Best Place To Purchase a V1 Detector From?
#26
MBWorld Fanatic!
#27
For radar detection/location, I'd go for the V1. If you want a stealth install, go for the K40 (WITHOUT the k40 laser jammers, they are awful). The K40 provides the directional information, but just isn't as good at is as the V1. I don't think there are any good choices beyond that. I feel that location information (which tells if you if the radar is in front of or behind you) is more important than a small increase in radar detection performance. The V1 is excellent at all of it.
For laser, you need GOOD jammers. Most jammers are complete crap and just don't work well. I suggested three models in the other radar thread. Illinois still uses old laser guns, and even subpar jammers seem to work well with them, but I'm sure new guns will show up soon (and you won't know until it's too late). Also, don't forget that laser jammers are illegal in Illinois.
With a good detector/locater and laser protection, Illinois is a friendly state to drive in. Sure beats CA . . .![Smilie](https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif)
For laser, you need GOOD jammers. Most jammers are complete crap and just don't work well. I suggested three models in the other radar thread. Illinois still uses old laser guns, and even subpar jammers seem to work well with them, but I'm sure new guns will show up soon (and you won't know until it's too late). Also, don't forget that laser jammers are illegal in Illinois.
With a good detector/locater and laser protection, Illinois is a friendly state to drive in. Sure beats CA . . .
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OK I AM SOLD! VALENTINE1 FOR ME BASED ON YOUR CHOICE..
#28
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'05 C55 AMG
#29
MBWorld Fanatic!
Also (I might take some heat for this one), turn off the POP detection. It produces way too many additional false Ka alerts, to the point where you might start ignoring real ones.
#30
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'08 M5, '10 Land Cruiser
Fighting a ticket right now for [B]estimated[B] 50 in a 35. Guy didn't pace me just heard my exhaust while he waited on a side street with no radar or laser as I laid on it for all of 2seconds. Trying written dec first but will stand in court if I have too.
#31
Glenn
#32
MBWorld Fanatic!
Is X band why it beeps at supermarket doors? I don't have it on i the city for that reason? Why include it?
Fighting a ticket right now for [B]estimated[B] 50 in a 35. Guy didn't pace me just heard my exhaust while he waited on a side street with no radar or laser as I laid on it for all of 2seconds. Trying written dec first but will stand in court if I have too.
Fighting a ticket right now for [B]estimated[B] 50 in a 35. Guy didn't pace me just heard my exhaust while he waited on a side street with no radar or laser as I laid on it for all of 2seconds. Trying written dec first but will stand in court if I have too.
Picking up every last signal might sound good at first, but if you want to actually leave the thing on all the time, it is important to minimize the number of false alerts. I'd get a TON of X alerts if I had the band enabled, with 99.99+% of them being false alerts. I know that there's not way I'm going to analyze each and every X alarm, so if it was enabled, I'd ignore most and not notice the one time that it might actually be a cop using a super old-school X band gun -- so rather than have the thing yelling at me all the time, I disabled X band.
It's a similar thing with K band. Sometimes cop use it, but more and more doors are using K now. That's why I have it set up not to make noise unless it is full blast and in front of me. It still shows up on the display for me to glance over and figure out if it's a cop or a false.
Ka is almost always going to be a cop or another radar detector (radar detectors leak the same frequency that they're trying to detect). If you have the V1 set to POP detection mode, it's threshold is so low that you'll pick up people driving in the opposite direction who have radar detectors. The V1 will eventually tell you that it was a Junk reading, but it still would scare the bejesus out of me when I heard a Ka bleep. I was getting numb to it, and started to ignore it. What's the point of having a detector if you're going to ignore the alerts. . . so POP detection is set to off. I don't get false Ka alerts. Sure, if a cop is using POP mode on his gun, he might get me, but if I had POP detection on, I'd initially just assume it was another false alert.
In summary, my recommended settings are:
X band - TOTALLY disabled
K band - set to only yell when a strong signal directly in front
Ka band - POP mode off, sound at full blast
#33
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Yes, most doors use X, and some use K. I have X band completely disabled. I also have K set to only make any noise when at full strength, and to never make K noise when it is behind me.
Picking up every last signal might sound good at first, but if you want to actually leave the thing on all the time, it is important to minimize the number of false alerts. I'd be a TON of X alerts, with 99.99+% of them being false alerts. I know that there's not way I'm going to analyze each and every X alarm, so if it was enabled, I'd ignore most and not notice the one time that it might actually be a cop using a super old-school X band gun -- so rather than have the thing yelling at me all the time, I disabled X band.
It's a similar thing with K band. Sometimes cop use it, but more and more doors are using K now. That's why I have it set up not to make noise unless it is full blast and in front of me. It still shows up on the display for me to glance over and figure out if it's a cop or a false.
Ka is almost always going to be a cop or another radar detector (radar detectors leak the same frequency that they're trying to detect). If you have the V1 set to POP detection mode, it's threshold is so low that you'll pick up people driving in the opposite direction who have radar detectors. The V1 will eventually tell you that it was a Junk reading, but it still would scare the bejesus out of me when I heard a Ka bleep. I was getting numb to it, and started to ignore it. What's the point of having a detector if you're going to ignore the alerts. . . so POP detection is set to off. I don't get false Ka alerts. Sure, if a cop is using POP mode on his gun, he might get me, but if I had POP detection on, I'd initially just assume it was another false alert.
In summary, my recommended settings are:
X band - TOTALLY disabled
K band - set to only yell when a strong signal directly in front
Ka band - POP mode off, sound at full blast
Picking up every last signal might sound good at first, but if you want to actually leave the thing on all the time, it is important to minimize the number of false alerts. I'd be a TON of X alerts, with 99.99+% of them being false alerts. I know that there's not way I'm going to analyze each and every X alarm, so if it was enabled, I'd ignore most and not notice the one time that it might actually be a cop using a super old-school X band gun -- so rather than have the thing yelling at me all the time, I disabled X band.
It's a similar thing with K band. Sometimes cop use it, but more and more doors are using K now. That's why I have it set up not to make noise unless it is full blast and in front of me. It still shows up on the display for me to glance over and figure out if it's a cop or a false.
Ka is almost always going to be a cop or another radar detector (radar detectors leak the same frequency that they're trying to detect). If you have the V1 set to POP detection mode, it's threshold is so low that you'll pick up people driving in the opposite direction who have radar detectors. The V1 will eventually tell you that it was a Junk reading, but it still would scare the bejesus out of me when I heard a Ka bleep. I was getting numb to it, and started to ignore it. What's the point of having a detector if you're going to ignore the alerts. . . so POP detection is set to off. I don't get false Ka alerts. Sure, if a cop is using POP mode on his gun, he might get me, but if I had POP detection on, I'd initially just assume it was another false alert.
