Passport vs. V1
10-01-2009, 12:27 PM
#31
Rennlist Member
V1 also allows you to go online and check your serial # to see if updates are available.
10-01-2009, 01:02 PM
#32
Roadrat,
The V1 does not give false alerts. It alerts the band it sees and reports signal strength. K-band is very sensitive and can be desensitized in the programming mode. (I have mine programmed to alert when the strength is greater than 4 bars when in town.) You may have had a bad unit but in the time you spent with your write-up you could have called and personally talked with Mike Valentine, (Yes, you just read that. I have talked with him many times), to figure out the problem and at a minimum had another unit next day aired out to you. You are not going to **** people off with your decision and choice in detectors however if you are looking for vindication you probably won’t find much of it here. I think a far majority of V1 owners love them and swear by them. There is a very good reason for that and you possibly should have worked the problem out instead of jumping ship after only one and a half weeks. Time will tell. Please keep us updated on your 8500 and keep your head on a swivel so when it beeps at you maybe you will be able to figure out the direction of the threat.
For you now, beep beep= brakes.
Oh, just noticed you wrote that summary a "few years ago". Hardly pertinent now. Kind of like comparing my 996 to my 997. The V1 has gone through many software updates since then.
The V1 does not give false alerts. It alerts the band it sees and reports signal strength. K-band is very sensitive and can be desensitized in the programming mode. (I have mine programmed to alert when the strength is greater than 4 bars when in town.) You may have had a bad unit but in the time you spent with your write-up you could have called and personally talked with Mike Valentine, (Yes, you just read that. I have talked with him many times), to figure out the problem and at a minimum had another unit next day aired out to you. You are not going to **** people off with your decision and choice in detectors however if you are looking for vindication you probably won’t find much of it here. I think a far majority of V1 owners love them and swear by them. There is a very good reason for that and you possibly should have worked the problem out instead of jumping ship after only one and a half weeks. Time will tell. Please keep us updated on your 8500 and keep your head on a swivel so when it beeps at you maybe you will be able to figure out the direction of the threat.
For you now, beep beep= brakes.
Oh, just noticed you wrote that summary a "few years ago". Hardly pertinent now. Kind of like comparing my 996 to my 997. The V1 has gone through many software updates since then.
10-01-2009, 02:34 PM
#33
Rennlist Member
I disagree. There is nothing "false" about what the detector is detecting. If it sees K-band, it reports it. The problem is you cannot discern what is false by beeps alone. K-Band of course. (All Ka is a potential viable threat.) You need more amplifying information like how many and in what direction and a knowledge of the area helps greatly. If you want true situational awareness the V1 gives the most amplifying information. There are many times I have localized a Ka band and knew within seconds it was not a threat and did not need to slow down. (Weak signal strength of course. If you get a direct hi strength its time to panic slow down.) With the 8500/9500 you can not make that assessment with a weak signal unless you actually see the threat.
Here is an example. You are traveling on a long overpass and you get a medium strength Ka alert. You are 20 over the speed limit. What do you do?
Here is what I do: determine direction of threat. If it is from the sides- no threat-continue. If it is from the rear and no cars or motorcycles in sight-continue. If from the front-slow down and monitor signal strength and direction arrows. With the 8500/9500 you MUST honor all Ka signals because you have no idea where they are coming from. You can do the same with K-band also you just have to really hawk signal strength for ramp ups and know your area. it takes many months to become an expert at what the V1 is telling you. As I said, for true SA there is nothing on the market better, but it takes two computers to optimize it. The on in the Valentine and the one in your head.
Here is an example. You are traveling on a long overpass and you get a medium strength Ka alert. You are 20 over the speed limit. What do you do?
