georgethedog
Enthusiast
I know how loyal Viper Nation is to the V1, but I was wondering if anyone has yet to purchase the new Beltronics GX65 with GPS that locates cameras? What do you think? Thanks.
Radar Detectors - New Bel GX65
- Thread starter georgethedog
- Start date
PatentLaw
Enthusiast
I have been an advocate of the Bel Electronics stuff on here for years. Frankly, the Bel has blown away the V1 for some time.
V1's have a history of taking on too much heat and then failing. I don't know anything about the new unit. I have the "older" Bel unit. The unit I have is fantastic. It sniffs out stuff very far away. No tickets ever.
I am sure that the V1 owners will now get on and bad mouth the Bel as they are rabid fans of their stuff. Let the circus begin.......
Overall, my experience is very positive.
V1's have a history of taking on too much heat and then failing. I don't know anything about the new unit. I have the "older" Bel unit. The unit I have is fantastic. It sniffs out stuff very far away. No tickets ever.
I am sure that the V1 owners will now get on and bad mouth the Bel as they are rabid fans of their stuff. Let the circus begin.......
Overall, my experience is very positive.
ViperGeorge
Enthusiast
V1 all the way.
PatentLaw
Enthusiast
Uses GPS. In Northern NJ with the false alarms, you can program the unit to ignor the alarm at a given GPS location. Detects red light cameras as well at stoplights. Can download information from the internet on new hazardous locations. Great stuff.
Martin
Enthusiast
The new Bel systems are pretty cool - they have a similar update feature to what Tom Tom GPS has. People can submit updates to their database and, when the updates are deemed reliable, they go out in the update package.
BTW, red light cameras aren't enforceable in most (if not all) states. Most laws are written to require either a citizen witness to the infraction, or a law enforcement officer to personally witness it. Every time I've gotten one of those tickets, it was thrown out in court because the "witnessing officer" couldn't testify. My experience has only been in Oregon and California, but I suspect it's similar everywhere else. Also, since virtually none of us have front license plates, I think we all have impunity to camera enforcement
BTW, red light cameras aren't enforceable in most (if not all) states. Most laws are written to require either a citizen witness to the infraction, or a law enforcement officer to personally witness it. Every time I've gotten one of those tickets, it was thrown out in court because the "witnessing officer" couldn't testify. My experience has only been in Oregon and California, but I suspect it's similar everywhere else. Also, since virtually none of us have front license plates, I think we all have impunity to camera enforcement
georgethedog
Enthusiast
I think we all have impunity to camera enforcement
I think that many also take pictures of back plates.
georgethedog
Enthusiast
Many ratings rate others better, but many ratings have rated other products better but people still buy the inferior product. We did a beer tasting contest a few years ago with 8 people (small sample--understood) and Keystone won. My good friend, who was a loyal Bud Light drinker, rated it 8th and Keystone 1st. He hated Bud Light when he did not know what it was. He still drinks Bud Light. I just make fun of him...
I'm not saying the V1 is not a great product, just others have caught up and some may have passed it.
Apparently, you can get updates like the V1 now with the new Bel.
08Venom
Enthusiast
Bottom line is without a directional indicator,there is a disadvantage.
Been using V1 for over 10 years with no failures or difficulties.Extreme length detection and have caught laser,without being tagged myself more then once.Any detector is only as good as the operator.
Been using V1 for over 10 years with no failures or difficulties.Extreme length detection and have caught laser,without being tagged myself more then once.Any detector is only as good as the operator.
georgethedog
Enthusiast
So, depending on the direction you will keep speeding? Or, do you just get on another road. I am looking for the advantage. If he's there (whether front, back, left, or right) I would slow down. Help me understand. Thanks.
08Venom
Enthusiast
Detectors which only go off in the presence of a signal won't tell you if you are approaching a trap,if the trap is coming up behind you or if it is off to your side.Each individual scenario will dictate whether you speed up,or slow down.Not all radar is stationary.I've never found it necessary to switch roads and rarely have I sped up to elude radar coming up from behind.
