#Cobra irad 230 review

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Cobra irad 230 review

Cobra irad 230 review drivers#

Cobra irad 230 review driver#

Cobra irad 230 review manual#

Cobra irad 230 review android#

Cobra irad 230 review Bluetooth#

The greatest weakness with the iRadar comes, perhaps, from without.

Cobra irad 230 review android#

Tapping that notification, however, takes the user to the App Info screen of the Android settings, rather than returning to the app itself, which is confusing and then frustrating when you're just trying to stop the app running at the end of a trip. The service is able to run in the background while you use your phone to, for example, run your favorite navigation software, but displays a persistent notification while doing so.

Cobra irad 230 review driver#

On the bright side, where the previous generation of iRadar required the driver to flip a switch to change between iPhone- and Android-compatible modes, the iRadar Atom handles the switch automatically, which should make life easier for cross-platform households.Īnother minor annoyance pertains to the Android version of the iRadar app. The Atom is competent on its own, but becomes powerful with the aid of the app.

Cobra irad 230 review Bluetooth#

Most phones won't have a problem maintaining pairings with two devices, but those who also use fitness trackers, smartwatches, and other Bluetooth accessories may run into issues getting the Atom to communicate with their phone. The iRadar pairs with your phone via Bluetooth and your phone probably also connects to your car's hands-free calling system via Bluetooth as well. It will function without your phone, but without the app telling it what to do, there is decidedly less finesse to how it handles false alarms. There's no display aside from the red/blue LED. Aside from volume and mute, the Atom has no physical controls. The iRadar Atom's reliance on the smartphone app is both its biggest strength and a potential weakness. The app can overlay audio controls onto its map interface to allow quick play, pause, and skip, give rudimentary point to point directions, and give a bird's eye view of the traffic on the road. When the app disconnects from the hardware, it marks the GPS location of your parking spot to help you get back to your vehicle later. Over the course of a week, the app and the device had learned the false alarms around my area and drastically reduced the number of false alerts reported while I was running errands or driving about.Īdditionally, the iRadar app has a few functions that increase its helpfulness when on the road and when not.

Cobra irad 230 review manual#

Users who want to take a more active approach can also quickly make manual reports, marking the locations of hazards, cameras, and police with as few as two quick taps. The benefits of the iRadar app and the AURA database happen automatically, the user doesn't need to touch or look at the phone, merely pair it and let the app run while you drive. These alerts sound via the iRadar's speaker as you approach their GPS location just like locally detected alerts - for example, "red light camera ahead" or "hazardous area ahead" - keeping the driver informed without taking their eyes off of the road.

Cobra irad 230 review drivers#

Much like how peer-reported traffic info in an app like Waze gives drivers information about jams that are miles up the road, the network of Cobra AURA reports gives drivers information about speed traps well outside of the limits of the detector's range. When a driver gets a radar alert, he or she is also able to confirm Live Police presence by tapping a large button in the app, which uploads the location of the alert to the AURA database to be shared automatically to other Cobra users. Better suction is quite important for the sort of, ahem, spirited drivers who would need the abilities of a radar detector.Īlso built into the app is Cobra's AURA database of peer-reported hazard warnings, speed trap alerts, camera alerts, and more. This is the same double bracket that we found packaged with the iRAD 200, but it now features better suction cups made of a more pliable clear plastic that sticks to nonporous surfaces. The iRadar doesn't include a Micro-USB or Lightning cable, so you'll need to bring your own.įlipping back around to the front of the detector, a double suction-cup mount slides into a slot on the back of the device and allows it to hang from the windshield glass. The adapter features an integrated USB port (5V, 1A) that allows you to plug in and keep your phone juiced. Speaking of power, the iRadar Atom ships with and is powered via an adapter that plugs into your vehicle's 12-volt power point. On the left side of the device is a volume toggle that doubles as a power switch, and on the right side is an input for the power supply. A small speaker can be found on the top of the radar detector behind a mesh grille and just afore of a large mute button.

