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As Ive been crawling the forums looking in some random threads, I see in a few people signatures that they had the V1 and they didn't like it. I have the 955 and I was looking to upgrade to the V1 later next month. I wanted to hear from people who dislike the V1, why? Now that I've been hearing some bad things about it, I was considering the STi.
Any thoughts?
No no why why would you make this thread, you've just unleashed the zombies why would you do that!
Haha, naww they false to much, there ugly, the were made back in the stone ages, they use LEDs instead of a LCD display, can't control sensitivity, a new update comes out every week, ...
But there actually great detectors and the best performing handheld detector out. Honestly I would like one because of the arrows and performance I need.
Mem-tek what were the figures you stated a while back on the sti-r and it's modes. You said city was like highway on the regular Sti or something like that.
I don't like the fact that K-band mutes are till 30 secs max. 30 secs is way too short if i'm on a stoplight with a damn walgreens in front of me. In fact i'd like to just keep K band on the mute volume lever and KA and laser can be full normal volume. The K band in city is hella chatty on the V1 but if you're on a highway its freaking kick aarrrrse.
I agree. After having my V1 for a little bit I am going to enable the K Band automuting for 30 seconds (Little L) so I can still see the lights.Quote:
Originally Posted by Event Horizon
People don't like it because it's the best radar detector.
Meaning, it doesn't just pick up police. Which is what a REAL TRUE radar detector should do.
Ignorance is bliss.
Most common complaints:
(1) Too many falses -- off-axis X/K-band sensitivity too high, sees door openers from unreasonably far away. If you are not an experienced detector user who can read the alerts effectively, this detector is not for you.
(2) Poor visual UI -- the same-colored dotted segment display look like 90's technology. Apart from the arrows and bogey counter, you will primarily be relying on auditory cues to determine type of alert and strength. If you are aurally impaired (i.e. cannot discern a clean high-pitched beep from a raspy lower-pitched beep), this detector is probably not for you.
(3) Unintuitive programming mode -- The progamming mode reminds you of DIP switches -- there are 10 or so menu items labeled in numbers and letters, and either UP or DOWN for each. The V1's website has a table explaining the meaning of each option, but unless you have a good memory or are a nerd,you will need to have this table handy to adjust detector settings.
With that said, I don't think any of these are fatal faults of the V1, and whether or not you like this detector will be more of personal taste than anything else. I love my V1.
Il agree with note here...i mean yea u can say the bands are same colors and there are no voice alerts but they are fast real time alerts and all 3 bands are easy to differentiate within a week of use
Too noisy, that's it for me. The V1 goes off so much in the city and gets annoying. Eventually, the normal reaction is to start to ignore it somewhat, because of all the false alerts. "Crying Wolf" syndrome. There are several excellent RDs on the market that do an excellent job of detecting police radar, without near as many false alerts.
1) Two tickets in 7 months of use. One where no detector would have helped, but the other where the X50 would have saved me.
2) Falses every band and laser (Ka J's and ghosts are falses).
3) 1980's design (Knobs, WTF?).
4) Band alert display is utter crap.
5) You can't program it without having the directions with you.
6) Mine was terrible on Ka over hills and around corners ... I drive the canyons and mountains a lot for fun and that's where I needed it to be at its best ... yet it was utter crap.
7) It will never have GPS. :p
8) You have to send it in via snail mail to update it .... WTF is that about? :p
9) It does not alert RLC's, Speed Cameras, or Speed Traps, so it's lacking in threat detection. It's not 1995 anymore ... there are new threats the V1 can't handle. :p
I don't know if you can compromise sensitivity and still have superior detection.
I guess people dont like the V1 because they live in areas where X is being used heavily and it does go off alot with x turned on.
In my case I have to worry about KA and laser which makes my V1 very valuable.
It already does.Quote:
Originally Posted by Obsidian
It's called CHEETAH! :D
Hmm...I don't remember saying that. Maybe it was somebody else?Quote:
Originally Posted by YTCD
LOL, that's reaching even for a zombielQuote:
Originally Posted by Stealth Stalker
If you do most of your driving on the highway you will love the V1, the arrows and bogey counter along with it's great sensativity make it the best windshield mount detector out there. If you drive a lot in an urban environment you may not like it. It will flase at every door opener around.
