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The vintage led dot display seems a bit out of place with the other vehicle displays. Otherwise looks like a very clean installation.
Agreed. Fortunately as I understand it the dot is only illuminated when the system is first turned on and when being actively shot with laser. So, I think it won't be terribly noticeable.
If it is I'll likely ask them to just disconnect that light as while I think it's helpful to have a visual indicator of being shot by laser, the audible alarm makes it not strictly necessary.
Are these being installed in front of the grill? Could be a problem in states like Tennessee where they're banned
It is possible, but I'll note a few things. This is a pretty extreme close up of the grill. Based on the picture which is further back I'm pretty confident these will be not very noticeable from a few feet away and certainly not while in motion. I think they only stand out to us because we stare at F-Type grills all the time. They are also easily mistaken for parking sensors, which is the mode I'd put them in when traveling thru places where jammers are illegal. They can be put into a mode where they are purely parking sensors and not violating any laser jammer laws.
In my previous car that had a MUCH more obvious installation I traveled extensively in states where the jammers are illegal and no one ever noticed, even police when they had me pulled over. For the most part, police wouldn't even recognize these for what they are when in laser jammer mode.
Finally, while I'd love for them to be completely invisible, in order to be effective they need to be mounted in a place where they can intercept any lasers being shot at the car, which dictates their spacing and location. So, there's some sacrifice for function.
Still though, I'm more than willing to wager that you could drive with them daily just about anywhere and not have an issue.
Shop installed the ALP jammers and radar detector today. I haven't seen it in person yet, but I'm really happy with the way it looks from the pictures. As expected they hid the ALP emitters under the black bar on the front and under the hatch in the rear.
The in-car display wouldn't work in the rear-view mirror because of the way our mirrors are made, so instead they moved to the backup plan of using the display that's normally used for the passenger seatbelt indicator. From the pics I think it looks great. Really impressed with how it's turning out. Pics below.
Stealing the passenger seatbelt status indicator for the radar detector and ALP displays.
Meh not really feeling that display, too bad it couldnt get integrated into the rear view mirror. That really looks like the stealthiest option in my book.
Meh not really feeling that display, too bad it couldnt get integrated into the rear view mirror. That really looks like the stealthiest option in my book.
Strangely enough the more I think about it the more I feel the opposite. Given how not great our rear visibility already is, I don't want anything distracting me in that mirror.
The nice thing about the display is that it'll only have 1 character (indicating the radar detector mode) most of the time. I drove with it in my old car right in between the gauges for a couple of years and never noticed it outside of when it was alerting.
I believe you overlooked the part where, in the penultimate paragraph, I indicated my preferred mounting location. I've also eyed 3 or 4 alternate locations that are very workable, and more discrete than the location described.
I know that Stinger has been intentionally engineering their product to be a complete solution and therefore a closed system, one that doesn't integrate with any other products, and given the performance they have delivered in the short time they have been in the market, cant see why anybody would want to mess with those results.
That said, one of the discussions I have read on specific Radar Detector forums - which include posts by the principal developer behind Stinger - Bluetooth and or cell phone integration is one feature they are trying to avoid at this point, though its clearly a feature forum members are clamoring for.
As good as the Stinger VIP display looks, I'd be curious if you know much about how the iPhone app works for the ALPriority/STI-R system with a Bluetooth module? Does the app have to be displayed on the screen to get real time alerts (which means the phone must be dedicated to that app), or can it be running in the background and take screen priority when an alert is required? What if one is actually on a phone call, or using a navigation app such a Garmin when an alert is detected, will the ALP app take screen priority then as well?
Not sure if you know this or not, but the Stinger VIP patch antenna has to be mounted vertically _in-front_ of the honeycomb grill. Where would you mount a 4.3 inch antenna vertically in the front bumper of an F-Type without it looking completely out of place?
For ALP bluetooth, if the module is installed along with the HiFi module, the alerts go through the phone only when its paired and the display is open. If the phone is not paired then the alerts would continue to go through the HiFi module. This is only for the new Bluetooth module which was released a couple of weeks ago.
Here's an older video of how the alerts work, but he's using the older Bluetooth module which doesnt have the feature I just mentioned
I've thought a fair bit about the bluetooth thing but decided it isn't for me. I don't currently use my phone for navigation because I haven't found a cell phone mount I like enough to use and I prefer the privacy of not having my phone unlocked and visible when a passenger is in the car.
Not sure if you know this or not, but the Stinger VIP patch antenna has to be mounted vertically _in-front_ of the honeycomb grill. Where would you mount a 4.3 inch antenna vertically in the front bumper of an F-Type without it looking completely out of place?
This is false. The HD patch antenna can be buried behind the grille, or even behind the plastic bumper/fender where it can't be seen at all.
This is copied from the Stinger installation instructions:
Place the HD Antenna at the front of the car behind the bumber or spoiler. Preferably behind thin and smooth plastic, and certainly not behind metal.
Find the patch antenna in this pic. Even the sensors are way more discrete than lobster claws install. Despite his assertion that the sensor heads are barely noticeable from a few feet away, I wholeheartedly disagree and find that install unacceptable. To each their own.
