Should I keep the Valentine One?
02-23-2003, 03:45 AM
#48
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Originally posted by Dan 96C2 St.Louis:
<strong>I recall an old post reporting a NYC installer who did a K40 type of install as you described using a V1 w/in the mirror remote display...</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">I think I remember this post, or at least some other reference to this. From what I understand the guts of the V1 is not in the mirror, only the display is. I recall that someone did a stealth install in a BMW 3 series and put the V1 in the rear brake light housing, and used the mirror display. He did mention that there was a compromise in laser detection by putting the V1 there.
While I think the mirror display is very cool, I'm not sure it's worth the price, esp as your display is no longer concealed from tailgaters and others. It would be interesting if someone were able to put the guts of the V1 into the mirror though.
Right now my remote display is in the ashtray, and while pretty stealthy it does require me to take my eyes off the road from time to time. My car does not have the OBC so I have a blank space under my tach...
I wonder if there is enough room behind the tach face it to put in the guts of a remote display??
<strong>I recall an old post reporting a NYC installer who did a K40 type of install as you described using a V1 w/in the mirror remote display...</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">I think I remember this post, or at least some other reference to this. From what I understand the guts of the V1 is not in the mirror, only the display is. I recall that someone did a stealth install in a BMW 3 series and put the V1 in the rear brake light housing, and used the mirror display. He did mention that there was a compromise in laser detection by putting the V1 there.
While I think the mirror display is very cool, I'm not sure it's worth the price, esp as your display is no longer concealed from tailgaters and others. It would be interesting if someone were able to put the guts of the V1 into the mirror though.
Right now my remote display is in the ashtray, and while pretty stealthy it does require me to take my eyes off the road from time to time. My car does not have the OBC so I have a blank space under my tach...
I wonder if there is enough room behind the tach face it to put in the guts of a remote display??
02-23-2003, 01:39 PM
#49
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Bill
Obviously Kevin beat me posting your pics, but thanks for emailing them.
David
The NYC install I referred to used a remote display in the mirror & the V1 was gutted, rewired & had concealed antennas at the front & rear of the car, like the K40.
The "brake light mount" I saw was in an NSX: <a href="http://www.nsx.net/projects/valentine/" target="_blank">NSX V1 install.</a>
The BMW mirror guy: <a href="http://www.apexcone.com/Radar/RadarLove.html" target="_blank">Jim Powell's "InV1si-Mirror ."</a>
I agree w/your objections to the mirror remote & find the location on top of the steering pod (in front of the tach) to be ideal: w/in my peripheral vision while driving, not readily visible to others, doesn't interfere w/anything (I use my ashtray for stuff) & no permanent damage.
<img src="http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/remote_small.jpg" alt=" - " />
Obviously Kevin beat me posting your pics, but thanks for emailing them.
David
The NYC install I referred to used a remote display in the mirror & the V1 was gutted, rewired & had concealed antennas at the front & rear of the car, like the K40.
The "brake light mount" I saw was in an NSX: <a href="http://www.nsx.net/projects/valentine/" target="_blank">NSX V1 install.</a>
The BMW mirror guy: <a href="http://www.apexcone.com/Radar/RadarLove.html" target="_blank">Jim Powell's "InV1si-Mirror ."</a>
I agree w/your objections to the mirror remote & find the location on top of the steering pod (in front of the tach) to be ideal: w/in my peripheral vision while driving, not readily visible to others, doesn't interfere w/anything (I use my ashtray for stuff) & no permanent damage.
<img src="http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/remote_small.jpg" alt=" - " />
02-23-2003, 10:25 PM
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It seems to me that you would be compromising the level of rear detection by placing the V1 above the rear view mirror. I seem to recall someone saying that Mike Valentine actually stuck his just below his rear view mirror in his 993 so as to give the best field of view.
FWIW...
FWIW...
02-23-2003, 11:37 PM
#51
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</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Originally posted by Matt Vaughan:
<strong>It seems to me that you would be compromising the level of rear detection by placing the V1 above the rear view mirror. I seem to recall someone saying that Mike Valentine actually stuck his just below his rear view mirror in his 993 so as to give the best field of view.
