[Trek]

I gotta ask. I have a three-year old V1. Or almost three years old. Maybe 2.5 years old. In any event, I bought it when I had a Lexus GS 350. It was great except it kept going off when I would pass vehicles that had blind spot detection. So I contacted Valentine One. They said they have a K-band filter thingy to eliminate those false alarms. That I should enter my serial number at their website. It would tell me if I had the filter or not and provide a price for sending it in to have the filter or eliminator installed. So I followed instructions and entered my serial number. Surprise! It says I already have the fliter or eliminator thingy! Then why does the detector sound off when I pass cars that have the feature the filter is supposed to eliminate?

I'm thinking more and more that I need to move on and go to Escort. The new one with the directional arrows (like the V1) which is favorite feature. Does the new Escort with the directional arrows have the feature that eliminates picking up the radar bands that are used in blind spot monitoring? Second, is the Escorts effectiveness reduced due to the colored coating on our F-Pace windshields? There was a thread a while back saying all radar detectors when traditionally window mounted are affected by our windshield glass coating.

I'm not even home projects like wiring my detector myself to the rear view mirror then threading it throught he headliner. I would only screw it up. Old-fashioned window mounting is just fine with me. I just want it to work.

 

[Roadsterguy]

My Escort (the Passport Max2, no arrows) works fine. I have it mounted to the windshield (with the suction cup mount that came with it) just to the left of the mirror, as high as possible. And I get no false alarms from passing cars.

 

[Jman97]

So everyone uses these things because it tells you when a cop is using a radar right? Forgive me, I'm not to knowledgable about these things but if it goes off doesn't it mean the cop is already tracking your speed and at this point it would be to late to brake?

 

[Roadsterguy]

So everyone uses these things because it tells you when a cop is using a radar right? Forgive me, I'm not to knowledgable about these things but if it goes off doesn't it mean the cop is already tracking your speed and at this point it would be to late to brake?

Most of the time, what your detector is detecting is a bounce, not something necessarily aimed directly at you. It gives you a heads-up that radar is being used. Most of the time.....

 

[Gorgon]

So everyone uses these things because it tells you when a cop is using a radar right? Forgive me, I'm not to knowledgable about these things but if it goes off doesn't it mean the cop is already tracking your speed and at this point it would be to late to brake?

On a highway it can give you a heads up as, in my experience anyway, the LEO is spraying the RADAR down the road. Due to the larger cone that RADAR emits from the gun you're likely to pick up errant RADAR signals as they bounce off other vehicles, give you a heads up. Of course there's no warning for instant-on RADAR if they are aiming the device directly at you and pull the trigger. A full alert warning can mean that you might be getting pulled over. The narrow spread of LASER means that the LEO can target a specific car without a detector in another car going off. That's the theory anyway. My old Escort LASER would alarm all the time when the sun was close to the horizon.

For those in PA, only PA State Troopers are allowed to use RADAR by PA law. So unless you spend a bunch of time on interstates where troopers patrol the detector won't do you much good. But will help in interstate travel. Just don't use it in DC/Virginia as it's illegal.

Trek, yes, the windshield will impact the sensitivity of the detector. Need to make sure that it's in the dotted area next to the mirror which is also my plan as I need to upgrade my 15 year old Escort.

As to the filters in the V1, it can be quite challenging to design a filter that rejects adjacent frequencies. They need to balance rejecting the blindspot frequencies while not impacting the sensitivity of the RADAR signals for proper warning. Hopefully the new Escorts and V1s have addressed this issue. If you got Escort I'm certainly interested in your experience. Not sure I want to make the investment that VZX-CO made on his embedded system.

 

[kizzle]

Trek,

You can find out everything you need to know about radar, Radar Detector Detectors(RDD), and LIDAR from Vortex Radar. If you want the best possible overall Radar/LIDAR solution then I would say go either Stinger VIP or AL Priority w/a good Radar Detector. These units are not cheap though but I guess it would pay for itself if it saves you a ticket a few times. The Escort Max 360 is a great radar solution as well. Mount it high and get a mirror tap.

https://www.youtube.com/user/TravelCam1111

Vortex Radar » Radar Detector Tests, Reviews, and Guides

Radar Detectors: You want to get a radar detector that has very good range so that you will get fringe detections and slow down before you get to the kill zone (depends on how the radar is being used). You have radars like the Stinger VIP that are able to pick up fringe detections from over 20,000 ft away on some tests while the Escort Max 360 was picking up fringe detections from only 5500 ft away on the same tests. 5500 ft is still plenty distance to slow down since most radar kill zones will be well within 1,000 ft. You also want a radar detector with good filtering and that is being supported.

RDD: If radar detectors are not legal in your state then you want a radar that can defeat RDDs. Again the Stinger VIP does that very well.