This is false. The HD patch antenna can be buried behind the grille, or even behind the plastic bumper/fender where it can't be seen at all.
This is copied from the Stinger installation instructions:
Find the patch antenna in this pic. Even the sensors are way more discrete than lobster claws install. Despite his assertion that the sensor heads are barely noticeable from a few feet away, I wholeheartedly disagree and find that install unacceptable. To each their own.
You may disagree, but I've spoken to Cliff (who sells stinger in the US) and couldn't find a suitable solution on an f type that wasn't a compromise. The Porsche may have hidden it behind the plastic bumper or in a slot for collision warning that the f type doesn't offer which is possible. See my other thread about what's behind the black bar.
I'd be more than happy to be proven wrong though if you purchase it and install it in a spot where it's still effective. And no, behind the honeycomb grill is not affective according to the guy who sells these.
This is false. The HD patch antenna can be buried behind the grille, or even behind the plastic bumper/fender where it can't be seen at all.
This is copied from the Stinger installation instructions:
Find the patch antenna in this pic. Even the sensors are way more discrete than lobster claws install. Despite his assertion that the sensor heads are barely noticeable from a few feet away, I wholeheartedly disagree and find that install unacceptable. To each their own.
We'll see when I pick them up, but I"m pretty sure they'll be barely noticeable. On my old car, which had a far more obtrusive installation, yo'd have never noticed unless I pointed them out to you or you were looking for them.
Where would you suggest the emitters go? They can't be mounted behind a grill. They have to be at the front of the car or they can't do their job...
Also, may I ask if you are in some way connected to Stinger or someone that sells Stinger? With respect, your comments promoting the piece read like a sales pitch. One other thing I'd note about the Stinger is that per the testing done by the folks at rdforum (whom I've tested with before and trust) the Stinger still has some holes when dealing with the more difficult guns. They have examples over on their board of stinger installations failing in scenarios where the ALP succeeds. The consensus there seems to be that the Stinger is rapidly improving and will likely soon be as good or better than the ALPs, but isn't there yet.
To the Stinger's credit though, there is general agreement that it is by far the radar detector available.
Here's a link to some recent testing, may not be visible without the right permissions: http://www.rdforum.org/showthread.php?t=48748. In short, ALP had pretty consistent JTG except for some cars with rear install issues. Stinger consistently did not, but was using beta firmware.
Last edited by LobsterClaws; 01-08-2016 at 03:45 PM.
It is possible, but I'll note a few things. This is a pretty extreme close up of the grill. Based on the picture which is further back I'm pretty confident these will be not very noticeable from a few feet away and certainly not while in motion. I think they only stand out to us because we stare at F-Type grills all the time.
Finally, while I'd love for them to be completely invisible, in order to be effective they need to be mounted in a place where they can intercept any lasers being shot at the car, which dictates their spacing and location. So, there's some sacrifice for function.
I visited my dealer today - they install Passport 9500's - and these may actually be the radar detectors and not the laser deflectors. The radar must be in front of the grill...and they're not illegal.
I visited my dealer today - they install Passport 9500's - and these may actually be the radar detectors and not the laser deflectors. The radar must be in front of the grill...and they're not illegal.
Indeed. If you can go radar only it's a big advantage. Unfortunately in the Atlanta area everything near the city is laser.
I'm super confused! Can you explain again what your installer said? Are you doing ALPs and the Escort?
Sorry for the confusion. Right now I'm evaluating the Escort 9500ci with dealer installation. It includes laser. As I'm processing the conversation (and I may be wrong), the laser deflectors are obscured within the grill but the radar sensors are forward of the grill. And they'd probably place them below the black bar. The rear laser would be similar to yours above the license.
Sorry for the confusion. Right now I'm evaluating the Escort 9500ci with dealer installation. It includes laser. As I'm processing the conversation (and I may be wrong), the laser deflectors are obscured within the grill but the radar sensors are forward of the grill. And they'd probably place them below the black bar. The rear laser would be similar to yours above the license.
I think you or your installer may have it backwards. The radar sensors can be within the grill, but the laser must be forward.
I advise strongly that you not go with the Escort 9500ci for laser. If the shop seriously recommend that for you, it means they don't pay much attention to the latest in laser jamming and haven't done much testing. Escort uses rebranded Laser Interceptors. They are what I had on my old car. They were absolutely the hottest thing around...4 years ago. Now they can't jam many of the latest laser guns the cops are using and there have been no significant updates in some time.
ALP is where you want to be in the laser world right now. Stinger might be the king soon, but if it happens it's months away.
In California, we just join the 11-99 Foundation. You get a plate holder and a membership card. The CHP will almost never issue a ticket to members. This foundation supports widows and orphans of slain CHP officers. Cost about $5K to join.
01-08-2016, 06:32 AM
They are also easily mistaken for parking sensors, which is the mode I'd put them in when traveling thru places where jammers are illegal. They can be put into a mode where they are purely parking sensors and not violating any laser jammer laws. 
