My car was in the shop recently and I asked a friend for a ride to go pick it up.  When he arrived to collect me I got in the car and was astounded by what I saw.  He had all of his multimedia plugged in separately with an iPod here and a DVD player there; some of the units were not connected, and so on.  I literally had to move everything so I had a place to sit.  My friend apologized for the confusion and said that this is the only way he can travel with all of his media.  I laughed at him and asked him if he knew if there was an easier way and he replied “no.”

He knows that I am a technology and electronics guru so I mentioned that I saw a unit on the market recently that does it all and will clear all of the clutter he had built up in his car.  He replied, “No way!” and I said, “Yes way!”  So I told him to follow me to the electronics store in the mall after I picked up my vehicle.

When we arrived at the electronics store I directed him to the area where the multimedia receivers for cars were located.  I knew Pioneer is a reputable brand so we headed over to one of their models.  I went through the unit to show my friend what it could do and he was amazed.  Here is a Pioneer AVH P4000DVD review of some of the things I pointed out to my friend:

Pioneer AVH P4000DVD DVD Receiver with USB Input

I showed my friend that he could turn his car into a mobile entertainment center minus the clutter by pointing out the in-dashDIN which is connector that conforms to many different standards for network equipment, a DVD Multimedia AV Receiver with an amazing 6.1 inch Pioneer AVH P4000DVD display with widescreen capability, and USB Input Direct Control which connects your USB music player directly to the CD tuner via an optional cable. The USB Direct Control allows you to have multiple devices connected at the same time to one unit which was perfect for solving my friend’s dilemma.  It is also designed for unlimited future expandability to connect other media players and USB devices.

There is also DivX support which allows you to view DVD movies with the same image quality only at 1/10 the size, a built-in amplifier, Pioneer AVH P4000DVD video capability with music and video playback, as well as a wide genre of options included for future expansion.  What’s more is you can navigate through all of your media and system settings through the convenient touchscreen with customization capability to put your favorite features at your fingertips.

Bluetooth Wireless Technology

The Pioneer AVH P4000DVD DVD receiver with USB input is equipped with a really nifty Bluetooth wireless adapter for use with Bluetooth cell phones so you can talk on the phone safely and hands-free.  You can operate your phone with the microphone for the head unit as well as through your car’s speaker system.  I was really impressed with the automatic mute on the system which will mute your entertainment system if you have an incoming call or you make an outgoing call.

Advanced Multimedia Functions

The DVD player in the Pioneer AVH P4000DVD DVD receiver with USB input is equipped with comprehensive features that allow you to view DVD movies if you have to sit in the car and wait. It is also possible to connect a DVD screen in the back seat for your passengers to watch while you are on the road.  The A/V input allows you to plug in video games and you can use the iPod Direct Control to operate your iPod menus and functions right from the touchscreen.

My friend thought the rear view camera was a really nifty feature which allows you to see where you are backing up with full screen capability.  This is a really convenient feature if you are trying to move around in really tight areas.

Pioneer AVH P4000DVD Bypass

Depending upon the type of car you have with some model cars the Pioneer AVH P4000DVD Receiver has difficulty with the DVD function when you install it.  In some cars the DVD fails to work if there is a really tight compartment in the dash.  You can easily get around the Pioneer AVH P4000DVD monitor problem by integrating a four dollar bypass switch which you can obtain from your local electronics store.

Pioneer AVH P4000DVD Manual

The Pioneer AVH P4000DVD Receiver comes with an easy to use manual included with purchase.  You can also download it in PDF format from the Pioneer website.  The manual goes into specific details which are backed by illustrations so every detail is clear and easy to follow.  The first page goes through how to connect the units as well as the parts that are supplied with a page the follows up with complete diagrams on how to install the unit and the wiring involved.

For everything you are getting for the price the Pioneer AVH P4000DVD Receiver is a great buy and when you add the optional equipment such as the iPod adapter and the Bluetooth adapter you have a high end entertainment system installed in your car minus a navigation system which seems to be the only thing missing here.  Although my friend was sold on it right away I decided to shop around to see if I could find the best price.  After doing some homework I found a great deal on it right here.

