I need some opinions from people who know detectors

[bthorn]

New here, name is Bryan and I'm from Dallas, Tx. First question, if the police are predominately using laser in my city is there really any point of spending 300 or 400 dollars for a so called laser detector? Next question, if I stay with my GPS Beltronics detector I will have to continue to take it down and put it up every time I park. From many years of experience when younger I had 3 or 4 windows smashed out for my detectors. Here in Texas smash and grab and its as simple as that. Also it gets so hot here that leaving a suction cup or super cup in the windshield will kill it in a few months not to mention bake your stealth equipment. This is why I'm now thinking next best thing like the passport 8500 X50 with a visor clip and the hard wired cord. Out of sight out of mind. Will still take it down if leaving car in a parking garage or apartment lot for the night. I need some serious guidance/suggestions here so please chime in.

Bought the Beltronic Pro500 from reading very good reviews on it but mine seems to be having problems right out of the box. Crutchfield is offering to replace my unit so what do I want to swap it for or do I just want to try a new Pro500??? Pro300 or Passport 8500 x50???

[fire65]

First welcome to the forum. I could not read that giant sentence you wrote so I can not help answer any of the many questions I think you asked.

[RedRocket]

I can answer all of the ques.'s -
Do you think there's a point to spending $400 to have a 5 sec. pre-notice that you're about to be pulled over in ~1000' to hand over another $400 for speeding ?

Oh yeah,Welcome to the Forum bthorn

[bthorn]

Thanks fire65, that was constructive. I went back in and tried to shorten one or two sentences so that I could get you to focus. Still want to hear what you have to add if you feel that's possible.

[bthorn]

If it were 5 second RRedRocket then yes but the difference in the 5 or 6 top windshield mounted detectors is closer to like 1 second or half a second between them. Pretty much all the 300 and up detectors are pretty close in K, KA and Pop and instant on bands. Like the Redline Esscort and the STi Beltronics getting a warning five miles away on the hwy compared to four and a half is negligible in my book. As long as its not 50 yrds. I need a detector that works good in the city as that where I do 98 percent of my driving. Is there a great city detector? There seems to be a lot of laser going on here. If laser is the preferred radar system is there any real defense against it besides illegal laser jammers?

[RedRocket]

If it where 5 second RRedRocket then yes but the difference in the 5 or 6 top windshield mounted detectors is closer to like 1 second or half a second. Pretty much all the 300 and up detectors are pretty close in K, KA and Pop and instant on bands. Like the Redline Esscort and the STi Beltronics getting a warning five miles away on the hwy compared to four and a half is negligible in my book. As long as its not 50 yrds. I need a detector that works good in the city as that where I do 98 percent of my driving. Is there a great city detector? There seems to be a lot of laser going on here. If laser is the preferred radar system is there any real defense against it besides illegal laser jammers?

What???
You completely missed the point of my humorous attempt at sarcasm !

Doesn't matter which of the 5 or 6 you choose to own.The difference between them is not relevant to the problem.
The problem is- it's TO LATE,as soon as the detector alerts you're already toast !!!
In the first 1/3 of a second as you hear the first alert beep of the RD, the cop already has your speed.

Results:
Own a RD - get "beepbeepbeep" pre-warning you're about to be pulled over.
No RD - no "beepbeepbeep" only silence,but you see a cop up ahead w/ arm motioning at you to pull over.
Now tell me why you want to pi$$-away $400 bucks for that 5 seconds of time again,please.
Get it ?

p.s. - you misunderstand something...laser is not the preferred radar system.They are two separate speed measuring technologies.
Laser uses IR photons.
Radar uses RF energy.
Both dwell within the Electromagnetic Spectrum at different wavelengths.

[RedRocket]

-double post deleted-

[fire65]

deleted

[jerry540i]

New here, name is Bryan and I'm from Dallas, Tx. First question, if the police are predominately using laser in my city is there really any point of spending 300 or 400 dollars for a so called laser detector? Next question, if I stay with my GPS Beltronics detector I will have to continue to take it down and put it up every time I park. From many years of experience when younger I had 3 or 4 windows smashed out for my detectors. Here in Texas smash and grab and its as simple as that. Also it gets so hot here that leaving a suction cup or super cup in the windshield will kill it in a few months not to mention bake your stealth equipment. This is why I'm now thinking next best thing like the passport 8500 X50 with a visor clip and the hard wired cord. Out of sight out of mind. Will still take it down if leaving car in a parking garage or apartment lot for the night. I need some serious guidance/suggestions here so please chime in.


Bought the Beltronic Pro500 from reading very good reviews on it but mine seems to be having problems right out of the box. Crutchfield is offering to replace my unit so what do I want to swap it for or do I just want to try a new Pro500??? Pro300 or Passport 8500 x50???

The X50 is a decent all-round radar detector. It has been a favorite of many for years, it has good solid detection, a nice linear ramp-up and the visor clip/hardwire mount sounds like a good solution for you.
As others have mentioned, a radar detector/laser detector will do nothing to protect you against laser being targetted at your car. The running joke is that they should be called ticket detectors, because if you're speeding and your detector alerts to laser, its likely you've been targetted and busted! To protect yourself from laser-based tickets, you need to invest in a good laser jammer. There are many posts here that debate the merits of various set-ups, the favorite system of many users on this forum is the Laser Interceptor.

Hope that helps, and welcome aboard.

[Mr Q]

Bthorn - Even the best RD out there with laser detection will NOT help you in avoiding a ticket for the simple reason that once your RD alerts to laser, it's too late to do anything - IF you are the only car approaching the laser trap. If there are other vehicles ahead of you being targeted, then you do have a good chance to slow down before you are in range of the laser beam being able to read your vehicle. Though the laser has to be aimed specifically at your car (at the headlights, reflective grill or bumper or front registration plate), once done, the speed is read instantly IF you are within range of being singled out (up to several hundred feet). But, if other cars are being tracked ahead of you, your detector can give you ample time to slow down as the scattered laser light travels way beyond the "reading/aiming" range.

But there are many problems with laser speed detection, such as sunlight washing out the detector's ability to "see" the weak laser energy ahead as it (the Sun) reflects off your car and others. Even certain types of new car taillights radiate in the infrared range and set off your detector. Some neon signs are another source of "false" alarms.There are many more causes of false alarms to laser speed detection but the bottom line is if you are the only car approaching the "Lidar" trap, your'e toast. If some other cars are being targeted ahead of you, the detector can save you by picking up scattered laser light much further beyond its reading range. Even those "cheapie" detectors can save you in the right conditions. Lidar is deadly but it can be out-smarted if you know the conditions of its use.