Home News Reviews Forums Shop


Escort Passport 8500 radar / laser detector. SOLD

Looking to sell? Looking to buy?

Escort Passport 8500 radar / laser detector. SOLD

Postby VEFF on Tue Sep 28, 2004 2:31 pm

Only selling because I'm upgrading to a new model.
Last edited by VEFF on Sun Jan 16, 2005 12:18 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Burners only:
Pioneer DVR-115D
Pioneer DVR-111D
Plextor PX-716A TLA0304
Plextor PX-716A same TLA

LiteOn 52246S 52X CD-RW
LiteOn 52246S (another)
LiteOn 52327S 52X CD-RW
TDK 40X USB 2.0 CD-RW
TEAC CD-W540E 40X CD-RW
User avatar
VEFF
CD-RW Player
 
Posts: 2025
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2002 9:36 pm

Postby VEFF on Tue Sep 28, 2004 3:31 pm

SOLD! Sorry it was so quick, although I am happy :)
Burners only:
Pioneer DVR-115D
Pioneer DVR-111D
Plextor PX-716A TLA0304
Plextor PX-716A same TLA

LiteOn 52246S 52X CD-RW
LiteOn 52246S (another)
LiteOn 52327S 52X CD-RW
TDK 40X USB 2.0 CD-RW
TEAC CD-W540E 40X CD-RW
User avatar
VEFF
CD-RW Player
 
Posts: 2025
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2002 9:36 pm

Postby hoxlund on Wed Sep 29, 2004 6:53 am

damn could have used one in my car
Thermaltake Core X5 Snow Edition TG Case
Corsair RM1000 Power Supply
MSI X399 Gaming Pro Carbon AC
AMD Threadripper 1950x @ 4.1GHz
Custom Loop w/ EK MSI x399 Monoblock
G.Skill 4x8GB DDR4 3200 RGB Memory
MSI 1080Ti Lightning X Video Card
User avatar
hoxlund
CD-RW Player
 
Posts: 3708
Joined: Mon May 27, 2002 12:55 am
Location: Idaho

Postby VEFF on Wed Sep 29, 2004 11:14 am

hoxlund wrote:damn could have used one in my car


Ah darn!
Well, you should be able to get one on ebay from a reputable seller for a decent price.
There are quite a few auctions for them.
EDIT: HOWEVER, there is no warranty in that case.
Last edited by VEFF on Fri Oct 01, 2004 5:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Burners only:
Pioneer DVR-115D
Pioneer DVR-111D
Plextor PX-716A TLA0304
Plextor PX-716A same TLA

LiteOn 52246S 52X CD-RW
LiteOn 52246S (another)
LiteOn 52327S 52X CD-RW
TDK 40X USB 2.0 CD-RW
TEAC CD-W540E 40X CD-RW
User avatar
VEFF
CD-RW Player
 
Posts: 2025
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2002 9:36 pm

Postby hoxlund on Wed Sep 29, 2004 12:44 pm

what would you recommend for a '94 Lincoln Mark VIII, although im sure make and model don't have a whole lot to do with it

state of colorado btw
Thermaltake Core X5 Snow Edition TG Case
Corsair RM1000 Power Supply
MSI X399 Gaming Pro Carbon AC
AMD Threadripper 1950x @ 4.1GHz
Custom Loop w/ EK MSI x399 Monoblock
G.Skill 4x8GB DDR4 3200 RGB Memory
MSI 1080Ti Lightning X Video Card
User avatar
hoxlund
CD-RW Player
 
Posts: 3708
Joined: Mon May 27, 2002 12:55 am
Location: Idaho

Postby VEFF on Wed Sep 29, 2004 1:39 pm

hoxlund wrote:what would you recommend for a '94 Lincoln Mark VIII, although im sure make and model don't have a whole lot to do with it

state of colorado btw


Correct (about the make and model not having a lot to do with it).

There are basically three top radar detectors on the market at the moment.
- The Valentine V1, which is too outdated in terms of features and too bulky IMO.
- The Bel BEL Pro RX65
- Escort Passport X50
IMO, the latter two are the ones to consider.
They are both excellent performers.