In summary, my recommended settings are:
X band - TOTALLY disabled
K band - set to only yell when a strong signal directly in front
Ka band - POP mode off, sound at full blast
I'll go on the site for instructions on how to do this. I have mine set in default right now but use the big "L" symbol which filters some but not all junk.
I have mine low and to the side so my rear detection is useless anyway, especially since they can pace you anyways.
Again, thanks for the detailed response.
#34
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thank you. Noticed one typo but the summary at the end cleared that up.
I'll go on the site for instructions on how to do this. I have mine set in default right now but use the big "L" symbol which filters some but not all junk.
I have mine low and to the side so my rear detection is useless anyway, especially since they can pace you anyways.
Again, thanks for the detailed response.
I'll go on the site for instructions on how to do this. I have mine set in default right now but use the big "L" symbol which filters some but not all junk.
I have mine low and to the side so my rear detection is useless anyway, especially since they can pace you anyways.
Again, thanks for the detailed response.
#36
MBWorld Fanatic!
#37
Dude know one asked about an escort but you sure gave us a history lesson on that detector. Hit You tube and watch the RX65 out shine the V1. I was going to get a V1, but based on two months of reading the Bel had the best reviews buy far. But if you want a V1 get it its a great detector.
As far as I know in my last post I was not talking to you. And I I want to offer friendly advice or opinion to a fellow member I will do so. I tend to like it if a member makes sure i'm covering all bases when i'm making a decision to buy.
As far as I know in my last post I was not talking to you. And I I want to offer friendly advice or opinion to a fellow member I will do so. I tend to like it if a member makes sure i'm covering all bases when i'm making a decision to buy.
http://guysoflidar.com/august-2007/r...ctor-test.html
#38
You obviously don't know much about radar detectors because the Valentine One beats them all including your average Bel RX-65.
http://guysoflidar.com/august-2007/r...ctor-test.html
http://guysoflidar.com/august-2007/r...ctor-test.html
![Smilie](https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif)
Once again, I feel vindicated as to why I bought the V-1.
#39
Originally Posted by hooleyboy View Post
Dude know one asked about an escort but you sure gave us a history lesson on that detector.
*** Because YOU can NOT truly understand the HX of the V-1 without understanding where it came from, and thats the old Escort from Cincinnati Microwave of which Mike V was a founding member. I'll bet apples to oranges that the old Escort is better than that NEW BEL ***
Glenn
Dude know one asked about an escort but you sure gave us a history lesson on that detector.
*** Because YOU can NOT truly understand the HX of the V-1 without understanding where it came from, and thats the old Escort from Cincinnati Microwave of which Mike V was a founding member. I'll bet apples to oranges that the old Escort is better than that NEW BEL ***
Glenn
#42
For V1 ******...(me also)
Valentine One (V1): Tribute to the Porsche 911 of Radar Detectors
Several years ago, when VEIL was exhibiting at a CES show in Las Vegas, I met up with a vistor and had a brief discussion about radar detectors. At some point during our conversation the topic shifted to Valentine Research and their sole product offering, the Valentine One (V1 for short). This individual suggested the V1 had essentially remained unchanged since it's inception and asked me if Valentine ever made a V2 would it only be half as good?
I thought about this tongue-in-cheek question and concluded, by using the same logic, that a V2 would actually have to be twice as good. A V0.5 would be half as good (of course, there was never such a unit produced). The more I thought about it, the more I felt that this individual had missed the actual meaning of the Valentine One's packaging.
Yes, the Valentine One's appearance has remained virtually unchanged since it's original appearance in the early nineties. But that doesn't mean - not by a long shot - that it hasn't changed since then.
When I think of the Valentine One, I can't help but think about another automotive icon that also has had it's appearance change very little over it's long and fruitful life - the Porsche 911.
Like the 911, the Valentine One has steadily improved over it's long 15 year history. But it's changes have come slowly and methodically. Fortunately for us, Valentine Research has resisted trendy fads that have made their way into lesser detectors (that have come and gone) and instead has stayed absolutely focused on consistently providing the highest levels of detection across all bands of RADAR and all forms of LIDAR.
Anyone who has ever lived with a V1 for an extended period of time appreciates the consistent manner in which it alerts to approaching threats with very clear and immediately identifiable tones which remain, to this day, the quickest route to your brain. The LED band indicators which provide visual confirmation feel much like the cupholders that don the interior of my BMW - A "concession" likely made by Mr. Valentine to address the casual observations made by those who don't appreciate or understand the subtle and understated manner in which the V1 informs it's owner to the threats that lurk about.
I don't think the Valentine One would be any less without them.
It is true that Valentine's competitors have managed to just about equal or exceed in some cases the performance of it RADAR detection performance, at times, but it has taken more than a decade to do so. Laser detection performance remains the platinum standard and no other radar/laser detector has yet to obtain a such a performance level and that's not a subjective opinion, that's a documented fact (see our laser detectors review).
One of the real strengths of the Valentine One is that it has virtually no weakness across any of it's reception abilities. RADAR sensitivity and signal ramp is the most consistent of any detector, past or present, regardless of the band. This enables it's owners an intimate connection with the detector. Like the handling of the 911, it enables it's owner to feel "connected" to the road and to know exactly where you stand within it's limits.
In my opinion, the arrows aren't the primary reason to own this detector, as the tones do a splendid job of allowing it's user to accurately measure the severity and proximity of the threat. They do provide a real benefit by allowing owners to establish when an alerting source has passed them by. When one drives on the interstates in the high density population areas of say, upstate NJ, the arrows do their job in assuring that the X or K alerts that stem from the countless strip malls and shopping centers routinely adjacent to the highway can be safely disregarded.
Even though it doesn't happen much, particularly if you routinely cruise at a steady 85-90mph, the V1 with it's arrows has the unique ability to immediately identify and convey to it's owner an approaching smokey from behind with his/her radar engaged to nail motorists in the rear.
Some have criticized the V1 as being heavy and bulky. I personally care for it's solid construction, although it's lighter than other more streamlined appearing detectors. V1's convey a sense of being chisled out of billet steel (actually the case is magnesium).
Whenever I see a V1 mounted in the windshield of another vehicle, I know the driver is a serious one. When I drive with the V1, I notice I tend to get followed/flogged more by would-be freeloaders on my tail than with any other detector. There is a reason for this and I understand the desire of Valentine owners to want to hide their detector from view with the optional remote display.
