Stinger Freedom Laser User Manual

Freedom Laser

User manual
English

Copyright 2018 Stinger. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced, nor in whole, nor in part, without
the express prior permission of Stinger. Stinger, the Stinger logo, the Stinger ‘S’, ‘Driving Freedom’ and Freedom Laser are
registered trademarks of Stinger. All other trademarks belong to their registered owners. All specifications and functionalities
in this manual and of the products described there in are subject to change.

Stinger Freedom Laser User Manual - Freedom-Laser-INT-V1.2 © 2018 Stinger

Legality

Many countries in the world have their own, unique regulations regarding
drivers being alerted to, and protected from, speed traps. Depending on the
country, citizens may or may not have the freedom to receive information
concerning speed traps and to be alerted accordingly. The rules regarding
citizens having the liberty to freely receive the information from laser speed
trap guns often differ per country.

In order to offer its products to car drivers throughout the world (like in the so
called “common market” of the E.U., where the laws vary widely per country,
as well as in many other countries and states on our planet), Stinger, in certain
markets, only supplies versions of the Freedom Laser that are incapable of
certain functionalities. Laser Alerting and/or LaserShield

®

may not be available

on those versions.

Please remember that it is and always will be your personal responsibility to
be aware of and abide by the locally applicable laws. Therefore, please always
thoroughly check local legislation before first using your Freedom Laser. If you
are driving in a country where you do have the freedom to use Laser Alerting
and/or LaserShielding you can download and install the software appropriate
for that country.

Of course you can later delete this (new) functionality easily (see chapter

5), in order to completely stay in compliance with local legislation whenever
entering a jurisdiction that does not allow for one or more of the above
mentioned functionalities.

Please be aware that all features and functionalities described in this manual
are subject to the presence of the corresponding hardware modules.

Note: Under no circumstance does your Stinger constitute a license to
exceed the posted speed limits. Alerts from your Stinger serve as an effective
reminder to mind your speed. Always drive responsibly and pay full attention
to traffic.

Important Safety Instruction

Special Caution

The Stinger Freedom Laser Transmitter, may transmit a laser beam that
can be harmful to sight. Never, under any circumstances look at the
sensor while it is operating and / or it is connected to a power supply.
This is especially true for looking into the Laser Transmitter from up
close, or through any kind of optical lenses!

Laser safety

The Stinger Freedom Laser has been tested and classified as a class 1
laser product in accordance to European and international eye safety
regulations EN 60825-1 (2014) and IEC 60825-1 (2014) under normal
operating conditions and those of single fault failure.

Definition: Class 1 laser products are safe under any reasonably
foreseeable conditions of operation, but may be hazardous if a person
employs optics within the beam. An outer transmitter of the Freedom
Laser is labeled in accordance to regulations.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS, READ BEFORE
OPERATION

Do not plug any third party equipment into any of the
sockets in the Laser Center, and do not connect any part of
the Freedom Laser to third party equipment. Doing so may
cause fire or damage to the unit, and voids warranty.

Use of controls or adjustments or performance or
procedures other than those specified herein may result in hazardous
radiation exposure.

Maintenance

The Freedom Laser unit is basically maintenance free, however, you
should check periodically that lenses on outer sensors are clean. You can
gently clean them with any water based means or using a simple wipe.

Contact and support

For more information, video manuals and updates for your
Stinger go to

www.stinger.com/getstarted

If, at any point, you have questions regarding your Stinger
or Stinger dealers, please contact us:

Head Office

Phone +31 252 - 41 80 95

Website www.stinger.com

Email mail

@stinger.com

Index

1. Keeping your Stinger up-to-date

2. Using your Freedom Laser

3. Laser Protection

- Laser Alerting

- LaserShield

®

4. SafetySignals

5. Deleting Laser Alert and LaserShield

®

6. Changing Settings with the Strip interface

7. Changing Settings with the LED interface

1. Keeping your Stinger up-to-date

To optimally benefi t from your Stinger we suggest you use the
Stinger Desktop application to check for updates at least once
a month. For updating, use your USB key.

1. When you start using your Stinger USB key for the fi rst time,
‘match’ the USB key with Freedom Laser by connecting
it to the USB port of your Freedom Laser (located in the
interior of your car) while it’s on.

2. Then connect the USB key to your Mac or PC.

3. Launch the Stinger Desktop application on your Mac or PC.
The app will automatically check for any available updates.

If you have not yet installed the Stinger Desktop application,
you can download it from www.stinger.com/downloads

4. Follow the instructions shown on the screen of the Stinger
Desktop application.

5. Next, connect the USB key to the USB port of your Stinger
Freedom Laser in the car again.

6. Make sure your Freedom Laser is on. The installation will
begin automatically. Your Freedom Laser’s display will be
fl ashing while updating.

2. Using your Freedom Laser

Using your Freedom Laser is extremely simple. It will
automatically start up each time you turn on the ignition of
your car and shut down when you turn the ignition off again.

The Freedom Laser works a bit differently depending on the
user interface you have installed in the dashboard of your car:

This manual adresses both interfaces.

LED with button

Strip with touch buttons

3. Laser Protection

Freedom Laser protects you against laser speed traps*. In such
traps a measuring device will fire a laser beam at your car and
use the reflections to determine your speed.

