Radar Detecters - 2020 Edition

[MattB]

I couldn't believe that there wasn't a thread on the site regarding radar detectors already. While I do not condone their use for unlawful speeding, I do encourage motorcyclists to own them in order to stay closer in touch with the environment around them, you know, for safety and all.

I have been using Valentine1 detectors exclusively since about 2005. Until the advent of BSM (Blind Spot Monitoring) and adaptive cruise control, the V1 did a great job of keeping me alert, in touch with my surroundings, and safe from danger. For the last few years however, I feel that it is over-stimulating me with all the false alerts which is wearing on me. Now the search is on for a new ride companion.

After much research and reading, I was ready to purchase a Radenso Pro M, a unit which I had never heard of until it was recommended to my by Pete_Tallahassee . It seemed to tick all my boxes and there seems to be a consensus that it is the best thing available for filtering false alerts. Just as I'm ready to hit the "Buy" button, I look to see how they are setup for external audio as I'd like to pipe the output to my helmet (or possibly a H.A.R.D. unit... never used one of those). Everything that I read suggests that their is not an audio output method for this detector. If I can not utilize it on a motorcycle where I'm most at risk, it is dead to me.

There are many touting the pairing of the V1 to some phone applications to extend it's ability.... doing so is not overly desirable to me, I'd prefer the best standalone unit that I can buy.

V1 and Radenso Pro M out, my research seems to point toward the Uniden R3/R7 models, as well as the Escort Max 360 models. The biggest knock on the Uniden that I've read is that is tends to false quite a bit on BSM and adaptive Cruise Control. Frankly, that's a deal killer for me, the primary reason that I'm looking to move from my V1.

Does this mean that the Escort Max 360 series would be the best for me? I'm reading in circles and it seems that some folks are not happy with their Escorts either. I took the plunge and ordered a new Escort Max 360c, discounted on Black Friday... but I'm still open to other thoughts and would return this if there's something better.

Suggestions??? Anybody in the know if I should be holding out for something new and shiny to be released in the next few months that will keep me more aware of my surroundings? Thanks all.

[jargon]

Matt, I’ve used the H.A.R.D. system since 2011 with my Escort Max and I love how it works. Bruce told me about it. As far as I know, it should work with any detector.
I would just call up and find out if it would work with the Radenso. I hate those false alarms also, but put up with them in traffic. When it counts on open road, the Escort does just fine and has saved me many times.

https://www.legalspeeding.com/HARD-S...m#.XeNBkMpOmhA

[Pete_Tallahassee]

I mailed it to Marc Parnes and he installed a pigtail. He can do it on almost any Detector. Works like a charm. I love it. http://www.marcparnes.com/Visual_Alert.htm

[Capnrip]

Matt I've got a Uniden R1 and in my opinion it's awesome with all the auto sensors. There are three modes and both of the city modes cancel almost all of that out and still give you great distance on real RADAR. Just finished about a 3 hour trip on I-64 and the only time it went off when I know it was a result of a car I was right up the guy's butt when traffic got bunched up. And once I got the Bluetooth setup with my detector and my Sena it would be hard going back to a visual alert with no indication of what band it is. Strictly my opinion.

[Capnrip]

Hey Pete, I have to keep mine somewhat concealed in Virginia so I can't see the display. Around here anyway Ka band is a cop, no question about it. Some use K but not many. If I get a hit on K I look around, for some reason a Dollar General store sets off K a lot, then you get the "Your speed is" speed sensors and the thing that changes a stop light in a one lane construction zone, they're K too. The city mode on mine knocks out a lot of K band except for the ones commonly used by police. Really helps with the car sensor stuff. The prime reason I bought the Uniden was that it's not detectable with a detector detector. More of that Virginia stuff. Glad you're happy with the Radenso, always good to know what's out there that works.

[Pete_Tallahassee]

I like the smaller form. The Radenso has great phone support and it IS stealthy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zc03ITQ2c-w
Good to have several choices.

[Capnrip]

Good to know Pete, Thanks!

[MattB]

So, I've gone completely off the deep end with this.

Pete_Tallahassee thanks for letting me know that Mark Parnes can/will add an audio pigtail, I'm guessing that he's simply splicing into the speaker wires to feed the audio out lead. I'm not really interested in this hack at the moment, but glad that you posted it because if I find that my [new] detector is still driving me nuts, I will revisit this idea.

I took advantage of multiple Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals and have 3 detectors headed to my house.... I need to chose one of them...

Escort Max 360c at $549 ... I ordered this one first, $100 off their theoretical list price

Unident R1 at $199 - After Wes's input above, I thought that maybe it would suffice.... if not, maybe gift it to my son and he can suffer false alerts

Escort Max 360 at $399 - I didn't expect to buy another, but this popped up on Amazon for Cyber Monday directly from Escort. My understanding is that very little has actually changed between the 360 and 360c outside the WiFi connection ability, I don't think that is worth $150 to me... need to ensure that I'm not missing something.

So, one of these it shall be. Maybe I should keep them all and start my own YouTube channel (rolling eyes).

[justjoe]

As Wes noted, there are various "modes" which will filter different K frequencies. You can also go in and manually edit the frequencies for filtering. You can disable warnings on 76-81 GHz and be pretty clear I think.