LIDAR: If you are running a radar detector with LIDAR detection, then you're looking at a ticket notifier at best. If your radar detector goes off and you are over the speed limit you just got a ticket. If you are running a Stinger VIP with a laser Jammer or some other laser jammer then typically the jammer would give you a few seconds to get your speed down before it lets the LIDAR gun take a speed reading from you. It is possible to Jam the LIDAR all the way to the gun (JTG) but you never really ever want to do this in real life. You can set the jammer to switch off after X seconds or turn it off manually.

Passive stuff: To complete your setup you want to add 4 to 5 layers of PhotoBlocker to your plates PhotoBlocker.com - PhotoBlocker Spray to avoid red light and speed camera tickets. No plate, no ticket.

Regards

Kiz

 

[EAD]

I gotta ask. I have a three-year old V1. Or almost three years old. Maybe 2.5 years old. In any event, I bought it when I had a Lexus GS 350. It was great except it kept going off when I would pass vehicles that had blind spot detection. So I contacted Valentine One. They said they have a K-band filter thingy to eliminate those false alarms. That I should enter my serial number at their website. It would tell me if I had the filter or not and provide a price for sending it in to have the filter or eliminator installed. So I followed instructions and entered my serial number. Surprise! It says I already have the fliter or eliminator thingy! Then why does the detector sound off when I pass cars that have the feature the filter is supposed to eliminate?

I'm thinking more and more that I need to move on and go to Escort. The new one with the directional arrows (like the V1) which is favorite feature. Does the new Escort with the directional arrows have the feature that eliminates picking up the radar bands that are used in blind spot monitoring? Second, is the Escorts effectiveness reduced due to the colored coating on our F-Pace windshields? There was a thread a while back saying all radar detectors when traditionally window mounted are affected by our windshield glass coating.

I'm not even home projects like wiring my detector myself to the rear view mirror then threading it throught he headliner. I would only screw it up. Old-fashioned window mounting is just fine with me. I just want it to work.

I would contact Valentine and determine if your V1 needs a technology upgrade. I would purchase the direct wire harness "kit" and find a knowledgeable after market auto sound system, radar detector, etc, installer and have the V! "hot wired" to the car's electrical system through the rear view mirror housing.

I mount my V! on the driver's side sun visor and it works perfectly. I appreciate not seeing the hanging cords.

The cost should be less than that of an Escort, and you will have the V1 latest technology.

 

[Dabitz]

My escort has saved my a$$ so many times...

You have to mount it really high, as high as possible next to the mirror. It gives me a heads up a mile or two on highways, and it has GPS feature that blocks false alarms, both automatically and manually. Oh and those cops hiding around the corner on local roads have no chance. Laser is very expensive, so most if not all departments still use traditional radar systems.

 

[Dakar09]

Escorts are fantastic. I've had mine for 8 years and am looking at the latest tech from them to upgrade.

Most cops have Ka band on constantly, so your detector will pick that up from a fair distance away (a good one will, anyway). So you are alerted that there is a cop somewhere and should slow down. If you ignore it, it's your own fault. Some use a POP -type of Ka band to "instant on" speeders. That's like cheap LIDAR but there is spread to it. So if they POP someone in front of you, you get alerted. Slow down instantly. If it's just you and you're POP'd, you're caught.

Good ones filter out the junk like X and K band...not even sure why they still come with those. Usually those are just false alarms from store security systems, automatic door sensors, or the equipment in your car or other vehicles.

As noted, if hit with LIDAR (the sound shocks the snot out of you, btw) you're caught. You're only hope is to instantly slam on the brakes to POSSIBLY screw up the reading, but they'll see that as well and pull you over.

Photo-blocker on plates is dicey, as you can get into trouble for most of the E-Z Pass systems that read plates in conjunction with your toll transponder. Not something I want to mess with.

My question: Does the dot matrix coating next to the rear-view interfere at all? It doesn't sound like it. I am definitely concerned about the heated windshield elements. I have yet to mount mine because I need a cable extender to reach the 12v and not interfere with the center console lid closing. Word of advice: a coiled cord doesn't work there

 

[ctufieldops]

I gotta ask. I have a three-year old V1. Or almost three years old. Maybe 2.5 years old. In any event, I bought it when I had a Lexus GS 350. It was great except it kept going off when I would pass vehicles that had blind spot detection. So I contacted Valentine One. They said they have a K-band filter thingy to eliminate those false alarms. That I should enter my serial number at their website. It would tell me if I had the filter or not and provide a price for sending it in to have the filter or eliminator installed. So I followed instructions and entered my serial number. Surprise! It says I already have the fliter or eliminator thingy! Then why does the detector sound off when I pass cars that have the feature the filter is supposed to eliminate?

I'm thinking more and more that I need to move on and go to Escort. The new one with the directional arrows (like the V1) which is favorite feature. Does the new Escort with the directional arrows have the feature that eliminates picking up the radar bands that are used in blind spot monitoring? Second, is the Escorts effectiveness reduced due to the colored coating on our F-Pace windshields? There was a thread a while back saying all radar detectors when traditionally window mounted are affected by our windshield glass coating.