Shortcomings? Sure. A couple of minor ones. I still struggle with the suction cups losing adhesion (it seems to alway be one or the other) from time to time. An automuting capability would be nice or at least a push button (a la Bel/Escort) on the power adaptor to spare me the reach to the windshield every time it goes off in city driving and it's bogey counter counts up to 7 when I pass a shopping area. And to be completely honest, I have come to like the additional display capability of either the Beltronics and Escort top models - primarily to see what radar band frequency is the source of the alerting (Ka has three distinct ones, 33.8ghz, 34.7ghz, 35.5ghz). The ability to separate POP detection from the J[unk] filtering function would also be nice along with an ability to quickly reset programmed settings back to factory default as one can do with the Beltronics and Escort radar detectors.
Unless heavily programmed, the V1 can quickly become tiresome during city driving because of it's extreme sensitivity from both the front, back, and side to all bonafide radar sources, and that includes door openers and the like. I would sure like to see some more filtering modes, like minimizing the intial alerts from the side with weak radar signals, which routinely come from door openers (X & K) or the passing of other vehicles which have a cheap (ie; leaky with Ka) radar detector.
Like the 911, the Valentine comes into it's own during long highway drives. It's here, on the open highway, that the levels of excellence achieved are truly appreciated.
The 911 is unique in having it's engine hang-over it's rear-axle. The V1 is the only detector which uses both a front and rear facing antenna to provide it's owner with the location (front/rear/side) of a radar/laser threat.
The interior of the 911 is somewhat austere; so it is with the V1 - not many bells and whistles. Programming can be tricky (I carry a photocopy of the programming guide in the V1's carrying case) but is rarely needed.
The V1 has a manual feel and a minimalist philosophy to it (and it's all about sheer performance) in the sense that the manner in which it alerts to potential threats, where the decision is intentionally left to the driver to be the final arbiter. Advanced signal processing can serve to filter out some falses, but too much can have a negative impact on a detector's ability to report very brief and weak radar sources that are routine with instant-on radar that is used down the road. Valentine's error on the side of alerting detected sources to the driver. The other top models which have more signal processing tend to error on the side of not alerting to minimize false potential. That may mean that even though a detector has the detection range to pick up a radar source, if it's a brief enough radar blast down the road, the time to process/analyze that source may exceed the duration that the blast of radar is detectable. Which means, less chances of being alerted to the instant-on trap down the road at the outer reaches of the detector's range.
The downside to the Valentine's propensity to alert to even the weakest radar sources is that, in certain circumstances, a fatigued driver may begin to discount the alerts altogether, which may lead to the ignoring of a bonafide radar threat. But, the consistent manner in which the V1 alerts helps it's owner offset this potential somewhat. In otherwords, with a little effort, most falses can be immediately identified as such.
This is simply a difference in design philosophy. It's ultimately up to the owner which one is more appropriate for them depending on specific driving circumstances. If one opts to maximize their chances of receiving such alerts, one most be prepared for the increased number of brief alerts ("falses") from sources that are not bonafide police radar traps such as X & K door openers and Ka emissions of poorly insulated and designed radar detectors.
For those not willing to accept the higher false potential that the Valentine may provide in certain circumstances, there are a number of other fine top radar detectors that provide very nearly the same level of radar detection performance with an arguably better balance of filtering resulting in a generally quieter detector (particularly the Beltronics RX-65 Pro, Beltronics STi Driver, Escort Passport 8500 X50, and potentially the Escort Passport 9500i with it's speed sensitive sensitivity filtering mode). The advantage that these alternatives provide is that they tend to alert to a higher percentage of bonafide radar threats than to false ones. I personally am an advocate of owning several radar detectors and using each them in their most appropriate driving circumstances. I equate this to situation to using dedicated ultra-performance summer and winter tires versus all-around high-performance all-season radials.
During it's development the 911 became, should we say, "twicthy" in the late eighties with it's Turbo version. The V1 also had a short period of "twitchy" behavior post it's incorporation of POP reception ability. In both cases, these idosyncrocies have been thoroughly sorted out. Specifically in the V1's case, it's 'chicken little' days are largely in the rear-view mirror.
The 911 has gone various platform updates like the 996, 998 as has the V1 with it's V1.6, V1.7, V1.8 underpinnings which have had a modest impact on it's appearance. The good stuff can't be seen without opening the case. Within the confines of the 911, you'll find some the nicest expressions of automotive mechanicals. Within the V1, you'll find some of the highest levels of electronic circuitry to make it in a consumer device. The V1 is no Seiko in a Rolex housing.
As with any brand that has such a long evolutionary development history, some groups of individuals may actually have preferences to an earlier platform/version or a specific period of a production run. While both the 911 and Valentine One have improved all around, preferences of these individuals to an earlier model may be more tied to the intimacy, familiarity, and trust bond that has formed from extensive driving experience between them and a particular model year or platform/version.
If you are going to consider acquiring an earlier version through the likes of an Ebay query, I would first suggest you scan the Valentine Forum of Speedtraphunter.net to get feedback from other existing V1 owners before placing a bid on any one auction. Remember, the upgrade cost that the company provides tends to be lower with the more recent models, than the older ones, so be certain to take that into consideration before you place your first bid. Valentine provides a cost estimate for upgrading previous versions here.
Like 911s, Valentines have garnered a faithful band of followers (myself included) that appreciate the detectors for what they are. On paper some models may appear to have it over the V1, just as the Corvette may appear superior to a 911, that is until one actually gets behind the wheel and drives them both.
Some long time competitors to the 911 have recently been endowed with some new technical innovation (the Corvette Z06 comes to mind) and both Beltronics and Escort have presented their tour-de-force units with the STi Driver's Spectre RDD immunity and the Passport 9500i's GPS enabled capabilties. But like the 911 (culminated in the current GT3), the V1's evolution has been marked by slow and steady progress and continued refinement. In both cases, sometimes the best things in life, take time.
Setting the record straight - at least in my mind.
Does there exist some journalistic bias against the Valentine One? I can't say for sure, but here is my take on some things I've read or seen over the years from a variety of different sources.
1) V1 is a pricey radar detector and the difference of $50+ is huge over it's nearest competitors.
Disagree. While the V1 has been at the top of windshield mount pricing market at $399, the Valentine is now the least expensive relative to the other top two premium brands, the Beltronics STi Driver and the Escort Passport 9500i, each of which now retail at $449. To use this same logic, I suppose that difference is now huge and in favor of the Valentine One.
For a serious driver, like myself, whether a detector is $399 or $599 is of little consequence. Compared to the price of just one healthy speeding ticket, the subsequent insurance surcharges, the cost of points, risk of license suspension and the subsequent impact on being able to earn a living, the cost in time to defend oneself or to retain an attorney to fight a ticket in court, the Valentine One, BEL, Escort models practically pay for themselves by saving me from just one ticket. Let alone the scores of tickets I would have received had I not used them over the last 15 years. I often time ask myself, why would drivers consider anything less? It's something akin to putting on the absolute cheapest tires on a high performance car. Who would seriously consider doing such a thing? My recommendation, if cost is a real concern, skip that one dinner out with the wife or the movie with the kids and invest in one of these fine detectors. Your wallet will thank you.
To Valentine's credit, they have held the line on the price of their detector for more than 15 years running! While the price of just about everything else has risen with inflation, Valentine has continued to offer their detector for the same amount, all the while adding functionality and improving performance along the way. Now that's most impressive.
The actual cost of ownership of Valentines, I believe, tend to be lower than that of other detectors. Why? Because Valentine has alway allowed their owners to upgrade their models for a nominal amount. With other detectors one would have to discard the older model to purchase a "newer" model for full retail. Imagine purchasing a 911 back in the eighties and paying incremental charges along the way to recieve the equivalent of the 911 GT3 today, not a bad deal, in my opinion. And if you ever decide that it's time to move to another detector like say the Beltronics STi Driver (particularly in you live in VA or Canada) you can rest assured that you will get much more for your used detector on Ebay than for any other. I know of guys who routinely purchase new Valentine's outright and then sell their used ones on Ebay for nearly what they paid.
Can you see that the Valentine One provides it's owner with a lower total cost of ownership than the others? I certainly can.
Porsche 911's also tend to hold their value pretty well. I once knew of someone who purchased a used 911 and sold it for more than he paid for it a year later!
2) It's not a fair comparison to compare a $540 V1 radar detector model to the $339 Escort Passport 8500 X50, nor the $329 Beltronics RX-65 Pro.
Disagree. First and most importantly, the V1 is not a $540 model. It retails for $399 - not $540, $516, nor $499. Optional accessories such as the carrying case or the remote display are just that - optional - and have nothing to do with the performance behavior of the detector. Using this same logic, would it not be a unfair to the V1 to now compare it to either the 9500i or STi Driver since they cost more?
Car magazines routinely compare vehicles across a wide price spectrum. Why? Because price is a secondary concern to the performance group/class. How many times have a you seen comparisons like those of Corvettes to 911's and Ferarris? It's pretty routine, actually.
This performance group can be considered the ultra-premium group of radar detectors and they are comprised of the Beltronics RX-65 Pro, STi Driver, Escort Passport 8500 X50, Passport 9500i, and Valentine One. The difference in cost between any of these is much smaller in both absolute dollars and percentage between the likes of Corvette, Porsche, and Ferrari.
3) The Valentine One is the oldest detector going at 15 plus years as compared to two year average lifespan of other detectors and has remained largely unchanged since it's inception (the corollary to this of course if you own one of these other models, you'll likely be purchasing new a one at full retail every two years to keep with the "latest" (aka marketing hype) - see point #1).
Disagree. The Valentine One is not an old detector, not by a long shot. I would argue that the V1 has gone through more incremental updates than either of the top models from either Beltronics or Escort. Valentine is good about not hiding this fact as well. The current shipping version as of today is v3.861. My model of last year is v3.826 and V1's have since had some hardware mods and software revisions. To Valentine's credit, however, they feel confident that my unit performs at the same level of the current model which is to say exceptional. However, if I so choose, I can pay a nominal fee to have my detector updated with all of the latest and greatest. It is true that the Valentine is much the same as it was in early 90s in that it's performance continues to be the benchmark in the industry by which all other detectors can be measured. The fact that it's only recently that BEL and Escort have been able to equal, if not sometime exceed, the sheer radar performance of this detector is a testamant to how darn well this detector was conceived and designed in the first place! I currently own three models of the V1 including the original one from 1992. I would feel comfortable driving with any of them and would prefer even this first model to the vast majority "new" detector models that are less than two years old. Valentines are not old, they are mature. Would any serious automotive journalist consider the 911 GT3 an old car because it is essentially a 911 that's been around for more than four decades? I think not.
When one purchases a V1, rest assured you will always be purchasing the newest model, even if the name is the same or the appearance hasn't changed much over the initial model that debuted in the early nineties. Valentine's philosophy is that this is the first and last radar detector you will ever need to purchase and it's a pretty convincing one at that.
4) The performance value of high laser sensitivity is purely a subjective one.
Disagree. No more than a given detector's sensitivity to any one radar band is. Some reviewers have decided to discount the value of X & K band as well. I certainly don't. I routinely drive throughout NJ and low-powered X-band while very slowly being replaced by Ka-band and laser is still very very prevalent and lethal. X-band performance is critical to me (and to every other driver in the Garden State). K-band reception is also extremely important as I reside in PA - where K rules the day, as it still does in a lot of states. It's the arbitrary devaluing of the reception importance of one band over another that is purely subjective. I prefer to objectively consider the reception performance across all bands including laser.
In this latter case, the V1 has by far the best front and rear sensing abilities as compared to all the other windshield-mount detectors. Nothing else even comes close. Since laser is rapidly increasing in use; it is the most difficult to detect (far more so than even the latest digital Ka radar); and since a laser countermeasure like Veil gives drivers more time to slow down during a laser encounter; the alerting ability to laser is extremely important. In fact, I put this ability ahead every other radar-band. The V1 is the only detector that I have actually experienced that has provided a rare advanced warning to laser (while another vehicle ahead was being targeted); the circumstances were just right and the Valentine has no equal with this nearly impossible feat.
5) The performance added by having two antenna (one front and one back) is purely a subjective one.
Disagree. If the name of the game is keeping 'serious drivers ticket-free', then anything that can serve to that end is welcomed and valued.
Just yesterday on a driving route in upstate NJ and I-287, the V1 with it's two antennae and arrows would have most certainly reduced my risk of getting a speeding ticket. I was testing the STI driver and the RX-65 Pro detectors when they alerted to steadily increasing X-band source. I was initially cruising at 90mph when they first alerted. I slowed down to about 80mph in preparation for what appeared to be an ambush from ahead. These threat level continued to increase to the point that both meters were pegged. Despite this I couldn't find the smokey in the median strip ahead where they often hide. I just happened to notice that someone was on my tail in the rear view mirror which was surprising considering my rate of speed. To my shock and horror, it was a NJ state trooper. He had managed to sneak in my back door. If he had wanted to, he could have pulled me over for going 15 over, but fortunately for me, he passed me on my left as I moved over to the center lane. Just ahead he exited the highway; he was going somewhere and not interested in my transgression. I know that had the V1 been on the windshield instead, I would have instantly known that the threat was coming from behind. This is not a subjective opinion, this is an objective fact. Could it have made a difference? Without a doubt.
6) The Valentine has an anemic feature set.
Disagree. Up until recently the V1 was the only one to have auto dimming in it's display, making manual selection of such a thing superfluous. Although a bit combersome, Valentine's is the most programmable detector ever built. Valentine's do have selectable band defeat. Valentine's have two standard alternative city modes - logic mode and advanced logic mode. WIth additional programming, the V1 can be tailored to behave even more differently when either of these modes are activated.
Does a manual 911 have less "features" than shall we say a Corvette Z06 or a BMW M5 SMG? Does it really matter? Each car provides a unique and different experience that will appeal to a different group of performance drivers who seek a different driving experience. I wouldn't turn down a 911 GT3 because it didn't have a Sirius/XM satellite radio installed or a GPS system. Would you? On the other hand, I wouldn't turn down the opportunity to drive with an M5 or Z06 either. They each serve a purpose and appeal to different group drivers. The roads would be less exciting without any one of them.
At the same time, there's no doubt that these other models are way ahead in user ergonomic friendliness and ease of use. However, these aspects are subjective and have little or nothing to do with actual radar/laser detection performance any more than some automotive electronic options have to do with enhancing sheer driving performance.
7) An indirect implication that Mike Valentine is not much of an innovator.
Disagree. While it may be factually correct that much of Escort's landmark products came after Mr. Valentine's departure from Escort, it is also true that they lost their focus for a period time when they got into producing other consumer electronics like spread-spectrum cordless phones and ended up having to go through a restructuring as a result. It was only in the about five years ago that they returned to their roots and along with Beltronics started providing radar detectors that could be considered to be in the same league of the Valentine One. During that same period, Valentine Research has kept it's core focus on producing the absolute highest performing radar detectors starting with their first version of the early 90's. Mr. Valentine and the folks of Valentine Research got it right the first time and have been free from and have resisted the inevitable economic pressure to produce gimmicks or are other unrelated consumer electronics. Anyone questioning VR's innovation, need only refer to the number of patents that have been assigned to the company.
8) Valentine Research is not a major radar detector manufacturer.
Disagree. That may be true when measured in absolute sales volumes compared to Cobra, Beltronics, Escort, and Whistler. However, to believe that VR is not major detector manufacturer is like saying that Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Porsche are not a major car companies because their manufacturing is measured in the hundreds or thousands [of cars] per year (compared to tens or hundreds of thousands by the behemoth car manufacturers). I can't think of one serious car enthusiast who would actually feel that way about any of these top automotive marques.
And so it goes with Valentine Research. The driving cognoscenti know which company has historically established the benchmarks in the industry.
Again, these are my take on things with which you may or may not agree, which is fine, as long as we can agree to disagree.
Conclusion
To be clear, all the top performing radar detectors (V1, RX65, 8500 X50, STi Driver, 9500i) perform admirably and I own and will happily drive with any of them. Both the Beltronics RX-65 Pro and the Beltronics STi Driver are also at the top of my favorite list. Why? Because they are user-friendlier versions and the most Valentine-like of all the other radar detectors, and both are bit less taxing with which to drive around town or heavily traveled highways.
But, especially on long trips, I find myself returning to my faithful companion time and time again. The Valentine One remains our reference radar detector to this day - 15 years and counting.
Will Valentine ever produce a V2? I seriously doubt it, any more than I think Porsche will make an 1822 as a successor to the 911. I would expect, though, continued updates to the platform, like Porsche. Besides, I couldn't possibly imagine how Valentine Research (or anyone else for that matter) could make a radar detector that's twice as good any more than I could expect Porsche to make a new 911 that is twice as good as it's current 911.
I think it's safe to write, however, that I would expect to see continued refinement and steady improvement - which has been the hallmark of both brands.
I may never be able to own the likes of 911 GT3, but fortunately, I can enjoy the performance of another automotive icon.
Does this make me a 'V1 Zombie'? Hardly.
But, like the Porsche 911, the V1 does re-affirm my faith in the miracle of evolution.
Whenever I get behind to wheel, I quietly repeat the following chant to the speed gods:
Long live the 911 and long live the Valentine One...Amen.
Valentine One (V1): Tribute to the Porsche 911 of Radar Detectors
Several years ago, when VEIL was exhibiting at a CES show in Las Vegas, I met up with a vistor and had a brief discussion about radar detectors. At some point during our conversation the topic shifted to Valentine Research and their sole product offering, the Valentine One (V1 for short). This individual suggested the V1 had essentially remained unchanged since it's inception and asked me if Valentine ever made a V2 would it only be half as good?
I thought about this tongue-in-cheek question and concluded, by using the same logic, that a V2 would actually have to be twice as good. A V0.5 would be half as good (of course, there was never such a unit produced). The more I thought about it, the more I felt that this individual had missed the actual meaning of the Valentine One's packaging.
Yes, the Valentine One's appearance has remained virtually unchanged since it's original appearance in the early nineties. But that doesn't mean - not by a long shot - that it hasn't changed since then.
When I think of the Valentine One, I can't help but think about another automotive icon that also has had it's appearance change very little over it's long and fruitful life - the Porsche 911.
Like the 911, the Valentine One has steadily improved over it's long 15 year history. But it's changes have come slowly and methodically. Fortunately for us, Valentine Research has resisted trendy fads that have made their way into lesser detectors (that have come and gone) and instead has stayed absolutely focused on consistently providing the highest levels of detection across all bands of RADAR and all forms of LIDAR.
Anyone who has ever lived with a V1 for an extended period of time appreciates the consistent manner in which it alerts to approaching threats with very clear and immediately identifiable tones which remain, to this day, the quickest route to your brain. The LED band indicators which provide visual confirmation feel much like the cupholders that don the interior of my BMW - A "concession" likely made by Mr. Valentine to address the casual observations made by those who don't appreciate or understand the subtle and understated manner in which the V1 informs it's owner to the threats that lurk about.
I don't think the Valentine One would be any less without them.
It is true that Valentine's competitors have managed to just about equal or exceed in some cases the performance of it RADAR detection performance, at times, but it has taken more than a decade to do so. Laser detection performance remains the platinum standard and no other radar/laser detector has yet to obtain a such a performance level and that's not a subjective opinion, that's a documented fact (see our laser detectors review).
One of the real strengths of the Valentine One is that it has virtually no weakness across any of it's reception abilities. RADAR sensitivity and signal ramp is the most consistent of any detector, past or present, regardless of the band. This enables it's owners an intimate connection with the detector. Like the handling of the 911, it enables it's owner to feel "connected" to the road and to know exactly where you stand within it's limits.
In my opinion, the arrows aren't the primary reason to own this detector, as the tones do a splendid job of allowing it's user to accurately measure the severity and proximity of the threat. They do provide a real benefit by allowing owners to establish when an alerting source has passed them by. When one drives on the interstates in the high density population areas of say, upstate NJ, the arrows do their job in assuring that the X or K alerts that stem from the countless strip malls and shopping centers routinely adjacent to the highway can be safely disregarded.
Even though it doesn't happen much, particularly if you routinely cruise at a steady 85-90mph, the V1 with it's arrows has the unique ability to immediately identify and convey to it's owner an approaching smokey from behind with his/her radar engaged to nail motorists in the rear.
Some have criticized the V1 as being heavy and bulky. I personally care for it's solid construction, although it's lighter than other more streamlined appearing detectors. V1's convey a sense of being chisled out of billet steel (actually the case is magnesium).
Whenever I see a V1 mounted in the windshield of another vehicle, I know the driver is a serious one. When I drive with the V1, I notice I tend to get followed/flogged more by would-be freeloaders on my tail than with any other detector. There is a reason for this and I understand the desire of Valentine owners to want to hide their detector from view with the optional remote display.
Shortcomings? Sure. A couple of minor ones. I still struggle with the suction cups losing adhesion (it seems to alway be one or the other) from time to time. An automuting capability would be nice or at least a push button (a la Bel/Escort) on the power adaptor to spare me the reach to the windshield every time it goes off in city driving and it's bogey counter counts up to 7 when I pass a shopping area. And to be completely honest, I have come to like the additional display capability of either the Beltronics and Escort top models - primarily to see what radar band frequency is the source of the alerting (Ka has three distinct ones, 33.8ghz, 34.7ghz, 35.5ghz). The ability to separate POP detection from the J[unk] filtering function would also be nice along with an ability to quickly reset programmed settings back to factory default as one can do with the Beltronics and Escort radar detectors.
Unless heavily programmed, the V1 can quickly become tiresome during city driving because of it's extreme sensitivity from both the front, back, and side to all bonafide radar sources, and that includes door openers and the like. I would sure like to see some more filtering modes, like minimizing the intial alerts from the side with weak radar signals, which routinely come from door openers (X & K) or the passing of other vehicles which have a cheap (ie; leaky with Ka) radar detector.
Like the 911, the Valentine comes into it's own during long highway drives. It's here, on the open highway, that the levels of excellence achieved are truly appreciated.
The 911 is unique in having it's engine hang-over it's rear-axle. The V1 is the only detector which uses both a front and rear facing antenna to provide it's owner with the location (front/rear/side) of a radar/laser threat.
The interior of the 911 is somewhat austere; so it is with the V1 - not many bells and whistles. Programming can be tricky (I carry a photocopy of the programming guide in the V1's carrying case) but is rarely needed.
The V1 has a manual feel and a minimalist philosophy to it (and it's all about sheer performance) in the sense that the manner in which it alerts to potential threats, where the decision is intentionally left to the driver to be the final arbiter. Advanced signal processing can serve to filter out some falses, but too much can have a negative impact on a detector's ability to report very brief and weak radar sources that are routine with instant-on radar that is used down the road. Valentine's error on the side of alerting detected sources to the driver. The other top models which have more signal processing tend to error on the side of not alerting to minimize false potential. That may mean that even though a detector has the detection range to pick up a radar source, if it's a brief enough radar blast down the road, the time to process/analyze that source may exceed the duration that the blast of radar is detectable. Which means, less chances of being alerted to the instant-on trap down the road at the outer reaches of the detector's range.
The downside to the Valentine's propensity to alert to even the weakest radar sources is that, in certain circumstances, a fatigued driver may begin to discount the alerts altogether, which may lead to the ignoring of a bonafide radar threat. But, the consistent manner in which the V1 alerts helps it's owner offset this potential somewhat. In otherwords, with a little effort, most falses can be immediately identified as such.
This is simply a difference in design philosophy. It's ultimately up to the owner which one is more appropriate for them depending on specific driving circumstances. If one opts to maximize their chances of receiving such alerts, one most be prepared for the increased number of brief alerts ("falses") from sources that are not bonafide police radar traps such as X & K door openers and Ka emissions of poorly insulated and designed radar detectors.
For those not willing to accept the higher false potential that the Valentine may provide in certain circumstances, there are a number of other fine top radar detectors that provide very nearly the same level of radar detection performance with an arguably better balance of filtering resulting in a generally quieter detector (particularly the Beltronics RX-65 Pro, Beltronics STi Driver, Escort Passport 8500 X50, and potentially the Escort Passport 9500i with it's speed sensitive sensitivity filtering mode). The advantage that these alternatives provide is that they tend to alert to a higher percentage of bonafide radar threats than to false ones. I personally am an advocate of owning several radar detectors and using each them in their most appropriate driving circumstances. I equate this to situation to using dedicated ultra-performance summer and winter tires versus all-around high-performance all-season radials.
During it's development the 911 became, should we say, "twicthy" in the late eighties with it's Turbo version. The V1 also had a short period of "twitchy" behavior post it's incorporation of POP reception ability. In both cases, these idosyncrocies have been thoroughly sorted out. Specifically in the V1's case, it's 'chicken little' days are largely in the rear-view mirror.
The 911 has gone various platform updates like the 996, 998 as has the V1 with it's V1.6, V1.7, V1.8 underpinnings which have had a modest impact on it's appearance. The good stuff can't be seen without opening the case. Within the confines of the 911, you'll find some the nicest expressions of automotive mechanicals. Within the V1, you'll find some of the highest levels of electronic circuitry to make it in a consumer device. The V1 is no Seiko in a Rolex housing.
As with any brand that has such a long evolutionary development history, some groups of individuals may actually have preferences to an earlier platform/version or a specific period of a production run. While both the 911 and Valentine One have improved all around, preferences of these individuals to an earlier model may be more tied to the intimacy, familiarity, and trust bond that has formed from extensive driving experience between them and a particular model year or platform/version.
If you are going to consider acquiring an earlier version through the likes of an Ebay query, I would first suggest you scan the Valentine Forum of Speedtraphunter.net to get feedback from other existing V1 owners before placing a bid on any one auction. Remember, the upgrade cost that the company provides tends to be lower with the more recent models, than the older ones, so be certain to take that into consideration before you place your first bid. Valentine provides a cost estimate for upgrading previous versions here.
Like 911s, Valentines have garnered a faithful band of followers (myself included) that appreciate the detectors for what they are. On paper some models may appear to have it over the V1, just as the Corvette may appear superior to a 911, that is until one actually gets behind the wheel and drives them both.
Some long time competitors to the 911 have recently been endowed with some new technical innovation (the Corvette Z06 comes to mind) and both Beltronics and Escort have presented their tour-de-force units with the STi Driver's Spectre RDD immunity and the Passport 9500i's GPS enabled capabilties. But like the 911 (culminated in the current GT3), the V1's evolution has been marked by slow and steady progress and continued refinement. In both cases, sometimes the best things in life, take time.
Setting the record straight - at least in my mind.
Does there exist some journalistic bias against the Valentine One? I can't say for sure, but here is my take on some things I've read or seen over the years from a variety of different sources.
1) V1 is a pricey radar detector and the difference of $50+ is huge over it's nearest competitors.
Disagree. While the V1 has been at the top of windshield mount pricing market at $399, the Valentine is now the least expensive relative to the other top two premium brands, the Beltronics STi Driver and the Escort Passport 9500i, each of which now retail at $449. To use this same logic, I suppose that difference is now huge and in favor of the Valentine One.
For a serious driver, like myself, whether a detector is $399 or $599 is of little consequence. Compared to the price of just one healthy speeding ticket, the subsequent insurance surcharges, the cost of points, risk of license suspension and the subsequent impact on being able to earn a living, the cost in time to defend oneself or to retain an attorney to fight a ticket in court, the Valentine One, BEL, Escort models practically pay for themselves by saving me from just one ticket. Let alone the scores of tickets I would have received had I not used them over the last 15 years. I often time ask myself, why would drivers consider anything less? It's something akin to putting on the absolute cheapest tires on a high performance car. Who would seriously consider doing such a thing? My recommendation, if cost is a real concern, skip that one dinner out with the wife or the movie with the kids and invest in one of these fine detectors. Your wallet will thank you.
To Valentine's credit, they have held the line on the price of their detector for more than 15 years running! While the price of just about everything else has risen with inflation, Valentine has continued to offer their detector for the same amount, all the while adding functionality and improving performance along the way. Now that's most impressive.
The actual cost of ownership of Valentines, I believe, tend to be lower than that of other detectors. Why? Because Valentine has alway allowed their owners to upgrade their models for a nominal amount. With other detectors one would have to discard the older model to purchase a "newer" model for full retail. Imagine purchasing a 911 back in the eighties and paying incremental charges along the way to recieve the equivalent of the 911 GT3 today, not a bad deal, in my opinion. And if you ever decide that it's time to move to another detector like say the Beltronics STi Driver (particularly in you live in VA or Canada) you can rest assured that you will get much more for your used detector on Ebay than for any other. I know of guys who routinely purchase new Valentine's outright and then sell their used ones on Ebay for nearly what they paid.
Can you see that the Valentine One provides it's owner with a lower total cost of ownership than the others? I certainly can.
Porsche 911's also tend to hold their value pretty well. I once knew of someone who purchased a used 911 and sold it for more than he paid for it a year later!
2) It's not a fair comparison to compare a $540 V1 radar detector model to the $339 Escort Passport 8500 X50, nor the $329 Beltronics RX-65 Pro.
Disagree. First and most importantly, the V1 is not a $540 model. It retails for $399 - not $540, $516, nor $499. Optional accessories such as the carrying case or the remote display are just that - optional - and have nothing to do with the performance behavior of the detector. Using this same logic, would it not be a unfair to the V1 to now compare it to either the 9500i or STi Driver since they cost more?
Car magazines routinely compare vehicles across a wide price spectrum. Why? Because price is a secondary concern to the performance group/class. How many times have a you seen comparisons like those of Corvettes to 911's and Ferarris? It's pretty routine, actually.
This performance group can be considered the ultra-premium group of radar detectors and they are comprised of the Beltronics RX-65 Pro, STi Driver, Escort Passport 8500 X50, Passport 9500i, and Valentine One. The difference in cost between any of these is much smaller in both absolute dollars and percentage between the likes of Corvette, Porsche, and Ferrari.
3) The Valentine One is the oldest detector going at 15 plus years as compared to two year average lifespan of other detectors and has remained largely unchanged since it's inception (the corollary to this of course if you own one of these other models, you'll likely be purchasing new a one at full retail every two years to keep with the "latest" (aka marketing hype) - see point #1).
Disagree. The Valentine One is not an old detector, not by a long shot. I would argue that the V1 has gone through more incremental updates than either of the top models from either Beltronics or Escort. Valentine is good about not hiding this fact as well. The current shipping version as of today is v3.861. My model of last year is v3.826 and V1's have since had some hardware mods and software revisions. To Valentine's credit, however, they feel confident that my unit performs at the same level of the current model which is to say exceptional. However, if I so choose, I can pay a nominal fee to have my detector updated with all of the latest and greatest. It is true that the Valentine is much the same as it was in early 90s in that it's performance continues to be the benchmark in the industry by which all other detectors can be measured. The fact that it's only recently that BEL and Escort have been able to equal, if not sometime exceed, the sheer radar performance of this detector is a testamant to how darn well this detector was conceived and designed in the first place! I currently own three models of the V1 including the original one from 1992. I would feel comfortable driving with any of them and would prefer even this first model to the vast majority "new" detector models that are less than two years old. Valentines are not old, they are mature. Would any serious automotive journalist consider the 911 GT3 an old car because it is essentially a 911 that's been around for more than four decades? I think not.
When one purchases a V1, rest assured you will always be purchasing the newest model, even if the name is the same or the appearance hasn't changed much over the initial model that debuted in the early nineties. Valentine's philosophy is that this is the first and last radar detector you will ever need to purchase and it's a pretty convincing one at that.
4) The performance value of high laser sensitivity is purely a subjective one.
Disagree. No more than a given detector's sensitivity to any one radar band is. Some reviewers have decided to discount the value of X & K band as well. I certainly don't. I routinely drive throughout NJ and low-powered X-band while very slowly being replaced by Ka-band and laser is still very very prevalent and lethal. X-band performance is critical to me (and to every other driver in the Garden State). K-band reception is also extremely important as I reside in PA - where K rules the day, as it still does in a lot of states. It's the arbitrary devaluing of the reception importance of one band over another that is purely subjective. I prefer to objectively consider the reception performance across all bands including laser.
In this latter case, the V1 has by far the best front and rear sensing abilities as compared to all the other windshield-mount detectors. Nothing else even comes close. Since laser is rapidly increasing in use; it is the most difficult to detect (far more so than even the latest digital Ka radar); and since a laser countermeasure like Veil gives drivers more time to slow down during a laser encounter; the alerting ability to laser is extremely important. In fact, I put this ability ahead every other radar-band. The V1 is the only detector that I have actually experienced that has provided a rare advanced warning to laser (while another vehicle ahead was being targeted); the circumstances were just right and the Valentine has no equal with this nearly impossible feat.
5) The performance added by having two antenna (one front and one back) is purely a subjective one.
Disagree. If the name of the game is keeping 'serious drivers ticket-free', then anything that can serve to that end is welcomed and valued.
Just yesterday on a driving route in upstate NJ and I-287, the V1 with it's two antennae and arrows would have most certainly reduced my risk of getting a speeding ticket. I was testing the STI driver and the RX-65 Pro detectors when they alerted to steadily increasing X-band source. I was initially cruising at 90mph when they first alerted. I slowed down to about 80mph in preparation for what appeared to be an ambush from ahead. These threat level continued to increase to the point that both meters were pegged. Despite this I couldn't find the smokey in the median strip ahead where they often hide. I just happened to notice that someone was on my tail in the rear view mirror which was surprising considering my rate of speed. To my shock and horror, it was a NJ state trooper. He had managed to sneak in my back door. If he had wanted to, he could have pulled me over for going 15 over, but fortunately for me, he passed me on my left as I moved over to the center lane. Just ahead he exited the highway; he was going somewhere and not interested in my transgression. I know that had the V1 been on the windshield instead, I would have instantly known that the threat was coming from behind. This is not a subjective opinion, this is an objective fact. Could it have made a difference? Without a doubt.
6) The Valentine has an anemic feature set.
Disagree. Up until recently the V1 was the only one to have auto dimming in it's display, making manual selection of such a thing superfluous. Although a bit combersome, Valentine's is the most programmable detector ever built. Valentine's do have selectable band defeat. Valentine's have two standard alternative city modes - logic mode and advanced logic mode. WIth additional programming, the V1 can be tailored to behave even more differently when either of these modes are activated.
Does a manual 911 have less "features" than shall we say a Corvette Z06 or a BMW M5 SMG? Does it really matter? Each car provides a unique and different experience that will appeal to a different group of performance drivers who seek a different driving experience. I wouldn't turn down a 911 GT3 because it didn't have a Sirius/XM satellite radio installed or a GPS system. Would you? On the other hand, I wouldn't turn down the opportunity to drive with an M5 or Z06 either. They each serve a purpose and appeal to different group drivers. The roads would be less exciting without any one of them.
At the same time, there's no doubt that these other models are way ahead in user ergonomic friendliness and ease of use. However, these aspects are subjective and have little or nothing to do with actual radar/laser detection performance any more than some automotive electronic options have to do with enhancing sheer driving performance.
7) An indirect implication that Mike Valentine is not much of an innovator.
Disagree. While it may be factually correct that much of Escort's landmark products came after Mr. Valentine's departure from Escort, it is also true that they lost their focus for a period time when they got into producing other consumer electronics like spread-spectrum cordless phones and ended up having to go through a restructuring as a result. It was only in the about five years ago that they returned to their roots and along with Beltronics started providing radar detectors that could be considered to be in the same league of the Valentine One. During that same period, Valentine Research has kept it's core focus on producing the absolute highest performing radar detectors starting with their first version of the early 90's. Mr. Valentine and the folks of Valentine Research got it right the first time and have been free from and have resisted the inevitable economic pressure to produce gimmicks or are other unrelated consumer electronics. Anyone questioning VR's innovation, need only refer to the number of patents that have been assigned to the company.
8) Valentine Research is not a major radar detector manufacturer.
Disagree. That may be true when measured in absolute sales volumes compared to Cobra, Beltronics, Escort, and Whistler. However, to believe that VR is not major detector manufacturer is like saying that Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Porsche are not a major car companies because their manufacturing is measured in the hundreds or thousands [of cars] per year (compared to tens or hundreds of thousands by the behemoth car manufacturers). I can't think of one serious car enthusiast who would actually feel that way about any of these top automotive marques.
And so it goes with Valentine Research. The driving cognoscenti know which company has historically established the benchmarks in the industry.
Again, these are my take on things with which you may or may not agree, which is fine, as long as we can agree to disagree.
Conclusion
To be clear, all the top performing radar detectors (V1, RX65, 8500 X50, STi Driver, 9500i) perform admirably and I own and will happily drive with any of them. Both the Beltronics RX-65 Pro and the Beltronics STi Driver are also at the top of my favorite list. Why? Because they are user-friendlier versions and the most Valentine-like of all the other radar detectors, and both are bit less taxing with which to drive around town or heavily traveled highways.
But, especially on long trips, I find myself returning to my faithful companion time and time again. The Valentine One remains our reference radar detector to this day - 15 years and counting.
Will Valentine ever produce a V2? I seriously doubt it, any more than I think Porsche will make an 1822 as a successor to the 911. I would expect, though, continued updates to the platform, like Porsche. Besides, I couldn't possibly imagine how Valentine Research (or anyone else for that matter) could make a radar detector that's twice as good any more than I could expect Porsche to make a new 911 that is twice as good as it's current 911.
I think it's safe to write, however, that I would expect to see continued refinement and steady improvement - which has been the hallmark of both brands.
I may never be able to own the likes of 911 GT3, but fortunately, I can enjoy the performance of another automotive icon.
Does this make me a 'V1 Zombie'? Hardly.
But, like the Porsche 911, the V1 does re-affirm my faith in the miracle of evolution.
Whenever I get behind to wheel, I quietly repeat the following chant to the speed gods:
Long live the 911 and long live the Valentine One...Amen.
#43
#44
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Jun 2003
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E550 Coupe
#45
#47
http://www.radardetector.net/viewtop...=florida+kband
15B-2.0081 Interim Minimum Design Criteria for Radar Units.
Specific Authority 316.1906 FS.
Law Implemented 316.1906 FS.
History—New 7-12-82m Formerly 15B-2.081, Amended 1-1-90, Repealed 10-18-94.
15B-2.0082 Minimum Design Criteria for Radar Units.
(1) Radar speed measuring devices shall meet the design criteria as set forth in Chapter 3, Subpart A (s.
1221.1 – 1221.4) and Subpart (s. 1221.11 – 1221.24) of the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration Technical Report, January 1994, D. O. T. HS 808-69, entitled, “Model Minimum
Performance Specifications for Police Traffic Radar Devices,” which is incorporated by reference.
Copies of this material may be obtained by contacting the Department of Highway Safety and Motor
Vehicles (DHSMV), Division of Florida Highway Patrol, Telecommunications Administrator, Neil
Kirkman Building, Tallahassee, Florida 32099-0500, or the National Technical Information Service,
Springfield, Virginia 22161.
(2) All radar units used in this State on or after January 1, 1995 shall be designed to operate in the
following frequency ranges as assigned by the Federal Communications Commission for operation of
Doppler radar radio-location units.
24.050 – 24.250 GHz (K-Band) (Common
33.400 – 36.000 GHz (Ka – Band) Referrals)
The radar must have a Doppler audio operating in the range 300 Hz to 4.0 KHz.
#48
Plate Covers
Speakng of which, I am on the guysoflidar forum and cant seem to find a good plate for the C32 rear end that disguises from the cameras? Any recommendations? I know that about 5 states have recently outlawed them BUT has Florida????
#49
#50
umm... the valentine one website is your *only* bet.....
There are no valentine one dealers or resellers.. Valentine One sells their detectors direct. Your only other choice is to buy used/seconhand V1 detectors like off of ebay.