Cobra Vedetta Radar Detector Marketing Scam?
“The big thing about this Cobra Vedetta radar detector is that if you’re looking for something that will detect every type of radar, even those that are not yet available in the United States such as the Ku band, this has all the radar bands out there…” ShopNBC – 2013
If you watch this ShopNBC video promoting the new Cobra Vedetta radar detector, the announcer will have you convinced that Ku band radar is the newest police radar band out there now. It is used “exclusively” all over Europe and that Ku band is about to be rolled out all over the USA.
Cobra Radar – Bullshit!
And this announcer who is either totally naïve or is a flat out liar goes on to say that this brand new technology is also going to be rolled out on trains, emergency vehicles and utility vehicles and this radar detector is all set up NOW to alert you to all these types of vehicles.
Why on earth would you need to detect trains, emergency vehicles and utility vehicles?
Then he says that you will be detecting police radar up to 9 miles away and that you would want to have a little jump on them (the police).
He discusses all the bands that this Cobra radar detector detects including the Spectre 1, the Spectre 4 and VG-2.
Cobra Radar – More Bullshit!!!
Now … let me address each these outrageous marketing claims.
Lie #1 – KU Band is not new and NOT coming to the USA!!
During the Speed Measurement Laboratories radar detector shootout in 2006 (which I attended), Carl Fors related that Kustom radar was doing some preliminary testing with Ku band radar guns.
Carl went on to say that if Ku band was adopted that it would be a good thing for the radar detector industry because everyone would have to buy a new radar detector.
Within months, Cobra (who also attended the test) began integrating Ku band into their radar detectors while their dealers and distributors began promoting this Ku myth.
The facts are that Ku band is just below the K-band frequency and this segment is used primarily for satellite communications.
Years ago the FCC did approve the use of Ku band for police radar gun use; however, this was long before the telecommunications industry became so dependent on this segment of our airways.
Today in Europe and in South America police agencies are discouraged from buying new police radar equipment in the Ku band spectrum because of the interference it could cause.
Bottom line, Ku band is NOT coming to the USA!
Lie #2 – Ku band used on trains, ambulances and utility vehicles
I think the announcer got Ku band confused with Safety Warning System and/or Safety Alert System, both of which are non-existent in the USA.
The concept of SWS and Cobra’s SAS system was first developed back in 1995 to develop a safety warning system that would be installed in cars and trucks that would warn of impleading dangers such as tornados, accidents, and other hazards. The problem was that this system never caught on and the company that manufactured the SMS units went bankrupt.
Today those in the know in the industry call SWS the “Show Me the System” or SMS for short as radar detector companies still advertise that their devices will alert to these systems.
So what if they do, as the SWS and Cobra’s Safety Alert System is virtually non-existent!
Lie #3 – The Cobra Vedetta will detect police radar at 9 miles away!
I’ve been a cop for 20 years and in the speed counter measurement industry for 16 years. I never saw a radar detector detect police radar at this distance unless the test was done on a flat desert lake bed.
So I ask, how often do you drive on a flat desert lake bed?
Lie #4 – The Cobra Vedetta detects VG2, Spectre 1 and Spectre IV
I suspect that Cobra uses this deceptive marketing ploy in marketing their detectors to make you think that their detector can defeat the Spectre radar detector.
They cannot!
I also have taken Cobra to task by testing their claim of detection with my Spectre RDD units and each time they have failed!
What do other Cobra Vedetta Customers Say?
Here a just a few reviews from other customers who have purchased the Cobra Vedetta radar detector on ShopNBC’s website.
I don’t find it surprising that 2 other reviews comment that the Vedetta radar detector wasn’t what they expected and not as they advertised on their website.
Buy a Radar Detector that that Works!
If you’re in the market for a high quality radar detector I would recommend that you read our reviews of both the Escort and Beltronics radar detectors on our site!
Your Thoughts?
We encourage you to share your thoughts about this Cobra radar in the comment area below:
10 Responses to “Cobra Vedetta Radar Detector Marketing Scam?”
Comments
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Please feel free to discuss what you find faulty in my first comment here and give me a chance to reply in kind.
Perhaps your 1st comment was deleted because of our spam filters?
Just wanted to post this response to your article from
nine_c1 at Rd.net
He says this MUCH better then I have 🙂
Nine_C1
” Tisk Tisk Roy……..you know how this goes, being a marketing guy yourself. You slam the competition for their set of frivolous features, while at the same time, promoting your favorite brands which have their own set of frivolous non-value add features.
How long did Escort/Beltronics have Ku band detection on their products and still a POP feature (Ka only) that makes the detector totally false happy and unuseable? BTW…….you STILL have those erroneous test results of the Bel/Escorts detecting 16ms K-Band POP (an impossibility since they don’t have K-Band POP detection) on your website.
Why not throw your benefactors at Bel/Escort under the bus, while you’re at it, for still having SWS on many of their new products? How much is that used here in the US (or anywhere in the world for that matter)?
Of course the real issue is how well does this new Cobra detect radar? We’ll dispense with the smear tactics and deal with actual performance characteristics and test results shortly. ”
The website you refer to as my website “Radarbusters” is NOT my website, therefore have no control of what is said there. As far as Escort having Ku yes they had it for their EU customers but they never mislead the US driving public that this band was coming to the US. Also SWS is a complete joke and I also say that in this article and in my buyers guide. I appreciate and welcome your comments and thank you.
i go with roy cobras are cheap units
Thanks for the support…
Dont know about the vedetta but i owned a cobra rd and i was totally toast by the constant falses. I use the redline now and even though im no expert, escort products are very good. My only regret to this site and roys reviews is that I cannot find a single review of valentine products. Never the less is a fairly good informative site. I would love to have some more testing on other threads like laser veil only vs pro laser 4 and other guns.
Thank you for your comments and support and we have our radar detector tests her with the V1
http://www.radardetector.org/radar-detector-info/radar-detector-testing/ and further reviews in our Buyers Guide
Another scam by the Cobra, dont know why people are using their devices even though after knowing the reality.