I know this guy who is always at the gym when I go to workout and I think he needs to join Speeder’s Anonymous or something if there is such a group.  It seems like every time I talk to him he has gotten yet another speeding ticket. First, I told him he should get in the habit of slowing down and then I asked him why he doesn’t seal the deal with a radar detector that will provide added protection if his foot happens to get too heavy on the pedal.  He told me he had no idea what to look for in a radar detector and that he kept meaning to get one but never took the time.

It all sounded to me like he could have avoided all of those traffic tickets if he just took a little time to look for a top rated radar detector that would provide him with the protection he obviously needs.  I decided to save him some time and told him about a unit I recently came across that is in the top of the radar detector ratings.  I took note of what I told him so I could provide this Valentine One Radar Laser Detector review for others who have racked up the speeding violations.  The guy really appreciated my information since it saved him time and it reduced his excuses. Fortunately he went out to buy a Valentine One radar detector to solve his ongoing dilemma with law enforcement.

Valentine One Design and Features

Valentine has been around since the 1990s and the interesting thing about its appearance is it hasn’t changed that much over the years. If you are in a state that has radar detector laws the Valentine One radar detector can look rather obvious. The housing is quite large which would also make it incompatible as a motorcycle radar detector.  Despite this fact it is still 100 percent invisible to a wide variety of radar detectors used by law enforcement including VG-2 and VG-4 and can be connected to an optional laser jammer.

It also has some very functional features such as LED lights that indicate signal strength, an LED feature which will keep track of the number of radar signals coupled with arrows that indicate where the signal is coming from, indicators that identify each radar band, and a muting control along with a button that controls the signal volume.

I like the button which allows you to switch modes for sensitivity.  There are three different modes including a maximum sensitivity setting which is highly effective, a Logic setting which will defeat the sound of X-band signals that are not related to law enforcement radar, and Advanced Logic which is for driving in the city and is a mode for desensitization.  The LED display also automatically adjusts to the light in your surroundings and the three different modes help to reduce false alarms.

Valentine One Radar Detection Ability

When it comes to detecting a wide variety of different radar signals from a significant distance the Valentine One radar detector scores high in this category and is regarded as one of the top five radar detectors in the world.  I was especially impressed with the front and back antennas which provide 360 degree radar detection with exceptional Ka-band radar detection from as far as nine miles away and rear detection about a little less than two miles in distance.

The Valentine One radar detector also provides outstanding performance when it comes to detecting those dastardly hidden speed zones as well as the ones that hide behind hills and trees.  The directional arrows on the unit work for L, K, X, and Ka-band as well as police laser and speed traps that use instant-on.  It also contains a nifty V1 Euro version if you happen to be located in Europe.  For truly unmatched results, you can add the combo package which includes the laser jammer and Blinder M47 which automatically detects a laser gun, alerts you, and then jams the gun so law enforcement cannot determine your speed.

Another great feature of the Valentine One radar detector is the capability to program it as a speed camera detector which is convenient for the speed camera and photo radar often used in European countries.  It will also detect Ku radar, instant-on, and POP radar.

Valentine One Radar Detector Installation

Installing the Valentine One radar detector is a snap and you can choose from either the windshield attachment or the visor clip both of which are available when you purchase the unit.  The visor clip comes in handy if you live in a cold climate where the suction cups are not very effective.  Otherwise the suction cups are connected with a bar which makes the unit windshield removal easy.  Most other units are rather difficult to remove from the windshield.  Also, remember when you install the Valentine One radar detector it must have a clear view of 360 degrees if you are going to detect radar from all angles including the attacks that nail you from behind.

This is a great deal when you look at all of the features and capabilities of the Valentine One radar detector and for the price you pay, you will likely rack up more money in speeding violations like the guy in the gym which makes the unit a very worthwhile investment.  Thanks to the Internet it is easy to comparison shop for prices and I found a very competitive price here.

