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      05-05-2013, 09:48 PM   #1
thhddd
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can anyone recommend a radar detector?

just got speeding ticket on my way back from shenandoah in Virginia....sigh
83 on 55, but cop didnt give me reckless and say i could just call and pay the fine over phone

i want to get a radar detector and wondering which one is good to use in virginia?

i saw another member is posting about Escort 9500 xi, is that good?

thanks!
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      05-05-2013, 10:08 PM   #2
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The Escort or the BEL STI-R are probably the two most used on the board in my opinion. I personally have the BEL STI-R, stealth mounted and the Laser Blinder setup for laser detectors. There are few threads here on the board with pix and recommendations.
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      05-05-2013, 10:13 PM   #3
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I used my 9500 tucked up on the passenger side, hard wired and out if sight since RD are illegal in that stupid state.
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      05-05-2013, 10:14 PM   #4
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I also kept it in dark mode so it wasn't visible from behind.
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      05-05-2013, 10:23 PM   #5
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1. Valentine1 - old school but proven
2. Escort 9500xi - new school and simple to use (what I have)
3. BEL STi - basically same as 9500 with more options/controls (stealth will probably correct me)

Any of these are awesome. Get the hardwire kit and route it to your glove box fuses. Mine paid for itself on the way home from best buy

If they are illegal in your state, you may want to opt for a true hardwire install (Escort 9500ci, Bel Stir Plus) , so it's not exposed visually. Much more $ though.
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      05-05-2013, 10:50 PM   #6
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+1 for Escort. I used to have the Escort 9500 and it worked very well. I ended up switching to the Escort SmartRadar because it integrates with my iPhone. Can't go wrong either way.
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      05-05-2013, 11:03 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thhddd
just got speeding ticket on my way back from shenandoah in Virginia....sigh
83 on 55, but cop didnt give me reckless and say i could just call and pay the fine over phone

i want to get a radar detector and wondering which one is good to use in virginia?

i saw another member is posting about Escort 9500 xi, is that good?

thanks!
Were you beaten by radar or by lidar?
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      05-05-2013, 11:55 PM   #8
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Heres my take:

The best: Bel STIR+. This detector has maximum range and sensitivity, which means it does a tremendous job of picking up instant-on or quick trigger radar where other detectors fail (V1 can do this to some extent but not 100%of the time). Note this detector is likened to the 9500ci but the 9500ci has similar range but doesn't have the sensitivity needed to pick up quick trigger (it is actually about par with the V1 or slightly lower in regard to quick trigger radar). The other advantages of the Stir+ are it's concealed, it is undetectable by spectre, it can filter out known falses using GPS which means its alerts are meaningful, and it can warn you of traffic cameras. The only drawback is it is expensive ($1000 + $400 to install). Worth every penny though. It's saved my hundreds of times.

Others worth considering:
1) Escort Redline. shares the long range of the Bel Stir+ and is the longest range windshield unit you can buy. It doesn't have GPS filtering so you will get falses. Also doesnt have advanced settings to pick up quick trigger. It can still do quick trigger about on par with the V1 which is about 30-50% alert rate. Drawbacks: false alerts a lot on K band
2) Valentine Research V1. Pretty good range, pretty good pickup on quick trigger (30-50%) but it can still occasionally be beaten. Has arrows which is nice. Drawbacks: false alerts a lot, lacks the range of the top Bel and Escort models, K band can be weak if you turn on K band false suppression (DSP).
3) Escort 9500ci. Has excellent range on KA band (better than V1) but on K band can be slow to alert (it picks it up early but for some reason doesn't alert unless signal is strong). Uses GPS to filter false alerts which improves the relevance of alerts. Warns of cameras. Drawback: not so great with quick trigger, and not great with K band. Nonetheless is one of the top picks thanks to its balanced and cutting edge feature set and impressive KA band range.

Also if the police in your area use laser, you should not depend on a radar detector as it will lure you into a false sense of safety.
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      05-06-2013, 05:30 AM   #9
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v1 is great with the arrows but you need to turn POP off because of interference with the m5. because of this I would suggest one of the others.

yesterday was my first long drive (300+ miles) and it seems like range is significantly shorter with POP off. no idea what POP does, but I felt a lot less confident.
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      05-06-2013, 10:46 AM   #10
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I live in NOVA and I have the Bel STIR+. It is stealth and expensive, but totally worth it. I have everything in the grill of the car, controls hidden inside the car and the display in my rear view mirror. I got mine done at a place in MD, but there is a place in Tysons that does it as well but I can't vouch for them. I looked at the 9500ci as well and I was told that the only difference b/w it and Bel STIR+ is the color of the display (blue vs. red). There's also a place in Boston that I thought about going to that can put the radar and laser notifications in the HUD, but I didn't feel like driving up there and they aren't open on weekends.

