Valentine One has a patented warning system relying on both forward- and rearward-facing antennas; i
Valentine One has a patented warning system relying on both forward- and rearward-facing antennas; it goes beyond Ordinary Detectors by telling you-- on every alert -- where to look, and how many to look for. Once you have this intelligence report, you can easily decide when to defend, and when you can simply shrug off a non-threatening alarm.
Summary: If you read the previous negative reviews on the Valentine, it would seem that many of them are from the same person, many on the same date! Similar spelling/grammatical errors, etc. They also repeat verbatim, some of the rhetoric from Craig Peterson's comments from previous reviews and sources! Would it even possibly from Peterson himself, purposely inserting errors, and pretending to be someone else to seed the thread with negatives? I used to respect Mr. Peterson's work, and follow his recommendations, however since owing the Valentine that he has so repeated bashed and passed off as inferior and out-dated on various forums and in print, I question his motives and integrity. Read some questionable ethics on a trusted Radar Detector Site: http://guysoflidar.com/march-2007/sabotage.html . This behavior is simply shocking! Many of the comments on another trusted site, http://www.laserveil.com/valentine/one/ (at the end of the review) would seem to be rebuttal directed at Peterson as well. It's my belief that Craig Peterson regularly searches the 'net to find references to his name and / or Valentine for the opportunity to post negative reviews and defend his otherwise indefensible statements about Mike Valentine and the V-1. I am in no way connected to Valentine Research, nor to the industry and as a psychotherapist, and avid car enthusiast, make only observations about behavior that I find questionable. My apologies in advance to Mr. Peterson if I'm off-base, but I think others need to be informed about a pattern of questionable ethics so that they can make up their own minds about what to believe in reviews about radar detectors. My apologies to everyone else for entering 2 reviews.
Strengths: Still the best detector out there with the fewest compromises.
Weaknesses: Lots of negative rhetoric from V-1 detractors like Craig Peterson.
Similar Products Used: Original Fuzzbuster, Whistler, K40, about 9 different BEL models, Escort 8500, Newer Fuzzbuster, Escort 8500 x50
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Summary: I've had my V-1 for 10 years now. I bought into Craig Peterson's reviews back in the early '90s and had gone on his recommendations and purchased various BELs which I had always previously been loyal to (1st detector was an original Fuzz Buster). That changed in 1998 after I tried a colleague's 5 year old V-1. I've been a believer ever since! A few years ago I swapped with a friend for 1 week, his Escort 8500. Small and difficult to interpret display, and 'beep' gave me little information. I couldn't wait to get back my V-1. Now, years later, I figure it's time to up-grade my V-1 for $189. I'm using an 8500 x50 until my new V-1 comes back to me and after a week, I'm a bit under whelmed. The 8500 x50 still has a small and difficult to interpret display, and in 'Expert' mode, hits of X and K come up almost simultaneously in areas with door openers. Knowing some of these as multiple signals on my V-1, the counts on the 8500 are quite inaccurate. Signal ramp-up is very poor, showing low signal strength and suddenly jumping to a solid tone, then inexplicably stopping and jumping to full again. Normally this would indicate an 'instant-on' hit, but with the 8500, you can't tell what it is! As for the famed low falsing of the Escort, it reacts in my daily drives almost as much as my V-1 to door openers, but the 'beep' doesn't tell me anything, so becomes very annoying! Even my daughter thinks that the 8500 x50 is more annoying to live with than the V-1. I can't say much yet about absolute range compared to the V-1, but I know my old V-1 was exceptional. I'd have to say that given the choice of my 10 year old V-1 to the new 8500 x50, I'd probably have to choose the V-1. I was considering the new Escort 9500i, but I've heard many reports of the units occasionally 'Locking out' real police radar when it's set to ignore door openers. Also, I'm a big fan of the Arrows which has saved my butt several times over the years. Another thing to consider is that because of the basic design being so stable, there are many aftermarket accessory makers that market things like remote switches, coloured displays, displays integrated into rear-view mirrors, etc. that are not available for any other radar detector! I'm hoping I love my new V-1 as much, if not more. Even the price is no longer a weakness as several other detectors are priced higher than the Valentine. And with the reasonably priced up-grade to a brand-new unit, where with previous detectors I'd have to give or throw them away, the V-1 seems like a bargain.
Strengths: Easy to interpret, arrows, bogey counter, solid construction, full control on the remote display, range, product support, up-gradability.
Weaknesses: Aftermarket accessories availability. easy to interpret tones, arrows, bogey counter, programmability, solid construction, full control on the remote display, auto-dimming display, detection range, product support, up-gradability.
Similar Products Used: Band indicator should have different coloured LEDs (available aftermarket), not as modern looking as others (function over form), no auto-mute option for those that would like it.
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Year / Model Reviewed: 2002 Valentine One Radar Locator
Summary: Believe in Santa and Fairies too? Lots of people say this about V1 or that about Passport 8500. Funny thing is I don't personally know any of them or their crediblity. I enjoy driving everywhere and anywhere and consider myself a very serious speeder but not a stupid one. NO ONE should speed in school zones or busy areas including myself. Here's what I did. Bought both the V1 and the 8500 in Jan 2002. Mounted both of them about 2-3" apart from each other same height on my windshield. They DO NOT interfere with each other. Both models excellent on avoiding that mess. Drove from Dallas to Austin on a Saturday morning and back the same day just to find the better detector at around 95mph. By time we(wife and I)got back to Dallas the V1 had outscored the 8500 16:2 V1 picked up radar 3 different times on cross streets a good 2/3s of a mile in them when the 8500 didn't even make a beep. My wife kept score by which radar beeped first but only gave the point after the visual confirmation on the actual cop. V1 was always about 2-3 seconds ahead of 8500. Although the 8500 did have less false alarms than the V1 it wasn't anything extreme. Both are excellent performers and highly recommended. The arrows and the bogey counter are a MUST for the serious speeder and not for the typical 5+mph driver who can do without them and brags about speeding but never getting caught. Only $100 difference between them and the V1 is well worth it. When we finally made it home from Austin I asked my wife which radar I will keep and she said,"Keep the Valentine and send the other one packing". My wife of all people told me this. She is into cooking and garden/yard work and knows nothing of magazine articles or all the hype between V1/8500 but after our real world comparisson even she knew which was the better deal. In Dec. of '02 I gave my wife her own V1 for X-mas and she loves it. Both my wife and I are heavy footed but thanks to V1 we've avoided Ka and Laser happy cops which has more than made up for the $800 spent on the two V1s. In the market for a radar then purchase both units. Both have 30 day refund policies. Test them on the highway or your everyday commute route. The 8500 will be more quiet than the V1 but less sensetive too. Test both units for yourself but like me you will see which is the better deal.
Strengths: Ka/K detection distance better than 8500.
Laser detection excellent.
Loud audible tone even with windows down or radio on. Bogey Counter and Arrows a MUST have.
Weaknesses: Magnesium case gets damm hot in the summer when you pull it down to hide the V1. Can burn your fingers. Watch it!
Similar Products Used: Passport 8500
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Summary: This is the best radar detector available period. I bought one of the originals the first month they came out and used it for years. I bought a new one about 10 months ago and am so glad I did. In the interm I used a lower line Bel. It was great for the money but the Val 1 still rocks. The directional signals are invaluable, the sound is loud enough to (usually) hear over my stereo, and the mute functionality is great.
Weaknesses: Difficult to tell what band it is reading, the bogey count is cool but too much real estate is given to it and not enough for the band type, price is quite high-but still worth it
Similar Products Used: Escort, Passport, Bel, Uniden,
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