Valentine 1 Or Passport 8500
 

Ok guys witch radar is better, it seems to me that the valentine 1 (400) is the best from what i have hurd but. But on the other hand the escort (300) being on the cheper side might seem to be just as good. But help me decide.

I recentry bought an Escort Solo S2 and I like it but I still don't trust it 100% I micht go to the 8500 that proved me it worked in more than 1 situation. I'd say Escort is better

I had a cooworker with the V1 and it is very nice. If I get a radar detecter I will get that one. I have done some research on them and it seems like the best on the market. Multiple bogies from multiple sides, excellent.

v1 survives based on it's reputation from years past. It used to be top dog.

I'd recommend the highest model (wired) that escort offers. I had the wireless one, which worked fine, but the range isn't going to be as good as the wired unit and costs the same ($300 range) when I last priced them.

I've owned V1s for years and have the newest model. The ability to see which direction the cops coming, the dual antennas, and the user friendly design do it for me. I drive my cars pretty car and I'm a 31 year old male with a perfect driving record due to the V1 mainly.

Personally I just bought a Beltronics RX65. Runs for about $200ish on Ebay and it's supposed to perform as good or better than the 8500. It's also more feature rich than the 8500. Didn't really consider the Valentine myself because 1. way too expensive and 2. way too lunky and big and 3. it's supposedly a huge hassle to program. It's definitely showing its age.

go with the passport 8500 as you can send it back and have it upgraded for any new radar technologies that come out

Yeah. I agree. The Bel RX-65 Pro is top dog. Not only does it have voice alerts, but you can display multi band alerts (Threats) at the same time! The Bel is made by Escort and is better then the 8500 and V1...Thanks

I have my Valentine since October 2004, perfect score: No tickets. The performance is by far superior than Escort, I tried both. Valentine is expensive but it is worth it.

I don't think you can go wroung with either choice.

Personally I went the Escort 8500 route, and am quite pleased with the results.

I have the V1 and its the best I have exer had. I did change the program to drop X band detection since it is not used any more and causes most false alarms. The directions on how to program the V1 are on their site but you have to dig to find them. Finding the directions is the hardest part, the reprograming is easy.

I have a V1.....
+1 for the best I've had. It has proven itself more times than I care to admit. The only choice in radar detectors to me.

Passport.....
 

Passport, Escort, Bel - I believe, are all the same company.

I have a Passport "Blue" with X-Band turned off. Will still detect Walmarts, but it is incredibly sensitive to oncoming moving radar, even if the officer is "playing the game", (only zapping cars that look fast, and only when they are within his "kill" range) I will still get over a miles' warning. Just cruise past as he blasts me, with all nine LED's lit up on the Passport, thinking "good try, but no cigar!".

No tickets, five years, but then I don't drive fast :icon_bs:

S

I have a bel hard mounted. I love it :boink: This one

i got my valentine and about 2 weeks later got a ticket.... greatttttttt freaking cop got my speed by "pace" so now im thinking is there even a point in having a radar when they can write you a ticket for speeding without using a radar gun or any other sort of instrument...

That happened to me once, that's way I constantly scan my mirrors :spank:

I agree, but if I was purchasing a radar detector it would be a valentine 1. A few buddies of mine have it and I've always been impressed with it's operation.

I owned the Escort 8500 x50 prior to purchasing the V1 unit and I definitly prefer the V1. The arrows and bogeys are priceless. I really haven't seen anyone with a V1 complain about its performance, I'm not sure I can say the same about the Escort though. Whatever you do though, make sure to look into Laser jammers because wheterh you get Escort or V1 , the laser alert is pretty much useless. It's too late by then!

Ticket by "pace"????
 

Hey, could anybody explain to me what that means???, how can that be even possible??, I tought the cop NEEDED some kind of fisical evidence to write a ticket!!!

Now, another question. Are the radars supposed to "detect" all police cars/motorcycles or they have to have their radars on???

I ask this because I've noticed my Solo S2 "missed" already 2 cars (1 same & 1 opposite direction) and 2 Bikes (Parked on the side but WITH THE COP "looking") .... :Eyecrazy:

I had my V1 mounted right next to the latest escort, and my dad and I drove around for about a day with the two of them. What we noticed:

The V1 gives more false alarms, usually on x-band. I might just turn that off on mine now that I found out you can do it. No one runs radar on x-band anymore. Thankfully there are different noises for the different bands, so it's pretty easy to discount the chirp for x-band.

