cakM3
12-04-2011, 04:50 PM
Here is a review of my Valentine V1 and RadarActive install on my ///M to share with everyone. I have been using this setup in my ///M for about a year now and so far (knock on wood) have not had any issues while driving.
RadarActive can be used for free on the iPhone as a stand-alone product (no radar detector is needed) or with any radar detector. When its mated to the V1 specifically, a speed-trap encounter is reported which includes the type of alert (such as Ka-band) and is automatically associated with the report so when another
driver comes to the same location, he/she will be alerted to the threat and informed as to its specific nature— (X, K, Ka, or lidar) and the V1's alert detail is recorded along with the reported/marked location.
As you drive along your route, geo-coded data such as known red light cameras, speed cameras, and police speed traps of varying types (radar, laser, VASCAR) appear on
the map (RadarActive app) and alert you to their presence. These marked locations are provided by other users and public data-sources, in real-time, and are date and
time-stamped as to the freshness (or staleness) of the last reported encounter. During the alert, the user can vote for the authenticity of the marked location
to aid other drivers in qualifying the reported threat.
How it works:
The iPhone-Radar Transceiver (iRTx) allows a user to connect the Valentine One radar detector to the iPhone, allowing the iPhone to function as a remote radar detector display. The iRTx connects to the Valentine One radar detector by plugging it into the "ACC" port of:
V1 Direct-Wire Power adapter, if your V1 is hardwired or the V1 Cigarette Lighter adapter.
The communication between the radar detector and the iPhone is accomplished through the iPhone's earphone jack. The RadarActive box provides an 'audio out' that can be connected to the car's stereo AUX port to listen to music while RadarActive is connected. Once the iPhone is connected to the V1, the Valentine1 main display is blacked out (Stealth Mode) as you would see with the original Valentine concealed display. The RadarActive iRTx works in parallel with the original V1 concealed display.
The iRTx Transceiver box pictured below:
http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/ScreenShot2011-12-04at72039PM.png
In my case, I mounted the transceiver box up above where the sunroof switch is located. There is just enough room to put everything up in the overhead by the sunroof switch.
RadarActive setup in my ///M - My V1 is hardwired and mounted right to the left of my rear view mirror. The higher you have the V1 mounted the better it will perform. :thumbsup
http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/P1010012.jpg
In the below pic I moved the iPhone to the upper left by the A-pillar...cleaned up the install and liked it better there. :thumbsup
http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/P1010006-1.jpg
Powering up the V1 after having the RadarActive app running on the iPhone
http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/P1010010-1-1.jpg
http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/P1010008-1.jpg
Laser detect:
http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/P1010009-2-1.jpg
A few reviews showing how the RadarActive app works alongside the V1:
http://vimeo.com/33050936
http://vimeo.com/33055357
Starting up the V1 and RadarActive App:
http://vimeo.com/33053113
Overall, I'm pleased with this setup and have driven to the mid-west and back as well as Washington DC and back and had no issues at all. The setup performed flawlessly and on many occasions alerted me well ahead of any LEO traps....especially in upstate NY...:) For those who are using the Valentine V1 and have iPhones if you can get this I highly recommend this product. :thumbsup
RadarActive can be used for free on the iPhone as a stand-alone product (no radar detector is needed) or with any radar detector. When its mated to the V1 specifically, a speed-trap encounter is reported which includes the type of alert (such as Ka-band) and is automatically associated with the report so when another
driver comes to the same location, he/she will be alerted to the threat and informed as to its specific nature— (X, K, Ka, or lidar) and the V1's alert detail is recorded along with the reported/marked location.
As you drive along your route, geo-coded data such as known red light cameras, speed cameras, and police speed traps of varying types (radar, laser, VASCAR) appear on
the map (RadarActive app) and alert you to their presence. These marked locations are provided by other users and public data-sources, in real-time, and are date and
time-stamped as to the freshness (or staleness) of the last reported encounter. During the alert, the user can vote for the authenticity of the marked location
to aid other drivers in qualifying the reported threat.
How it works:
The iPhone-Radar Transceiver (iRTx) allows a user to connect the Valentine One radar detector to the iPhone, allowing the iPhone to function as a remote radar detector display. The iRTx connects to the Valentine One radar detector by plugging it into the "ACC" port of:
V1 Direct-Wire Power adapter, if your V1 is hardwired or the V1 Cigarette Lighter adapter.
The communication between the radar detector and the iPhone is accomplished through the iPhone's earphone jack. The RadarActive box provides an 'audio out' that can be connected to the car's stereo AUX port to listen to music while RadarActive is connected. Once the iPhone is connected to the V1, the Valentine1 main display is blacked out (Stealth Mode) as you would see with the original Valentine concealed display. The RadarActive iRTx works in parallel with the original V1 concealed display.
The iRTx Transceiver box pictured below:
http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/ScreenShot2011-12-04at72039PM.png
In my case, I mounted the transceiver box up above where the sunroof switch is located. There is just enough room to put everything up in the overhead by the sunroof switch.
RadarActive setup in my ///M - My V1 is hardwired and mounted right to the left of my rear view mirror. The higher you have the V1 mounted the better it will perform. :thumbsup
http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/P1010012.jpg
In the below pic I moved the iPhone to the upper left by the A-pillar...cleaned up the install and liked it better there. :thumbsup
http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/P1010006-1.jpg
Powering up the V1 after having the RadarActive app running on the iPhone
http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/P1010010-1-1.jpg
http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/P1010008-1.jpg
Laser detect:
http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/P1010009-2-1.jpg
A few reviews showing how the RadarActive app works alongside the V1:
http://vimeo.com/33050936
http://vimeo.com/33055357
Starting up the V1 and RadarActive App:
http://vimeo.com/33053113
Overall, I'm pleased with this setup and have driven to the mid-west and back as well as Washington DC and back and had no issues at all. The setup performed flawlessly and on many occasions alerted me well ahead of any LEO traps....especially in upstate NY...:) For those who are using the Valentine V1 and have iPhones if you can get this I highly recommend this product. :thumbsup