Those stupid V1 arrows are the Biggest Gimick
I Dont see anyone actually speeding up because they have a "rear" alert
No matter which arrow lights up your still slowin down.
Bel Detectors are the Best Bang for the Buck. Period
(this coming from someone who has been a member of radar detectors forums for many years now, and always keeps up with the technology and comparison tests.)
I Dont see anyone actually speeding up because they have a "rear" alert
No matter which arrow lights up your still slowin down.
Bel Detectors are the Best Bang for the Buck. Period
(this coming from someone who has been a member of radar detectors forums for many years now, and always keeps up with the technology and comparison tests.)
georgethedog
Enthusiast
So, each scenario will dictate whether you speed up or slow down, but you have rarely sped up as you said. That means that you act in a similar manner no matter what direction. Radar goes off, slow down would be the thing to do and what you do no matter where the signal is coming from, except rarely as you stated. Please I am not at all trying to be a smart guy, but your explanation leaves me to believe there really is no advantage because your actions are the same. I guess just knowing where they are is what counts, right? I can see that because sometimes I wonder with my older Bel, but usually the wondering does not last long when they appear. I don't know. I must be stupid. I'm from Central Illinois...
georgethedog
Enthusiast
I got off my own subject. Sorry. The subject was "does anyone have the new Bel GX65 and how do they like it?" Let's get back to that if anyone has an answer to that question. Thanks.
The arrows are extremely important in my book. They have saved me half a dozen times at least. Say you are driving and the arrows point forward...and then you pass a cop on the side of the road...yet now you get 2 signals...one from the front and one from the back...you go up 1/2 a mile and up on the off ramp there is another one shooting radar. Without the arrow, I would have for sure kept on going as the cop on the side was plenty busy chatting it up with whomever he pulled over...and I would have been busted just up the road.
Here is another one...you are being shot from the front again...so you slow down...and you look on the other side of the highway, and officer James is in his patrol car hauling the opposite direction...so he is now gone...but...your arrow still points forward, which means that cop did not have a radar on...and there is one up ahead...
I can think of a few more scenarios...but, the arrows are nice.
I got off my own subject. Sorry. The subject was "does anyone have the new Bel GX65 and how do they like it?" Let's get back to that if anyone has an answer to that question. Thanks.
LOL...good point.
Never tried it but keep hearing good things about it - wish they had arrows...there. Better?
08Venom
Enthusiast
Obviously the significance of the arrows is lost if you've never used them.It is called situational awareness.I am not explaining very well the importance this evening.Bacardi can do that to you.Everyone has their favorite brand(of detectors).
All I know is that I have never had a citation whilst using it and am not exaggerating when I say it has saved me dozens of time.I can track up to 8 different signals at once,know where they are,and can(and have on many occasions,especially in the prairies)have up to 6km notice before actually seeing the cruiser.Without knowing where your threat is you are blind.Sorry,I don't think I am explaining very well this evening,but I wouldn't use anything else.
All I know is that I have never had a citation whilst using it and am not exaggerating when I say it has saved me dozens of time.I can track up to 8 different signals at once,know where they are,and can(and have on many occasions,especially in the prairies)have up to 6km notice before actually seeing the cruiser.Without knowing where your threat is you are blind.Sorry,I don't think I am explaining very well this evening,but I wouldn't use anything else.
Many ratings rate others better, but many ratings have rated other products better but people still buy the inferior product. We did a beer tasting contest a few years ago with 8 people (small sample--understood) and Keystone won. My good friend, who was a loyal Bud Light drinker, rated it 8th and Keystone 1st. He hated Bud Light when he did not know what it was. He still drinks Bud Light. I just make fun of him...
I'm not saying the V1 is not a great product, just others have caught up and some may have passed it.
Apparently, you can get updates like the V1 now with the new Bel.
