Superb radar range Directional arrows are a must have. Bogey counter. Lightweight and small size. Windshield mount works very well.

Nothing so far. You get what you pay for:-)

Some of these reviews I have read are quite funny. I wonder if some of the people posting them have ever actually used either the Passport 8500 or the V1? I have used radar detectors for the past 10 years but always used a cheapie Uniden or Whistler. This past Xmas I decided to buy the the Passport 8500 since I make frequent trips up I-95 from Florida to South Carolina. Figured it was time to try a dectector that actually was worth spending the money on. After purchasing the 8500 from Best Buy for $299 I excitedly began my first trip to South Carolina. Here are my impressions: First off, the 8500 is BIG(long) and heavy. The display is very small and hard to read especially in the "expert meter" mode. What is a "smart cord"? Nothing 'smart' other than a mute button and a couple of lights. I would rather Escort include a straight power cord to be able to discreetly mount the detector than some "gimmick" cord. Radar range was a significant improvement over what I was used to, however, I got many false alerts on Ka band on the highway. In fact, this one thing was so annoying that I returned the 8500 to Best Buy the next month for a refund. Basically I began ignoring the warnings and what is the point of a detector if you just ignore it? Six months go by of driving without a detector and I decide to have a look at the V1 again. Like most people I was put off by the price and never really seriously considered getting one. I have read all of the reviews and thought "what the heck" I will give it a try. That night I got the V1 with Concealed display shipped next day for $464. For the doubters my V1's serial # is 1910710698. Here are my first impressions: The V1 was small!! Alot smaller and lighter than the 8500. The windshield mount is much better also. Quality!! They even include a direct wire power adapter PLUS a straight and coiled power cord. My first trip with the new V1 was from S. Florida to Atlanta Georgia via the Turnpike and I-75 then to Greenville SC up I-85 and back down I-26 and I-95 to home in S.Florida. I ran into numerous K and Ka band traps using constant and instant on radar, plus those K band road construction signs. I ran into 3 laser traps on I-75. One near Valdosta Ga, and 2 on I-285 around Atlanta. On two of the laser traps I got advanced warning from a car ahead of me. Both of these were shooting from an overpass brige. Radar range on the V1 was superb and the Ka range seemed to be better than the 8500. I could not believe how well this detector was able to sniff out instant on Ka band. But here is the real reason I like the V1 best and also why I am keeping it......The ARROWS and BOGEY COUNTER. They make all the difference in the world. If I get a false on Ka on the highway I can tell because the arrows go front, then side, then behind as I pass a car with a cheap detector. With the 8500 I would spend the next two miles wondering if it was instant on up ahead. There is a reason for all the hype about the V1. It works better than any other detector I have used...PERIOD.

Similar Products Used:

Uniden, Whistler, Passport 8500.

Gives the best distance to slow down...especially ka.

No auto sound reduction mode. Could be more compact..but still is OK and really no larger than the 8500 if you put them side by side.

I have exsperiance with detectors virtually all my life (the old man had a lead foot and in the madical business..both us). I have owned Bel's, Escorts,Snoopers,Unidens,Cobra,s, ect.(the old man had fuzzbusters, snooper,supersnooper, escorts,passports, ect.) and now I finally wised up and paid the $ for the best. My friend who also drives a Benz (I drive a Benz) has a Passport 8500 and tickets (warns too late cops already clocked him when it alarms). It is true that you cannot test detectors side by side (tried it myself). But in independent (of each other) tests the Valentine outperforms all others by a long shot(I haven't tried the K40). Every other detector simply gambles in the area of range (how far away you get the warning) the V1 gives you the most time to slow down. Bottom line to me is the V1 has saved me $ in time, tickets,insurance hikes, ect. All fluff and BS aside.... The valentine is my pick for the best radar detector ever built.....and I know the difference.

Similar Products Used:

Escort,Passport,Bels best,Unidens best, cobras best, all junk except the V1.

