jwa4378

Hey guys-

I am considering getting a radar / laser detector. I am looking at the V1 and the 8500 x50. What are the main differences (other than the V1 senses radar etc. from the rear). Is the V1 worth the extra $? I used a Passport 8500 this past weekend, and I got quite a few falses. Even when set to "city". Are falses a problem with the V1? Are they significantly reduced when compared to the 8500 x50?

Once again, sorry for this post, I know there have been 11000 of them, but the search is not working. I searched for "Valentine Passport" and got nada. Same thing for "V1" "x50" and "8500."

Thanks

John

wu01ok

What you mean you got false? On city mode you can turn off the X band. But some big supermarkets and building will set off the K band. You will just have to know which one. I have the X50. I think that is the best for the money. Valentine is good to but I wouldn't spend that much on it. You can also go to http://www.radarbusters.com/ where they tested the X50 vs the V1.

sprix!

If I were you- I would look into a RMRC450. Thats a Rocky Mountain Radar model C450. It is a radar/laser detector and scrambler. Very advanced! I have been using it with no problems and plenty of instances in which I have been scanned legitimately.

jwa4378

Thanks for that link to Radar Roy's site. I am now disinclined to get the V1 because of the higher rate of falses with the 1.8 POP version. I think I will probably go with the x50.

As far as the scrambler goes, I do not want to even risk it. I dont speed enough to warrant a chance on that.

Thanks

John

NFRs2000NYC

Ive always said this....Ive never used the 8500, but members whos opinion I trust like it, so I like it. They will both false you from time to time, so dont let that be an issue. I have a V1. I love it. Saved me a lot of times. Assuming they are both exactly equal in performance, I would get the V1 simply for the arrows. Think its a gimmick? THink again...

Here's a good story for a scenario where the 8500 would result in a ticket, and the V1 would save you.

My friends and I were driving one night through the mountains, on A COMPLETELY empty highway. It was three of us, my s2000, and BMW 325, and an RSX. We were driving along the mountain edge, which is kind of straight for about 30 or so miles. Every 7-10 miles or so, there is a little nook where you can pull off and check out the view (lookout points). As I approach one of them My V1 shows one bogey AHEAD, and the signal is getting stronger. Now I pass the "object" (signified by the left/right arrow lighting up, then switching to rear arrow) and the signal is still strong as hell. I look in my rearview, since the signal is coming from behind and see only 2 pairs of headlights, my 2 friends. At this point, I am still doing 50mph....just to be safe.
2 miles later, The signal is still there. Now I am scratching my head wondering what the hell is going on. My friends are calling me off the hook asking me why I am not tearing up an empty highway. Finally, After like 7 miles, the "object" gave up and flipped on his headlights and turned off into the next lookout point. The cop was following us for nearly 10 miles, and I never even saw him. My friends BOTH ordered the V1 the next day, because they were so amazed that it saved us all. We would have been driving over 120mph the whole time if I didnt have a radar.
Now, you are asking yourself, so what.....the 8500 would have given me warning etc etc.....and you are correct, it would have beeped for 1 bogey, full strength, for the whole 10 miles as well. HOWEVER, Ive owned almost every radar known to man, and If I had a warning like that, for 10 miles, I would have just ignored it, and thought it was a REALLY bad false alarm. Since the V1 told the the radar source was ahead of me, told me that it passed me, and then was behind me, I knew it couldnt be a false.

In conclusion, if you can spare it, you wont regret it. V1.

AsianQing

I got the X50 blue and am very pleased with it so far.

GSteg

judging from NFRs2000NYC's post, I would take the V1 into high consideration. My friend has a passport and all it would do is beep. It's annoying because you dont have an instinct of where the po-po's are at.

thetz99

The V1 arrows are fed from separate front/rear detectors and really help you weed out the falsies.

PJK3

all the RMR gear is crap -- thick, deep, and stinky.


don't touch it.

i've never seen anyone review those things well, and their claims of being jammers are simply outright lies.

i have had people i know who own them, and frankly - their lack of range was simply shocking.

crap crap crap crap crap.

PJK3

John --

don't confuse 'falsing' with legitimate non-police radar. no matter what detector you buy, you're always going to pick up door openers, alarms, etc. they use the same FCC authorized bands as police radar - so they are going to be detected by a good (or bad) detector.

true falsing (at least imo) is when you pick up a signal with no attributable source. i've had previous detectors (before i knew better - cobras, whistlers, and the like), and they would false all the time... just random things detected w/o any clear source.

given all that i said above -- both are often termed 'falsing', but there is a clear difference between a false police (yet legitimate radar) detection, and a completely false (no identifiable source) detection.



all in all - my 8500 does very well for me.
i've had a couple minor problems with it, but i think those have more to do w/ a problem i had w/ my hardwire (it appears the phone cord i chose to make my hardwire from had an outrageously high ground wire resistance for some reason - like 4 ohms!). since i've gone to the Escort hardwire kit, my problems have all but evaporated. and Escort has been very good to me while troubleshooting - even giving me a free 3 year warranty to make sure i'm satisfied, and putting me directly in touch w/ their customer service manager for all my concerns.


since Bel was acquired by Escort a few years ago and the companies started recently sharing tech, the new Bel RX 65 is allegedly pretty robust as well.

when it comes to a V1 vs 8500 X50 comparison (and Bel RX65 if you want to consider it):

the big thing between the two is money... if budgets are tight, the X50 is a superb performer. the V1 is as well, but the V1 can only be found new (from the manuf.) for $400. an X50 is readily findable new (from a manuf. authorized dealer) for $250. a $150 difference - making the V1 160% the cost of a X50.

in comparisons, the X50 and V1 perform very similiarly in most situations, but the V1 does have the rear radar array advantage (evident in the arrows).
in most situations, i've found the lack of arrows to not be an issue. there are times where i wish i knew whether the source was behind or ahead of me - but they have been few and far between. and i've generally been driving slower anyway once i get a radar hit i can't write off as a daily (daily = same route to work, means same door opener type detections).

while the V1 has the arrows (and the X50 can't touch that feature), one advantage that the X50 (and Bel) offers that the V1 can't touch is the Expert display option...

which allows you not only to know you've got more than one signal, you can determine the relative strength of all the signals you are picking up at a given time... making determining what may be a threat vs non-threat much easier. also, the X50 offers the frequency option which displays the exact frequency of the source.... some people swear by it, but i've not found a particular use for it.



in Dave's situation, i think my X50 would have kept me safe -- seeing a distant alert grow to immediate, then fade a bit would have told me i passed a source. since the X50 doesn't have arrows, i would have had to deduce the cop following me, but i have had that type of thing happen to me, and it wasn't a problem...
*shrug*

i'm an 8500 owner b/c i am a 'bang for buck' kind of guy. i bought my S used to save a few... i'm a bargin hunter whenever i shop.
but if money were no option, i'd probably own a V1. then again though... money is.