. Much of the problem on the V1 is X band falsing, and as such, would not be a concern to you since I believe you said that you disable X-Band anyway.

I've been in your situation before. I used Cobra detectors. I owned an ESD-9210, an ESD-9870, and an XRS-9700. They seem pretty decent when that's all you've used, but the difference in warning range between a Cobra and, say, an RX65 or X50, is a night-and-day difference. For instant-on detection, it can make all the difference. I've detected instant-on K Band at over a mile and a half over a couple of small hills before with my RX. Constant-on K and Ka at about 2 miles. With my Cobras, I never, EVER, saw warning of over a half mile in ANY situation. Usually much less than a half mile. While the extra distance seems like bragging rights, it's much more than that. Think of this scenario.

A car is on the road a half mile in front of you. That car is entering a curve with an officer waiting on the other side. The officer is using Instant-on Ka band. The officer clocks the car - not speeding. Now the real question is, did you get an alert when that car got clocked? Using your current Cobra, I can assure you that the answer would be no. Cobras are notoriously bad around curves, especially on Ka.

If all you ever come up against is constant-on radar, the Cobra would do just fine. But if you run up against instant-on radar, sooner or later, it is going to let you down. My money is on sooner rather than later.

I'll give another reason for the V1, reliability.
Just look through any radar detector type forum or customer review. You will notice lots more complaints about problems with the bel-escort model, than you will with V1.

Personally, I think all the current Escort-Bels are overpriced for the quality and the V1 is over priced for user comeforts. It is my impression that Bel-Escort cuts corners on the radar detection circuts. It is my impression that Bel-escort is "juicing" their detector circuts beyond their normal operating limits. It is my impression that that is why they have quality issues. I think it is a business model that allows them to make a lower quality detector that the can do well in magazine reviews. That allows them to charge more for an inferior quality product.

On the V1, it is my impression that it is a small company where money is tight, but his engineering is designed with a long term eye. I don't think he can afford to constantly retool to make "newer units". From the radar perspective, he does not need to, mainly because he apparently has a very well thought out design. My impression is the V1 short commings are in the capital outlay to make a more user friendly detector. I think the fact that he sells a high end product, but does not accept American Express says a lot. Typically there are only two reason why a company won't take American Express.
1. They can afford Amex's cut of the sale.
2. They have severe customer service problems.
Given how fast V1 refunded my money when it returned my V1, I don't think #2 is an issue.


I wager that if someone where to due a series of tests with 1 year old radar detectors, or even do a long term usage report/test/comparison that the V1 would come out on top by a good margin. (in terms of performance and quality)


I will sum it up like this, all of the top detectors are overpriced for what you get. However, comparatively, the V1 is NOT overvalued.

So my advice, Buy either the Bel/escort or the V1, but if you buy the Bel escort, make sure you buy the extended warrenty. When you do that, you get a much better idea of the comparative value.

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Originally Posted by jbird

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Originally Posted by crazyVOLVOrob

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Originally Posted by jbird

Actually, if you read the Veil Guy's review entirely. The detectors would sound off at the same time or each would slightly beat the other by a small amount but still enough time to slow down. There were occassions when the V1 was beaten in alerting to real police radar by the RX65 and X50 and vice versa. As for laser, the only alert sounded both the V1 and RX65 alerted at the same time from a 1000ft away.

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Have you read the whole thing? the RX65 has alerted to Ka ealier than the X50 or V1 and the V1 however had superior K-bands range bty seconds


And we all know that the V1 has superior laser detection but added falses are sad

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On test day 5 of the review the RX65 and V1 almost simultaneously alerted to a K-band radar sign in the median although in general the V1 did perform a little better on K band. I also made no distinction in the individual bands used in my above statement either as both are in common use and can result in a ticket. It does seem that Ka band units are getting more popular at least if you go by new contracts being made.

I do and have admitted that the V1 sees laser better at close range and detects laser from over 2000ft away. The RX65 and X50 do not do so well with laser aimed correctly at short range (see JTW videos when his site is back up.) How far away the RX65 and X50 can see laser has yet to be determined.

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So then when will other detector companies come out with the arrow feature?

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Originally Posted by compu44

IMHO, the V1 is an excelent detector, but it's not quite worth the $400, that's why I purchased the RX65 instead. I just felt it was a better value for the money.

The reason that the v1 can command such a high price is the fact that it's the only detector that's really upgradable. Bel and Escort say that their detectors are upgradable, but they are upgradable in software only. For example, when POP became a threat, the original 8500 was not upgraded for it because it required a different antenna. The V1 was upgradable to detect POP without the purchase of a new unit.