[jpel]

Hi Matt,
I like you have used Valentine 1 since before time began. As cars became more evolved I noticed that the V1 was going off way too often and sometimes continuously while following an offending car. The answer for me was a new V1 with the junk fighter circuitry. When I bought my new one a couple of years ago, you could trade in your old one for $100 discount on the new one. With the V1 I am able to get visual as well as audio (in helmet via wired speakers). This set up has been happily working for me for several years now.

Jim

[MattB]

Thanks Jim! My V1's have served me well, but I think that I'm to a point that I'm ready to try something else.

[MattB]

Having ordered yet another detector (Uniden R7), I'm seeking sponsorship. Just kidding, all are going back except the R7. The only thing that concerns me about it is possibly being too noisy. I'll use it for awhile and if it doesn't filter vehicle signals well enough, I'll spring for the Radenso Pro M (my original choice) and send it off to Marc Parnes to fit an audio adapter to it for me. I may write Radenso and ask if there's a reason that they don't build it with an audio out. I'm speculating that it's possibly due to them wanting to keep it so small, but uncertain.

[Pete_Tallahassee]

Radenso ... 888 723 3676
You might get a better answer if you write them. I have asked this on the phone and been told that they are working on a new one with an audio jack. It will be bigger. When I asked why they were putting a jack on it she said it was in response to motorcycle riders.

[Capnrip]

So, I've gone completely off the deep end with this.

Ya think? I'd hate to be the salesman selling you a new car.

[justjoe]

You should hear him whining offline about it. How he doesn't have the time or money to review 19 radar detectors yet he bought them to do just that instead of taking advice from his elders.

[Pete_Tallahassee]

Kids these days

[MattB]

Ya think? I'd hate to be the salesman selling you a new car.

Wes, more than you even realize... I've got stories.

[Pete_Tallahassee]

Matt, Since your getting anal, there is something else you should know. The bottom of the Radenso is not flat, the speaker protrudes. This makes mounting it a small challenge.

Some Pics :

[justjoe]

Here we go again.It looks like there will be another round of purchases.

[MattB]

Matt, Since your getting anal, there is something else you should know. The bottom of the Radenso is not flat, the speaker protrudes. This makes mounting it a small challenge.

Thanks for the further information Pete. Based on how each of my bikes are setup, I would not have liked the protruding speaker either. I can't wait to try out the Uniden R7 after it arrives on Monday and I update all the firmware. Once I get everything setup the way I want, I'm hoping that it's less noisy than JustJoe on this thread.

[cabnfvr]

SO you have a Uniden R1 AND a Uniden R7 on the way. it's hard to keep up. (R1 and R7 require a pigtail.) This thread makes me love my 8500.

[cabnfvr]

Just curious, why was the Adaptiv Technologies TPX 3.0 not considered? Easy to read, LED alert included, water, vibration and shock resistant, and has an audio output jack for optional sound. What's not to love?

Note that I added a link, just in case, you know, you want to order one or something.

[MattB]

As I said, it's all a bit over the top, but reliving it as well as the thought process from the beginning, I arrived here like this...

1) after doing some research, decided on the Radenso Pro M because it was noted to be the "quietest" (best filtered) detector and the the falses with my V1 currently were my main point of moving on

2) found that the Pro M didn't have an audio out (standard), I didn't like that. With it being Black Friday, along came the Uniden R1 (endorsed and used by Wes and Joe) at a very affordable $199

3) Still BF (Black Friday), up pops the Escort Max 360c, spendy at $549 (even with $100 off), but if it had all the performance I desired, and it was rumored to be quiet, I could swallow (pun intended) and so I bought it

4) Now Cyber Monday, Escort puts the Max 360 (non-c) on sale at $399. As there isn't a ton of difference between the 360 and the 360c outside wifi capability (and I'm cheap), I opt to save the $150 and buy the 360

5) I'm now sitting at a soccer practice and reading to ensure that I'm not messing up sending the 360c back. While doing so, I realize that I don't really want the 360 or the 360c due to some things that I'm reading (isn't the internet AWESOME)... I now want the Uniden R7 for a few of the things unavailable on the R1 including low speed signal lockout and the directional arrows, multiple source display and GPS signal lockout (which I will likely only ever use on Manual... but supposedly next summer - when Escorts patent expires for Auto Lockout - they are to release a firmware update where Auto GPS signal lockout could be used if one desires).

6) I buy the Uniden R7

And that my friends is how you end up with 4 radar detectors showing up in your mailbox. So now ya know.

[cabnfvr]

Most people research, THEN buy. Just saying.

[MattB]

Oh, I hear you, I really do. In this case (at least in MY mind) it was slightly different. Going in I didn't have a hard stance on which detector, I just knew that I had to upgrade. Also going in, I wasn't sure which devices would get discounted and by how much. All of this is easily enough undone, with FedEx/UPS the benefactor.

[Capnrip]

My head hurts!

[Capnrip]

And by the way, it's "detectors". If you're going to be anal get your spelling right.

[MattB]

Dolp... actually I hate spelling errors, not that this is my first. As an admin, do you think that you can modify that so that I don't appear as dumber as I am?

[justjoe]

I think he asked for it fellas! I have been waiting for my opportunity.

[802Mike]

And I'd lost interest in this thread.....