Here is what I do: determine direction of threat. If it is from the sides- no threat-continue. If it is from the rear and no cars or motorcycles in sight-continue. If from the front-slow down and monitor signal strength and direction arrows. With the 8500/9500 you MUST honor all Ka signals because you have no idea where they are coming from. You can do the same with K-band also you just have to really hawk signal strength for ramp ups and know your area. it takes many months to become an expert at what the V1 is telling you. As I said, for true SA there is nothing on the market better, but it takes two computers to optimize it. The on in the Valentine and the one in your head.
Last edited by WaltB; 10-01-2009 at 03:52 PM. Reason: grammer
10-01-2009, 03:03 PM
#34
Porsche Nut
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I bought 2, one for each of my vehicles. In the long run, I figured it was more convenient than moving it all the time.
10-01-2009, 04:04 PM
#35
Three Wheelin'
No one mentions instant on radar? When I lived in the DC area I was driving w/ a friend in his E36 M3. I had the orignal Escort in my 530i (which wasn't very good) and he had the Valentine, best radar detector hands down. V1 went off just as the MD State Trooper turned on his gun. Never had a radar detector since.
10-01-2009, 04:37 PM
#36
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That's because no radar detector can fight that. Your only hope is that they hit somebody in front of you and you get detection then. That's when the heightened sensitivity of the V1 helps out a lot. Saved me once. I always slow for Ka band. That's what they seem to use around here.
10-01-2009, 05:50 PM
#37
No one mentions instant on radar? When I lived in the DC area I was driving w/ a friend in his E36 M3. I had the orignal Escort in my 530i (which wasn't very good) and he had the Valentine, best radar detector hands down. V1 went off just as the MD State Trooper turned on his gun. Never had a radar detector since.
In VA they typically do not use instant on. The thought being nobody is using a detector because they are illegal. Of course, this means you have to spend some effort making it not so visible ...
10-01-2009, 06:09 PM
#38
They use a lot of instant on here, I find a car that rolling along at a good clip and follow them at a reasonable distance. When they get hit, I slow down. As others have mentioned, it's very sensitive and I'd rather have more sensitivity than less.
10-02-2009, 01:24 AM
#40
Rennlist Member
I've had a detector of some sort on my windshield since the early 80's. I switched from Passport to Valentine1 many years ago. I had a problem with false laser detection when my Passport was into the sun. The final straw was when I tried to get some technical support from Passport and ended up on hold for 40 minutes; I finally hung up.
As important as performance is, I also put weight on customer support. Passport sucked. On the other hand, when I had a technical question on my V1, I received an email response from Michael Valentine himself.
So I'll stick with my V1.
As important as performance is, I also put weight on customer support. Passport sucked. On the other hand, when I had a technical question on my V1, I received an email response from Michael Valentine himself.
So I'll stick with my V1.
10-02-2009, 03:15 PM
#41
I don't think you can compare some of the passports of the past w/ the V1. Anything prior to the 8500 was not even in the same league.
But looking at the 9500ix, w/ voice alerts (no need for a remote), auto false lockouts, and you can mark seedtraps manually if u want, etc. I just can't ever see myself loving the V1.
Everyone loves the arrows, but I don't feel that I'm missing anything. If I'm driving down the freeway and 9500 tells me "x-band", I look to the side, see a strip mall, and I know where it's coming from. "Ka-band" alert and quite frankly I'm slowing down. This isn't cannonball run, I have no incentive to push thru an alert. If the signal keeps getting stronger, then it's in front.
No offense, but I think some of the V1 supporters over-emphasize the importance of the arrows since without them the unit would just be a clunky, annoying, but sensitive piece of antiquated technology.
But looking at the 9500ix, w/ voice alerts (no need for a remote), auto false lockouts, and you can mark seedtraps manually if u want, etc. I just can't ever see myself loving the V1.
Everyone loves the arrows, but I don't feel that I'm missing anything. If I'm driving down the freeway and 9500 tells me "x-band", I look to the side, see a strip mall, and I know where it's coming from. "Ka-band" alert and quite frankly I'm slowing down. This isn't cannonball run, I have no incentive to push thru an alert. If the signal keeps getting stronger, then it's in front.