Also, I keep out of state tags on my car and that allows me to remove the front license plate. Although cops can hit any flat surface on the front or back of your car, most of them like hitting the license plate for an accurate read b/c it's usually the flattest part of the car. So, if you can remove the front license plate that may buy you some time in some situations.
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      05-06-2013, 10:53 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cjackson1906
I live in NOVA and I have the Bel STIR+. It is stealth and expensive, but totally worth it. I have everything in the grill of the car, controls hidden inside the car and the display in my rear view mirror. I got mine done at a place in MD, but there is a place in Tysons that does it as well but I can't vouch for them. I looked at the 9500ci as well and I was told that the only difference b/w it and Bel STIR+ is the color of the display (blue vs. red). There's also a place in Boston that I thought about going to that can put the radar and laser notifications in the HUD, but I didn't feel like driving up there and they aren't open on weekends.

Also, I keep out of state tags on my car and that allows me to remove the front license plate. Although cops can hit any flat surface on the front or back of your car, most of them like hitting the license plate for an accurate read b/c it's usually the flattest part of the car. So, if you can remove the front license plate that may buy you some time in some situations.
They actually place the radar and laser info in the HUD or do they just install something near it so it projects onto the windshield/HUD area?
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      05-06-2013, 11:00 AM   #12
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      05-06-2013, 11:00 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by avlnch View Post
They actually place the radar and laser info in the HUD or do they just install something near it so it projects onto the windshield/HUD area?
Sound in Motion did the install in my car and placed the K40 LEDs inside the HUD so they are now displayed on the windshield.
Works great
http://f10.m5post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=776392
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      05-06-2013, 11:07 AM   #14
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JMH provided the right info and the guy at SIM was really cool, but I wasn't trying to drive up there in the winter.
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      05-06-2013, 11:13 AM   #15
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I opted for the bel stir+. I have very few false alerts, mostly due to the filtering of band segments, and also I mark known falses on my regular routes so they no longer alert.
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      05-06-2013, 12:09 PM   #16
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There are many good choices for radar detection (and don't forget laser) but I think that much of the choice is narrowed by price. In a place like Virginia where detectors are illegal, you may want to go with a fully concealed system, but be prepared to pay over $3k for the product plus a good install. If you want concealed radar + laser detection, I think the most obvious choices are the Escort 9500ci or the Bel StiR+ combined with Laser Interceptor.
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      05-06-2013, 12:42 PM   #17
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1. Redline (best off-axis detection + range + filtering)
2. V1 (good range + arrows + great laser scatter detection)
3. 9500XI (Good for most people who aren't enthusiasts, doesn't have range of the first two)

If you want to dish out the money as everyone said Bel StiR+
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      05-06-2013, 12:54 PM   #18
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[QUOTE=ONO5OH;13942001]1. 9500XI (Good for most people who aren't enthusiasts, doesn't have range of the first two)

Question for you:::: How do you come to the conclusion for the people who purchased the 9500xi arent enthusiasts? Thats a lame statement and certainly not true. Just saying bro.
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      05-06-2013, 12:54 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by avlnch View Post
They actually place the radar and laser info in the HUD or do they just install something near it so it projects onto the windshield/HUD area?
Nobody has been able to integrate a radar detector with a BMW HUD. It can be done with the GM/Toyota HUD, but not the BMW HUD.

The closest thing is to place the display in the line of sight. The Bel STIR+ display is miniscule so I have mine placed in line of sight. It's almost as good as HUD.
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      05-06-2013, 01:09 PM   #20
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[QUOTE=boots;13942068]
Quote:
Originally Posted by ONO5OH View Post
1. 9500XI (Good for most people who aren't enthusiasts, doesn't have range of the first two)

Question for you:::: How do you come to the conclusion for the people who purchased the 9500xi arent enthusiasts? Thats a lame statement and certainly not true. Just saying bro.
I thought I was an enthusiast. Guess not.
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      05-06-2013, 01:23 PM   #21
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Had the V1 for a number of years. Recent software updates gave it too my false alerts, so I opted for a 9500xi with the Live protection. I've been pleased... Accurate reads, with the ability to lock out false alerts, and the Live app is nice because it will give you audible alerts through the bluetooth audio -- this is especially good when I have the stereo turned up loud and it's hard to hear the radar! :-)
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      05-06-2013, 01:29 PM   #22
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Im glad you posted that McVaughan as I'm pleased with my 9500xi so far when I made a trip to Austin yesterday.
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