Is the Valentine V1 still the top radar detector?
01-30-2014, 11:01 AM
#81
Thanks guys. I strive to give truthful and useful information. This has been a hobby for me for a long time now.
AORoads, it definitely does help to have a sense of humor about this. The "hobby" can become quite expensive. Especially when you start buying radar guns and lidar guns, and keep them calibrated just to test with.
Cheers.
AORoads, it definitely does help to have a sense of humor about this. The "hobby" can become quite expensive. Especially when you start buying radar guns and lidar guns, and keep them calibrated just to test with.
Cheers.
01-30-2014, 12:05 PM
#82
Instructor
First of all, my take is you bought (or are thinking about buying) a high performance vehicle, otherwise you wouldn't be here. The Corvette is a $50,000+ car. So spend the money to get the best detector. By owning or considering the Corvette you are not the average guy. I won't recommend something for the average guy here.
You not only need to spend the money, you need to invest in learning how to set up and use the detector to maximize its effectiveness. At its base, it is a tool used to increase your situational awareness. It is not a cop finder. It is not a license to speed. It is a tool that will help you tailor your driving to the conditions, and as such is only one factor in your decision making.
There is no one best detector. If you drive mostly in the city (what a dirty shame for the Corvette owner) you may want to consider something like the Escort max. You don't need the range. But be aware of its limitations. I will assume though that Corvette owners want to take their car on the highway, at least once in a while.
If you like a clean cabin, the STi-R+ is the one for you. It will cost more and if you don't want to install it yourself (which I can understand) then plan on spending even more for a pro to install it. The other downside is that you need to keep the outside head clean or performance will suffer. This shouldn't be a problem for those Corvette owners who are **** about keeping their car looking good.
If you drive in a place where detectors are banned, like Virginia then your choices are the Escort Redline or the Beltronics STi-R+. They are immune to being detected by the Spectre Elite radar detector detector.
If you have a V1, keep it. Or upgrade it, which is my suggestion to you. There is too little difference to spend the money to switch. Conversely, if you have a Redline, keep it. Same for the STi-R+.
If you don't already have one of these and you decide on a windshield mount then it's a tossup between the V1 and RL.
The RL has more range, especially off axis, than anything else. It has spec mode but the V1 with options will show you the same information and more. You can buy the Escort Live cord and subscribe to Escort Live. I think a better solution though is to use the Waze app. I don't like to see what others have detected as I don't know how they have set up their detectors. But Live will give you lockouts.
The V1 has the arrows to show you the general direction of the detected signal. It also has a more clever way of alerting you -- you can easily change the "muted" alert volume to suit conditions. With options, viz. the V1 Connection and YaV1 app, you tailor the conditions for when an alert should be full volume, muted volume or no audio at all, whichever way you want. You can tailor the lockout settings, e.g. set the radius and direction as well as frequency deviation. You can mute under a certain speed. You can change colors. And more. YaV1 is free from the Google Android store (or whatever its called). The V1 Connection option is $50 (okay, it's really $49) but is worth it IMHO.
There you have it.
Cheers.
You not only need to spend the money, you need to invest in learning how to set up and use the detector to maximize its effectiveness. At its base, it is a tool used to increase your situational awareness. It is not a cop finder. It is not a license to speed. It is a tool that will help you tailor your driving to the conditions, and as such is only one factor in your decision making.
There is no one best detector. If you drive mostly in the city (what a dirty shame for the Corvette owner) you may want to consider something like the Escort max. You don't need the range. But be aware of its limitations. I will assume though that Corvette owners want to take their car on the highway, at least once in a while.
If you like a clean cabin, the STi-R+ is the one for you. It will cost more and if you don't want to install it yourself (which I can understand) then plan on spending even more for a pro to install it. The other downside is that you need to keep the outside head clean or performance will suffer. This shouldn't be a problem for those Corvette owners who are **** about keeping their car looking good.
If you drive in a place where detectors are banned, like Virginia then your choices are the Escort Redline or the Beltronics STi-R+. They are immune to being detected by the Spectre Elite radar detector detector.
If you have a V1, keep it. Or upgrade it, which is my suggestion to you. There is too little difference to spend the money to switch. Conversely, if you have a Redline, keep it. Same for the STi-R+.
If you don't already have one of these and you decide on a windshield mount then it's a tossup between the V1 and RL.
The RL has more range, especially off axis, than anything else. It has spec mode but the V1 with options will show you the same information and more. You can buy the Escort Live cord and subscribe to Escort Live. I think a better solution though is to use the Waze app. I don't like to see what others have detected as I don't know how they have set up their detectors. But Live will give you lockouts.
The V1 has the arrows to show you the general direction of the detected signal. It also has a more clever way of alerting you -- you can easily change the "muted" alert volume to suit conditions. With options, viz. the V1 Connection and YaV1 app, you tailor the conditions for when an alert should be full volume, muted volume or no audio at all, whichever way you want. You can tailor the lockout settings, e.g. set the radius and direction as well as frequency deviation. You can mute under a certain speed. You can change colors. And more. YaV1 is free from the Google Android store (or whatever its called). The V1 Connection option is $50 (okay, it's really $49) but is worth it IMHO.
