Uniden R7 Radar Detector Review

After Uniden released the Uniden R3, an excellent new detector that took the crown as being the best performing radar detector and blew away everything else on the market, they followed it up by giving the R3 arrows, adding a few more useful features, and the Uniden R7 was born. It’s time for a full Uniden R7 review.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Uniden R7.

Uniden R7 detecting 35.5

Uniden R7 Review Overview

Contents

The Uniden R7 is a feature-packed high end radar detector. Its performance is unmatched which makes it an excellent choice for drivers who demand the highest level of protection against speeding tickets.

Uniden R7 Features & Highlights

  • Best performing windshield mount radar detector on the market
  • Directional arrows
  • Good false alert filtering including Honda / Acura BSM filtering
  • Multicolor OLED display
  • Manual GPS lockouts
  • Low speed muting
  • Redlight camera / speed camera alerts
  • Nearly stealth to radar detector detectors
  • MRCD / MRCT support
  • Customizable alert tones
  • Retail price of $599

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Uniden R7 with accessories

Design

Now to create the R7, Uniden built upon the R3, enlarged the display, added a secondary rear antenna so that it could support arrows, and took some design cues from the Valentine One with the display angled slightly towards the driver.

Uniden R7 stock photo

The menu, volume, and power buttons are now on top of the detector. The mute button has been moved from the front to the left side of the detector. I prefer the mute button easily accessible on the front, but eventually you do get used to grabbing the detector and hitting the mute button with your thumb.

The larger multicolor OLED display allows for more useful information to be displayed on screen at once, including the ability to display up to 4 signals simultaneously. This improves your overall situational awareness.

The left side of the detector features a headphone jack if you’re using it on a motorcycle and need to plug it in to your helmet. The right side has a USB port for firmware updates as well as the power cable port.

Under the hood it’s literally two R3’s pointed forwards and backwards so range in both directions is outstanding.

Performance

Long range performance is one of the R7’s primary claims to fame. The R3 used to be the best performing radar detector on the market. To create the R7, Uniden built upon the same platform, made some slight improvements to the plastic condenser lens in front of the radar detector’s horn which slightly improved its sensitivity, and now the R7 has taken the crown for being the best performing windshield mount radar detector on the market.

See my radar detector testing here to see how the Uniden R7 stacks up against the competition.

This pattern has been seen again and again with the R7 outperforming everything else on the market in other RD enthusiasts’ tests too.

This is useful out in the open desert where your only chance of picking up an officer shooting a quick burst of radar may be when he clocks a car several miles up the road ahead of you.

The extreme sensitivity also useful in more challenging terrain like when you see hills, curves, and trees. In this situation, maximum range may be only half or a quarter of a mile. A lesser detector will give you even shorter warning. This can mean the difference between a ticket or not.

It’s for this reason that if you’re looking for the highest level of performance possible, you should get an R7.

Detecting radar at a distance is the main thing you need a radar detector to do. However, there are also many other important aspects to a radar detector as well so let’s look at those next.

BSM Filtering

The false alert filtering is probably one of people’s biggest complaints about the R7, especially out of the box. Luckily there are several tools you have at your disposal to help cut down on false alerts and quiet the detector down.

The built-in K filter is effective at filtering out blind spot falses. It won’t be able to get them all, but this is true of every detector.

The new K Block feature allows you to filter out false alerts from Hondas and Acuras which are everywhere.

Uniden R7 K Block Filter

We’re also finding that dialing back the K band sensitivity can help cut down on false alerts too. Normally you don’t want to do this too much, especially if K band is actively used in your area, but because the detector is so sensitive, you can run the R7 at just 30% K band sensitivity using Advanced Mode, for example, and it will still give you longer range than a V1 or Max360… For even more aggressive filtering, especially in areas where K band isn’t used super actively, you can run the detector in City mode which drops it down to just 10% of max sensitivity. Performance drops even more to just below V1 / Max360 levels, but it’s still sufficient in easier situations to help provide you with a save.

Another quick thing to mention is a number of people have reported more false alerts with the rear antenna. I haven’t seen this myself so I haven’t been able to verify it, but quite a few people seem to be reporting false alerts happening from the rear that don’t happen from the front so I feel that it’s worth sharing. Perhaps Uniden could offer more aggressive filtering for the rear antenna or at least offer us individual control of filtering and sensitivity for the front and rear antennas since generally the biggest threats are up ahead.