Laser Alerting*

Your Stinger can instantly see a laser being fired at you, often
even when cars ahead of you are being targeted, and instantly
alert you with both audible and visual warnings:

Sound

While getting an alert, you can mute or adjust (Strip) the
sound:

If up, ‘mute’ wil also instantly kill the LaserShield.

A red blinking light means a laser

is being detected.

A blinking light means

a laser is being detected.

Mute

alert

Mute

alert

Volume

up

Volume

down

or

or

LaserShield®*

When being fired at with laser, your Stinger can instantly
deploy a shield of invisible light: LaserShield

®

. It can
(temporarily) make it nearly impossible for laser guns to
measure your speed.

LaserShield

®

is so advanced that it can even block modern
side-lasers (positioned next to the road, for instance installed
into the guard rail). For this the optional Stinger Side Laser
is required.

Shield-up time

LaserShield

®

will stay up for a default time of 4 seconds after
the initial alert. This so called Shield-up time is adjustable in
the Settings menu, in case you are using the Strip display
(not LED). After the Shield-up time runs out, the shield will
automatically go down, allowing a laser a ‘second shot’ at
measuring your speed. At speeds below ca. 30 km/h or 19
mph, the Shield will always be down.

*Available where allowed

A red solid light means a detected

laser beam is being blocked by

LaserShield

A solid light (during an alarm)

indicates a detected laser

beam is being blocked by the

LaserShield

or

4. SafetySignals

Freedom Laser also incorporates an ingenious safety system.
At great distances it is able to pick up SafetySignals and alert
you - as well as fellow Stinger users in the area - automatically
and in real-time for potentially dangerous traffic situations,
caused by heavily braking traffic.

A yellow blinking light means

Freedom Laser is receiving a SafetySignal

A blinking light can also indicate

a SafetySignal alert

or

5. Deleting Laser Alerting and LaserShield

®

Many countries have their own, unique regulations when it
comes to drivers being alerted for - or protected from - speed
traps. In some countries laser can be freely blocked, in others
it’s been made illegal. Always thoroughly check local legislation
before first using your Freedom Laser. Please remember it is
your responsibility to know, and abide by, the law.

You can erase Laser Alerting and LaserShielding in order to
completely stay in compliance with local legislation whenever
entering a country that does not allow for Laser Alerting.

On the Single LED erasing is achieved by pressing and holding
the button for 4 seconds or longer until the LED stops blinking.

On the Strip erasing is achieved by simultaneously holding

- and + for 3 seconds or longer. After you have heard the
“wiping” sound as a confirmation, the erased functionalities
have been permanently deleted.

A new software download and installation (available where
allowed) is required in order to re-install those functionalities of
your Freedom Laser.

Press the Mute button

for at least 4 seconds

Hold both - and +

for at least 3 seconds

or

Mute

+-

6. Changing Settings with the Strip interface

The menu of Freedom Laser with the Strip is speech assisted.
To enter the menu, just touch the Menu button area when
Freedom Laser is not giving any alerts. The Strip will then light
up white.

By repeatedly pressing the Menu button you can select
the various Settings. You will hear which setting and its
accompanying option can then be altered.

With the DOWN and UP buttons you can cycle through the
Options for each setting.

After changing the setting, press the Menu button to confirm
and go to the next setting.

After about 8 seconds of inactivity, at the end of the menu
settings, or in case of an alert, you will automatically leave the
Settings Menu.

Setting value DOWN Setting value UPMenu

The setting menu

By repeatedly pressing the Menu button you can select a

Setting. The order of the settings with their accompanying
Options is listed bellow.

Setting Option

Laser mode Receive only (only laser alerts, no shield)

or Receive and Shield.

Shield-up time Number of seconds the LaserShield will

remain up when triggered.

SpeedSense Set the speed under which your Stinger

won’t trigger.

Brightness Set the brightness of the Strip’s backlight.

NOTE: the lowest value (Dark) will

prevent visual alerts when encountering
a speed trap.

Side protection When Side Laser Protection is installed,

you can turn the Side-Shield on or off.

Start-up sound Enable or disable the start-up and the

shutdown sound.

Version Tells the Freedom Laser’s software

version.

Note: settings may differ depending on the software version

7. Changing Settings with the LED interface + button

With the LED interface you will only be able to change one
setting: the audio volume.

You can adjust this volume only when the Freedom Laser
isn’t generating an alert. To begin, press the button once.
Freedom Laser will sound its current volume. Quickly press
the button again to change the volume one step at a time.
Repeat untill you have reached your desired volume. Pause
for more than 2 seconds and press the button again to start
changing the volume in the opposite direction.
Volume can be set in steps of 1, ranging from 0 (no sound)
to 10 (maximum sound).

TIP Pressing the button once will also serve to indicate if Freedom

Laser is on and if the LED and speaker are working.

Freedom Laser will automatically turn on and off along with
your car. If you want to manually switch it off, press the
button for about 2 seconds and let go.

Do not press the button for longer than 3 seconds or the

Laser Alerting and LaserShield functionalities will be deleted
(see chapter 5).

ATTENTION: Freedom Laser will not be turned on automatically

upon starting your car if you have manually turned off Freedom

Laser first. You will have to manually turn Freedom Laser on again by

touching the Strip or pressing the button.

For more information, video manuals and updates

for your Stinger visit

www.stinger.com/getstarted