I'm not even home projects like wiring my detector myself to the rear view mirror then threading it throught he headliner. I would only screw it up. Old-fashioned window mounting is just fine with me. I just want it to work.

Hey Trek, I have the Escort with which you make reference, it's the Max 360 with directional arrows. Mine works with the UV coating on the windshield, but GPS acquisition for some reason takes forever. Used in combination with Escort Live and you're way ahead of the radar game. I've noticed that it sometimes goes off long before I come up on the Popo. Love the detector! The biggest problem for me is the cord is stretched almost to the max to connect to the armrest power port. So wish they put one on the dash somewhere.

 

[Dakar09]

Hey Trek, I have the Escort with which you make reference, it's the Max 360 with directional arrows. Mine works with the UV coating on the windshield, but GPS acquisition for some reason takes forever. Used in combination with Escort Live and you're way ahead of the radar game. I've noticed that it sometimes goes off long before I come up on the Popo. Love the detector! The biggest problem for me is the cord is stretched almost to the max to connect to the armrest power port. So wish they put one on the dash somewhere.

I plan on ordering something like this and running it under the center console so my cord isn't stretched and the console lid can close. Should be easy enough to tuck it away under the dash somehwere

https://www.amazon.com/digitsea-Cig...96340&sr=1-12&keywords=12-volt+extension+cord

 

[Dabitz]

Besides my Escort, I always run the Waze app on my phone, at least on my commute and road trips. Users tag "police" on the map, and if they are "visible or hidden". Not to mention the benefit of GPS routes based on real time user input.

View attachment 36977

 

[ctufieldops]

I plan on ordering something like this and running it under the center console so my cord isn't stretched and the console lid can close. Should be easy enough to tuck it away under the dash somehwere

https://www.amazon.com/digitsea-Cig...96340&sr=1-12&keywords=12-volt+extension+cord

Let me know how that works for you. I'm always looking for a better way and this forum has been of great benefit.

 

[Trek]

Hi guys, thanks for the replies. Some great ideas here and some semi-engineering lingo that went right over my head. LOL. I contacted Valentine Research and the guy verified that my V1 does have the thing installed that blocks out k-band blind spot detection from other cars. But here is the catch: V1s built after 2011 have the filter thing but only those shipped in 2015-2016 were activated. In other words, because my V1 was shipped in 2014, I have to actually activate the filter myself. But at least it is already in the unit. There is cute little video online that shows how to activate the filter or blocker, whatever you call it.

 

[Dakar09]

Let me know how that works for you. I'm always looking for a better way and this forum has been of great benefit.

I just ordered one, but shorter and lighter duty. I didn't realize that one was 15'. I could loop that around the car twice and still have slack, lol. In reading the reviews of the heavy-duty ones, they mention it's not easy to slide it under trim. I went out to look, and the center console trim is pretty snug to the carpet, so I'll see how a "regular" one works.

 

[kizzle]

Hi Gents,

If you are running the Escort you can use this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RA38X4K/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I2HMQEG3LR6DJN&colid=SUV9FI8WGGWC for a mirror tap.

Regards

Kiz

 

[VZX-CO]

When I was running Escort 360 I bought the escort cord and had Jaguar dealer install for $100. They did a nice job running down right side pillar and into dash and plugged it to right place so auto start/stop didn't interfere. Separately, with my fully built in Escort system the only thing that false alarms is some newer semi's which must have some type of newer blind spot monitoring. The escort software is upgradeable so I'm hoping they fix that sometime.

 

[Dakar09]

Hi Gents,

If you are running the Escort you can use this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RA38X4K/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I2HMQEG3LR6DJN&colid=SUV9FI8WGGWC for a mirror tap.

Regards

Kiz

Interesting product, but I'm still not a huge fan of "hardwiring" any radar detector into a car, let alone one with this level of electronics. Can't have the dealer saying I screwed something up if the electrics get all goofy on me >

 

[ctufieldops]

When I was running Escort 360 I bought the escort cord and had Jaguar dealer install for $100. They did a nice job running down right side pillar and into dash and plugged it to right place so auto start/stop didn't interfere. Separately, with my fully built in Escort system the only thing that false alarms is some newer semi's which must have some type of newer blind spot monitoring. The escort software is upgradeable so I'm hoping they fix that sometime.

Hey VZX-CO, do you still have the 360 mounted? If so, can you provide a pic of placement?

 

[VZX-CO]

Hey VZX-CO, do you still have the 360 mounted? If so, can you provide a pic of placement?

Unfortunately no but it was pretty basic, they just ran the cord so it came out of headliner about 4" to right of mirror then I used the normal suction cup mount to try and jam it as much as possible into the dotted area. One thing, I do not like the suction cup on the escort, was forever falling off windshield though could have been operator error.

Regarding hard wiring the power cord, that's why I had dealer run the cord so they were responsible for any impact on electronics and they knew where to tie it into wiring.