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Cobra irad 230 review

#COBRA IRAD 230 REVIEW PORTABLE#

#COBRA IRAD 230 REVIEW FOR ANDROID#

#COBRA IRAD 230 REVIEW BLUETOOTH#

#COBRA IRAD 230 REVIEW FOR ANDROID#

This is an app for Android and iPhone that talks with the detector and provides crowd sharing capabilities similar to Waze, but focused specifically on police radar, speed camera, and red light camera alerts.

#COBRA IRAD 230 REVIEW BLUETOOTH#

This detector features Bluetooth connectivity and integration with Cobra’s iRadar system. The DSP 9200 BT is the first time Escort’s DSP technology has trickled down to the Cobra line.Īnother major improvement is mentioned at the end of the model name – BT. Even better, the exact frequencies used by police radar guns are known, and can be programmed into detectors to monitor like a radio scanner. Digital signal processors enable a far greater level of control in filtering, allowing that weak signal from Australia to pop out of the static, and mute that guy in Florida running a kilowatt just barely above the Australian’s frequency – something analog filters simply can’t do. These filters are similar to how analog radar detectors, such as Cobra’s earlier models, zero in on police radar instead of the automatic door opener at the mall. This is the first Cobra to use digital signal processing (DSP) rather than simple analog filters to help separate true police radar from other non-threatening sources. What’s the big deal about that? As an amateur radio operator, I’ve been using analog filters for many years to reduce the static and unwanted signals on nearby frequencies to successfully make contact with other stations all over the world. The DSP 9200 BT model name describes some of its improvements over past Cobra detectors. Not The Cobra You Remember List from the DSP 9200 BT documentation I turned off the R元60i built into in my BRZ for the duration of this test to prevent any cross contamination of electromagnetic fields between the two devices. Cobra was kind enough to loan me a DSP 9200 BT to test.

#COBRA IRAD 230 REVIEW PORTABLE#

Having reviewed the RLS2 and R元60i, the best portable and integrated detector systems that K40 Electronics has to offer, I was interested to see how the latest and greatest Cobra measured up. If anything, I’m even more impressed that Cobra made this without Escort’s help, and can only imagine what they’ll come up with now that they have it.) ( Correction: After reading this article, Cobra informed me that the DSP 9200 BT actually came out before the merger with Escort. Cobra’s top of the line detector, the DSP 9200 BT, is the first result of this union. The individual brand names were retained, but now Cobra has access to Escort’s superior technology. But not many people know that last year Cobra merged with Escort, who makes some of the most well regarded radar detectors available. I’m not sure – they were that unmemorable. I think the two radar detectors I owned years ago and then gave up on were Cobras. For $28 this seems like a fairly good deal.Cobra has long been known as one of the “also-rans” in the radar detector industry. (I assume it works the same on Android, I wouldn't know) This model is discontinued, the current model is the 230. On the iPhone it runs in the background so you can play music, etc. The application works fairly well, and it warns you of stationary installations such as redlight cams, and photo radar. It's basically a decent detector, but it produces a lot of false positives. Illegal in Alaska, California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Utah. The best thing for laser is a laser jammer which unlike radar jammers, actually works well and is mostly legal. Laser is more useful on interstates where cops pick and choose cars to measure. It's typically a tight beam, and if a cop has you on laser they he pretty much has you. Some of which are driven by people texting and putting on makeup. There are numerous places where I live that in general the traffic flow is 10 to 15 over the limit on a consistent basis, and if you don't keep up you have a steady stream of cars passing you. My definition is exceeding the general speed of the traffic or driving in an unsafe manner. I don't normally speed, but my definition of speeding isn't "driving faster than the posted limit". I reserve the right to know when I'm been measured. If you always drive the speed limit, good for you. Radar detectors are not just for speeders. Commercial use is a different subject on a number of points.ģ. Radar detectors are legal for personal use in all states excepting Virginia, Washington D.C. I've been saved a number of tickets with this very detector. OK, I see a lot of questions and some bad info up there, as well as some holier-than-thour advice.ġ.