Arrows - they are absolutely amazing for determining a "Non Threat" - especially in dense Interstate and City Traffic. Lots of times you know the cop is around, but ther's no need to let off because you know he's way behind you, or off to the side. Bogey Counter - this feature coupled with the Arrows can save you Big Time. I can't tell you how many times I've passes through a Radar site only to be popped on the other side a 1/2 mile to a mile down the road. The Bogey counter helps you avoid getting caught. Threat Prioitization Feature - let's you know which threat is the most dangerous and from what direction it's comming from. I love it. Magnesium Encased - the detector has a Magnesium Case - there is no substitute for this type of encasement for it keeps falses out. Period. Phone Cord for Power - Valentine uses a standard phone cord and jack for power. Easy to replace. Easy On/Off - the Valentine snaps on and off like a breeze - 1/2 seconds. Upgrade Policy - The Valentine one can be upgraded as new advancements come along and the price is reasonable.

Some people complain that X-Bad is too sensitive and, consequently, results in too many falses. Well...it appears that Valentine knows about this and has decided that it's a good trade off. I agree - increased X-Band sensitivity has saved me in Virginia and North Carolina where X-Band is common. Also, X-Band can be disabled and I've done it for there are no X-Bands in my area. I get virtually no falses now. In fact, I've never got a false on Ka.

I've owned and used a Valentine 1 for two years now and have found it to be the best Radar Detector on the Market. However, you do not need to take my word for this - find out for yourself. Try it out for 30 days, and if you don't like it, then you can return it and get your money back. Meanwhile, you can compare it with any other detector you choose (provided they also have the same 30 dayreturn policy). Believe me, it won't be the Valentine that you return!

Similar Products Used:

Bel 980, Passport and Uniden - I've tried them and none comes close to the Valentine. However - like I said - try it out for yourself and then decide on your own.

detection, arrows, case, complete package

price

The best bar none

Similar Products Used:

8500, my own eyes.

Good range,miss leading reviews

false alarms,arrows are VERY miss leading.

I really wish the Valentine owners would make up there minds. The Funny thing is that you have Valentine One owners climing that there detectors are better then the Passport 8500 based on side by side testing when in fact Mike Valentine himself has told the world so many times that side by side detector testing JUST PLAN DOSE NOT WORK. I find it real funny when you have the owner of Valentine saying one thing and the users of the V1 saying something completely different. Please make your minds up. Oh and by the way there is a reason why the Passport 8500 is rated so high in all the magazines and thats because its the best detector out there. Its too bad that the Valentine owners can't understand this.

Similar Products Used:

To many to list.

It will save you from tickets.you will not regret buying it,unless someone steals it from you,then you will be sick!. it does pick up alot of falses in the city but thats because its tuned for maxium sensitivey. the 8500 want false as much in the city as the v1 will. i just turn it down or off when i get in town.

if it had differnt colored leds for the radar band identification would help at night time because its really hard to tell with them all red, or it might end up looking like christmas lights flashing on your windsheild and get too much attention its hard to say actually seeing what it would look like.

I have read this ( CRAP ! ) until i am " blue in the damn face " about which detector is better the passport 8500 or the v1. I have tested a passport 8500 for 2 months and i almost got a ticket with it in the first two week's of use!. I have tested it right along side of a mid 80's big box escort the one with the chrome mute switch and a early 90's dsp escort and they are both more sensitive to x band and k band radar!. i can ride around town with the 8500 stuck to the windsheild and the big box escort sitting on the dash and the two older one's will go off a few seconds before the little silver one will every time . i bought the two older detecters off of ebay for 35.00 each and they will whip a new 300.00 ones ass! every time in the two band's that they operate in! the 8500 look's good in the magazine ads but when you take it out of the box and get your hand's on it its a differnt story it looks like a cheezey ass piece of plastic ! thats how i felt!. now when you take a valentine 1 out of the box and look at it for the first time you know you got a top quality device. and any body that trys to tell you the 8500 looks better than a v1 don't beleve it not for a second !.

Similar Products Used:

mid 80s big box escort,early 90s DSP escort that ive been told was designed by mike valentine back when he was at cinc innati microwave,i love them both there in mint condition. 80's passport/bell

Arrows are cool, but not sure if they are truely useful - 8500 can show multiple bogies too and frankly if it's beeping best slow down. Adjustable mute volume Remore unit is a bit bulky but nice.

No auto-mute makes the V1 a pain to use in town. Programming unit is cumersome.