FWIW...</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">No decrease in performance that anyone has reported. My post from Nov. 2001 to the same thought:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Originally posted by Dan 96C2 St.Louis:
<strong>Actually, there is no problem detecting signals out the rear window. Our local Science Center is kind enough to have an array of radar guns shooting traffic from an enclosed highway overpass. It's a great constant test area. I've run tests w/the V1 mounted in various places & none did better than the over mirror in my coupe - front or rear. And, it's barely visible from outside the car.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">
<strong>It seems to me that you would be compromising the level of rear detection by placing the V1 above the rear view mirror. I seem to recall someone saying that Mike Valentine actually stuck his just below his rear view mirror in his 993 so as to give the best field of view.
FWIW...</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">No decrease in performance that anyone has reported. My post from Nov. 2001 to the same thought:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Originally posted by Dan 96C2 St.Louis:
<strong>Actually, there is no problem detecting signals out the rear window. Our local Science Center is kind enough to have an array of radar guns shooting traffic from an enclosed highway overpass. It's a great constant test area. I've run tests w/the V1 mounted in various places & none did better than the over mirror in my coupe - front or rear. And, it's barely visible from outside the car.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">
02-24-2003, 12:02 AM
#52
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</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Originally posted by Matt Vaughan:
<strong>It seems to me that you would be compromising the level of rear detection by placing the V1 above the rear view mirror. I seem to recall someone saying that Mike Valentine actually stuck his just below his rear view mirror in his 993 so as to give the best field of view.
FWIW...</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">I remember a similar post, or the same post, but my memory says Mike didn't find the above-mirror position to compromise detection.
Sounds like an 'email to Mike' question! I was just on his website today printing off the programming instructions. I set both of ours to turn off X-band alerting altogether, and changed the K-band mute from the default 10 second period to 20 seconds.
<strong>It seems to me that you would be compromising the level of rear detection by placing the V1 above the rear view mirror. I seem to recall someone saying that Mike Valentine actually stuck his just below his rear view mirror in his 993 so as to give the best field of view.
FWIW...</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">I remember a similar post, or the same post, but my memory says Mike didn't find the above-mirror position to compromise detection.
Sounds like an 'email to Mike' question! I was just on his website today printing off the programming instructions. I set both of ours to turn off X-band alerting altogether, and changed the K-band mute from the default 10 second period to 20 seconds.
02-24-2003, 07:38 PM
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</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Originally posted by Robert Henriksen:
<strong>[QUOTE]
Sounds like an 'email to Mike' question! I was just on his website today printing off the programming instructions. I set both of ours to turn off X-band alerting altogether, and changed the K-band mute from the default 10 second period to 20 seconds.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Sounds like a good idea. If there's no signal degradation, I would definitely prefer it over the mirror to be stealthy.
I bet you get a lot of X band stuff where you are too.
<strong>[QUOTE]
Sounds like an 'email to Mike' question! I was just on his website today printing off the programming instructions. I set both of ours to turn off X-band alerting altogether, and changed the K-band mute from the default 10 second period to 20 seconds.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Sounds like a good idea. If there's no signal degradation, I would definitely prefer it over the mirror to be stealthy.
I bet you get a lot of X band stuff where you are too.
02-25-2003, 09:27 AM
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</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">From what I understand the guts of the V1 is not in the mirror, only the display is. I recall that someone did a stealth install in a BMW 3 series and put the V1 in the rear brake light housing, and used the mirror display. He did mention that there was a compromise in laser detection by putting the V1 there.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">That's correct - it is Jim Powell's InvisiMirror. I put my remote display in front of my cluster because it's more in the line of sight.
As for the 3rd brake light removal, that's in an E36 3er and it works ok, but the higher the mounting point the better.
As for hacking up your V1 and putting the front module in the front, and the rear in the rear - remember that the magnesium (I think) casing is what prevents your radar detector from being detected, so you are essentially giving this up.