There you have it.
Cheers.
1) I don't want a built-in , so I can use it across a few different cars.
2) I don't need it to work in a metro city area, this is really for those long roadtrip scenarios.
3) Sensitivity is my key, I can deal with False-positives , it's the False-negative that would **** me off.
01-30-2014, 12:47 PM
#83
Great stuff. As you say, there is no "best" choice, it depends on how you drive and intend to use it. For me it is down to a V1 or RL. 1) I don't want a built-in , so I can use it across a few different cars. 2) I don't need it to work in a metro city area, this is really for those long roadtrip scenarios. 3) Sensitivity is my key, I can deal with False-positives , it's the False-negative that would **** me off.
If you want to give up a little sensitivity (particularly off axis) for situational awareness, go V1.
01-30-2014, 02:57 PM
#84
Team Owner
The Escort be a 9500ix or the new Max are state of the art compared to the V-1.
Escort has made many models and improvement's.
Over the last 20 years
V-1 has made the V1 it is old depending the Arrows and good detection. Really obsolete
Where the modern detector like the Max uses GPS to mark radar alerts.
If you get hit with radar it tells you the speed you were tagged at!
You can mark or unmark any speed trap you see. The Max will remind you before you get there again.
It also picks up radar signals and blocks them after it determines them to be false.
It also warning of any speed camera's on your route or stop light camera's.
It also is linked to all Escort user's on the road who have the Escort live app on their phone. This number has grown a lot!
You hit a button once and all escort user's on the road are warned exactly when and where you are reporting police.
So this is way beyond radar. I get alerted about police ahead ALL THE time and it works great. On busy interstate's they are all kinds of warning coming that are accurate.
Stops INSTANT ON OR LASER COLD! I just slow where I know they are.
Plus It totally is a cop finder though the escort live or When the unmarked cars even turn radar they give themselves away.
Lets not even talk about Laser protection and radar detection from an Escort which I have in my ZR1
Saying the V-1 is better is way off base at best.
Point of the thread no it is not!
When if you want just a plain old detector that has the best range
get a redline.
Escort has made many models and improvement's.
Over the last 20 years
V-1 has made the V1 it is old depending the Arrows and good detection. Really obsolete
Where the modern detector like the Max uses GPS to mark radar alerts.
If you get hit with radar it tells you the speed you were tagged at!
You can mark or unmark any speed trap you see. The Max will remind you before you get there again.
It also picks up radar signals and blocks them after it determines them to be false.
It also warning of any speed camera's on your route or stop light camera's.
It also is linked to all Escort user's on the road who have the Escort live app on their phone. This number has grown a lot!
You hit a button once and all escort user's on the road are warned exactly when and where you are reporting police.
So this is way beyond radar. I get alerted about police ahead ALL THE time and it works great. On busy interstate's they are all kinds of warning coming that are accurate.
Stops INSTANT ON OR LASER COLD! I just slow where I know they are.
Plus It totally is a cop finder though the escort live or When the unmarked cars even turn radar they give themselves away.
Lets not even talk about Laser protection and radar detection from an Escort which I have in my ZR1
Saying the V-1 is better is way off base at best.
Point of the thread no it is not!
When if you want just a plain old detector that has the best range
get a redline.
Last edited by 3 Z06ZR1; 01-30-2014 at 03:21 PM.
01-30-2014, 03:06 PM
#86
Instructor
01-30-2014, 03:18 PM
#87
Team Owner
01-31-2014, 09:45 AM
#91
Burning Brakes
I was a proud member of the Valentine Army m'self but the false alarms got to be too much in Urban Areas. (See: Galleria/Uptown, Houston, Texas)
I gave the 9500ix a chance and it's the first and only thing that can match the Valentine's Ability and add MODERN tech and features to it.
The Passport MAX expands on the 9500ix I've heard.
I gave the 9500ix a chance and it's the first and only thing that can match the Valentine's Ability and add MODERN tech and features to it.
The Passport MAX expands on the 9500ix I've heard.
Last edited by Houston Z33; 01-31-2014 at 09:49 AM.
01-31-2014, 10:00 AM
#92
Burning Brakes
Also, Updating online via USB for Free > Shipping the ENTIRE UNIT back to Cincy, OH and paying anywhere between 20-80% the MSRP on a new one.
01-31-2014, 10:03 AM
#93
Melting Slicks
Interesting discussion. I've had my Valentine 1 for over 10 years. Stays mostly in the vette but move it to the CTS when we road trip in it. This fall I started getting so many alarms I had to turn it off. It would start going off even in the garage when I started the car.
I checked the website for help and did everything I read. I thought I had changed a setting accidentally but nothing worked.
2 weeks ago I packed it in a box with a check for $45 (per the website) and shipped it to Valentine Research for service with a description of what I had been experiencing, I got it back a couple days ago with my check enclosed in the box. I have no idea what they did to it as they did not provide any detail but so far 2 days of commuting the same drive as always, the alarms are down considerably. I'll be anxious to get on the highway and see how it is working because the ONLY time I've gotten a speeding ticket in the time I've had it was the one time I didn't believe it
I checked the website for help and did everything I read. I thought I had changed a setting accidentally but nothing worked.