But after using it for a while you will learn to tell what is false and what is real. It has the best ramp up in the buisness. Laser sensativity is way beyond anything else out there. Not that that will probably help you but it's the only detector that remotely gives you a chance of picking up laser scatter and being able to slow in time.
Try it for 30 days if it does not suit you send it back and get the Escort 9500ix. I would not get the Sti unless I lived in a forbidden zone.
Not really sure about this.Quote:
Originally Posted by Obsidian
But it's a RADAR AND LASER DETECTOR. Not a police detector.Quote:
Originally Posted by Obsidian
Knobs just like every radio and CD player that adjusts volume like they make in the year 2008. Not sure how it's a huge deal.Quote:
Originally Posted by Obsidian
I'll partly agree with this. However, I don't like digital LEDs and love the custom display I paid to get. I think this is the only thing that could be improved.Quote:
Originally Posted by Obsidian
What other way would there be? There is one knob and you press on it. If they had other buttons on it the device would probably have to be bigger which people already complain about that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Obsidian
Not sure about this. I detected Ka easily over a mile away around bends.Quote:
Originally Posted by Obsidian
It's a radar and laser detector. GPS should have nothing to do with this.Quote:
Originally Posted by Obsidian
This is so people who steal V1's can't get updates. I'm also sure it's so no one can try and hack or change the system on the device as easily.Quote:
Originally Posted by Obsidian
It is a RADAR and LASER detector....Quote:
Originally Posted by Obsidian
This is like blaming Laser Interceptor for not detecting red light cameras. In my opinion, it is better to buy a specific product that does only a specific thing that it's best at. (i.e. V1 for radar & laser detection, LI for laser jamming, Navalert for RLC/speed cameras/speed traps) If you buy a device that does it all, there is no chance they are the BEST at everything.
^^ That's zombie Hall of Fame right there, good job.
:zombie3::zombie3::zombie3::zombie3:
Say what you want. Ignorance is bliss.Quote:
Originally Posted by Obsidian
You want a radar detector that doesn't detect radar. Radar detectors detect radar, not police cars.
I just use common sense in what I think. Even if V1 had all of the gadgets of Escort, I'd have them all turned off to detect all radar.
Why do people love the V1? Because it is so damn sensitive.
Why do people hate the V1? Because it is so damn sensitive.
Nuff said ^! How much do you want to know?
I'm an information junkie so more information is better to me. But the V1 does alert a lot in the city and IMO it can dull the senses. But out on the highway it is absolutely perfect. I can't recommend it enough.
Opinions on this obviously vary quite a bit and it's a subjective matter so really you just need to try it out for yourself. Personally, I can quickly verify whether a bogey is false or not. However, in the city I guess you'll always have that moment where you're assessing the bogey if you take this approach (the alternative being to just ignore the V1 as many seem to tend towards). This doesn't seem to be a big deal to me though.Quote:
Originally Posted by erickonphoenix
...and I think you'll get much more consensus on this point. The V1 is definitely more of a joy to use on the highway than in the city.Quote:
Originally Posted by erickonphoenix
My 9500ci(laser off)/V1(X and K off) combo system is a police radar/laser only locator, frequency identifier system. :D
Oh yeah, and an Infiniti locator. :D
Alright, heres the deal. I live and drive in a very urban area and rarely travel on the interstate. BUT when I travel on the interstate I usually average 95 or so.
I loved the thought of the V1 because of the arrows and have already needed the use of the arrows because of the location I was traveling at. I don't really need a GPS enabled RD because there are no speed/red light cameras in my area or surrounding areas. Also, I liked the V1 because it gives a little warning to laser (in some cases). But in my area, the automatic door openers are on every street and the V1 would become very talkative, and that's why I was questioning weather or not I should go with it.
I was just reviewing the results of GOL and the 9500i was coming in right under the V1. If I decide not to go with the V1 I will probably go with that. As to remote installations, that probably won't happen since I don't have that much money to throw around AND I have a tint strip on the top of my windshield.
I love the V1 for it's arrows and sensitivity but I hate it for it's sensitivity. I love contradicting myself. Oh well:rolleyes:
BTW: I wan't a RD with a band number readout and I know that the V1 doesn't but IDK about the 9500i or any others.