I personally prefer the Escort because:
1) It has the SmartCord with a built-in mute button that plugs into the lighter socket.
This way you don't have to lean forward while driving to mute false alerts (or real alerts for that matter).

2) It has ExpertMeter, which allows you to track up to eight simultaneous threats.
This is perfect for false alarm zones/spots on the highway, since it can tell you if it is the usual false alarm, or if there is an extra radar source (e.g. real radar gun) in the area.

3) Its display is angled toward the driver making it a bit easier to read.

It looks sharp.
I also like the Escort's hard travel case.
Burners only:
Pioneer DVR-115D
Pioneer DVR-111D
Plextor PX-716A TLA0304
Plextor PX-716A same TLA

LiteOn 52246S 52X CD-RW
LiteOn 52246S (another)
LiteOn 52327S 52X CD-RW
TDK 40X USB 2.0 CD-RW
TEAC CD-W540E 40X CD-RW
User avatar
VEFF
CD-RW Player
 
Posts: 2025
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2002 9:36 pm

Postby hoxlund on Wed Sep 29, 2004 2:33 pm

thx for all the info, i really need a radar detector, i will more then likely go with the Passport X50
Thermaltake Core X5 Snow Edition TG Case
Corsair RM1000 Power Supply
MSI X399 Gaming Pro Carbon AC
AMD Threadripper 1950x @ 4.1GHz
Custom Loop w/ EK MSI x399 Monoblock
G.Skill 4x8GB DDR4 3200 RGB Memory
MSI 1080Ti Lightning X Video Card
User avatar
hoxlund
CD-RW Player
 
Posts: 3708
Joined: Mon May 27, 2002 12:55 am
Location: Idaho

Postby VEFF on Wed Sep 29, 2004 4:26 pm

hoxlund wrote:thx for all the info, i really need a radar detector, i will more then likely go with the Passport X50


You're welcome hox!
You can check some of the review links in my auction and/or also user reviews at carreview.com.

The one important area where the RX65 beat the X50 was the new POP tests, which the pricey Valentine1 completely flunked.

The Escort, however was a bit better in laser performance, according to the same review.
It also outperformed the RX65 and V1 in a few other tests, although being the only one to detect both 'constant on' and 'instant on' threats over the hill at 2 1/2 miles (the others saw it at 2 miles) may not matter that much.

If you decide to go with the X50, let me know - there is a group buy online for only $245 shipped!!!!! They only charge tax if you live in NY, which you don't. Even unauthorized ebay sellers' prices aren't that cheap.
I ordered mine yesterday and should get it tomorrow; I can let you know how it went.

Escort told me that ebay and amazon are NOT authorized resellers,
so don't buy from them, since the 1 year warranty won't apply.
Burners only:
Pioneer DVR-115D
Pioneer DVR-111D
Plextor PX-716A TLA0304
Plextor PX-716A same TLA

LiteOn 52246S 52X CD-RW
LiteOn 52246S (another)
LiteOn 52327S 52X CD-RW
TDK 40X USB 2.0 CD-RW
TEAC CD-W540E 40X CD-RW
User avatar
VEFF
CD-RW Player
 
Posts: 2025
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2002 9:36 pm

Postby MadBurner on Mon Oct 04, 2004 4:35 pm

VEFF wrote:I personally prefer the Escort because:
1) It has the SmartCord with a built-in mute button that plugs into the lighter socket.
This way you don't have to lean forward while driving to mute false alerts (or real alerts for that matter).


The RX65 also has a built-in mute button 8)

Code: Select all
SmartPlug: The RX65 is equipped with a SmartPlug cigarette lighter adapter with a coiled cord. The SmartPlug provides a convenient power-on LED indicator, an alert light, and an easy-to-reach Mute button.

MB
User avatar
MadBurner
CD-RW Player
 
Posts: 464
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2003 3:00 pm

Postby VEFF on Mon Oct 04, 2004 10:30 pm

MadBurner wrote:
VEFF wrote:I personally prefer the Escort because:
1) It has the SmartCord with a built-in mute button that plugs into the lighter socket.
This way you don't have to lean forward while driving to mute false alerts (or real alerts for that matter).