Laser will almost always get you because it's spot on. My V1 is mounted in a CD Visor Holder (I have a convert. E46 3er).
They are simple to hardwire and V1 provides a flat wire to make concealment fairly easy.
I want to put RJ11 jacks in my cars so I can easily transport it from one to the other.
As for the 3rd brake light removal, that's in an E36 3er and it works ok, but the higher the mounting point the better.
As for hacking up your V1 and putting the front module in the front, and the rear in the rear - remember that the magnesium (I think) casing is what prevents your radar detector from being detected, so you are essentially giving this up.
Laser will almost always get you because it's spot on. My V1 is mounted in a CD Visor Holder (I have a convert. E46 3er).
They are simple to hardwire and V1 provides a flat wire to make concealment fairly easy.
I want to put RJ11 jacks in my cars so I can easily transport it from one to the other.
02-25-2003, 05:18 PM
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Radar users:
Don't have a radar detector, but recently got caught speeding (not in the p-car!) and am thinking of the V1 for the p-car.
I have a stupid question: Is the concealment an issue because 1) it's illegal 2) it pisses off the cops or 3) you get tailgaters (or all 3).
Thanks.
Don't have a radar detector, but recently got caught speeding (not in the p-car!) and am thinking of the V1 for the p-car.
I have a stupid question: Is the concealment an issue because 1) it's illegal 2) it pisses off the cops or 3) you get tailgaters (or all 3).
Thanks.
02-25-2003, 08:43 PM
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I for one have a hard time believing that tailgaters really are a problem....they'd be slamming on their brakes every time you got a falsie. In my mind it would be too hard to tell what the heck someone's V1 was indicating from 20+ feet away. I think Mike Valentine uses this fear as a way to sell more remote units.
BTW, I have my remote unit mounted in front of the tach like Dan's, so listen to what I say and not what I do.
BTW, I have my remote unit mounted in front of the tach like Dan's, so listen to what I say and not what I do.
02-25-2003, 09:07 PM
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</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Originally posted by Gee993:
<strong>...Is the concealment an issue because 1) it's illegal 2) it pisses off the cops or 3) you get tailgaters (or all 3).</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">#1 - not where I drive.
#2 - a valid concern.
#3 - it does happen at night w/a windshield mounted display visible from the rear.
AND
#4 - theft deterrence. A used V1 is worth enough on the street for some low life to do a smash & grab.
<strong>...Is the concealment an issue because 1) it's illegal 2) it pisses off the cops or 3) you get tailgaters (or all 3).</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">#1 - not where I drive.
#2 - a valid concern.
#3 - it does happen at night w/a windshield mounted display visible from the rear.
AND
#4 - theft deterrence. A used V1 is worth enough on the street for some low life to do a smash & grab.
02-26-2003, 12:08 AM
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This is a great thread - it has given me some good ideas on how to more permanently mount my V1, but I have another question.
How many of you leave your V1 in its mounting when parking the car in public?
Thanks,
Skip
How many of you leave your V1 in its mounting when parking the car in public?
Thanks,
Skip
02-26-2003, 01:43 AM
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</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by swftiii:
<strong>How many of you leave your V1 in its mounting when parking the car in public?</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Skip
Between the windshield shading & the blacked out section above the mirror my V1 is not very noticeable when someone is standing outside my car, so it stays mounted. Of course, my car is garaged at home/office & very rarely parked in "unsafe" areas. It's just a few seconds to remove it & a bit longer to remount (I always misalign the grooves for the mount).
<img src="http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/frontV1.jpg" alt=" - " />
<strong>How many of you leave your V1 in its mounting when parking the car in public?</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Skip
Between the windshield shading & the blacked out section above the mirror my V1 is not very noticeable when someone is standing outside my car, so it stays mounted. Of course, my car is garaged at home/office & very rarely parked in "unsafe" areas. It's just a few seconds to remove it & a bit longer to remount (I always misalign the grooves for the mount).
<img src="http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/frontV1.jpg" alt=" - " />