Valentine One Radar Detector
by Valentine
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Our Price: $499.95 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $350.00 (click here) Category: Car Audio or Theater See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Valentine One Radar Detector
Customer Review: Excellent Detector
Summary: 5 Stars
I own three of these units- that alone should give a good indication of how I feel about them. There are other detectors with similar range, and some may even exceed the range of the V1. But the directional arrows found on the V1 are an unbeatable feature. Once you have gotten used to knowing where a threat is coming from it is impossible to live with a detector that doesn't provide this information. Combined with the "bogey counter" the information provided by the detector in an easy-to-use format is first-rate. It becomes very easy to gauge the threat level of a signal, and also becomes easy to locate traps placed in close proximity to each other or known false signals.
As for cons, the V1 is probably due for a major update- with fixed-location cameras and speed traps coming on-line, a GPS option with tagging will become a necessity. Other manufacturers have already embraced GPS, and V1 will have to follow suit. For me at least, the capabilities of the V1 still make it a more practical unit for the time being, and it's performance on highways is unmatched. If you're in the market for a detector with an excellent blend of features and performance, this is it. But buy it direct for $399.
Customer Review: it can't get any better
Summary: 5 Stars
i did about 3 weeks of research and more thinking than i should have put into a radar detector purchase...but after using this unit...it was well worth it...there isnt a single thing i would change about this unit...it tells you where the signal is coming from...which has saved me SOOOO MANY TIMES...it tells you what band, how many signals, and it even detects Ku and POP...this might be the most expensive radar detector, but until you own one...you can't truly comprehend how vastly superior it is to all other brands and models,... my V1 has paid for its self many times over...esp on my road trip to and from nashville (i live in the harrisburg, pa area)...most people i know arent willing to pay the price for this unit...but the thing is...you can buy a crappy cheaper detector...and then in a couple years when new technology comes out you have to buy a new one...and so on and so forth...before you know it...you've spent more than you ever planned on...with the V1...if theres new technology...you send it in for an upgrade...the upgrade for the models that are one model older than mine is $85...which is cheaper than even the best low priced detectors....so how is this not worth it???Customer Review: I've tested all the top models...this is the hands-down winner
Summary: 5 Stars
For years Valentine had Escort and the others completely trounced. Finally, with the X50, Escort came close to Valentine in some respects. Their new GPS detector the 9500i is also based on the 8500 X50 model. The thing is, Valentine keeps a commanding lead in four respects:
1. Yes, Escort now equals Valentine on K and Ka (but not X band); however, Valentine responds much better to instant on.
2. Valentine's laser detection is insanely good. No one comes close...and that's what you need with laser, because it is very hard to "spot."
3. Because of patent considerations, Escort can't have front and rear antennae on their unit and tell you what direction the radar is coming from. This is actually a VERY useful feature...and the rear antenna lets you know when a mobile instant on unit is creeping up behind you.
4. Valentine detects instant-on POP radar nearly 100% of the time. Escort just plain doesn't see it half the time.
I've driven with one since the mid 1990s, and never received a ticket while using it. It's the best investment you can make in driving peace of mind.
Customer Review: A Waste of time and money
Summary: 1 Stars
First of all, if you do get sucked in to buying a Valentine One do not buy it from Amazon. Sorry buy why would you pay more than 500 dollars here and 399 from Valentine direct. I can't imagine how this seller even gets away with that. Most importantly do not buy this if you live, work or drive through a city of more than 2000 people. My detector went off every 30 seconds no matter where I drove in Southern California through Nevada and Arizona. I called and asked them about it and they said "Well what do you want, it's sensitive"!! They use the analogy of a fighter pilot on their website, well I doubt a fighter pilot's radar is buzzing at them every 15 - 30 seconds. I would use the analogy of a fault alarm system. After an alarm going off every few minutes with false alarms how much attention are you going to pay to it? I'll tell you, you will turn it off. This is not my first radar detector. In fact over the years this is probably not even my tenth radar detector but it is by far the worst I have ever used. Oh, and the arrows only actually pointed toward the threat about 50% of the time.Customer Review: Peerless performance
Summary: 5 Stars
I've had a Valentine One for four years and am preparing to order another one for our second car, since I've just had the first one hard-wired into our new one. The hands-down "winningest" features are the arrow system to tell you where the radars are and the "bogey counter" that tells you how many different signals the V1 is receiving. My wife is very impressed that the V1 can see so far down the road and over hills. Some reviews snipe at the V1's boxy styling. I didn't buy it to make a fashion statement. I bought it for its unmatched performance. There is a very nifty option: a small lightweight plastic block called a "concealed display" that has the direction lights, type-of-radar lights, and a mute on/off button. I velcro-mount it to my steering wheel column near the dash, so I don't have to look up to see what's going on (my V1 is near the roofline). Think about how much a ticket would cost, adding in risk of an insurance premium increase. The V1 is the way to go. Recommend that if you hard-wire the unit, you have the tech leave the in-line fuse exposed or at least easy-to-access.