I have a passport 8500 radar detector, and I would like to integrate it into my 2002 A6.

Fortunately, I found an article which seems to describe this perfectly.
http://www.audiworld.com/tech/elec104b.shtml

However, what would be even sweeter is if I could add two features to this:

1) automatically lowering the audio when radar was detected
2) automatically activating the speed warning on the dash.

Is this possible - it seems like #1 definitely should be. Any suggestions for where to start?

 

Tell you what I'm gonna give you advice and say, "DON'T SPEED!" If you don't speed you won't need to worry about integrating your radar detector into place. Secondly is my advice is coming to you from the other side of the radar detector if you know what I mean. THEY DON'T WORK!!! When a radar is activated the reading litterally comes back instantly, and by the time your little light or siren or whatever the hell you have goes off its too late. Besides lots of traffic enforcement is using laser, which makes your radar detector obsolete. Just my two cents.

 

Get a laser jammer instead because laser is where the police are going. While many of them are questionable, a company called Laser Interceptor is getting very good reviews. If you want to go with a radar detector as well, I have both, I would suggest a Valentine.

 

Yeah. Uh... radar detectors are designed so that they detect the signals BEFORE it's too late. Hence, if you get one that's up to date with the Cop's tech-gizmos, you're fine. But, I agree... don't speed. It's bad for the environment.

But yeah, Laser Interceptor is a great name, and good product. Not that I know or anything... silly Cops.

Be careful though, some localities are running jammers too... and in NC they have laser emitters under bridges. They're usually near runways so missiles can't hit planes as easily, but it trips out your detectors too.

I think the best thing is a CB Scanner / Detector combo. Until (like up here in CT) the Silly Cops switch to digitally encrypted radios similar to the military ones. Yikes!

Later.

 

OK. I'm one of those bad boys who has a radar detector even though I seldom speed. I just like to know when enforcement is around. I've had a couple Bel detectors for the past 8 years and 200k+ miles. I find that if I'm traveling in a lot of traffic I get 1/2 to 3/4 mile advance warning because of radar leakage and bounce. If I'm traveling alone, then the warning and the hit are the same time just like laser.

Fortunately there is mostly Ka band out here in Michigan so I get plenty of warning and can slow down as long as I keep in under 90. Yeah -- sometimes I push the go-fast button. There is one area where the troopers have laser and I've been pinged a few times with no warning. So I go slower in this area.

Not what you asked, but my 2 cents.

 

Okay, I don't usually like getting into it with people that don't know what they're talking about. But I'll make an exception for this one. Radar's for police officers whether they're mounted in a squad or a hand held unit don't send a signal out until they're activated. SO like I was trying to say if you're the only sap on the road your detector does you NO good because by the time you got your signal I've got my speed reading...Silly Speeders. Plus not sure how it is in other states, but here the officer technically has to visually verify that they believe your speeding before they can even activate the radar. Now I won't lie and say that I've sat under a bridge with my radar on just for the silly saps that have the radar detector. Our job isn't to issue tickets its to prevent crimes from happening. So if all I have to do is sit somewhere with my radar on and that slows down traffic then so be it. I get paid the same!

P.S. We do have digital radios now!

 

For you being a so called LEO...the visual speed verification is harder to do at 1000ft+. When you use Radar you still have to determine which car is the faster. With lidar you since you have to be stopped, its impossible to be completely still while cars are moving past your location unless you on a side road collecting...not that you all would do something like that.

I have a V1 radar/laser/detector-locator and I can sniff your radar long before I come into your radar lock on range and I know where your at. With my laser jammer I have jammed over 50 laser traps ranging from alittle bit over the PSL to 90+mph when I was hit with laser....Its fun watching you cluess cops shaking your lidar guns because you couldnt get a reading. Btw, I turn it off 90% of the time when I can so you can get a reading after I have slowed down.

Please dont give me crap about Error codes because you and I know there are alot of reasons why your dear lidar guns wont give you a reading...mostly operator error so you dont ever think twice about that you just got jammed.

Btw..yes Instant On radar is quite deadly but my V1 will alert me to your IO miles away if your shooting at cars driving infront of me plus Im always looking for signs of a speed traps...Slower traffic then normal, brake lights tapping, flashing lights from oncoming cars and my V1 picking up your radar long before you see me. Then there is Constent on radar (when you leave it on) I have picked up radar nearly 10 miles away on the highway.

 

you relly look for trouble, than get this so u wouldn`t be bored.also i s my future project that i work on. u can put the display anywhere u want in your car , integrated in dash , mirror , anywhere!

also veil the headlights ,black out chrome , and add some laser jammer and u get this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8teUjLXtlyM
i jamm the laser gun.

 

It's nice to know someone out there thinks I'm an idiot. I get this a lot. I mean, it's not like I went to school for years studying things like Engineering and the Doppler Effect or anything. I mean, I might... maybe... know a little bit about what I'm talking about.

But, of course, as my experience teaches me... cops know EVERYTHING and they're ALWAYS RIGHT. Something about that uniform imbues them with some kind of Godly power and knowledge, and the ego to boot!

So, lessons learned here: 1) Don't speed. b) Radar detectors do exactly what they're supposed to do, and they do it well... .and 3) Cops are egomaniac jerks on power trips, and they should learn to relax a bit and focus more on spending tax payer's dollars on dealing with that guy selling drugs, beating his wife, or beating his kids. Go spend my money in ways that don't end up making me give up more of it just to fill your quota, and there won't be a need for radar detectors anymore.

Sheesh! Let a guy get from A to B unharassed, huh?

lol... Silly Cops.

Oh, and in case you're still thinking I'm an ignorant jerk... yeah, I was military. I know all about cops and law enforcement. But, I decided to get smart.

 

PS I love you! I love you so much! This was so much fun to read!!

PM me a link to that unit you use, I'd love to read the specs on it!