Besides GuysOfLidar are there any other ratings sites out there that are useful?
georgethedog
Enthusiast
I don't know, but GuysofLidar's tests are 2 years old and we all know how fast technology changes in 2 years. So, I wish they would test again because there are a lot of new products out there. Anyone else know???
Martin
Enthusiast
The ones I've seen only faced right at the oncoming car - but I'm sure you're correct because it makes sense. It's just anecdotal, but the times I got a letter in the mail because of one of those things, it always just had one frontal picture of the car where the license plate and driver were clearly discernable. There were a few times when I was in the Viper and I saw that "flash" go off as I was trying to make a light, but I never got anything in the mail - so I always assumed they couldn't figure out who the car was registered to. Now that all the photo radar units have been taken down in my area (something about them being deemed unlawful since you have the right to confront your accuser in court, or something like that) I guess I'll never know
I second the preference for the arrows on the V1. I've checked out the Bel 65 and I like it, but I still prefer my 10 year old V1 to it because of the arrows. There are a few roads I drive on that have those radar speed signs, and they set off the detector like crazy. Once I get past them, there have been times where I've sped back up (without bothering to put the previous bogey into mute-mode) and then had another target show up in front of me. Without the arrows, I wouldn't know if it was the old signal that I'm seeing, or the new one. Cops seem to like to work in conjunction with those speed signs since people's behavoir is pretty consistent - slow down for the radar sign, get past it, and speed up again. It's pretty rock solid in court since the cop can point to the fact that you should have been very aware of your speed since you just past a big sign flashing it at you.
Another case is the rural shopping market - not sure if the new Bel (or V1 for that matter) filters those out better, but my V1 goes crazy whenever I drive by a shopping center with the radar door openers. Cops around here are pretty smart - they hide around those centers because they know you probably think your radar detector is sounding off because of the doors. Next thing you know they're right in front of you at a turnout with the gun pointed straight at you. The arrows are nice because you can clearly see the shopping center go from front to side and back arrows as you drive by - and when you see another front arrow show up, you know it's an additional signal, probably a LEO.
All in all, without the arrows, I get so many bogeys around here that I'd just drive extra slow all the time because I wouldn't know what is important and what's not. Kind of defeats the purpose - I could just as well not spend the $400 and drive like a granny all day long. I definitely don't condone speeding recklessly on public roads, but there are times where a few mph above posted limits is safe and a victimless crime...
georgethedog
Enthusiast
They (left-wing Illinois General Assembly) are turning Illinois into a police state. Putting cameras everywhere. That is why the camera GPS locater (and the downloadable updates for the cameras and the program itself) that the new Bel offers that intrigue me. Any other Illinios guys out there getting strange vibes? Next, they will want us to wear a bar code tatoo on our forehead.
ViperGeorge
Enthusiast
For 10 years I've competed in the Cannonball One Lap of America. Competition is on the track but you need to hustle between tracks as the distance can sometimes be 900+ miles a night. Over the road a lot of us use radios to stay in touch, keep awake, and notify each other of police sightings. No matter where we are in the convoy of cars (often spread out over a mile or two) the V1 consistently kicks the butt of every other radar detector. Most One Lap conpetitors use it for that reason. When someone else has a different detector we're always the first one to report radar even if they're ahead of us. And yes the arrows are a huge advantage. Once you use them you'll understand why.
Steve 00RT/10
Enthusiast
Not bad mouthing the BEL.....I know nothing about it, but I find some of this post interesting. This is the first I've ever heard of heat problems with V1s. I have 2 and have been using them since 1994 and many 100 thousands of miles in all sorts of temperatures. .....from 40 below zero to over 100 above zero. I have never had any problems or failures of any kind nor do I know anyone else who has.
I don't follow much on the radar tests anymore, but please point me to where the BEL detector has 'blown out' the VI for quite some time.
Since instant on radar came into use many years ago....no radar detector can eliminate tickets. If you speed consistently and have no tickets, that's just pure dumb luck. It has nothing to do with a radar detector.
Steve
What car were you driving in OLA 2007?
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