DIY: Valentine1 Hardwire, Stealth Headrest Install, Mute Button, Concealed Display
 

The Valentine 1 (as well as other radar detectors....) is amazing. But I've always had a few qualms:
a) if i get pulled over and a cop sees it, no bueno.
b) everytime I park, I have to remove it so my car isn't broken into
c) hitting the mute switch is out of reach
d) people behind me that see I have a v1, tailgate/follow me incessantly

solution?
a) headrest stealth install
b) " "
c) install custom mute switch
d) Concealed Display unit

The headrest install does not reduce any radar detecting functionality of the V1 since radar easily travels through foam/fabric. Laser detecting capabilities are gone but there is no such thing as early notification of Laser. Also, a Laser ticket is so easily fightable that I can never imagine being convicted by one with my lawyer. So headrest install was the way to go. First we have to hardwire the v1 though...


HARDWIRE:
-philips screwdriver
-V1 hardwire kit
-RJ11 phone cords
_____________
1) Remove items labeled 1 and 2, panel under steering wheel
this makes it easier to find a bolt for your Ground later
http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/9...nelremoval.jpg
2) remove the panel under the driverside dash (the panel that contains the hood opening latch). this should give you access to some fuse wires.
3) Use the Vamp-clip to splice into the Red wire shown in the picture. there should be an orange wire and green wire in the same bundle, the bundle is located to the left of the obd2 port. It will power up the Radar detector when the car is in Accessory position and turn the RD off when the car is off and the driverside door opens.
http://img804.imageshack.us/img804/3954/vampclip.jpg
4) connect the vamp-clip to the V1 hardwire kit. connect the black wire to a ground bolt somewhere under the dash.
5) the Valentine 1 connects to the 'Main Unit' outlet in the hardwire piece and the RJ11 splitter connects into the 'Accessory Port'. Both the Mute switch and Concealed Display connect here. If you wish to use only a Mute Switch or only a Concealed Display, the RJ11 Splitter is not needed.
http://img571.imageshack.us/img571/3...ndsplitter.jpg



HEADREST Stealth Install:
-xacto knife
-masking tape
-12ft RJ11 cord
____________________
1) Remove backseat middle headrest and tape off the sections as shown.
http://img682.imageshack.us/img682/3...estcuthere.jpg
2) make incisions with the xacto knife along the inner edge, all the way around the square to be cut out.
3) heat the knife before cutting deep into the foam, it cuts through the foam with less effort. Cut about 2 inches deep so Radar detector sits as high as possible in the headrest. when you hit the metal frame, you've gone far enough.
4) connect Rj11 v1 and place unit inside headrest, make sure the orientation is correct and not backwards.
http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/8...inheadrest.jpg
5) Fold the backseat down, there should be an opening on the back. make an incision at the bottom of the seat to route the cord through the backseat. this will retain the folding-seat-functionality without having the V1 cords move. any excess cord after wiring to the hardwire unit can be tucked away in the backseat area here.
http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/8...atincision.jpg
6) route the cord along the driverside floor panels to the hardwire unit under the dash. tada.
http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/841/runwire.jpg

Mute Switch:
-RJ11 phone cord
-wire stripper
-SPST momentary switch
-electrical tape
_____________________
1) cut one end of the RJ11 cord, there should be a Black, Red, Green, and Yellow wire. Black is ground and Yellow is mute.
2) use a wire stripper to strip the black and yellow wires while taping up the red and green wires so they are not functional.
3) connect the black wire to the switch ground and yellow wire to the other contact of the switch.
http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/7...1007081936.jpg
4) Test to make sure the mute button works. Connect it to the RJ11 spliiter under the dash and press and hold the mute button. If the V1 unit changes modes (Advanced to Logic etc), then the button works. If it doesn't, switch the wires connected to the switch contacts (its easy to get it backwards).
5) tada, mount the switch somewhere useful. I chose the empty switch next to AWC because its near the shifter.
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/5...ninstalled.jpg