The R7 is a sensitive detector which will result in more signals being detected. This is the trade-off for going for a sensitive detector. It’s for this reason that using its included filters are very important.

For more information, see my Uniden R7 setup guide.

GPS Lockouts

Another important feature for the R7 are the GPS lockouts. This feature helps you keep the detector quiet along your typical commute. When you come across a stationary false alert from a shopping center or a speed sign, double tap the mute button and it will learn this signal and mute it for you in the future. (Learn how to use manual GPS lockouts here.)

Uniden calls the feature “Mute Memory.” When a signal is locked out, the detector will stay quiet, but it will visually alert to the signal so you can still know that there’s something around you. The R7 will gray out the display to keep things more chill and it will display “Mute Mem” on screen.

Uniden R7 locked out signal

Uniden R7, K band signal ahead locked out

One big improvement over the R3 is that Uniden gave the R7 a lot more memory to store lockouts. Instead of only 500 like the R3 (up from 200 initially), the R7 can store up to 1,750 lockouts. This way you don’t have to worry about running out of lockouts after using the feature for a while.

Automatic GPS lockouts are also in the works. No expected release date has been given yet, but once Uniden is able to do so and is ready, the detector will be able to automatically learn false alerts and begin locking them out for you, without you having to teach the detector for every single signal. This will be a big benefit, making the detector even easier and more automated to use.

Low Speed Muting

Uniden R7 mounted on the windshield

Low speed muting helps keep the detector quiet around town in traffic and at red lights. No one likes their detector screaming at them unnecessarily. With the R7, you can have it stay quiet when you’re driving slowly and then wake up once you start to speed up.

Low speed muting is also great for new parts of town where you haven’t yet created your GPS lockouts. It’s a simple yet fundamental feature and I wouldn’t recommend using a detector around town without it.

Uniden calls this feature “Quiet Ride.” When the R7 is muting a signal, the alert will flash on screen and you’ll see green text in the upper right corner saying “Q-Ride.”

Redlight Camera / Speed Camera Alerts

Another GPS-based feature is the ability to alert you to redlight cameras and speed cameras around town. As you approach one, the detector will notify you of the threat ahead while also letting you know how far ahead the RLC is. If it’s a speed camera ahead, it will also tell you what the speed limit is and if you are traveling above the limit as you approach.

Uniden R7 RLC Alert

There’s two other important things to mention here.

The first is RLC Quiet Ride. Sometimes you’ll be driving down the highway and get an alert for an RLC on a surface street near you. You can set the R7 to mute all RLC’s when you’re traveling above a pre-set speed, effectively muting RLC alerts nearby while you’re traveling on the highway.

You can also individually delete RLC’s or speedcams from the detector as well. I find this useful for this one annoying RLC that I get alerted to every time I go down a certain section of I-5 in Seattle, this way it stays quiet even if I’m in traffic on the highway at low speeds.

Uniden periodically releases database updates on their website. When an update is available, you download it to your computer, plug your R7 into your computer, and use Uniden’s software to update your detector.

MRCD Support

The Uniden R7 is also one of the few radar detectors capable of detecting the MultaRadar CD and CT. It’s a low powered radar gun actively in use in Edmonton, Canada and is now starting to slowly show up elsewhere around the United States and Canada.

If the MultaRadar is in use in your area (here’s where the MultaRadar is in use), turn the feature on and the R7 will let you know with there is a threat up ahead. It will give you a customizable unique alert tone, different than a traditional K band alert, letting you know you need to pay attention and take action. (Due to the MRCD’s reduced power level, advanced warning is usually a around couple hundred meters at most.)

Most people don’t need MultaRadar detection though and so in that case, it’s best to leave the feature disabled. Otherwise you will see some false alerts to MRCD. Even if you don’t have it in your area, it’s great to have the option available so that in case it does show up one day, you can simply turn the feature on and remain protected.

One other quick thing to point out is the R7 is a little better at MRCD detection than the R1 / R3. This is because it can scan a wider range of frequencies which lets it catch any MRCD’s transmitting at lower than usual frequency ranges. The R7’s K band scanning range is 23.900-24.250 while the R1 / R3 scans 24.050 – 24.250. This generally isn’t a big issue for traditional radar, but it can be important for MultaRadar so the R7 will alert to more MRCD sources.

Laser Detection

Police officer shooting Stalker Lidar LRNext up, let’s talk about laser detection. Quite frankly, the R7’s laser sensitivity isn’t very good. It’s definitely below average here. It can alert to laser, but due to its poor sensitivity, it’s less likely to alert you to police laser guns when you get shot compared to other radar detectors.

