Hardware Upgrade pricing calculation and history

[coastal_carolina]

How does Valentine calculate the price of their hardware upgrades?

I know this latest hardware/software upgrade to 3.851 costs $75.00, but what if you hold off on this one and get the next when something bigger comes along?

How much would this latest upgrade cost if you didnt have 3.826?

I assume that upgrades that are just internal and dont involve case changes are cheaper?

Also, how many outside case changes has valentine done?

We are currently at hardware version 1.8 and software version 3.851.

What did the hardware version start at - like 1.0? - Anyway to get a listing of their hardware and software update history?, like a revision list?

Does each much upgrade cost $75.00 and they just add them all togeather or what?

[coastal_carolina]

Nothing on any of the questions.....

[kpatz]

I know this latest hardware/software upgrade to 3.851 costs $75.00, but what if you hold off on this one and get the next when something bigger comes along?

It depends on what the "something bigger" turns out to be. I can upgrade my 3.813 (no POP or Euro) to the latest 3.851 for the same $75 it costs to upgrade a 3.826. So maybe $75 is the base cost for a hardware upgrade.

How much would this latest upgrade cost if you didnt have 3.826?

$75 if you have a 1.8 V1, even a pre-POP one. If you have a 1.7, it'll be more since they give you a whole new unit rather than upgrading the parts in your current one.

I assume that upgrades that are just internal and dont involve case changes are cheaper?

Correct. Case changes are "upgraded" by exchanging a new unit for yours.

Also, how many outside case changes has valentine done?

I'm not sure offhand, but the major case changes were probably when laser was added to the v1.7 (made the case thicker), and then when v1.8 came out (made the case thinner again while retaining laser capability).

What did the hardware version start at - like 1.0? - Anyway to get a listing of their hardware and software update history?, like a revision list?

Not offhand, someone might though.

Does each much upgrade cost $75.00 and they just add them all togeather or what?

As I mentioned before, it depends on what is being upgraded. a V1 1.8 costs $75 to upgrade, AFAIK regardless of what version you are upgrading, since my pre-POP 1.8 still costs $75 to upgrade. Earlier versions would cost more since it would be a total swap, and the price is likely based on how old the unit being upgraded is.

[jimbonzzz]

What did the hardware version start at - like 1.0? - Anyway to get a listing of their hardware and software update history?, like a revision list?

Here's an unofficial software update history for the past few years:

3.813 - Last non-POP version

October 2004
3.817 (Hardware Upgrade)- 1st POP version, "POP1". No "junk alert" feature?

December 2004
3.818 - "POP2". Added "junk alert" feature?

June 2005 (Yes the date is correct!)
3.819 - An attempt by VR to fix "J" alert on real threats (was free upgrade for 3.817 & 3.818)

April 2005
3.821 (Hardware Upgrade) - First version with Euro Mode

May 2005
3.824 - Attempt by VR to fix "J" alert on real threats problem for 3.821 POP units

June 2005
3.825 - Fixes K-Band Muting problem with 3.824(Option 7)

December 2005
3.826 - Fix for K-Band bogey lock tone, and ghosting

July 2006
3.851 (Hardware Upgrade) - Added digital temperature compensation, increase in Euro-mode frequency coverage.

[V1 Dave]

Older versions like mine are $229 for all new unit and accessories (keep old accessories) if I did not have the '97 complete gut swap upgrade which cost me $249 in '97 it would be $279 for a current new model.
Band ID indicators did not come out until '99 and I paid $75 for that, older LED's were not as good and I had a burned out front arrow when I did it.
If someone was upgrading a non laser version to a current version it would be more as VR did sell a non laser version for $329 at one time.
The newer 2001 version is in the older original non laser smaller case.
When POP was introduced in 11/04 it was $55 to upgrade the smaller 2001 version to POP then when Euro came out it was $75 to upgrade whether you had POP or not.

[Gregor]

Jim,

As always, thanks for the details. I'd be cool if you could add pictures, prices and complete history back to the very first V1, then make it a sticky.

December 2004
3.818 - "POP2". Added "junk alert" feature?

Wow, I didn't know VR has been working to fix the J feature for so long. Obviously they have confidence in the design of the feature and think it can be tuned. That gives some insight into the hope that they can get it working.

Dispite that, you'd think that due to the long history of issues they'd offer a way to either disble it or change its behaviour. I'd prefer that instead of completely blacking out the threat, the V1 would automute it and then make the Ka indicator flash until the Junk signal is gone.

[V1 Dave]

Jim,

As always, thanks for the details. I'd be cool if you could add pictures, prices and complete history back to the very first V1, then make it a sticky.

I don't believe anyone knows except Mike himself about the earlier history as VR did not even publish the reprogram list until around '99 which of course gives us insight to versions and modifications.
Mike spoke on this board at one time but left fast due to flamers.

[Space Wrangler]

July 2006
3.851 - increase in Euro-mode frequency coverage.

Thats the first I've heard of this. Do you have more details?

[jimbonzzz]

July 2006
3.851 - increase in Euro-mode frequency coverage.

Thats the first I've heard of this. Do you have more details?

Yes. Someone got this from Pete Kaufman from VR:
http://www.radardetector.net/viewtopic.php?t=14326

My guess is that they widened the Ka photo radar sweep slightly, in order to detect very-out-of-tune multanovas that Dilip and nvr2fast reported. Here's one thread about it:
http://www.radardetector.net/viewtopic.php?t=8125

[ES13Raven]

June 2005 (Yes the date is correct!)
3.819 - An attempt by VR to fix "J" alert on real threats (was free upgrade for 3.817 & 3.818)

April 2005
3.821 (Hardware Upgrade) - First version with Euro Mode

This is why I think VR is still allowing for software updates to the 3.826.

When they went to a new hardware version they went from 3.818 --> 3.821. They left room for software updates to the 3.818 which they later implemented. :wink: