Old School vs. New School detection capability

[Turbogus]

Hi gang,
I'm a longtime user of radar detectors, got my first one in '79. My last 'old school' purchase was for a Uniden Talker X & K that often gives me up to 4 miles of warning even outside of los for these two types of radar. I was so impressed I got one for my bike way back when too. This unit has served faithfully for at least two decades now but with the expanded versions of radar (and laser these days) I opted for Christmas last year to get a Rocky Mountain Radar RMR-C475 with all the radar and laser coverage I had hoped to find. The RMR is fully functional but a trend that I'm noticing is that it seem to give first warning within a much shorter range. I remember in the mid '80's reading an article about dumbing down detectors to prevent false warnings but last week it seemed first warning of a patol car whom was busy with someone else was only about 1/4 mile and clearly within los. Is this the current state of detectors these days?

[snoopyc4]

Welcome to the forum.

Is this the current state of detectors these days?

No. You just had the misfortune of buying a crappy radar detector brand. Cobra radar detectors and RMR radar detectors/scramblers are garbage. I suggest you look into other radar detector brands such as the V1, Escort, Beltronics, and Whistler.

This is modern day detector performance:

[speeddemon]

Yep rmr sucks worse than cobra I had a stalker wy back when and loved it and have tried to get it's performance in modern detectors the only things that get close or beat it is Whistler high end models, Bel & escort high end models and my current Favorite and main RD the Valentine 1

[AirMoore]

Your RMR is one of the worst radar detectors ever built made for the price (or just in general). In fact the company makes such fraudulent claims about their products, that through consistent pressure Radar-Roy (this websites founder) has gotten the Feds (FCC I believe) to take an interest in them (not the good kind either).

[upstatedoc]

is this a real thread?

I mean, how can someone who has used RD's for 30 years not know about escort, Valentine research, bel? I don't get it. Someone please help me understand...PLEASE.

[Stealth Stalker]

I remember in the mid '80's reading an article about dumbing down detectors to prevent false warnings...

Quoted for truth.

Dumbing down is how Escort stays at the top of the sales charts. Ugh...

[xyd]

I remember in the mid '80's reading an article about dumbing down detectors to prevent false warnings...

Quoted for truth.

Dumbing down is how Escort stays at the top of the sales charts. Ugh...

That's how Obama got elected. Escort users :|

I didn't know they still made RMR.

[Stealth Stalker]

Of course, if you think about it, we definitely wouldn't want everyone buying a good detector. If most people had a good one, every state would scramble to outlaw them.

To the OP, no detector is any good against laser. If laser is any threat to you at all, you need a laser jammer or you may as well just slow down.

And despite their advertising, RMR doesn't jam anything at all.

[Vette6893]

It's time to upgrade.
Do some research on the forum for Valentine, Escort, and Beltronics products. I've seen some of the "other" detectors that you speak of and you will notice a difference. If you are going to do it, do it right. No sense in thinking you are protected if you are not.

[atticuss187]

OP, you have a lot of learning and researching to do as others have stated. However, after reading this post I strongly suggest you take your RMR detector and put it in a pot of boiling hot water for 10 minutes and then take a hammer to it in your drive way. And btw, I'm being 100 percent serious. Welcome to the forum