That said, IMO that’s not a huge deal in practice. Radar detectors are the wrong tool to protect you against laser in the first place. Generally speaking, when it comes to laser, radar detectors are essentially speeding ticket notifiers. There are a few rare exceptions to this rule of thumb, but even detectors which are more sensitive don’t truly provide adequate protection against laser. So yes the R7’s laser sensitivity is relatively poor, but even if it was better, it wouldn’t actually be all that helpful anyway.

If police are using laser in your area, I’d recommend that you run both Waze and a set of laser jammers alongside your R7. This is how you actually protect yourself.

Here are my top picks for laser jammers.

RDD Immunity

In areas where radar detectors are illegal, police officers sometimes use radar detector detectors to catch drivers using radar detectors.

To combat this, some radar detectors have special stealth technology built in to make them undetectable by radar detector detectors.

In my testing with four different R7’s and two different models of the Spectre RDD, I found that results may vary. Some R7’s can be picked up from hundreds of feet away while others were effectively stealth and wouldn’t cause a RDD to alert at all. I also found that the older Spectre 3 did a better job at picking up the R7 than the newer Spectre Elite.

I’m not really sure why there are such variances between copies of detectors, but while the R7 is the stealthiest windshield mount radar detector with arrows, it is not completely stealth and undetectable in all situations.

Firmware Updates

Uniden periodically releases firmware updates for the detector to add new features based on customer feedback as well as to fix bugs that are discovered.

Since the R7 is Uniden’s new flagship detector, it is getting most of the attention right now as opposed to detectors that have been out longer and have already had a series of updates. This also means that any helpful brand new features (such as the K Block feature for Honda / Acura BSM’s) get added to the R7 first before eventually trickling down to Uniden’s lower tier detectors.

Now one downside to Uniden’s detectors is that while there’s update software available for both Windows and Mac, a surprising amount of people have issues getting the updates to work smoothly. Sometimes it’s tough to locate where the updates are on Uniden’s website, sometimes people forget to install the drivers first, and sometimes other issues arise.

While Uniden has historically been pretty good about releasing updates, the update process itself can sometimes cause headaches for people. If you have issues updating your detector, please watch my Uniden R7 firmware update tutorial.

R7 Compared to R3

Lots of people want to know how the R7 compares to the R3. What are all the differences? Is it “just an R3 with arrows?” Is it worth the extra $200?

Well, if you’re curious, I’ve done an entire video on the differences between the R3 and the R7.

Here’s a quick overview of the differences / improvements of the R7.

  • Slightly longer range than the R3 thanks to an improved condenser lens
  • Arrows
  • Physically larger
  • Larger display
  • Ambient light sensor for auto-dimming display instead of relying on the time via GPS
  • Support for up to 1,750 lockouts instead of 500
  • Support for automatic GPS lockouts once the feature is ready for release
  • K Block feature for fewer BSM falses
  • Mute button moved from front to left side of detector
  • Power port now on right side of the detector for a cleaner looking hardwire installation
  • Wider K band scanning range
  • Narrower Ka band range and only 9 segments instead of 10 (stops at 35.700 instead of 36.000 which doesn’t really actually matter)
  • Strength meter changed from 5 strength levels to 8 levels for more progressive ramp-ups
  • $200 more expensive
Uniden R3 and Uniden R7

Uniden R3 (left) and Uniden R7 (right)

Realistically the biggest difference with the R7 is that it adds arrows and it’s $200 more than the R3.

The additional lockouts and ability to eventually do automatic GPS lockouts are pretty big too.

The R7 does have slightly better range, the buttons are in a different spot, and the display is larger, but those aren’t necessarily huge differences.

The K Block feature I’m guessing will also make its way over to the R1 and R3 in a future firmware update.

The lower K band scanning range is a helpful hardware change that is helpful for those who encounter the MRCD.

So if you’d like arrows and eventually automatic GPS lockouts, get the Uniden R7.

If you don’t and you’d rather spend less money, get the Uniden R3.

R7 Compared to Valentine One

Valentine OneWhat about the Valentine One? This is the detector that started it all for arrows.

Well, the R7 has much better range, it has a color OLED display with frequency information, plus it’s got GPS built in for lockouts, low speed muting, and RLC / speedcam alerts.