As a long time Passport user (and Escort before that) I’ve had several models from what used to be Cincinnati Microwave. My latest is the Passport 8500 and I’ve had it about two years. A colleague of mine convinced me to try the Valentine One. The early Valentine’s were big and bulky but the were smaller model got my interest peaked. My friend swore by it so. I ordered one the same day along with the remote unit to test for 30 days. I installed it along side my 8500, though I only used one detector at a time to avoid interference. At first I was overwhelmed by the number of bogies the Valentine reported – 7 at the nearby supermarket strip mall. It sounded like world war three was starting as each door opener was reported. Finally I set the unit on the “Big L” mode (most advanced processing to get rid of false alerts) and switched off X band (no police use this in S. Fla.) and things quieted down “somewhat” but that strip mall still reports 4 bogies. The unit still finds lots of door openers that the Passport seemed to either reject, or at least auto-mutes so they are not so annoying. Initially I liked the V1 unit – it tucks nicely behind my rear-view mirror and thanks to the blackened windshield at the top the V1 practically invisible from the outside. The remote display is a bit bulky – would be nice if it were about half as thick so it was less obtrusive – but hiding it down low keeps it out of the cops view. The remote unit has the bogie counter, signal strength as a bar meter and four LEDs to show the bogie’s band. In the daylight you can tell which band is which but at night you can’t – all you see is the red LED – but which red LED is it? Sure the warning sound is different, but it would be nice to have a visual reference too – especially when there are multiple bogies. There’s a guy on eBay that modifies the remote unit to have different color LEDs so you can tell what band is active at night – a neat and enterprising idea – pity he can’t modify the V1 to have true auto-mute! (See later!) In alternating between the V1 and 8500 I noticed the V1 was picking up and alerting me of a lot more bogies – but they were all non-combatants – door openers. Most of my driving is around town and unfortunately the Broward Co. Sheriff has bought a bunch of those “watch your speed” signs that use K band to display your speed. While useful for radar detector testing, they become annoying when they are deployed regularly on the roads you travel. (Anyone have plans for an EMP device that would knock out these babies?) Dealing with the door openers and speed signs is where the V1 falls down. Firstly it seems to find more door openers than the Passport and second there is no auto-mute that is pretty standard on most other detectors including the 8500. Auto mute is supposed to sound the alarm for a few seconds and then automatically mute to a lower (much less annoying) volume. (I call this a “true auto-mute”.) The V1 has what they call an auto-mute capability but it works differently than most people expect – it delays sounding the alarm for a set period or until the signal reaches past 4 lights. IT DOES NOT mute the alarm after a set period – which is what most people seem to want. You must manually press the mute button on the unit (or remote) to mute the volume to the lower level. THIS IS A ROYAL PAIN. Apparently Mike Valentine has decreed that true auto-mute is evil and should not be made available to V1 users. This is BAD.and I can see no rational for it. I realize the loud noise alerts you to the threat, but you start to instinctively reach for the mute button. I’m sure it would become second nature to press the mute button each time the unit sounds which defeats the purpose of not having auto-mute. Since owning the V1 I’ve read lots of reviews of the unit and the lack of true auto-mute is the #1 complaint against the V1. I do not understand why Mike won’t allow such a mode to be incorporated in the V1 – even if he warns about dire consequences of using it. It’s what customers want Mike – give it to them. Note: with true auto-mute when a new threat is registered the alarm should sound on high volume for a new initial period before once again auto-muting. (I believe this is what the 8500 does.) The verdict: The V1 is going back to Mike. If it had the “true” auto-mute capability I would have kept it. Without auto-mute the unit is too much of a pain. The 8500 is back on duty. Note: The fact that I owned the 8500 already did not influence the verdict. I will shortly be buying a second car so I’ll need a new detector for it. Who knows, if the V1 has auto-mute by then, I may try the V1 again.

Similar Products Used:

passport 8500

Awesome all around. Worth every penny!

Could use an LED display.

I have used the Passport and Valentine both. In my opinion, there isn't much of a comparison when it comes to these two. Sure the Escort has some cool features and a sleek design, but the radar and laser sensitivity just aren't up to par with the V1. With both units powered up I was hit by a cop car using laser. The V1 picked up two separate signals, each about 3 seconds apart. Presumably, it picked up scatter when he shot the car about 5 car lenghts ahead of me, then hit my car seconds later. I also pulled into a parking lot with both detectors going crazy. There was a cop shooting oncoming traffic with constant Ka radar. I drove to the other end of the parking lot (a big parking lot next to a theater) about 100 yds away. The cops radar was aimed the opposite direction as my car. I turned both units off, powered them up separately and then together with the same results. Once in a while the Passport 8500 would register a Ka alert (about a beep or two every 10-15 seconds. The V1 sung like a bird! It showed constant signal showing 2-3 LEDs the whole time. Powering them up at the same time or separately changed nothing. After sending the Passport back, I've picked up Ka instant-on from over a mile away from over a hill. It is SUPERB! I would buy this thing again in a heartbeat!! If you don't believe me, buy both and test them yourself. Both have 30-day return policies, and Escort even paid the shipping.