My nephew recent got nailed for speeding for the third time and he was about to lose his license when I suggested he get a radar detector.  He said that a few months back he was in the market trying to find a unit and he had read so many radar detector reviews that he ended up not purchasing anything because he was confused after reading about so many different models and features.

I said I would help him because I would rather see him get a radar detector than lose his license so I took him shopping to look for a unit that would meet his needs.  Although the most logical answer would be for him to simply slow down I somehow knew this was not going to happen due to his lead foot.  So off we went shopping and we browsed through several different radar detectors until we arrived at the Beltronics RX65 which is the most recent version in the Beltronics RX65 Professional series radar detectors.  We went through the unit to look at all of the features to see what this model radar detector had to offer and here is our Beltronics RX65 review of what we found:

User Options

If you had a Beltronics radar detector some fifteen years back you will see a significant difference in the newer models.  The RX65 is packed with features that provide you with optimal protection against law enforcement radar and the features are significantly more when you compare the Beltronics RX65 vs. Valentine 1, another established radar detector currently on the market.

The Beltronics RX65 user options offer an adjustable display full light to dark with an auto dimming feature which you can customize from the menu. The dark mode provides audible alerts only which are very clear and easy to identify once you learn what each sounds is like.  The AutoMute feature allows you to lower the volume of the audible alert immediately after signal detection to avoid it being an annoyance.

I also like the triple operating mode feature which allows you to choose from three different modes including City, AutoScan, and Highway. The AutoScan mode is a step up from the older models which provided you with good sensitivity but they also produced a significant amount of false alarms.  It also does not decrease the sensitivity for X-band and K-band radar and is pretty efficient at filtering out K-band for door openers which is great for city driving.  The City mode feature also helps with this as well.

The programming options on the Beltronics RX65 are also more user-friendly than the older models offering seven different options which are easily accessed by activating two buttons on the unit at the same time so you can easily scroll through the menu selections. Once you press the buttons the unit will go into programming mode where you can customize the features to your preferences. The buttons are clearly marked and mounted on the top side of the unit so you can easily locate them even when you are not looking.

The Beltronics RX65 also includes a SmartCord which plugs into your cigarette lighter and is equipped with a green LED light to indicate that the power is on, volume and mute button, and a red LED light alert indicator to let you know when the power is disconnected.  This is a convenient feature depending on where you choose to locate the radar detector and it has a phone style jack which securely connects to the unit so you do not have to worry about the cord slipping out.

Beltronics RX65 Radar Detection

Beltronics has a long track record for performance when it comes to radar detection and the Beltronics RX65 is no exception to the rule.  The unit provides radar detection for X, K, Ka, and Laser band and automatically detects POP radar which was fist introduced in law enforcement radar guns in the late 1990s.  The current radar guns still use this technology which is capable of defeating at least 88 percent of the radar detector units used today.  For this reason the instant-on POP feature is a notable addition to the Beltronics RX65.  The unit is also capable of identifying Ku-band which is another type of radar which is used in Europe.

Beltronics RX65 Manual

The Beltronics RX65 comes with a comprehensive owner’s manual in hardcopy and you can also download it in PDF from the Beltronics website.  The manual is about 16 pages with very specific information for installing and using the unit.  It contains a very clear diagram of how to use all of the functions and you can easily find specific parts that are of interest to you.  It also contains a Quick Reference section to get you up and running immediately.  The section of the manual that discusses programming is very easy to follow with each feature clearly explained in detail.  Even the section on Technical Details is clearly explained with a portion that discusses how radar detection works.

The Beltronics RX is an upgradeable unit and has an extended warranty which will also cover any future software upgrades as long as it is within the warranty time span.  With the established reputation of Beltronics and all of the features that the Beltronics RX65 offers, I think it is a really good buy and you can enjoy worry-free use for the life of the unit.  The Professional series radar detectors are often only offered through an exclusive list of sellers so I had to do some research to find a good price.  After comparison shopping I found a great price here.