The V1 may not be able to do all that, but if you get the optional Bluetooth module and pair it with your phone, you can do most of that and more. Using apps like V1Driver for iOS or YaV1 or JBV1 for Android, you can get your frequency information and a bigger display. You can add low speed muting. You can also get automatic GPS lockouts, plus the lockouts are more sophisticated than anything built in to any radar detector. It’s also $150 less than the R7 ($599 vs. $449 with the BT module, assuming you can get a V1… they’ve been sold out online for months while awaiting parts).

The V1 has a lot of die hard fans, especially due to the third party apps. The R7 offers much better performance, plus having GPS built right into the detector allows you to get the key features you need without having to run any additional apps on your phone.

R7 Compared to Escort Max 360c

One of the most common questions people ask is how the Uniden R7 compares to the Escort Max 360c. This is Escort’s flagship radar detector, it also has arrows, and it’s priced in the same ballpark at $649.

I’ve done a YouTube livestream spending a good hour going over alllll the differences if you’d like to go into tons of detail.

I’m guessing most of you don’t though. 🙂 So here’s a quick overview of the advantages of each detector.

Uniden R7 Advantages:

  • Longer range
  • Can filter out Honda / Acura BSM’s
  • MRCD / MRCT detection support
  • Costs $50 less

Escort Max 360c Advantages:

  • Automatic GPS lockouts
  • Bluetooth to pair with your phone
  • Can change settings more easily using your phone
  • Can share realtime alerts to / from the cloud with other drivers
  • Speed limit can be displayed on screen while driving
  • Easier to update using your computer
  • Can automatically update itself over WiFi, no computer required
  • Magnetic mount is more solid and slightly quicker to use
  • Sturdier build quality
  • Mute button on top instead of on the side

Realistically both are great high end radar detectors.

Uniden R7 thumbThe Uniden R7 has better range and can also detect the MultaRadar so it offers better protection than the Escort. If you’re a serious driver, the R7 is probably a better choice for you.

Purchase the Uniden R7 here.

Escort Max 360c radar detector thumbnailOn the other hand, if you’re a more casual driver looking for a pretty automated detector, go for the Escort Max 360c. Range is still sufficient for most situations, but now you also get automatic GPS lockouts. The Max 360c can connect to the cloud for additional protection as it shares alerts with other drivers. The firmware update process is also easier and more trouble-free. It’s for these reasons that it makes for a good everyday detector for people.

Purchase the Escort Max 360c here.

Should You Get the Uniden R7?

So is the Uniden R7 right for you?

If you’re looking for the ultimate in protection for both city and highway driving, you want a variety of false alert filtering features, and you want the detector to point directly towards any police officers ahead of you or back behind, the Uniden R7 is a fantastic choice.

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This website contains affiliate links and I sometimes make commissions on purchases. All opinions are my own. I don’t do paid or sponsored reviews.

Click here to read my affiliate disclosure.

Summary
Review Date
Reviewed Item
Uniden R7
Author Rating
51star1star1star1star1star
Product Name
Uniden R7
Price
USD 499
Product Availability
Available in Stock

Permanent link to this article: https://www.vortexradar.com/2019/07/uniden-r7-radar-detector-review/

50 comments

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    • David Sammartino on July 3, 2019 at 5:43 am
    • Reply

    Can I please ask what bugs you are seeing with you are R7 like the back Antenna being stronger then the rear? The R7 not always saying front or rear when getting a signal. When will auto lockouts be able?

    Do you see a New V1 coming out since V1 has no product in stock?

    1. The rear antenna does seem to have less filtering which can make it seem like it’s more sensitive, plus there’s things like the MRCD detection not being up to par as other Uniden detectors and firmwares. Arrow accuracy could be better too.

      No one knows about autolockouts despite us all asking many times. We’re getting it has to do with the pending lawsuit with Escort suing Uniden over the use of lockouts.

      As for the V1, no one knows that either. We don’t have crystal balls and so we’re all just sitting here waiting. :p

    • Dan Smith on July 5, 2019 at 6:40 pm
    • Reply

    Thank you SO much for your fantastic reviews of these products. Your professionalism combined with humor and a personal opinion based on REAL experiences makes your reviews exceptional. I recently relied on your review of the Uniden R1 before purchasing and I could not be happier with the unit. Your setting suggestions and firmware update instructions saved me time and potential grief. The Uniden replaced my trusty Escort X50. I am enjoying all of your reviews and videos, learning new things from every one of them. I know how much work is involved in running a website, which is in addition to creating the reviews, obtaining detectors and radar guns, driving repetitive test runs along a highway, editing the video, checking facts and writing articles, talking to manufacturers (and LEOs?) and much more I probably don’t know. We are lucky to have this valuable resource.