Sounds like a 9500 series RD will fit your needs, however the V1 certainly rocks and you wont be disappointed with ether.
Like what Z1NONLY said:
Why do people love the V1? Because it is so damn sensitive.
Why do people hate the V1? Because it is so damn sensitive.
On the outher side:
Why do people love the 9500's? Because it is so damn quiet.
Why do people hate the 9500's? Because it is so damn quiet.
:D
Do you mean band or frequency? Every RD tells you what band you are receiving. The 9500 can be used in "expert" mode to get an actual frequency readout. While interesting for the techno-geek like myself, it doesn't really give you any information that you need or can do anything with. And only Ka band is split up into specific narrow frequencies anyhow. It's a cute thing to have, but I can't imagine it being a particularly important decision factor to anyone.Quote:
Originally Posted by stevo1569
Basically, the decision between a 9500 and a V1 comes down to whether you want GPS lock-out of falses, or you want arrows.
If you do not plan to run a laser jammer, then it would also be wise to consider the superior laser reception of the V1 over the 9500. But if you're running a jammer -- which you should be if you regularly drive like a moron -- it's a non-factor.
OK, this helps!Quote:
Originally Posted by Stealth Stalker
I was talking about the RD displaying the frequency of the band in expert mode (Ka 35.5, etc, etc) because I heard on the bands it will give you a frequency and you can tell weather or not it's a real threat or not. But I know what you mean how that should not be a deciding point.
I will not (anytime soon) install a laser jammer. So I think even though it's going to be annoying as hell, I'm going to get the V1 for its laser detection and the arrows.
I think the V1 is a great choice -- and with proper automuting it won't be annoying as hell. I've used the V1 just fine as a city detector.
And as previously stated, you shouldn't be using a frequency display to tell real from false alerts -- it's entirely useless on X and K bands and it's extremely risky on Ka bands -- there are Ka band guns that do not operate at 34.7, 33.8, and 35.5 (Professor Jim talked about at least two different Stalker models that used distinctly different frequencies), not to mention due to various quirks the indicator may not be 100% accurate all of the time. It's primarily a useful nerd tool for identifying the kind of radar guns in use in your area. There's a reason detectors alert for all of the Ka superwideband. And it's not because they like to annoy the crap out of the user ;-)
I don't want to lead you astray with the laser thing. The V1 is in a league of its own, and is the only RD with laser detection that has the slightest chance of giving you warning in time to save you. No doubt about that. But it is still not going to be enough nine times out of ten. Laser just works too fast, and the beam is so narrow that you usually won't pick it up until you have already been locked upon. Even with the V1, do not expect it to save you from a laser attack. And don't be surprised when it fails to do so. And FHP loves their laser on the Interstates.
What about the turnpike? specifically from I4 ot Miami?
I never encountered any laser on the Turnpike on any trip I have made. Just lots of Ka. Got several laser hits up on I-10 and I-95 though.Quote:
Originally Posted by 9500ier
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stealth Stalker
Let me clarify Expert mode is when you can view multiple signals and strengths.
Spec Mode gives you the freq.
Side notes, experienced bel/escort users, can run spec/tech mode and still get lots of info. Let me explain, first it identifys band, freq and you can determine strenth by you ears and the strength of the signal by listening as you approach the source.
Spec mode is useful in many situations, if you pass a false and it is x band and always 10.514 then you know if 10.525 comes up then it might be a real threat next time. Also, some numbers are way off base and weak so you will know it is a false, like 24.050 etc. Even on Ka band, you get some weird number then chances are it is a Cobra.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Z1NONLY
That pretty much sums it up, you either love it or hate it.
If I'm going to run 95 on the highway and I don't have an STI-r or a 9500ci, I want a V1. Nothing else will do as far as i am concerned.
I knew I was going to get them confused! Thanks for that correction!Quote:
Originally Posted by focalcivic
X2
the V1 is the king on laser no doubt but without a jammer, you are not protected against laser :(. i own 2 LIDARs and if you saw how quick they get a lock on most cars, it would frighten you :eek:.Quote:
Originally Posted by stevo1569
over here, its nearly all laser so even the V1 wouldnt stand a chance of being a reliable countermeasure so a jammer is a must.
looks like you need one.........Quote:
Originally Posted by Stealth Stalker
just some friendly advice mate, its up to you in the end ;)
Quote:
Originally Posted by corkguykev
I hear ya. I went on I75 last night to go to a friends house and I was scared about the laser so I slowed it down. haha
I know FHP loves the LIDAR because whenever I travel in the daytime I see them use it constantly. Especially when they stand at the top of the overpasses shooting down onto traffic.