No offense, but I think some of the V1 supporters over-emphasize the importance of the arrows since without them the unit would just be a clunky, annoying, but sensitive piece of antiquated technology.
10-02-2009, 03:26 PM
#42
Rennlist Member
No offense, but I think that there's simply room for disagreement about priorities on this subject. In particular because the level and types of speed enforcement varies so dramatically by region and we all have different driving environments. A person who spends 90% of their time on the interstate is going to have a very different view on x-band sensitivity than someone who spends 90% of their time on surface streets, for example.
Given the types of radar I encounter and the type of driving I do I wouldn't want to live without the arrows. I see absolutely no value to many of the Passport's features (like marking a speed trap -- I'd *never* actually do that ever). The V1 is the better option for me and I'm happy it's in my car. The day that changes is the day I switch.
10-02-2009, 03:52 PM
#43
I'd (still) vote V1. I have several in several cars. A long drive on I80 recently and it saved me TWICE from laser. I guess laser is happening more now. I don't recall getting hit by laser in ages (it's always just falses from cruise controls or bright digital billboards.) I still wonder if perhaps I didn't get the laser signal until the cop gave up on me, but each time I was right on 10 mph over the 65 limit and I was a comfortable 100-200 feet behind a car in front. Between the speedometer error and the "allowance" of the cop, perhaps a new 911 wasn't enough of a bait and he was wanting people well over the limit (10 over is usually a pass in CA.)
I like the Passport capabilities with GPS, etc., but the arrows are far more valuable, especially on a freeway when you wonder if you have a cop in front or behind, on the other side of the freeway approaching or on your side of the freeway, in the shadow of an overpass. Arrows are the best until we get a real 360 radar sweep with pin-point blips ... hooked up to guided weapo ... well ... maybe that's going to far ... maybe.
I like the Passport capabilities with GPS, etc., but the arrows are far more valuable, especially on a freeway when you wonder if you have a cop in front or behind, on the other side of the freeway approaching or on your side of the freeway, in the shadow of an overpass. Arrows are the best until we get a real 360 radar sweep with pin-point blips ... hooked up to guided weapo ... well ... maybe that's going to far ... maybe.
10-02-2009, 04:00 PM
#44
Nordschleife Master
10-02-2009, 05:09 PM
#45
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I was a RF engineer for 14 years and I tested the V1 against the others including the K40 hardwired into my first car. When I had questions it was easy to email Mike Valentine (Rennlist member) and get some answers. Its easy to upgrade. I believe everyone else gets you for a new one. Situational Awareness is so very important and the V1 does that best. It also had the best ranges and several times so far its detected stuff over hills. The only thing that would work better as CarreraGT says is a ALR 67 Radar warning system off a military jet. The V1 does not do false positives. As someone else said it reports what it sees.
Mine reports supermarkets in K band, airport radars in X band. It reports CHPs as Ka band and I have picked up Laser a couple times when the trooper was shooting down range and I picked up a photon or two.
With antenna gain being the way it is I think the V1 size can stay where it is. As dectectors get smaller so do the antennas and their gain. I dont know much about phased arrays and how small they can get.
So there is a chance you are hurting your range by making the receiving antennas smaller.
V1 has very good customer service but I was disappointed in not getting new suction cups when I sent it in.
My testing was 4 years ago and I dont remember what escort and passport models I borrowed.
Mine reports supermarkets in K band, airport radars in X band. It reports CHPs as Ka band and I have picked up Laser a couple times when the trooper was shooting down range and I picked up a photon or two.
With antenna gain being the way it is I think the V1 size can stay where it is. As dectectors get smaller so do the antennas and their gain. I dont know much about phased arrays and how small they can get.
So there is a chance you are hurting your range by making the receiving antennas smaller.
V1 has very good customer service but I was disappointed in not getting new suction cups when I sent it in.
My testing was 4 years ago and I dont remember what escort and passport models I borrowed.