    • Greg Spark on July 6, 2019 at 1:32 am
    • Reply

    Rear antenna K false are definitely more common, and come from BSM radar on GM cars here in New Zealand. And they occur when those cars have driven past you in the opposite direction. This makes sense because they are presumably radars directed to the rear of the vehicle.

    • Jeff Owens on July 9, 2019 at 4:04 pm
    • Reply

    Do you know if the R7 running in dark mode will still be able to use its light sensor when a radar signal is detected and the display wakes up during the day to say a bright screen but if it is at night and it gets an alert it would wake up in a dim or dimmer screen?

    1. See the dark mode brightness settings part of my R7 setup guide. https://www.vortexradar.com/2019/04/how-to-set-up-configure-uniden-r7-radar-detector/

    • Jeff Owens on July 10, 2019 at 2:09 am
    • Reply

    I think that you misunderstood my question. It looks like from your description of how the dark mode works the unit will always wake up in whatever brightness mode you have set the unit to. What I am looking for is if the unit is able to utilize the light sensor so if it wakes up for an alert during the day it can be in the bright mode and if it alerts during the night it can wake up in the dimmer mode…

    1. I see. I don’t think it has that ability.

    • Jeff Owens on July 10, 2019 at 6:18 am
    • Reply

    That is too bad as you lose the ability to utilize the light sensor. Perhaps you might suggest that as a future feature upgrade to Uniden. They could call it “auto dark” and it would have much better functionality than just the dark mode.

    • Neil Schenkel on July 13, 2019 at 6:02 pm
    • Reply

    The incident build quality looks sub par I mean if you had a premium vehicle bmw audi etc would the uniden 7 look flimsy

    • Frank Cordaro on September 15, 2019 at 7:44 am
    • Reply

    Just put my R 7 in 2019 Jeep Cherokee and all it does none stop is alert me every 10 seconds K Band 24.168 I’ve turned K down to 30% in advanced mode and turned K filter on, no improvement. I hear Chrysler used 24.168 for all blind spot and rear back up systems. I called Uniden and customer service said nothing they can do if I’m unhappy with detector to return it. VALENTINE ONE NEVER EVER GAVE ME ANYTHING BUT GREAT SUPPORT OVER 20 YEARS. I only switched because of the excellent reviews. Anyone have any suggestions?

    [email protected]

    1. Yeah new Jeep Cherokees have K band blind spot radar that causes most every radar detector to false alert. You might be out of luck unless you go for something like a Net Radar DSP which just added an in-car BSM filter. Does your V1 not false to your Cherokee when K band is enabled?

        • Frank Cordaro on September 15, 2019 at 7:59 am
        • Reply

        V1 no issue at all. I only switched because of the excellent reviews given by your testing. BUT WHAT ANGERS ME IS THAT UNIDEN’S ATTITUDE. IF YOUR ARE UNHAPPY RETURN IT. JEEP IS BY FAR THE NUMBER ONESELLING BRAND AND EVERY ONE WHO BUYS AND R 7 WILL HAVE THIS ISSUE. GOOD LUCK ONCE THIS ISSUE SPREADS UNIDEN.
        THAN EXPLAIN WHY MY WIFE’S 2019 EEP CHEROKEE WITH UNIDEN’S R 1 HAS NO ISSUE??
        MY 2018 JEEP GRAN CHEROKEE I JUST TRADED IN HAD NO ISSUE WITH MY R 7, STRANGE?

        1. Different trims of vehicles have different options and between years (even within the same year) manufacturers sometimes switch suppliers and parts. Some Jeeps will cause issues while others won’t. It’s also the same with Hondas, Acuras, GM’s, Mazdas, and everything else. That’s one of the things that makes it hard when trying to give a simplistic answer to “Which cars cause false alerts?” or “Which RD’s work with car XYZ?”

    • Frank Cordaro on September 15, 2019 at 7:58 am
    • Reply

    V1 no issue at all. I only switched because of the excellent reviews given by your testing. BUT WHAT ANGERS ME IS THAT UNIDEN’S ATTITUDE. IF YOUR ARE UNHAPPY RETURN IT. JEEP IS BY FAR THE NUMBER ONESELLING BRAND AND EVERY ONE WHO BUYS AND R 7 WILL HAVE THIS ISSUE. GOOD LUCK ONCE THIS ISSUE SPREADS UNIDEN.

