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(More customer reviews)I will admit up front that I bought this unit based solely on price. That, and the fact I am a long time buyer of Whistler radar detectors. Like another reviewer here, my first experience with a radar detector was a now ancient "fuzz buster" that never really failed on me, but merely became obsolete over time. I took a long break over the years from radar detectors mostly due to the fact that I am older now and hardly ever in that much of a hurry. Unfortunately under the disguise of supposedly only being interested in saving our lives, radar traps and pull overs from rolling radar has increased dramatically over the last few years where I live. Severe financial problems on the state and local level has been holding us in its iron grip here long before it became fashionable nation wide. So now that things have gone from normally flat busted to fiddling with financial collapse, the police in the state have expanded their role as peace makers to that of rolling revenue agents. There was a long time here where friendly warnings where handed out generously for a 40 plus year driver like myself cruising a couple of miles over the speed limit. The police had bigger fish they were after. A true vehicular desperado I was not. Those days of yore have unfortunately vanished in the wake of the towns and states flashing empty pockets all around.
In an effort not to see my own contribution to the problem come at the hands of purportedly "saving my life", I purchased this Whistler 265 model about 6 months ago. I was quite taken aback by the wide range of prices on these units at first. The last time I bought one there was perhaps a $50 price difference between the economy model and a true space age unit. Now it can be as high as $400 or more. Since this 265 was a Whistler that was capable of picking up all the radar technology currently available, and cost about $45, I decided this was the one for me. All I can say from my own experience with this fine unit is I can only imagine what those higher priced models really do, for this 265 seems to perform it all quite nicely. Simply put, its the best $45 I have spent in a very long time. The 265 is easy to install on your windshield with the bracket provided, and a coil style cord plugs into your cigarette lighter, or 12 volt outlet that just about all cars provide these days. (If you prefer to install on your dash or elsewhere, a velcro strip will hold this unit easily). As far as features, the 265 seems to have all one could ask for. This Whistler provides tone alerts, quiet modes, numeric icon displays, alert priority, and even a vehicle battery saver. It also has both visual and audible alerts, and a volume control. As far as actually detecting and warning you of any radar in the area, mine has so far never missed a beat. Although I am not much of a heavy footer that needs as much advanced warning as possible, I would have to say that any warning that does come from the 265 has been in advance enough to save me from being picked up in about 80% of the cases, or more. It is especially capable in picking up stationary radar, which although a lot of advertisements for these devices claim has gone out of style in favor of rolling radar, is still well in vogue here in my neck of the woods. I have picked up signals so far in advance in some of the stationary cases that at times I felt the the detector is picking up something else. Then lo and behold, smokey appears on the side of the road. For rolling radar, the advance warning is a little more random, but still very effective in my opinion. It is omni directional and will pick up a radar signal far off the side of you as easily as it does ahead, or behind you. I love this little unit and feel it is personally the best deal in detectors that there is going on the market presently.
In conclusion, I should mention that I live in a small town. There are no real heavily congested areas, or locales where there is any real city atmosphere. So my detector doesn't really have to work that hard at distinguishing alarms and doors openers from the real McCoy. If you live in a city or any form of heavily congested area with a lot of commerce, it very well may be a good idea to move up to a higher priced, more sensitive model. Personally I feel that the only difference between the high ticket radar detectors and this model is their ability to differentiate between real speed radar, and any other device that uses the same technology. That, and perhaps a little more technology in giving you a shade more warning. For a small town atmosphere like where I live, I honestly feel that the Whistler XTR-265 is all the radar detector you should ever need. Unless you simply love to speed, or the local police seem to have a special fondness for you, why pay more. A good, solid, dependable unit. Highly recommended...
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Whistler XTR-265 Laser-Radar Detector (Grey)Like the entry-level XTR-145, Whistler's XTR-265 is an affordable, full-featured laser/radar detector. With total band protection from radar signals, 360-degree laser detection, Whistler's patented VG-2 cloaking technology, and plenty more, you'll get an effective detector that doesn't break the bank. The XTR-265 adds Whistler's patented POP mode, a numeric icon display, dim/dark modes, safety warning system (SWS) alerts, and the "stay alert" function to the feature list.
Total Band Protection Provides Complete Band Coverage of all Laser, Radar (X, K, and Ka bands), VG-2, and Safety Radar bands.
Numeric Icon Display The XTR-265's bright numeric icon display offers easy-to-read icons to indicate power, city mode, radar band identification, and signal strength. It adds a seven-segment digital display to show signal strength indication and band identification.
POP Mode Alerts There are new guns out there that operate just like the instant-on guns of the past but with a very tough new twist--POP mode. This new gun is a normal K and Ka band radar gun detectable by most radar detectors made in the past 30 years until it's in POP mode. When the gun is in POP Mode and activated, a brief burst of energy, less than 1/15 of a second, is transmitted and the vehicle's speed is quickly acquired. A detector without POP Mode detection capability cannot respond to this brief transmission. This one can.
360 Degree Protection Units with 360 protection detect signals from all radar, laser, VG-2 and safety radar systems wherever they come from; front, rear or from the side.
VG-2 Cloaking The VG-2, also known as a "radar detector detector," is a special receiver used by police to detect signals radiated by a radar detector. Thanks to Whistler's patented VG-2 cloaking technology, your detector will remain invisible to VG-2 detection.
3 City Modes/Highway Mode Highway mode provides full audio and visual warning of laser/radar systems while maintaining full sensitivity, and is the default setting of Whistler laser/radar detectors. City mode helps reduce the annoyance of automatic door openers and burglar alarm alerts by providing an initial alert (same distance as Highway Mode) then remaining quiet unless the signal strength becomes very strong. When the signal increases the unit will alert briefly to notify you of the change in signal strength.
Quiet/Auto Quiet Modes Pressing QUIET before a signal is detected engages Auto Quiet Mode, which automatically reduces the audio level after the initial warning to a low audio level setting. Pressing QUIET during a radar/laser encounter silences audio alerts, while allowing visual alerts to keep you informed.
Dim/Dark Mode Dim/Dark Mode reduces the illumination of the display. Dim or dark can be engaged during an alert. In Dark Mode, the display goes dark for as long as a signal is being detected and for 20 seconds after, then the display returns to the dimmer setting.
Stay Alert Whistler's exclusive Stay Alert feature tests your alertness on long trips.
Vehicle Battery Saver Mode The Vehicle Battery Saver Mode automatically shuts off your detector within 3 hours if you forget to turn it off. The timer is reset if the detector is turned off, unplugged or any button is pressed before the 6 hours have expired. The detector will alert you with an audible and visual warning before it shuts off.
Safety Warning System--SWS This relatively new radar is not for speed detection at all, it is used to keep you informed of highway safety. Transmitters are installed and programmed (for example: in emergency vehicles) to make you aware of possible situations that may require your attention, such as: ambulance vehicles that are moving or stationary, road hazards ahead, road construction delays or detours, etc.
Alert Priority When two or more signals are received at the same time, the alert priority is: Laser, VG-2, Speed Radar, Safety Radar.
Example: If X band is alerting, then suddenly a VG-2 signal is detected, the VG-2 warning will override the X band alert.
Twin Alert Periscopes Whistler's Low Profile Alert Periscopes provide an added attention getting visual alert. The two extra LEDs flash on and off when the unit alarms to provide a unique visual alert.
What's in the Box Whistler XTR-265 Radar/Laser Detector, Windshield Mount, Power Cord, User's Manual
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