Just bought one... been using it for a couple of days and quite frankly I think it sucks.

Anyone else on here use one think otherwise? Maybe I got a bad one....

Going down I-40, it will randomly go off full bars for K or Ka and then just disappear.... no cop in sight....

wtf

4/19/2006 6:26:25 PM

they say LED tail lights etc will set them off.. but I dont know about a full warning

my cheapo one lights up one light (out of 6) when it comes across those LEDs

4/19/2006 6:30:37 PM

^^ Your radar detector is exactly that, a radio detector sensitive to certain frequencies. There are going to be sources of non-police radio w/in these spectrums, in other words... false positives. If I-40 is your daily commute, and these sources of interference are consistently present, you'll become accustom to them.

To say that a radar detector sucks, simply because you aren't fully aware of the technology's implementation and quirks, is either naive or stupid.

In short, you almost certainly don't have a bad unit. You're just not yet capable of mentally squelching and/or interpreting its results. RTFM, or post it on classifieds.

[Edited on April 19, 2006 at 7:50 PM. Reason : .]

4/19/2006 7:49:04 PM

Quote :

"^^ Your radar detector is exactly that, a radio detector sensitive to certain frequencies. There are going to be sources of non-police radio w/in these spectrums, in other words... false positives. If I-40 is your daily commute, and these sources of interference are consistently present, you'll become accustom to them. To say that a radar detector sucks, simply because you aren't fully aware of the technology's implementation and quirks, is either naive or stupid. In short, you almost certainly don't have a bad unit. You're just not yet capable of mentally squelching and/or interpreting its results. RTFM, or post it on classifieds."

thank you saved me the typin. Ive been using a 7500 forever and just got an X50 and it rocks out

4/19/2006 8:13:38 PM

Quote :

"Going down I-40, it will randomly go off full bars for K or Ka and then just disappear.... no cop in sight...."

I also have the 8500, but not the X50. I have the exact same experience.

4/19/2006 9:39:09 PM

yeah they all do that, best i can figure its the transmitters on the cameras at the bridges... annoying but ya learn where they are

4/19/2006 9:43:34 PM

For reference, part of the reason you buy a radar detector is so that you CAN get full bands of K and Ka without SEEING the cop; you so logically implied that, *gasp*, there musn't be a cop if I can't see him!?!!one!

Anyway, I've had my 8500 (non-x50) for some time; your unit is almost assuredly functioning properly.

4/19/2006 10:01:13 PM

yeah, on 40 its definitely the cameras, ive just learned where they go off and drive accordingly, ive been using a beltronics for almost 2 years now and love it

4/19/2006 10:23:21 PM

^i like when im blastin down 40 at like 85 and it goes off and passengers are like WTF DUDE STOP...haha

4/19/2006 10:24:37 PM

Ride with somebody who has a V1, far less false alarms and longer range in the real world. I've had a V1 for several months now, and barrow friends cars with Bels, etc. in them... There's a real difference, but the V1 gives false alarms on I40 as well, however it's also saved me several times. Infact it saved me on trailwood, avent ferry and trion road as well as I540 in the last two weeks.
Ahmet <--who HAS gotten 4 tickets in the last 6 months WITH his V1.

4/20/2006 11:22:00 AM

^you have your license?

4/20/2006 11:34:30 AM

I've lost it 3 times, currently do have it with 4 points and some pending. I spend lots of real money on lawyers (usually Kurts&Blum).
Ahmet

4/20/2006 11:58:00 AM

isn't there a new detector that's supposed to perform better than the V1 (although it doesn't have the arrows or threat counter )?

4/20/2006 2:32:57 PM

i had a regular 8500 a couple years ago and loved it....

I understand how these things work... I just am not getting the performance out of this guy that I got with the 8500.

4/20/2006 9:30:11 PM

^mine did that on Gorman today... think its picking up instant on somewhere...

4/24/2006 1:56:45 AM

it can count threats, but it shows them as bars beside what kind of type. i like it more because you can look at all of them at the same time.

4/24/2006 3:09:24 AM

thats where the V1's bogey count comes in. as you drive w/ it more and more during your routine trips to work/school, etc you learn where the false alarms are and can start to feel out whats real and whats not. normally false alarms arent nearly as sudden and strong as a real cop. everytime i find a new cop hiding out i KNOW it.

but yeh so once you get used to whats normal you can use the bogey counter to know if there is an extra bogey in an area. and cops will hide out in false alarm areas like gas stations a lot

4/24/2006 9:11:53 AM