Outside of the x-band. The V1 consistantly gave warning before the escort. Usually only by a few seconds, but those few seconds were enough time to slow down before the officer was in sight. Top that with the directional arrows and it was pretty clear which one was better. My dad wasn't too happy as he'd bought the escort, but such is life.

As a final thought, there may be a $100 price difference, but last I checked almost any speeding ticket will run you $100 or more for the ticket alone. To me I wouldn't let $100 deter me from buying (IMO) the better radar detector.

Be careful thinking x-band is no longer used. In my neck-of-the-woods, it is still used by a few locals.

That was the only reason I did not get the V1, was the more frequent falses.

I should say though, that although the V1 gives more false alarms, I've never had it give a false alarm on Ka or Laser. Those are the only two used by local law enforcement, but I've seen K used in smaller towns when I'm travelling.

I don't think I've *ever* seen X used by police, but then I haven't driven through Alabama with a V1, so that might be why.

For me, I run the V1 in L1 mode, which ignores most of the x-band stuff, and the low k band. Where I live that works just fine, as I never get hits with anything else that are actually police.

When I'm travelling (driving from MN to NM) I kick it over to its most sensitive setting. Between Iowa and Colorado, there aren't more than two or three times it will go off when it's not a cop. In any case, to me the early warning the V1 gives is worth the false alarms and extra $100. But everyone is different, and to me a chirping radar detector is a happy noise.

They drive behind or near you and look at their speedo to see how fast you are going relative to them. If they are tailing you at 65mph in a 55mph zone, you lose. This is used a lot of places and a cops word against yours will hold up just fine in traffic court. I have some cop friends...they aren't all assholes and they don't pull you over for shits and giggles. They pull you over because you ARE speeding.

Radar Detectors are just that, they detect radar. They dont detect cop cars/motorcycles..haha. If they aren't emitting a signal, there is nothing to detect. Older radars need to constantly be on to take several readings to get accurate speed, but instant on radar along with Laser don't require them to be constantly on. As soon as the cop pulls the trigger and your detector goes off, he has you. That is why range is so important. If the cop is shooting at people a mile up the road, a good detector will pick up the reflections so you can slow down. Radar has a much wider reflection pattern as the beam is conical (wider) over distance, but a laser is very tight and has little reflection

I've used both the V1 and the 8500. I own the V1 and my dad has the 8500. It's true that the V1 gives more false alarms than the 8500, but false alarms are pretty easy to pick out from real threats.

I definately prefer the V1. I can pick out Ka band from up to a mile away depending on the surroundings. I also prefer the "beep" sound of the V1 compared to the "buzz" sound of the 8500. The buzz gets on my nerves a little bit. Having the direction arrows and the "bogey counter" are definately pluses and can help you identify a false alarm from a cop.

One thing that I did like about the 8500 was the blackout mode and the mute button on the plug. At night with this mode on, it is very hard for a cop to see your detector....very good thing.

As for sending it in to upgrade the internals, you CAN do that with V1 as well.

Go for the V1, you won't regret it

Hope that helps

i have the bel rx75 plus which comes with the laser blockers and is discreet mounting. i have had zero problems with cops i uassually pick them up so far away i almost forget why i slowed down by the time i get to them. the look on a cops face when his lidar gun is being jammed is pretty priceless too. http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Beltronics-B...QQcmdZViewItem
there were a couple other auctions that were cheaper but they ended sooner. i like this style because its not siiting out in the open. there are a lot of pictures of nice installs of these on the forum.

V1 is awesome. i love it

Received my Bel RX65 a day ago...already trying to find ways to relocate it around the cabin since it's rather noticeable when placed dead center on the dash. It'd be a lot more flexible if I could lose the coiled cord...and unbelievably I can't seem to find a single straight power cord anywhere on the internet for it that isn't of the hard wire variant! I can't believe something so simple isn't out there for it. All I want is just a simple cord exactly like a thin generic phone cord that'll plug into the power outlet...is that so hard??? It seems such a thing was made for the older models but now all the straight wire cords require hard wiring.