    THAN EXPLAIN WHY MY WIFE’S 2019 EEP CHEROKEE WITH UNIDEN’S R 1 HAS NO ISSUE??
    MY 2018 JEEP GRAN CHEROKEE I JUST TRADED IN HAD NO ISSUE WITH MY R 7, STRANGE?

    • Mason on October 27, 2019 at 4:59 pm
    • Reply

    Which mount do you prefer and why?

    1. For the factory mounts, I prefer the smaller dual suction cup mount. It’s more compact and fits in above my RVM better. It does lead to more vibration and it doesn’t hold as well as the larger and bulkier, but more solid single suction cup mount. For the best of both worlds, I run it on the Blendmount instead which is both compact and solid.

    • Frank Cordaro on October 28, 2019 at 9:04 am
    • Reply

    My R 7 does nothing but false alarm in highway mode in my 2019 Jeep Cherokee in K band at 124.160 yet my wife’s R1 does not and it should be almost the same hardware. It only become tolerable in city mode even in advanced mode at 30% it still drives me crazy.

    Any suggestions

    1. It’s falsing to the BSM’s being emitted out the rear of your own vehicle. The R1 doesn’t have a rear antenna so it won’t pick it up. The solution is to either run a different detector or drive a different vehicle.

    • Frank Cordaro on October 28, 2019 at 10:28 am
    • Reply

    So anyone who buys a new Jeep vehicle can no longer buy the R 7??? Than I would think Uniden should work on a fix.

    I also complain about their response to my similar e-mails to tech support they have chosen not to answer any of the 3 I sent them. Valentine One my detector for 15 years answered immediately. WHAT DO THEY NO WANT TO TALK ABOUT.

    • T. Joel Ream on October 28, 2019 at 5:10 pm
    • Reply

    I am very disappointed in my R7. It is not detecting any stationary cameras in Edmonton or Spruce Grove and it is not detecting photo trucks in Edmonton or Whitecourt. The “speed camera ahead” warnings for overpasses on the Henday is also very annoying. There are barely ever trucks there and every single one has been false so far.

    1. Those are likely MRCD trucks. The current firmware is not very good at detecting them, but the next firmware update (currently being beta tested) should improve detection range for you.

    • Frank Cordaro on October 31, 2019 at 10:41 am
    • Reply

    Vortex:

    HERE IS THE LATEST FROM VALENTINE ONE RADAR CUSTOMER SERVICE

    Janet Zack via valentineresearchinc.onmicrosoft.com
    Wed, Oct 30, 4:04 PM (22 hours ago)
    to me

    We continue to wait for parts to arrive from vendors so that we may resume production of units. We know that some parts shipped from China at the end of August. When we are able to produce the unit, we will send an e-mail to those that signed up to receive an e-mail. You may sign up to receive an e-mail on our home page by entering your information at the bottom of the page. Also, the information will appear on our web site.

    Customer Service

    —–Original Message—–
    From: Insite Metrics – Website Contact
    Sent: Wednesday, October 30, 2019 11:49 AM
    To: Sales
    Subject: InSite Metrics Action: Contact Us

    ACTION: Contact Us
    PAGE: http://www.valentine1.com/support/contact.asp
    NAME: Frank Cordaro
    COMMENTS: WHEN ARE YOU EVER GOING TO BE BACK IN STOCK????????

    ADDITIONAL INFO:

    Source: Search Engine: Google

    Path:
    http://www.valentine1.com/
    http://www.valentine1.com/support/contact.asp

    • Mike Blatt on December 30, 2019 at 4:54 pm
    • Reply

    Today, 12-30-19 I called Uniden to ask about their updates compatibility with Macs. The answer was older updates were compatible but the latest are not. The reason given was it is difficult to do. My reason for asking is I am making up my mind as to purchasing their product.
    I also called Escort ( Redline EX) whose tech rep was aloof though they are compatible.
    On calling Radenso on their Pro M they were polite and took their time answering this question. Though not compatible now they are working on it and explained other options I have to getting updates till they have compatibility, the support provided helped me make up my mind.
    Vortex, great support makes the difference!

    1. It really does! Thanks for sharing your experience with support and letting me know how they treat you. 🙂 Have a great New Year!

