Radar Detector Apps?

[Prodigal]

Help me understand what or how apps integrate with radar detectors.
I was pretty set on ordering an R8 but also got lots of recommendations for the Valentine One. Those people also pointed to the apps that integrate with it making it preferred over other detectors. I don’t understand how or why the detector also needs a phone app running. Isn’t it a stand alone device that does its own thing? I’m a iOS user it it matters. I am unsure what type radar Oklahoma highway patrol,OKCpd, Moore and Norman PD or Cleveland county police run. Do any of these detectors do anything regarding laser? Cost is secondary to performance for me but I don’t drive for a living, I just want to be better protected by adding another layer to just having Waze running.

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[SnowFox]

This is one of those "your experience will vary"

First People will tell you "police use lazers now and radar detectors are useless" that's not really how it's working out though.

Around here we will use Ka 99% of the time. Why? Because the road has plenty of speeders, and nobody feels like playing traffic speed sniper. Both options are available for us at all times. I would set my band, turn on Netflix and wait for it to freak out.

(Note:motorbike units often use Lazer, and brand new officers)

Ka CAN be detected, but its definitely more difficult. The more spendy detectors seem to be decent. Cheaper or older unit are hit or miss.

Combine a decent detector with Waze, and your fairly safe

 

[offroadkarter]

Help me understand what or how apps integrate with radar detectors.
I was pretty set on ordering an R8 but also got lots of recommendations for the Valentine One. Those people also pointed to the apps that integrate with it making it preferred over other detectors. I don’t understand how or why the detector also needs a phone app running. Isn’t it a stand alone device that does its own thing? I’m a iOS user it it matters. I am unsure what type radar Oklahoma highway patrol,OKCpd, Moore and Norman PD or Cleveland county police run. Do any of these detectors do anything regarding laser? Cost is secondary to performance for me but I don’t drive for a living, I just want to be better protected by adding another layer to just having Waze running.

You don't NEED or REQUIRE an app. That being said, if you want to nerd out and tweak scanning ranges or customize the detector, that is where an app comes into play. On my old Gen 1 Valentine one I used an app called VaV1 to do this. My current V1G2 I have Valentine's V1Connect which also works to do firmware updates to the device (the old V1G1 you used to have to ship back to Valentine for any revision). The app will also show you what frequency the incoming signal is, if you're crafty enough with knowing what the local police you'll be able to tell if it is real or just noise, or if the cop has his gun out of tune.

I can't speak to any other detectors, the V1's are very hyper sensitive to laser. So much so that certain cars (often time volvos) will set my lidar off at times. Mike Valentine's mantra was always that he did not believe in laser jammers, so he wanted his detectors to be the best when it came to detecting them.

The thing about lasers is they're basically instantaneous. If your V1 is going off from a positive laser hit, you're already screwed. I can think of one single time I got hit with lidar indirectly, it was a cop shooting a laser at a car in front of me and my V1 managed to pick it up.


Radar however does not need an absolute direct beam, and it can bounce off/reflect and travel for miles. Driving through the deserts out west my V1 has picked up CHP and Nevada highway patrol at 3+ miles range. More than enough time to get back to speed limit before they can even see you.

I've been very happy with my V1G2, I've also had many good years with my V1G1 and still use it (going to end up keeping it mounted in my 2000 M5 as I can tie it into the factory satnav to display alerts on that screen). The valentine units are regarded as very solid all around units. I know at least a few years back one of the uniden units could eek out a few miles on straight shot highways (we're talking 6+ miles) but the downside was it false'd a lot more (very sensitive unit). Still solid units though, one day I may pick one up for those cross-country drives.

Check out radar-forums if you really want to deep dive this stuff

https://www.rdforum.org/

 

[wingnutt]

This is one of those "your experience will vary"

Combine a decent detector with Waze, and your fairly safe

this, times eleventy…

if I have learned anything over my ~40 years of driving, it’s that a radar detector is nothing more than an extra level. Won’t help you AT ALL if you are the rabbit, nobody reported on Waze and the popo is using instant on while hiding behind a Preparation-H billboard

buy the one you like (I’m still running a Uniden R3 and my experience is not unlike @offroadcarter at 3 miles) and rock on!

 

[K4fxd]

Around here they use lazer when they do speed traps. One cop targets cars 3 others pull people over. Happens about once a month on average. Never during rush hour when speeds are averaging 30 over the speed limit, till the bottle neck then it slows to 5 MPH.

They only do speed traps when it is off rush hour and speeds are averaging 15 over.

But speed kills and it's for the safety of the drivers.

 

[SnowFox]

Around here they use lazer when they do speed traps. One cop targets cars 3 others pull people over. Happens about once a month on average. Never during rush hour when speeds are averaging 30 over the speed limit, till the bottle neck then it slows to 5 MPH.

They only do speed traps when it is off rush hour and speeds are averaging 15 over.

But speed kills and it's for the safety of the drivers.

Speed doesn't kill..... It's the suden deacceleration that's fickle.🫢

 

[wingnutt]

Speed doesn't kill..... It's the suden deacceleration that's fickle.🫢

lol, that’s what we said about parachuting in the army…

it ain’t the descent that can kill or maim ya,
it’s the sudden stop at the end that will

(and then we would all yell “PLF or die!”)

…no correlation to speed traps are intended either intentionally or otherwise

 

[GL95]

Around here they use lazer when they do speed traps. One cop targets cars 3 others pull people over. Happens about once a month on average. Never during rush hour when speeds are averaging 30 over the speed limit, till the bottle neck then it slows to 5 MPH.

They only do speed traps when it is off rush hour and speeds are averaging 15 over.

But speed kills and it's for the safety of the drivers.

What's funny is in my area they do it during rush hour, and all the cars slamming on their brakes trying not to get pulled over causes a giant slinky effect on traffic and now suddenly we have huge traffic jams with no wrecks just because there's a cop sitting on the side of the road

 

[K4fxd]

we have huge traffic jams with no wrecks just because there's a cop sitting on the side of the road

Thats why they don't do them during rush hour here. Causes more harm than good. Off hours is just a money grab.

 

[Schuvwj]

My Valentine One save my butt monthly here in Florida. Lazers have not replaced the radars yet.

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