Third run, the detectors were switched around so
the Sti
XR was now on the left. The Driver alerted first (about
8 seconds prior), but then stopped. The Driver also continues
to alert 7 seconds after the XR finished
Click on the image to watch the video
Fourth run, coming back in opposite direction, the
Driver again alerted first (9 seconds prior), but then stopped.
The XR began alerting, and the Driver alerted (again) a second
later. They both finished alerting at the same time.
Click on the image to watch the video
Fifth run, XR on left, Driver on the right.
This time the vehicle was pulled over, off the road, just outside the
radar's range, and edged slowly towards it until the detectors alerted (one
at a time). Both detectors alerted at pretty much the same time /
distance.
Click on the image to watch the video
Sixth run same test as above, but from the opposite
direction of the K-band radar transmission. Again there seemed little
(if any) differences in performance.
Click on the image to watch the video
Seventh run, drove towards the radar source with the
XR on the left and the Driver on the right. Don't really
know what happened here, but the Driver alerted 9 seconds before the
XR did.
Click on the image to watch the video
Most radar detector enthusiasts will tell you if
you are going to test radar detectors side by side, you need to do so with
only one radar detector switched on at a time. The reason is that the
"electronic noise" emitted from radar detectors can interfere with and
effect the sensitivity of each other. All previous video tests on this
site have been carried out in this method, but if the Bel STi has zero lo
leakage as claimed, then they shouldn't interfere with each other. It
was also interesting to read Bob (the Veil Guy)'s RD comparison between the
V1, RX65 and X50 where he wrote that having two RD's on at a time wouldn't
make much difference.
But in the interest of "covering all bases", the
next tests were run with only one detector on at a time.
First run, STi Driver alerted approx 13 seconds
before the Speed Camera at 60km/h. The STi XR was switched off as
shown.
Click on the image to watch the video
Second run, STi XR alerted approx 11 seconds
before the Speed Camera, 60km/h. Note: the cameraman was yet to get
the hang of "finding the speed camera" each time it was passed.
Click on the image to watch the video
Third run, the Sti Driver alerted approx 17
seconds before passing the camera, but had a pause about 5 seconds after the
initial alert. You can see the speed camera hidden in the bushes
between the bus stop and the orange pedestrian sign.
Click on the image to watch the video
Fourth run (second for the XR) the STi XR
alerted approx 24 seconds before passing the camera, but with two pauses in
between. It's very interesting how different runs within minutes of
one another can produce such different results. This shows how much
environmental factors (such as traffic, wind, perhaps even temperature) can
effect the range your detector gives on such low powered devices such as the
Multanova 6F.
Fifth and final test, both detectors were switched on and
driven towards the speed camera. The STi XR alerts 8 seconds
before the STi Driver.
Click on the image to watch the video
For the final comparison between the two
detectors, another Ka-band Speed Camera was chosen. Multanova 6F
Speed Cameras have a very low power output, that is very difficult for radar
detectors to give any advanced warning. For this reason, it makes an
excellent test for comparing radar detectors. All runs were at 80km/h
Test
one - the Sti Driver gave 11 seconds warning to the speed camera,
whilst the Sti XR gave 6 seconds warning.
Click on the images to watch the video
Test
two - Opposite direction, approaching the camera with it facing away.
In this type of speed camera trap, your detector is relying on the radar
beam reflecting off oncoming traffic driving towards you, or from large
stationary objects. For this reason, there can often be little
advanced warning. Here the STi Driver alerted about a second before
the STi XR.
Test
three - second run from the front, both detectors alerted at exactly the
same time.
Click on the images to watch the video
Test
four - opposite direction once again, with the camera facing away, again the
detectors alerted to within a second of each other
Click on the images to watch the video
Final
test - Valentine One versus Beltronics STi XR against the speed camera
facing opposite direction. The V1 alerted a fraction over 4 seconds
prior to the STi XR, at 80km/h or approx 93 metres before the STi.
Conclusions
You would expect a radar detector designed specifically
for a particular country or region to have the appropriate settings for
detecting the specific law enforcement speed measuring devices
deployed in that area. Given the only state in Australia where RD's are
legal to own and operate employs around 15 mobile Multanova 6F speed
cameras, one would expect Bel would include a Ka-narrow band setting, since
it is widely known the difficulty in detecting this devices.
The older model Bel 990i could indeed be programmed for superior Multanova
detection, however the later models RX65 and STi cannot.
The fact that both the Sti Driver and the STi XR tested
ran the
same A4M9 software also raises questions.
Since X-band is not used in Australia OR New Zealand, it would make
sense that this option is not offered on a "AU/NZ" model. In
fact, since there are two antennas in the STi driver (one for X-band and one
shared for K-band and Ka-band), why not make one antenna for K-band and the
other antenna for Ka-band in the
"AU/NZ" model.
But even without going this far, why would you require X-band on/off as an
option at all, yet as shown in
the video below, X-band can indeed be turned on. Detecting a
frequency (X-band) that is not used in either country seems to be a useless
feature, but there must have a reason for leaving it in there.
What also demands an answer is that if you reset the Bel STi XR it
defaults to X-band turned on!!
On the subject of frequencies, In the United States,
the Ka-band allocation is 33.4 to 36.0GHz - which represents a 2.6GHz range.
In Australia, the ACMA
http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_1298#traffic has only licensed
34.2 - 35.2 GHz for Ka-band use - which is only a 1GHz frequency range.
We tested the STi-XR AUS/NZ version and found it to
detect Ka-band frequencies outside of the ACMA allocation of 34.2 - 35.2 GHz (it detected a MPH Bee 33.8 radar).
Why would the software detect frequencies that could not possibly ever be
used in Australia?
Based with these questions, we have sent a Bel STi Driver (US model) and a
Bel STi XR (AUS/NZ model) to a laboratory that specialises in EPROM
software, to download the software from both models to compare. This
will show with absolute proof what differences lie in the software of the
two models. Be sure to check back here for the results.
Have a read of the
following thread on Radar Roy's Forum for more discussions from
customers.
Needless to say, the we are happy that the
Prowler Remote Packages offered on this website are well documented in their
performance against real radar threats in Western Australia.
Thankyou to all those involved in providing
Delonix the Videos above.