    • Jason on January 3, 2020 at 6:07 pm
    • Reply

    to the guy whining about his jeep. Turn off blind spot monitoring when you plan on speeding. end of story. or trade that garbo in for something else.

    btw mr. Vortex, really appreciate your reviews on RD’s. been watching for couple years and currently running an sti magnum here in canada where sadly i need to for its stealth capabilities. Is the R7 stealthy enough to run in an area where they are illegal? or should i try the r3 next? My Sti has never had me worried , and im unsure about making a switch. The Sti magnum has never gotten me into trouble for 4 years solid since 2015. I run in tech mode, memorized all police radars they currently use and just put up with the falses, but my passengers whine about it.

    Thanks a lot and happy new year!

    • LB on June 25, 2020 at 4:46 am
    • Reply

    After leaving the R7 on for long periods of time, I’ve found that it tends to just not pick up or not alert for radar signals. This has happened primarily on drives longer than 1 hour. I have driven past speed signs in a construction zone (K-band) with no indications. Once I realized what was going on, I turned it off and on really quickly and it worked normally. Not sure if this is due to overheating, or needing to recalibrate or something. The same thing happened with a state trooper Ka-band signal. Thankfully I wasn’t going fast enough to warrant a ticket, but got off with a warning. There were no indications at all and I had been on the road for over an hour at that point.
    Is this something Uniden is aware of or should I seek a warranty claim? It is going to be very difficult for me to prove what is going on. Suggestions?

    • Theodore DiBiase on July 17, 2020 at 8:58 am
    • Reply

    I really like the r7, but the quality is so poor compared to my old v1. The mount no longer locks into place and it falls down constantly. Haven’t been able to find a fix for it yet.

    • Jim Seifts on September 1, 2020 at 7:43 am
    • Reply

    I currently have the R3. I was thinking of upgrading to R7. My question is can I use the same blendmount and hardwire setup I have with R3 with the R7

    1. Hardwire yes, Blendmount no. Here’s a vid on the Blendmount part.

    • James Bowzer on October 12, 2020 at 6:28 pm
    • Reply

    I’ve had an R7 for about 4 months. I can’t get it to lockout signals. Only occasionally does the double tap on the mute button work. Mine just turn mute “on” then “off”. Help would be appreciated.

    • Monus Brewer on October 24, 2020 at 8:28 am
    • Reply

    Auto lockouts have not been enable yet, due to a law suite with Escort owning the patient to it. From what I understand it has been settled now and lockouts are coming. @Vortex posted a update about it when he released the software update video. So the only way to do lockouts is manually engage them.

    His understanding is the next update should have auto lockouts, they still had bugs they were working on/out. This new version is EXTREMELY quite so I am looking forward to auto lockouts update. ? Hope you like it now better things to come, stay safe.

    Monus

    • Yuni Valdes on November 26, 2020 at 7:10 pm
    • Reply

    I’m planning to buy a Radar/Laser, but after reading so many comments. not sure anymore. Can someone please help? The Uniden R7 is it really good compared to other competitors? please let me know. Thank you

  1. Oh it’s still great to this day. Here’s an updated comparison: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMh1IHkR-tY

    • Monus Brewer on November 27, 2020 at 8:21 am
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    I absolutely love mine. Still extremely happy with it, not looking to upgrade to anything else anytime soon. Only downsize if you call it that is the updates are a sorta but only takes a couple minutes if you have a laptop… Or take it inside whichever is easier but no big deal either way.

    You will be pleased with it.

    Monus

    • gman box on February 10, 2021 at 7:08 am
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    Uniden radar detector customer support does NOT support macOS for us to get software updates onto our R7s (or other uniden detectors). Spoke to them twice, both times unable to help as they are only provided tools to diagnose Windows, nothing else. Customer support for macOS nonexistent…one actually pointed me directly to Vortex Radar’s videos for help!!

  2. Mac is only 9% of all person computer (PC) yes macs are pc’s too! so if you have a mac dual boot with Windows or find someone with a newer Windows PC.

    The latest Windows updater application program is 1.28 and the latest firmware update is 1.35. Updating takes about 5 minutes and unlike rumors, updating is easy if you can follow 4-5 simple steps.

    Firmware 1.35 fixed the audio problem 1.33 created (it killed the audio) but now all the bells and whistles are back full blast.

    Testing out the auto-mute feature but having the sound back alone is worth the update.

    I like the design, esp large oled color screen with lots of info angled towards the driver, the free updates, and the exceptional value with the R7. Yes it feels lighter than it looks, but it’s fallen off due to suction failure and no damage to the unit or my car due to the lighter plastic.

