I'm installing Valentine 1 RD in my 8 and I tested the laser sensors with a tv remote. The V1 responds to the remote through the windshield, but not through the rear window. It responds from inside the car, so it's working. Has any of you guys got a laser alarm from behind in the real life? I suspect the 8's rear window is blocking or reflecting the laser signal or something.

the V1 RD cannot determine where a laser comes from so it always flashes forward it's in the manual.

the V1 RD cannot determine where a laser comes from so it always flashes forward it's in the manual.

Not correct. V1 shows where the laser comes from. I tested it.
Anyway that wasn't my question.

well in the manual it said it always flashes forward, so tha would mean no one would know if they were hit from behind.

well in the manual it said it always flashes forward, so tha would mean no one would know if they were hit from behind.
Quote from the manual:
"How To Recognize A Laser Encounter
On laser contact, your warning will be:
1. European-siren warning sound.
2. When Ahead-arrow lights, laser is ahead. When the
Behind-arrow lights, laser is behind.
3. Bogey counter displays three horizontal bars.
4. Strength-indicator bar graph shows full strength.
5. LED indicates laser.
NOTE: The same visual warnings will be seen on the
optional Concealed Display."

must be a mistake on my part?

I'm installing Valentine 1 RD in my 8 and I tested the laser sensors with a tv remote. The V1 responds to the remote through the windshield, but not through the rear window. It responds from inside the car, so it's working. Has any of you guys got a laser alarm from behind in the real life? I suspect the 8's rear window is blocking or reflecting the laser signal or something.

If you have any aftermarket tint in the rear window, you will be blocking all laser. Factory tint will probably also do the same. Also, the TV remote might not be strong enough to activate the detector from too far away. Yes, the TV remote will work from farther away with the TV, but this is a little different.

Laser does not bounce around like radar. For it to be strong enough to detect, it has to be direct (or a lucky chance strong-enough reflection). So the arrows won't be as effective as with radar.

Laser is also a very narrow beam. IIRC (I'd have to look up the numbers again to be sure), beam is only appox. 1 ft. in diameter at the farthest normal targetting range. If the beam is aimed at your headlight or front license plate, you won't even get an alert. It's not because the V1 isn't capable, it's just the nature of traffic laser. I'd go through all sorts of laser traps with my windshield mounted V1, and it almost never alerted. Again, because of that beam width, the odds of actually detecting someone getting checked in front of you is very low. It'll happen on occasion, but you cannot rely on it. The only effective method is to have a "difuser" or jammer near the normal aiming points. Even then, those are illegal in some places, and the trooper can sometimes pick a different aiming point and still get a reading. Your only hope is that you were able to react to the alert and get to the proper speed in time (without brake checking the car behind you, for which you can sometimes be pulled over for reckless driving if you really get that trooper's attention).

But with only a V1 detector, rear laser detection is useless. If you detect it, it's too late to do anything about it anyway.

---jps

I checked mine the same way ( TV Remote ) and the V1 alerted through the rear glass. I have no tint.