They Say It's All About Protection
Written: Apr 22 '09 (Updated Apr 22 '09)
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Pros: Gives you fair warning when you're about to enter a speed trap or photo area.
Cons: A fair amount of false alarms due to cell towers and microwave towers.
The Bottom Line: I've never needed a radar detector due to driving at excesive speed but on long trips it's a very good idea. Cobra is the brand to go with.
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| rfish's Full Review: Cobra XRS 9960G Radar Detector |
I have had my Cobra XRS 9960G Radar Detector for just under two weeks and have been trying to give it a fair test before I wrote a review on its performance. I received my Cobra XRS 9960G for a promise of a fair and honest review.
Box Contents: In the box, as shipped, was the Cobra XRS 9960G Radar Detector, window mounting bracket with suction cups and hook-and-loop dashboard fastener, GPS Locator with USB connector, instruction manual, 12 volt cigarette lighter cord, and warranty registration card.
Installation: After reading the directions it looked like it would be very easy. It came with a suction cup mounting bracket. Once in place on your windshield you have to bend the bracket a little to get the unit pointing level both back and front. The amount of adjustment depends on the angle of your windshield. I own a Jeep Commander and the windshield is at a significant angle and it was actually difficult to reach the bracket to install the detector after the suction cups were in place. I don't like to keep the unit in sight when not in use so I remove it. It's quite a stretch. The detector comes with a dashboard installation hook-and-loop fastener but this is permanent and my dashboard isn't exactly flat and level. You want to try and give the unit an unobstructed 360 degree view so try and avoid windshield wipers, and objects on the back deck. Heavily tinted windows may also interfere with the units performance.
The first time I used the detector it didn't work but that was because I never turned it on (volume control).
Specifications: The unit is 5.2 " high x 3.1 " wide by 1.9" deep. For its size it is quite light. I was initially worried that it would pull off the mounting bracket but that hasn't been the case so far. It only weighs 6.5 ounces.
Features include;
Full color Extreme Bright Datagrafx II Display
Car Battery voltage display/low car battery warning
POP mode radar gun detection Voice Alert
Ku band detection
8 point electronic compass
15-band radar/laser detector with 1.5" full color display
City and Highway modes (to reduce false warnings)
Auto Mute which mutes the alarm tone for driver convenience.
VG-2 alert for when you encounter VG-2 surveillance
Spectre Alert for when you encounter Spectre I/V+ surveillance
Spectre Undetectable provides protection against Spectre I radar detector-detectors.
Intellishield False signal rejection which reduces false signals in densely populated areas
Dim mode allowing you to dim the unit display
Digiview Data Display gives easy to read text
Auxiliary Audio jack for attaching an external speaker or ear phone.
Customizable display colors
Smart Power is a timed power saving feature to save the car battery
My Test Results: My testing of the unit took several trips down the highway and a couple of back roads. I don't do a large amount of highway driving so testing took special trips. I recommend taking a passenger along to read the detector and make any adjustments while you drive. What's the old saying "Where's a police officer when you need one?". My first trip took 20 miles each way and not one sound from the detector. This is both good and bad because I couldn't test the detector for catching a radar trap but it did not send out any false alarms either. I actually was wondering if the unit was working or not. On my second trip I was rewarded with both false and actual results. I went just outside the city and got 2 false readings which I verified as a cell tower and a microwave tower. A couple of miles outside the city I got a K2 alarm and not far down the road, behind an overpass, was one of my State's Finest. I was just barely over the limit so there wasn't a problem. I was glad to have the proof that this function was working properly.
I did get to test the GPS and compass which worked fine. The GPS gives your location in longitude and latitude but it also gives you an alarm if you approach a photo enforced location. It will also alert you at high accident intersections and speed traps that are in the database. The GPS actually gave me the car traveling speed which I verified was correct (within 2 mph). The first time using the GPS there are some setup tasks you need to perform. First it needs to see the sky. Make sure that there are no obstructions like windshield wipers, dark tinted windows, or mirrored sunscreens. You need to go to the website and register your detector. You will be downloading data to your GPS device. Every time hereafter you will download automatically each time you plug in your GPS device. The download required Windows XP, or Vista, USB 1.1 or above, and an Internet connection.
The compass function also needs calibration. To do this you need follow the enclosed instructions but the last part requires that you press the mute button and drive your vehicle in 2 circles. After driving in circles press mute again which completes the calibration. This is a onetime only process. I already have a compass ,in the car, so this of little use at this time.
Switching between city and highway modes is just a push of the button. As I said earlier my dashboard is slanted so the unit is quite a reach and I have trouble changing any of the settings while I am driving with the seat belt on. The brightness control has four settings which are bright, dim, dimmer, and dark. I find that bright is necessary during daylight driving but you need to turn it down during dark driving hours. I used dim without a problem.
The manual is pretty easy to read and understand even though the printing is small. Thanks to bifocals I was able to read all the small print. I would prefer that the manual was a little larger with easy to read print. The contents however are clear and easy to understand.
Overall: I have had 1 speeding ticket in over 40 years of driving and that was when I was 20 years old and driving a hot car. Even then I was only doing 15 miles over the speed limit. Yes, I have gone faster and farther above the limit but never received a ticket. I would have felt safer with a Cobra XRS 9960G Radar Detector in the car with me, but maybe I was better off without one and driving a little safer. If we are always speeding and depending on a radar detector to not get caught we are running risks that we maybe should not take. That being said, I was very pleased with this radar detector and it was very well built. It works very well without too many false alarms. I like the GPS feature and really like the ability of the unit to determine a low battery and also its ability to determine the speed of my vehicle. If you are looking for a reliable detector this is the one you should give a good look and then purchase.
I was thankful for having the chance to test and review the Cobra XRS 9960G Radar Detector.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
rfish
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 in Magazine Subscriptions, Home and Garden |
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Location: East Hartford, Connecticut
Reviews written: 341
Trusted by: 583 members
About Me:
Enjoys Star Trek, Science Fiction conventions/collecting, gardening(flowers and vegetable), working with the Boy Scouts.
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