2 weeks ago I packed it in a box with a check for $45 (per the website) and shipped it to Valentine Research for service with a description of what I had been experiencing, I got it back a couple days ago with my check enclosed in the box. I have no idea what they did to it as they did not provide any detail but so far 2 days of commuting the same drive as always, the alarms are down considerably. I'll be anxious to get on the highway and see how it is working because the ONLY time I've gotten a speeding ticket in the time I've had it was the one time I didn't believe it
01-31-2014, 04:08 PM
#94
Intermediate
Member Since: Dec 2013
Location: Los Gatos CA
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I'm sure I'm not alone in that I've been lurking, reading this thread all week. My C7 gets delivered in the next 10 days (on rail from Nashville).
I will be buying a detector next week.
I am literally no closer to deciding between V1, Max or Redline than I was when I read the first post. Everyone has done such a great job of praising their choice that I'm convinced they have the perfect detector for them.
Only problem I have no idea which would be perfect for me.
California (Los Gatos)
City and Hwy driving
Will be visor mounted (CA law about windshield)
Convertible
Price not a concern (don't plan on mounting external sensors though)
Max sounds great but is new technology necessarily mean it is better? Has 2 antennas, but no arrows.
Redline sounds great as driving down I5 the longer the detection range the better going 90.
V1 everybody loves it but it sounds like they have something in the works which tells me this isn't their best right now and may have been eclipsed by newer tech as they seem to have a bunch of add-ons to achieve similar results of other units.
Argh, I would by all 3 if it made any sense to run multiple, but it doesn't.
I will be buying a detector next week.
I am literally no closer to deciding between V1, Max or Redline than I was when I read the first post. Everyone has done such a great job of praising their choice that I'm convinced they have the perfect detector for them.
Only problem I have no idea which would be perfect for me.
California (Los Gatos)
City and Hwy driving
Will be visor mounted (CA law about windshield)
Convertible
Price not a concern (don't plan on mounting external sensors though)
Max sounds great but is new technology necessarily mean it is better? Has 2 antennas, but no arrows.
Redline sounds great as driving down I5 the longer the detection range the better going 90.
V1 everybody loves it but it sounds like they have something in the works which tells me this isn't their best right now and may have been eclipsed by newer tech as they seem to have a bunch of add-ons to achieve similar results of other units.
Argh, I would by all 3 if it made any sense to run multiple, but it doesn't.
01-31-2014, 05:36 PM
#95
Instructor
Member Since: Jun 2012
Posts: 154
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
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I'm sure I'm not alone in that I've been lurking, reading this thread all week. My C7 gets delivered in the next 10 days (on rail from Nashville).
I will be buying a detector next week.
I am literally no closer to deciding between V1, Max or Redline than I was when I read the first post. Everyone has done such a great job of praising their choice that I'm convinced they have the perfect detector for them.
Only problem I have no idea which would be perfect for me.
California (Los Gatos)
City and Hwy driving
Will be visor mounted (CA law about windshield)
Convertible
Price not a concern (don't plan on mounting external sensors though)
Max sounds great but is new technology necessarily mean it is better? Has 2 antennas, but no arrows.
Redline sounds great as driving down I5 the longer the detection range the better going 90.
V1 everybody loves it but it sounds like they have something in the works which tells me this isn't their best right now and may have been eclipsed by newer tech as they seem to have a bunch of add-ons to achieve similar results of other units.
Argh, I would by all 3 if it made any sense to run multiple, but it doesn't.
I will be buying a detector next week.
I am literally no closer to deciding between V1, Max or Redline than I was when I read the first post. Everyone has done such a great job of praising their choice that I'm convinced they have the perfect detector for them.
Only problem I have no idea which would be perfect for me.
California (Los Gatos)
City and Hwy driving
Will be visor mounted (CA law about windshield)
Convertible
Price not a concern (don't plan on mounting external sensors though)
Max sounds great but is new technology necessarily mean it is better? Has 2 antennas, but no arrows.
Redline sounds great as driving down I5 the longer the detection range the better going 90.
V1 everybody loves it but it sounds like they have something in the works which tells me this isn't their best right now and may have been eclipsed by newer tech as they seem to have a bunch of add-ons to achieve similar results of other units.
Argh, I would by all 3 if it made any sense to run multiple, but it doesn't.
Both Escort and Valentine offer a 30 day return policy. Buy one, try it out for 30 days and if you don't like it return it.
01-31-2014, 08:56 PM
#97
Morgan,
KeepRightPassLeft has a good point. If you just want to get one and be done with it, get the Redline. To make the most out of the V1 you would want the V1 Connection and a smartphone. Watch out for those LEOs. Good luck.
Cheers.
01-31-2014, 10:02 PM
#98
Instructor
Member Since: Sep 2005
Location: Newport Beach California
Posts: 128
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I'm interested in this exact setup. Do you have any pictures of the laser interceptors installed on the car? I can't figure out where to put them where they aren't blindingly obvious/hideous?