Concealed Display
_________________
You could mount this a number of places. i went with inside the driverside AC unit to make the integration fully stealth. I used to have it above and exposed.
http://img541.imageshack.us/img541/3...ddisplayac.jpg
http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/9...1007081929.jpg
Since sometimes its hard to discern whether an X band or a K band is going off, I decided to put a piece of electrical tape over the X band indicator LED. This way, if i see a Bogey on the display without an indicator, I know it is not a threat. If i see a Bogey with an Indicator light, it HAS to be K or Ka band and a probable threat. This makes it much easier at night when only LEDs are flashing from the concealed display (the lettering next to the LED is not possible to read at night).
http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/6...ndblackout.jpg

That is NOT how at V1 works!!!!!

maybe you should READ before INSTALLING it incorrectly and posting a DIY thread on HOW TO INCORRECTLY INSTALL YOUR V1

http://www.valentine1.com/moreinfo/p...ng_pg17-18.pdf

quoted DIRECTLY from the INSTRUCTION MANUEL

"When properly mounted, the front antenna will look
forward through the glass. It must have an unobstructed
view. Don’t put it behind the parked windshield wipers,
or directly behind an in-glass antenna. Don’t position it
so that it "looks" into the rearview mirror."

EVERYONE PLEASE READ YOUR INSTRUCTION MANUEL BEFORE YOU INSTALL IT WRONG AND HAVE A V1 THAT IS NOT WORKING THE WAY IT SHOULD...

evil:mitsu:

http://www.xbimmers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=386055
http://m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=282970

this is how we do it in the E46 world.
"I drove around with this in my M3 for the last couple of days and it seems to be working great. You will lose laser detection with this setup but as long as there's no metal obstructing the radar horns K or Ka or X band still work perfectly."
Exactly what it mentions in the OP. I've been running this setup for about 4 long distance interstate trips and its worked like a charm. thanks for your concern though.

Why did you cover up the X, just shut it off in the V1's menu.

As for detection, typically for radar fabric will not affect range too much just slightly if it does not have a view of the road ahead.

As other said for Laser it will not detect it.

you have any pics on how u installed it?

yes ^

I dont care what all these other guys say, that is very good work man. The important thing is that the radar detector works the way it should, which as you have said, it does. The fact that you concealed it the way you did is awesome, especially for people in states where Radar Detectors are illegal. Thanks for posting a DIY for anyone who may be interested in doing this. Dont hate on this guy people, he has 8 posts and he is already looking out for the RA community, well done.

In the Evo X I managed to tuck the V1 in the roof liner since I don't have a split folding back seat. This way I can pull it out if i really need to. Otherwise I did the install pretty much like this one. I haven't done the mute button but they do make a remote volume control / speaker combo (though it is 50 bucks)

fyi radar detectors are perfectly legal to have in NY. even if a cop sees it they cant do anything about it. they might give you a obstruction of view if the cop is a dick and u have it mounted on the windshield. else they can give you crap for it.

I have mine placed up in the top left corner of my windshield. Have all the wires tucked in the A-pillar. Its hard to notice from the outside since the windshield has some tint there. Havent had any issues with cops or people following me...

To all the v1 owners, do you guys experience lots of false allerts??

I feel like I need to configure my V1... When I pull up to a mall this thing won't shut the hell up

look in the user manual, you can turn off X bands. its much better about false alerts after that since most false alerts are x

Got nailed by laser going 26+ once. Wasn't driving like a dick or anything, just passing someone on a downhill and he just happened to be there.

Was polite and respectful, didn't lie to him when he asked me how fast I thought I was going. Dude was super cool though. Pointed to my V1 mounted way up high next to my visor and was like, I'm just gonna give you an obstructed view for that thing. I was like, I'LL TAKE IT! :beer::beer::beer:

That's pretty much the price to pay for having something super sensitive and reactive. You can put it in the 2nd logic mode. Otherwise, just turn it down when you get near any large shopping centers or malls.

from the above recommendations i just disabled X bands in the V1's configuration menu.
pretty much everywhere i travel, x isn't used.

http://www.patzcatz.com/radarbands.html

heres a list of which radar bands police use, organized by town. it is based on people who have gotten tickets and have thus been able to read the ticket to see what kind of detection method got them.