Anybody have the new 9500 with gps? Which one would you pick or have you picked and why.

 

Well as I'll soon be in the market, V1. Arrows, proven reliability, not lots of Features I wouldn't use. Course I may wait it out a little longer to see if how Valantine couters some of the upgrades.

 

I'm a recent V1 buyer, and would do so again. I think there is NO substitute for the arrows and proven reliability of the V1. It's completely different than any other detector I've had. I trust it, and when I get a signal, I know what it means (even when it's junk). The 9500 GPS "sticky" anti-falsing is appealing - and would be an awesome feature combined with the V1 directional awareness. But if I could only have one or the other, I'd take the arrows...

 

V1 - no gadgets - just excellent design & function

 

I am waiting for Valentine to counter with the 9500. V2 anyone???

 

Any idea if or when a V2 might hit the shelfs -- I don't plan on waiting a year.

 

How are the arrows helpful? I mean you would slow down regardless of what direction, right? Is it just a piece of mind thing?
Jim

 

No other detector can solidly tell you it got a hit from behind. Thats just one way the arrows help. (I don't have one... yet.)

 

Part is piece of mind, but in conjuction with the bogey counter, it's awesome.
Is someone coming up behind, or is there a guy around the corner, or on the other side of the road heading this way (the side arrow helps.)
With the bogey counter, you see one up ahead, come up on someone stopped, and after you pass them, see 2 on the bogey counter, and one arrow forward and one behind - aha! Another one ahead...
The arrows also flash to show you which the V1 thinks is the most dangerous bogey.

 

O wow I didn't know about the flashing. Thats awesome.

 

G P S sounds like a nice idea, but can you be tracked?

I like my V1. But doesn't work on the new red light cameras that have the wires in the road.

 

Here's our Radar-Detector Buyer's Guide from 2005, same Detector's are still out on the market

http://www.motortrend.com/features/m...ide/index.html

 

 

The GPS on the Passport 9500i can be used to mark ANY location that you want to be alerted on. That can be known radar trap areas, school zones, false alert areas, red light radar intersections etc.. When you get an alert it flashes your present speed as well. It automatically adjusts the alert sensetivity to your speed,full sensitivity at highway speeds and very low sensitivity at low parking lot speeds.

I have one on order and it comes with a 30 day "test" drive.

 

the 9500i has front and back laser protection too, right?
Anyone know how to find out type the of radar State Police in NY would be using and possibly more localized police forces as well?

 

Radar is radar as far as anything new and over $200 is concerned. I think it is worth your time to read over the link Mellissa (Wikedgolf) posted. Ka is most prevalant, but you can still find every mentioned band in use. Ku is still mainly if not only a European thing.

 

Valentine 1 - saved my bacon more than once.

Paul

 

The V1 has saved me more than once too. Have to watch in different states as they have different radar so the V1 will act a little differently. Like in my home state the bulk of the cops do not have "instant-on" radar so I see them miles in advance. Just be aware of what type it is registering and where it is coming from!

 

Ku is only Euro.

 

At first I was very intrigued by the 9500. I love gagets and technology. After thinking about it, I realize the V1 is still the way to go. The GPS of the 9500 can be used for 2 things: 1. To block signals that you "know" are false, by location, and, 2, to tag locations to alert you whenever you are at that location (on the theory that you can be alerted to known speed traps. As to Item 1, a mute button can accomplish the same thing and you can still decide if there really is a threat or not. As to item 2, since you will have to know if the area is a "known" speed trap first, in order to program it, it seems a little silly. If you know it's a known speed trap, then you should be prepared anyway. Also, it will alert whether the trap is there or not. If you take the route regularly, you will soon condition yourself to tune it out. If there is a trap, the radar will alert you anyway. Soooo, while the GPS feature may not be totally useless, it doesn't match up to the superiority of the V1.

ps someone asked if the GPS in the 9500 could cause the car to be tracked. Since its gps, like all gps is based on triangulating coordinates between the GPS unit and satellites, having the unit in your car will not make you trackable by an exterior unit.

 

Ive had a Valentine1 for years and never got a ticket. I would never go back to the escorts. Ive owned both, and find the valentine more helpful with less "garbage information". The valentine is minimalist, and as they say once you've had arrows, you'll never go back.