    • Adam on June 27, 2021 at 11:27 am
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    I have a couple questions for Vortex…. great website BTW… used your affiliate link to buy my R7…..

    I am using all of your recommended settings, however if I have Quiet Ride enabled at 35mph and I have a school zone at 15 MPH….. the cops are shooting there all the time… is there a way to create an exception for this area.. what is the best way to handle?

    Lastly, do you run in advanced mode ALL the time or do you flip to highway if you are more rural and on the highway?

    Thanks in advance!

    Adam

    1. Great questions!

      Yeah unfortunately there’s no way to make exceptions like that. You can visually keep an eye on your detector while driving through school zones. The detector will blink when picking up a muted signal and hopefully the blinking display gets your attention.

      As for advanced mode, yeah I like to run it all the time. It can be helpful to deal with some BSM falses even on the highway. Highway mode is good if, say, you’re driving in the mountains and want maximum performance, you’ve got legit K band in the area, and ideally you don’t have a ton of BSM cars around you.

    • Greg Spark on June 27, 2021 at 2:24 pm
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    I run an R7 all the time, but don’t expect to need it for school zones…

    • Rick on August 2, 2021 at 10:16 am
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    My 2019 R7 is Black and my 2021 R7 is Gray. Does anyone know what was changed? They both took the firmware update fine. The gray one also has a red screen on the top left.

    • Jason on August 6, 2021 at 4:00 pm
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    Friendly reminder to rewrite the article since we now have auto lockouts. I’ll do a separate post so you can delete this one once you rewrite while saving my next one 🙂
    You’re awesome btw. I thought I was the only one who was obsessed with RDs growing up, but boy you take it to a whole new level and with great realistic down to earth good engineering taste!

    • Jason on August 6, 2021 at 4:17 pm
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    Wouldn’t putting a dash cam into the R7 be a nice add on? Many of us RD fans would never think of using a dash cam alone but if it’s already built into the RD we’re using anyway there would be no reason not to want a dash cam option–one that would have dash as well as selfie style front facing cam like a Go Pro. If you could please extend my idea to Uniden to come out with an R8 (or possibly R9 if Audi would sue) that would include dash cam. I’d be all over such a product. Until then I’ll continue using my R3 and Escort Max even though I miss the auto lockouts of my Escort Max but I like the BSM filtering of the R3, so both are weak competitors compared to a unit that can do auto lockout + BSM.

    And in this said R9 model please request they include a rear view mirror mount so we don’t have to start doing extra purchases. You pay $400+ companies like Escort will nickel dime you to death, even for a suction mounting cup that they didn’t bother to engineer well enough to not break on its own. I still remember the original Canadian Bel company and how great their customer service was–they replaced and upgraded my remote detectors two generations, the 2nd time even after it was slightly out of warranty and I never even asked them to!

    • Brian McGuire on October 19, 2021 at 11:08 am
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    is there an app that will work hand and hand with the uniden R7?

    • TJ Bros on September 9, 2022 at 2:11 pm
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    VORTEX: If you only one choice, Uniden R7 or the Escort Max 3, which would you choose and why.
    I love the range and features of the R7 however concerned about the quality, durability of the unit as well as noisiness if false alerts. I like the max 3’s ESCORT PASSPORT reputation, features and range.
    I’ve been using and have tried many detectors since I was a youngster in Virginia Beach. I’ve always had and used Escort passport when they were Cincinnati microwave, tried the cobra and uniden, beltronics back in the day.
    I like these two radar detectors however at the cost I really want to MAKE A GOOD SOLID DECISION.

    Thanks again,
    Respectfully, TJ

    1. R7 no question. Arrows and better performance.

    • TJ Bros on September 9, 2022 at 3:13 pm
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    Thank you very much! I appreciate all your research, videos etc! Very educational and informative. Respectfully, TJ

    • Buzz L. on September 20, 2022 at 12:09 pm
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    Just received my R7 and discovered the power adapter retention tabs (-) are mounted too far from the nose (+), so for my particular vehicle there is no ‘supplied’ way to power the detector! [Escort 360c adapter works just fine.]
    If the Uniden engineers are that inept at specifying a power adapter that works in all vehicle types, just how good can the device itself be? Customer support did apologize and offered to sell me a hardwire kit at full price. Not off to a great start.

    • Ted Jacobs on September 27, 2023 at 11:57 am
    • Reply

    Can the Uniden R7 Firmware update be done on a MAC?.
    Appreciate any guidance.

    1. Of course.

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