Speed Camera Detector Buyers Guide - Radar, Laser, GPS Speed Camera Detectors

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Speed Camera Detector Buyer's Guide

Driving from A to B and want warnings of speed cameras? This guide helps you decide the best system for your needs.

Speed camera locations are on the increase - not just in Great Britain but increasingly across Europe. Alerts to these roadside sentinels are available via dash mounted products - including dedicated speed camera detectors, in-car satellite navigation systems, PDA’s and even mobile phones.

As the credit crunch continues to bite and starts to translate into a full UK recession the speed camera detector buyers guide provides you with an overview of the different speed camera warning solutions. Whether you are searching for a Christmas present or you have 9 points on your driving licence - a speed camera detector can save you points, increased insurance premiums, time and money!

There are three types of systems available for warnings of speed cameras, these include:

Radar and Laser Detectors

GPS Speed Camera Detectors

Satellite Navigation Systems

Mark from Berkshire - "Superb. Always allows you to stay safe whilst driving yet be able to relax too. The knowledge of 'Big brother' on your side watching over you for a change".

This Speed Camera Detector Buyers Guide provides an overview of all systems available - for fixed and mobile speed camera locations.

Radar and Laser Detectors - Typical price Ł80-Ł300

Radar and Laser detectors detect active 'LIVE' speed cameras. Radar and Laser detectors have been used in the UK since the 1980’s. Detecting fixed Gatso speed camera sites which use radar technology is what a radar detector does best. Although advances in speed camera technology have superseded radar detector systems, with new digital Snooper S1 - Radar and Laser Detector SPECS cameras and Truvelo induction looped speed cameras being completing undetectable via a Radar and Laser detectors.

A court ruling in 1998 ruled that Radar/Laser systems are legal to use within the UK. However, there is new pending legislation in the governments Road Safety Bill which could see these systems banned. Unlike GPS based speed camera detectors there is no subscription with Radar and Laser detectors.

GPS Speed Camera Detectors - Typical price Ł70-Ł300

GPS speed camera detectors rely on a database of speed camera locations of GPS co-ordinates, via much like a POI (Point Of Interest) database used in many sat navs. GPS speed camera detectors warn drivers of all known fixed and mobile speed cameras including digital SPECS and Truvelo speed cameras which aren’t detected via a conventional Radar/Laser detector.

This state-of-the-art GPS (Global Positioning System) technology also offers the user many additional features including the exact speed camera type, range and perhaps most useful - the road speed limit.

Unlike in-car satellite navigation systems GPS speed camera detectors do not have satellite mapping but GPS speed camera detectors such as the Snooper S3-R neo and Pogo Alert also feature Radar/Laser technology in addition to GPS.

GPS speed camera detectors require frequent updating of their internal speed camera location database. This ensures the GPS detector has the latest speed camera data. Manufactures update on a weekly or even daily basis and have their own in-house teams to collate the latest information. Speed camera database updates cost around Ł50.00 per year, this is sometimes payable via monthly subscription.

The Mini Coyote GPS speed camera detector (pictured right) utilises GSM/GPRS technology. This technology allows speed camera updates to be wirelessly sent from the Coyote server to the Mini Coyote speed camera detector on your dashboard. In addition the Mini Coyote user can report 'LIVE' mobile speed camera sites and these new locations are added to the speed camera database and sent to all other users within 2-3 seconds!

Satellite Navigation Detection Systems - Typical price Ł130-Ł450

Satellite navigation or sat nav devices were introduced to the UK in the1990’s. Prices have fallen considerably whilst features have increased.

A must have for any sat nav today is a GPS speed camera database. Most sat nav systems use a POI (Point Of Interest) database to provide a symbol - usually a speed limit sign - and audio tone or voice alert to warn of the proximity of a speed camera.

Like GPS speed camera detectors, in-car satellite navigation systems use a subscription database of speed camera locations. But unlike dedicated GPS speed camera detectors some of the speed camera databases used in sat navs aren't updated as frequently as daily or weekly, but this depends on the sat nav manufacture and database used. For example a Snooper GPS speed camera detector shares the same speed camera database as a Snooper satellite navigation system, which is updated on a daily basis.

Satellite navigation systems don't include a Radar/Laser detector, but a separate one could be used, to provide alerts to 'LIVE' speed camera sites.

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