ohbw

Because our cars have the metallic film sandwiched inside the glass, remote detection is essential. I installed this unit over a month ago and I'm extremely pleased. The install took the better part of a day, but it's elegant: one radar detector in the lower center grill, two laser jammers in the lower center grill, one laser jammer discreetly mounted over the rear license plate, display stealth-mounted in cubby forward of shifter, where my knee blocks view of it from driver's window. Everything blends into the 8 beautifully and furthers the stealth mission. (I'll post pics eventually, still waiting for return of digicam from Pentax, who, like Audi dealers, can cancel no code before its time).

Most importantly, it works great. I've been using detectors for years and I've never had one sniff this far down the road. It gives such good warning that at first I didn't trust it: I'd find myself thinking I have a false alarm, and then half a minute later I see the cop approaching from a great distance. It's picked up oncoming troopers around corners and over hills more substantial than my other detectors ever did. I've only had one laser contact (rare to nonexistent most places, common in Boulder, where I live), but it did its job: I drove past a cop who'd been aiming at me as he punched at the buttons on the back of his gun with a perplexed look on his face. That felt good.

It's very programmable. It automutes after a short signal if you program it do so -- handy. It will tell you not only the band but the exact frequency of the radar scoping you, aiding in quicker false/threat determinations. You can choose city or highway settings, but it has an Auto setting that figures out where you are and adjusts levels accordingly, and this seems to be very effective. The display can be blacked out so that only a tiny LED in your instrument cluster lights up, or it can be programmed to display several different ways. Definitely a quality piece of electronic engineering.

Five stars.

skiwi

no rear antenna???

ohbw

Radar bounces around so much that a well-mounted front detector is going to get the signal just as fast, no matter the direction of the source.

Dan McBoost

Picking up cops so far away is great

I mounted my laser "shifters" beside each headlight. Since I do not use a front plate they will aim for the headlights (higher is better). I also bought the hidden display and speaker for more in your face "WATCH OUT FOR THE COP" alerting.

Enjoy it, sounds great!

skiwi

the v1 is excellent in this regard, but works only @50% through the front windscreen...

ohbw

The glass has a metallic film sandwiched between the two layers. That's why you have to use a remote detector.

Dan McBoost

Agreed.

Also, because of the way radar works, no in car radar can work as well as an exterior mounted receiver. Radar bounces of glass too, plus windshields are angled, so there is always a loss of signal.