The RX65 also has a built-in mute button 8)

Code: Select all
SmartPlug: The RX65 is equipped with a SmartPlug cigarette lighter adapter with a coiled cord. The SmartPlug provides a convenient power-on LED indicator, an alert light, and an easy-to-reach Mute button.

MB


Interesting; I thought you were kidding at first.
I checked Bel's web site, and the photo of the detector and it's case clearly shows a SmartCord.
Burners only:
Pioneer DVR-115D
Pioneer DVR-111D
Plextor PX-716A TLA0304
Plextor PX-716A same TLA

LiteOn 52246S 52X CD-RW
LiteOn 52246S (another)
LiteOn 52327S 52X CD-RW
TDK 40X USB 2.0 CD-RW
TEAC CD-W540E 40X CD-RW
User avatar
VEFF
CD-RW Player
 
Posts: 2025
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2002 9:36 pm

Postby MadBurner on Mon Oct 04, 2004 11:52 pm

I didn't notice it either until I read your post since I too have been on the fence with the RX65 and the X50. Being a previous Bel owner, I was a bit curious about the mute feature myself.

Take care,
MB
User avatar
MadBurner
CD-RW Player
 
Posts: 464
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2003 3:00 pm

Postby VEFF on Tue Oct 05, 2004 10:15 am

It should be noted that Bel and Escort are basically one company now; that explains the (same) SmartCord being used on both the Bel Pro and the Escort Passport.

I think if I had known about the SmartCord on the RX65 I might have maybe gone for the Bel, knowing it has better POP detection than the Escort X50.
Then again, the $245 shipped for the X50 is well under the $329 + shipping the Bel sells for, and I think the Passport looks more professional
in terms of styling.
Escort also has a slight edge in laser detection, which I have seen used (once in my case) on the Garden State Parkway.
In addition, I believe NJ doesn't currently use Ka (not allowed), so POP detection is not an issue, although it comes in handy when travelling out of state or going to NY to visit the city of friends.
Burners only:
Pioneer DVR-115D
Pioneer DVR-111D
Plextor PX-716A TLA0304
Plextor PX-716A same TLA

LiteOn 52246S 52X CD-RW
LiteOn 52246S (another)
LiteOn 52327S 52X CD-RW
TDK 40X USB 2.0 CD-RW
TEAC CD-W540E 40X CD-RW
User avatar
VEFF
CD-RW Player
 
Posts: 2025
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2002 9:36 pm

Postby MadBurner on Tue Oct 05, 2004 3:39 pm

I went with the Bel RX65 for $244 shipped!

Thanks again for all the info VEFF!

MB
User avatar
MadBurner
CD-RW Player
 
Posts: 464
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2003 3:00 pm

Postby VEFF on Tue Oct 05, 2004 8:54 pm

MadBurner wrote:I went with the Bel RX65 for $244 shipped!

Thanks again for all the info VEFF!

MB


Congrats!
You're welcome.

The only thing is that Bel, like Escort, does not honor its warranty on ebay and amazon purchases.
One of the first matches for RX65 on ebay is $244 shipped, and purports to offer a 1 years defective warranty (must be offered by the seller I guess).

I also just saw a case of false/misleading advertising by one seller.
He put "X50" in his title, not something like "not X50" and then two days after the auction started he added info to his listing, probably due to questions from potential buyers, and now mentions that it is not an x50 and that the "x50" is just in the title for searching purposes, hmmmmmm.........
Burners only:
Pioneer DVR-115D
Pioneer DVR-111D
Plextor PX-716A TLA0304
Plextor PX-716A same TLA

LiteOn 52246S 52X CD-RW
LiteOn 52246S (another)
LiteOn 52327S 52X CD-RW
TDK 40X USB 2.0 CD-RW
TEAC CD-W540E 40X CD-RW
User avatar
VEFF
CD-RW Player
 
Posts: 2025
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2002 9:36 pm

Postby MadBurner on Wed Oct 06, 2004 8:23 am

VEFF wrote:The only thing is that Bel, like Escort, does not honor its warranty on ebay and amazon purchases.
One of the first matches for RX65 on ebay is $244 shipped, and purports to offer a 1 years defective warranty (must be offered by the seller I guess).