Similar Products Used:

Escort Passport 8500

Good review's,bogus review's

Price,false alert's,arrows are very miss leading,big,ugly.

I have used the Valentine One now for well over 3 years and all I can say is that I wish I DID NOT spend $400 on it. At first I loved the Valentine One but that was until one day when me and a friend of mying where on a highway and he was useing his Passport 8500 and his 8500 sounded off a Ka band alert and my V1 did not do anything. So Iam thinking that I spent $100 more for my V1 then my friend did on his 8500 so that should mean it should go off before my friends 8500 WRONG it did not pick up that same Ka band alert intell about 2 miles latter. If it was not for my friends 8500 I would have gotten a ticket for sure. There is a lot of BS on the internet and I know it's hard to trust everyone but Iam someone who has been useing detector's for well over 30 year's so it's not like I just opened up the box and said that the V1 is junk. I drive for a living so Iam alway's on the road and that give's me time to run detector test's and the Passport 8500 has been winning all of them. I still have my old V1 it's in my wife's car and she hate's it and we are alway's fighting over who get's to use the 8500 so Iam going to order a second 8500. The Valentine one is a very over rated detector and that is the fact's of life. As for the arrow's on the Valentine one? I say who need's them?. Iam someone who beleave's that when you are drving around you ONLY should keep your eye's on the road not your detector. I mean come off of it.You V1 people are just not to smart if you need to look at your detector everytime it go's off too see where the radar or laser is coming from. The way I see it is that when the Valentine one happy people look at there radar locator to see where the radar or laser is coming from by the time they find out what to do it well already be too late and I will have been slowed down. I know this because I drove with the V1 in my car for OVER 3 year's and everytime it went off I was trying to find out where the cop's are and it was just a big waste of time. The Valentine one fales's more then ANY detector I have ever used over the past 30+ year's.

Similar Products Used:

I have been useing detector.s for 30+ year's so I have used at least 15 to 20 kind's of them with the most recent being the Escort Passport 8500.

NONE

EVRYTHING Eles

Perhaps Mike Valentine can explain to me how, as an alleged "V1 Hater", I deigned to declare his unit the winner of my 1998 Automobile Magazine detector test. Valentine, with his well-known vindictive nature, monumental ego and erratic behavior--key factors that led to his being thrown out of Cincinnati Microwave years before nearly all of their landmark products were designed--obviously hasn't mellowed with age. Detector industry insiders have laughed for years at Valentine's assertions that he clings to the moral high ground where detector tests are concerned. They're well aware that Patrick Bedard, Car & Driver Magazine's senior editor and the driving force behind their radar detector feature stories for decades, has been a "consultant" on the Valentine payroll since 1980. Perhaps it's a coincidence that the magazine has declared a Valentine-associated product the winner of every high-end test they've ever conducted. The relationship between the magazine and Valentine is so tight that Mike in years past has unleashed their editorial staff, under Bedard's supervision, in a muck-raking effort to discredit any journalist, including me, who fails to pay homage to his genius and to his radar detector (which was designed, by the way, by Clarence Groth and Steve Scholl). Later this year--probably just in time for the Christmas buying season--the magazine can be expected to generate more favorable press for the hoary old V1, now dressed again in its original, 1992-vintage case and with improved Ka band sensitivity, by virtue of their new high-end test. Care to guess who the winner will be? The real reasons behind Mike's endless tirades are his huge ego and, to an equal extent--the fact that his baby has been outclassed by newer--not to mention much cheaper and far more sophisticated rivals. With revenues falling rapidly, he's more motivated than ever to go on the offensive. If Mike devoted half as much effort to improving the elderly V1 as he does in making personal attacks on independent journalists, he'd have a world-class product. Craig Peterson

Similar Products Used:

Passport 8500