Even if I were to get a jammer, I would always have to worry about the whole I/O aspect. FHP uses that A LOT too:eek: Good thing the LEOs in my county are too lazy to use it.
x2Quote:
Originally Posted by noTe
And the Cheetah system is far superior to the Escort and Beltronics GPS set-up as you get a lifetime membership the trinity database when you purchase a cheetah product AND cheetah's only alert to the speed camera's and red light camera's that pertain directly to you. BELscorts just let you know there is a camera in the location forcing you to slow down for no reasonQuote:
Originally Posted by Stealth Stalker
True.Quote:
Originally Posted by Z1NONLY
---------------------------------------------------------------------
V1 is the most sensitive and best performing dashmount detector and it is cheaper than then Escorts attempt to improve on their radar detection....
Should i attach links to all the posts where people had their 9500 fail to alert to real life police traps where the officer was running radar.
I use both a BEL v995 and my V1 and the V1 is my perfered detector even with the falses people bash the need for arrows but once you have experiences like in these past to video's you will be a changed detector user
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fy2oAbVxgzw]YouTube - Great Save from the V1 Radar Detector[/ame]
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XivmuBsip0]YouTube - Valentine 1 vs. Edmonton Police Service Ka Band Radar[/ame]
Even though I am a huge Bel/Escort fan, there really isn't anything which I dislike about the V1, considering that the V1's niche is as a "road warrior" open highway type of radar detector. I guess the only thing which I would dislike is having to periodically send it to Valentine for a tune-up since V1's are known for drifting out of tune. But most V1 owners usually have a backup RD which they use when their V1 is getting a tune-up.
Some people knock the V1's volume knob or its "old school" bar graph signal strength display and single LED "bogey counter", but I've been using RDs for over 25 years now and realize that the V1 does present you with all of the information you really need when encountering radar on the open highway. Its all just a matter of personal tastes and preferences.
My point is that the V1 is a niche radar detector which is designed for open highway use more than anything else. The V1 would not be my RD of choice for daily commutes in cities or through densely populated suburbs, or even for a combination of 50% highway and 50% city driving. The V1 additionally lacks any type of GPS red light camera notifications and lacks any type of specific radar frequency notification. Yet these features aren't necessary if you drive hundreds of interstate miles every month.
So again, I say that the V1 is a specific niche radar detector which is designed for one purpose only -- open road interstate driving. The thing is that with experience one will find that the arrows really aren't necessary to determine where radar signals on the open highway are coming from (front or rear). Likewise the specific frequency information presented by many competing products is very useful information to know. For example, if I know that 35.5 Ka is being used by a particular state's state patrol or by county or city law enforcement, then automatically I would assume that Stalker radar guns are being used which are harder to detect when these guns are not pointed in my car's general direction. This information alone is important enough to make me drive either at or very close to the posted speed limit when I know that 35.5 Ka is being used in a given area or by the state patrol.
In the end, it boils down to what information that your radar detector is capable of presenting is most important to you.
:)
Quote:
Originally Posted by MEM-TEK
Even that, I think is a [citation needed] point. I've had my 3.863 for about a year now and it's as sensitive as day one on all my known falses. Maybe the older analog self-correction versions are prone to drifting out of tune, but I don't see that the new ones are any more prone to tuning or calibration errors as competitors' products. I'm sure if I said a downside to buying Belscort products is that you have to periodically have it repaired because of SELF CAL and SERVICE REQUIRED messages, you would be burning me at the stake :)
X2!Quote:
Originally Posted by jdong
I think certain members on this forum enjoy spreading the false notion that "all V1's have to be sent in periodically for a 'tune up'" ;)
Also, the phrase "out of tune" is really a misnomer. They're not going to just turn a couple of screws inside to put it back "in tune" and send it back to you. If a V1 is failing to alert to radar, there is a component failure, plain and simple.
X3, 13 years and mine has never fallen out of tune, what's with these new models, mine does not ghost as well.