Vertigo, I did a real quick google for the cable and came up with this site. http://www.bestradardetectors.net/Be...p/bel-rx65.htm

I'm sure that there are other sites out there as well.

All they sell is the hard wire variant. I'm looking for a simple straight wire i.e. non-coiled that plugs into the cigarette lighter jack on one end and has the phone plug on the other end that goes into the RX65. I do not want to mess with the car's electrical system as I'm not that familiar with electrical wiring which is why I don't want to go with the hard wire variant.

Beltronics RX65 all the way.Same unit as passport 8500, but with the new KU band already programmed in- if it ever goes into mass production for police radar guns. A great deal at a little over $200.

I have the x50 and it works great. though now i kinda wish i had arrows. :(

i decided years ago that i wouldnt buy a radar detector until i got a speeding ticket. no need to jinx the luck...(kinda helps that i drive 8k miles a year at 70% city). i might cave this year though.

i wonder if/when valentine will come out with a new form factor. i'm so sick of seeing the same ads in my C&D for the past ten years.

I have the Escort 8500, and it works GREAT. However the Valentine is rated better. I went with the Escort 8500 over the Valentine because of two things:

1) Price
2) Size - Escort is much smaller, Valentine is very bulky in my opinion.

Either way, these are the best two radar detectors on the market.

Actually, V1 isn't larger than the Escort
V1: 1.0 in. H x 3.6 in. W x 4.5 in. L
Escort Passport 8500 X50: 1.25" H x 2.85" W x 5.32" L

^correct. it may look bigger and bulky in pictures, but its just as small as the x50. for me only reason was price.

Actually I've found that since the V1 is shorter length-wise and in height, it's easier to get a solid/stable connection on the glass. The Escort had some issues with not wanting to stay in place for extended periods. I guess in part it depends on how flat the glass on the front of your vehicle is.

We were testing them on a Jeep, and their windshield is pretty flat relative to most cars.

My 8500 has served me well for almost two years ...

https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...id=73183&stc=1

My decision is a little bit harder to decide.

I work at a place that gives a discount, which would make the passport $230.

Should i get the passport then, or is the V1 really worth that huge of a difference?

for 230 versus 400, i say go for the escort. both detectors are great, but if you can get a deal on one of them, take it.

Always had Escorts so I'm partial to the brand. Currently have the 8500 X50 which works great and I think looks better than the Valentine. Also, the directional arrows seem a little gimmicky to me.

Heres how I mounted mine. I got a corvette adapter that attaches right on the mirror, no cords hanging down, and within reach for the mute.

I have the X50 "Blue". I wish I'd stayed with the "Red".

Willie, did you order that adapter from Escort?

Nope, I ordered it from, they also have them for the Valentine: http://8.3.8.118/greatlakes/corvette.htm

Thanks, I'll give them a call in the morning. I have the remote hard wire accessory on the way from Escort so with some of the thread advice already posted and this great mirror mount you found, I should be able to get something nice and functional done.

Dude .... thats pretty cool. Any problems with visibility, ie the x50 blocking your view? I attached mine on the passenger visor to get a "high" view of the horizon. I like the near wireless look of your install as well.

Cheers,
Oranje

I would look at http://www.radarbusters.com/support/...ts/default.asp

Nice job! I've got a similar setup with my X50 blue, sans the Corvette adapter. I just used the suction cup mount and have it positioned behind the mirror, so I can just see the display while driving. Of course, it's hardwired and I have the smartcord unit located to the left of the steering wheel. Just ran out and snapped a few pics in the dark!

Edit: Keeping with the thread topic, the X50 has proven itself and saved me from being stopped at least twice in just a few months. It seems to give VERY early warning with oncoming radar, and does a good job picking up reflected radar from instant-on guns.

Thanks Guys! No, there are no issues with visibility, it doesnt block anything. And its great because its close enough to just reach up and use the mute button. The reason I bought the mirror adapter is because I was having problems with the suction cups sticking to my window, might be because of the heat in AZ - it kept falling off.

Exactly, the X50 has paid for itself several times over. I will never go without one again.

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