The V1 also has the best laser sensitivity in the industry by a BIG margin, and is the only dash-mount detector with directional indicators. Those are the main reasons that it is so expensive.

Voice alerts are a personal preference. Personally, I got really tired of them on my RX65 and turned them off after a couple weeks. A good detector will have tones that area distinct enough that you don't need voice alerts.

False alerts - All detectors get false alerts alerts, some more than others. The reason that Cobra detectors are quiet in the city is that they lack sensitivity. While they will give less warning than a high-end detector on a door opener or other nuisnance alert, they will also give less warning to real police radar. The only way to overcome this is with advanced filtering methods. Much of the problem on the V1 is X band falsing, and as such, would not be a concern to you since I believe you said that you disable X-Band anyway.

I've been in your situation before. I used Cobra detectors. I owned an ESD-9210, an ESD-9870, and an XRS-9700. They seem pretty decent when that's all you've used, but the difference in warning range between a Cobra and, say, an RX65 or X50, is a night-and-day difference. For instant-on detection, it can make all the difference. I've detected instant-on K Band at over a mile and a half over a couple of small hills before with my RX. Constant-on K and Ka at about 2 miles. With my Cobras, I never, EVER, saw warning of over a half mile in ANY situation. Usually much less than a half mile. While the extra distance seems like bragging rights, it's much more than that. Think of this scenario.

A car is on the road a half mile in front of you. That car is entering a curve with an officer waiting on the other side. The officer is using Instant-on Ka band. The officer clocks the car - not speeding. Now the real question is, did you get an alert when that car got clocked? Using your current Cobra, I can assure you that the answer would be no. Cobras are notoriously bad around curves, especially on Ka.

If all you ever come up against is constant-on radar, the Cobra would do just fine. But if you run up against instant-on radar, sooner or later, it is going to let you down. My money is on sooner rather than later.

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I would get the V-1 at $200 but at $400 there are a few other things I need now and the V-1 is never on sale so there is no rush in this purchase. Perhaps in time the V-1 will change or catch up with more features like the other detectors that are half the cost.

Cobra detectors have more leakage that sets off other detectors.

So which detector is the less of two evils?
the Cobra ESD-9850 or the Whistler 1793 SE cause in the absence of the V-1 this is what I currently using along with a scanner.

The Whistler.

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Originally Posted by tktm

I'll give another reason for the V1, reliability.
Just look through any radar detector type forum or customer review. You will notice lots more complaints about problems with the bel-escort model, than you will with V1.

Personally, I think all the current Escort-Bels are overpriced for the quality and the V1 is over priced for user comeforts. It is my impression that Bel-Escort cuts corners on the radar detection circuts. It is my impression that Bel-escort is "juicing" their detector circuts beyond their normal operating limits. It is my impression that that is why they have quality issues. I think it is a business model that allows them to make a lower quality detector that the can do well in magazine reviews. That allows them to charge more for an inferior quality product.

On the V1, it is my impression that it is a small company where money is tight, but his engineering is designed with a long term eye. I don't think he can afford to constantly retool to make "newer units". From the radar perspective, he does not need to, mainly because he apparently has a very well thought out design. My impression is the V1 short commings are in the capital outlay to make a more user friendly detector. I think the fact that he sells a high end product, but does not accept American Express says a lot. Typically there are only two reason why a company won't take American Express.
1. They can afford Amex's cut of the sale.
2. They have severe customer service problems.
Given how fast V1 refunded my money when it returned my V1, I don't think #2 is an issue.


I wager that if someone where to due a series of tests with 1 year old radar detectors, or even do a long term usage report/test/comparison that the V1 would come out on top by a good margin. (in terms of performance and quality)


I will sum it up like this, all of the top detectors are overpriced for what you get. However, comparatively, the V1 is NOT overvalued.

So my advice, Buy either the Bel/escort or the V1, but if you buy the Bel escort, make sure you buy the extended warrenty. When you do that, you get a much better idea of the comparative value.

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Thanks for the advice. You have some very interesting points. Should I get a detector now it probably would be the V-1 because remember you can return the unit within 30 days if you aren't satisfied. Ditto on the other unit Escort/solo/ not sure about the Bel but I had one offer from a vendor that if I'm not happy with the RX-65 I can get a full refund within 30 days.
As far as credit cards there is Visa and Mastercard so the American Express issue isn't a problem here. I also hear that Bel was bought out by Escort so really there are only two top names Escort and Valentine One and Valentine One used to work for Escort way back when. Somehow they are now all related :shock:

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Originally Posted by jimbonzzz

The Whistler.

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And the Whistler is known to be a falser like the Cobra is known for leakage. I do pick up emergency vehicles approaching on the Cobra:lol: