Radar/Laser Detector

[jclaib7]

Can anyone recommend a good economical radar/laser detector? Do they even work now with current police laser technology?

My WAZE app works quite well but some supplemental detection would be nice, if it actually works. I don't want one that false alarms all of the time either.

[mjposner]

laser detector will mean you, which means you get a ticket. Only real defense to laser is a jammer. My last ticket was laser, my high escort wnet crazy but it ws because the cop shot me. I now have an escort laser jammer and have not had a ticket since. Pricey at a grand but necessary.

[3002 tii]

Laser Interceptor hands down best laser jammer. I've seen used sets go for $450, new pair of jammers should run you $700

[brusk]

Yeah for a good setup you really want an App like Waze, Radar detection and Laser prevention. I'd love to have a Passport 9500CI that kinda the ultimate setup but I don't drive enough to justify that. As for false alarms if you going with a radar detector you'd want something like a Passport Max/9500XI or something with GPS that will weed out all the false alarms and eventually give you accurate information.

[3002 tii]

The escort radar detectors are fine but their laser defense can't compare to LI. Waze + V1/Redline + LI duals is the way to go

[brusk]

Originally Posted by 3002 tii

The escort radar detectors are fine but their laser defense can't compare to LI. Waze + V1/Redline + LI duals is the way to go

While I agree that V1 or Redline offer the most superior detection they are primarily highway use only and the OP was concerned with false alarms. Even with the V1/Redline being better the 9500 and a few others aren't exactly bad choices, I went V1 as I drive mostly highway and that's the times I'm more concerned about. I can't speak of the LI vs Escorts version but I thought they both used dual sensors in the front but LI gives the better option of vertical mounts for BMW's grills.

[Kdiddy007]

Escort 9500ix or REDLINE

[3002 tii]

Originally Posted by brusk

Yeah for a good setup you really want an App like Waze, Radar detection and Laser prevention. I'd love to have a Passport 9500CI that kinda the ultimate setup but I don't drive enough to justify that. As for false alarms if you going with a radar detector you'd want something like a Passport Max/9500XI or something with GPS that will weed out all the false alarms and eventually give you accurate information.

Agree the V1 can be chatty at times but it's not worth giving up range for convenience. I actually had the 9500xi for a few months and hated it. Easy firmware updates and GPS were great but the range was just useless. Couldn't tell you the number of times my RD would only go off after the LEO was already in my line of sight. I later sold it on the forums, took a loss and went back to V1.

In terms of LI vs Escort, there's just no comparison. Plenty of users and professionals have published their jamming tests and the Escorts come out the lowest. I am not an Escort hater by any means, I had the ZR3 system way back in the day and it was great for what it was back then but the LI duals gen 8 are just miles better than the ZR4. The BMW version of the LI's are great in theory but falls short in reality because the vertical slats on the kidney grills are not perpendicular to begin with so you'd have to shim it for ultimate effectiveness. But that's not on LI, just the way our grills were designed but if you do the vertical install right, it should be more effective than mounting the horizontal jammers anywhere on the lower area of the bumper.

If money were no object, I would actually go Escort/Bel STI-R plus and LI duals. The

[1GrayBulldog]

I took advantage of a groupon for a Passport 8500 x50. I may not know any better because this the first detector I've owned, but the 8500 has been flawless for the year+ I've had it.

[mjposner]

While LI may be great, if you wanted an integrated solution the Escort system is pretty nice, plus it has its own app as well (like waze)

[brusk]

Originally Posted by mjposner

While LI may be great, if you wanted an integrated solution the Escort system is pretty nice, plus it has its own app as well (like waze)

The problem with community based apps are the amount of users using it, the more users the more data you will have and be more accurate. Currently Waze has way more users that any other App so apps like Escort Live and Trapster won't be as useful. It would be nice to have an agreement between them to share some of the info as that would only benefit everybody.

[3002 tii]

Originally Posted by mjposner

While LI may be great, if you wanted an integrated solution the Escort system is pretty nice, plus it has its own app as well (like waze)

Yea but end of day, if you're paying up $xxx for Laser protection, why opt for a weaker defense just for sake of integration? If the LI and ZR4's were close in performance, maybe I can see the case but it's really not even close.

Oldie but goodie

http://www.guysoflidar.com/july-2008...mmer-test.html

[BattleRaT]

With about 10 years of experience:

Radar: Valentine1 with the latest firmware

Laser: Laser Interceptor HP with latest firmware

Period.

(No tickets in 10 years and massive amount of saves ;-)

[Riley1524]

Actually theres a new laser jammer that is actually better than the laser interceptor. Its the ALP system that has just been released recently. It even detects and jams the new DALA laser which non of the other jammer companies are capable of. Also, if you use a newer v1 with the bluetooth module for android, theres an app called yav1 that a guy created that allows some very useful options like savvy emulation and even gps lockouts of false signals.

I have the v1 with app and the laser intercepter (bmw edition) and it has been great, but I almost got a ticket in gwinett county in Ga because they were running the DALA laser. Luckily I was just going over 12 mph of the speed limit and the cop was cool and gave a warning.

Do some searching for radar detector.org....Thats hands down the best place for all the latest RD and laser defense info.

[KeepRightPassLeft]

Originally Posted by jclaib7

Can anyone recommend a good economical radar/laser detector? Do they even work now with current police laser technology?

My WAZE app works quite well but some supplemental detection would be nice, if it actually works. I don't want one that false alarms all of the time either.

Waze is a great app and I use it every mile I drive.

As far as radar detectors, you will give up sensitivity and range to reduce false alerts. First , it is important to learn what will generate false alerts, and then learn how can you reduce them. The majority of false alerts are in the K band range and originate from automatic door openers (super markets, pharmacies...)radar assisted collision avoidance systems including blind spot protection systems, traffic flow monitors.

Alerts from automatic door openers can be reduced by locking them out by using GPS coordinates. The Escort Max, 9500CI (installed remote radar detector), Escort 9500xi (discontinued and replaced by the Escort Max), Beltronics STiR+ (cousin to the 9500ci), Beltronics PRO 500 (cousin to 9500ix) and the Valentine1 with V1 Connection and the free app YaV1 on google play all have the ability to lock out false alerts via GPS. There is a possibility that when you lock out a false alert, you can also lock out a real threat. This rarely happens, but you should be informed. The way the V1 does it, is less likely to lock out a real threat.

Traffic flow monitors are stationary K Band low power radar units that are generally spaced every mile and give a short shot of radar about once a minute to determine the average speed on a highway. On the highways they are deployed, a GPS lockouts will lock out the whole highway increasing the risk of suppressing a valid alert. Both Valentine and Escort/Beltronics have filtering programs in their radar detectors to filter out these false alerts. The bad thing about these filtering programs is that they do reduce the range that aka and radar is detected at as well increases the possibility that a short duration K Band alert can be missed. These filtering programs also reduce the false alerts from the collision avoidance systems.

I don't recommend Escort LIVE. There are many reports of it being buggy and not working.

When it comes to protection, it comes with a price. Go for a cheap radar detector and you are more likely to get a ticket than if you used a better radar detector. Since this is your first radar detector and from your desire to have as few false alerts as possible, I think the Escort Max would be a great fit for you. As you use it over time, you may graduate to a more sensitive radar detector such as the Escort Redline or Valentine One.

No radar detector will protect you from LIDAR (Laser). The only protection from LIDAR is from a laser jammer. Currently, the AntiLaser Priority is the best based on recent testing http://www.raletc.org/2013/09/raletc...fest-2013.html

[msf]

I use Valentine One and it has saved me a ticket many times. Nice on the back roads too. V1 gives you direction of the beam as well, which is very useful to analyze the threat. I do get some false signals from 18 wheelers. Not sure what they are running to do this, but a few do it. I guess they are jamming. $400 has returned on the investment many times.

[darkrom]

Valentine One can't be beat.

I've had it detect laser off of a few cars in front of me. I've had it for years. Don't buy into gimmicks, if you check performance tests the V1 has the best detection distance and quality. Things might have changed, but I'd need to see some actual testing data to prove anything can compete.

Its paid for itself over and over.

[3002 tii]

Waze is especially great when you drive through the few states where RD's are illegal.

[JimD]

I recommend you google "Radar Roy". He tests radar detectors and laser jammers and writes interesting articles on his results.

Valentine 1 versus the Escorts is often hotly debated. V1 lovers like the range and the directional arrow. Escort lovers like the reduction in nuisance alarms and sometimes claim similar range (at least for the redline, possibly the max).

It's nice we have choices.

[darkrom]

Originally Posted by JimD

I recommend you google "Radar Roy". He tests radar detectors and laser jammers and writes interesting articles on his results.

Valentine 1 versus the Escorts is often hotly debated. V1 lovers like the range and the directional arrow. Escort lovers like the reduction in nuisance alarms and sometimes claim similar range (at least for the redline, possibly the max).

It's nice we have choices.

His tests (when I was looking) always said V1 had the longest range. I've had it for like 6 years now and love it. Nothing has needed to be changed or upgraded. Its saved me from laser (picking it up off cars ahead of me) and KA band constantly.

Things could have changed, but after 6 years of no tickets and MANY a saved asses....I swear by it. Not very many electronic things are just as useful 6 years later IMO.

[JimD]

I wasn't trying to pick a side in the V1/escort debate but I might have. I googled Radar Roy on Valentine 1 and found this:

http://www.radarbusters.com/belescor...inearticle.cfm

I didn't find a Valentine 1 review on his website but I found interesting comments in his Escort 9500ci review. This is a very expensive stealthy dectector you hide in the car. Roy says he hung a Valentine 1 on the dash and tested them side by side. The Escort detected 3 to 5 seconds quicker than the Valentine 1. Roy also says he has the Escort in his personal vehicles. Roy says the cheaper Escorts are as sensitive but without comparitive testing who knows. Roy also clearly doesn't like the false alarms from the Valentine 1.