Yeah, that was a concern of mine too but so far I have never had to file a warranty claim on any of my previous Bel radar detectors so hopefully I won't need to file one this time. He mentions something about an extended warranty but claims that buyers are eligible for the manufacturer's 1 year warrranty. I'm awaiting a response from Bel to confirm this.

VEFF wrote:I also just saw a case of false/misleading advertising by one seller.
He put "X50" in his title, not something like "not X50" and then two days after the auction started he added info to his listing, probably due to questions from potential buyers, and now mentions that it is not an x50 and that the "x50" is just in the title for searching purposes, hmmmmmm.........


I can't tell you how many times I've seen this type of advertising on eBay! Very deceptive indeed :evil:
User avatar
MadBurner
CD-RW Player
 
Posts: 464
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2003 3:00 pm

Postby VEFF on Wed Oct 06, 2004 1:23 pm

MadBurner wrote:
VEFF wrote:The only thing is that Bel, like Escort, does not honor its warranty on ebay and amazon purchases.
One of the first matches for RX65 on ebay is $244 shipped, and purports to offer a 1 years defective warranty (must be offered by the seller I guess).


Yeah, that was a concern of mine too but so far I have never had to file a warranty claim on any of my previous Bel radar detectors so hopefully I won't need to file one this time. He mentions something about an extended warranty but claims that buyers are eligible for the manufacturer's 1 year warrranty. I'm awaiting a response from Bel to confirm this.

VEFF wrote:I also just saw a case of false/misleading advertising by one seller.
He put "X50" in his title, not something like "not X50" and then two days after the auction started he added info to his listing, probably due to questions from potential buyers, and now mentions that it is not an x50 and that the "x50" is just in the title for searching purposes, hmmmmmm.........


I can't tell you how many times I've seen this type of advertising on eBay! Very deceptive indeed :evil:


I know what you mean about not having to file a warranty claim, especially on a solid state item like a detector.

I did have to file one on a Bel 6xxxi a while ago but that was when they came with a THREE year warranty.
I wrote a nice letter and they sent me a brand new one, upgraded model (645STi).

Regarding Bel, unfortunately they have the same policy as Escort - they are really one in the same now - so I believe they will tell you ebay sellers and amazon are not authorized retailers.
Good luck though; fingers crossed.

You can't go wrong with that detector though; the Escort X50 and Bel Pro RX65 really are the two best right now.
Enjoy!

Regarding the false advertising:
There was once an ebay item, where the seller was only selling information on how to obtain the item (I know there are lots of auctions like that), however, unlike other similar auctions, he chose an almost invisible tiny font (2?) at the bottom of the description to state the fact that it was only information and not the actual SINGLE (this makes it trickier, since you know you would never multiple items for a low price) specific item in his title, while the rest was in large font.
Burners only:
Pioneer DVR-115D
Pioneer DVR-111D
Plextor PX-716A TLA0304
Plextor PX-716A same TLA

LiteOn 52246S 52X CD-RW
LiteOn 52246S (another)
LiteOn 52327S 52X CD-RW
TDK 40X USB 2.0 CD-RW
TEAC CD-W540E 40X CD-RW
User avatar
VEFF
CD-RW Player
 
Posts: 2025
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2002 9:36 pm

Postby wicked1 on Wed Oct 06, 2004 1:45 pm

time for my 2 cents on radar detectors as I live by them as many of you who have read on here a while know. I bought a Bel 980,Escort 8500 and a valentine one to try them all out to see which one worked best. The Bel 980 I didnt like due the falses. The escort 8500 was great for falses however I also got 2 instant on Ka band tickets that the escort never even alarmed on. The valentine one which I still have did false more often but it points to where its coming from so you can decide if its a threat. Plus the same cop that got me with the escort twice never got me with the valentine one. I definately prefer the escort for looks and display however its performance was sub par. I also use a uniden beartracker that alerts you of police within 3 miles or so even without radar guns plus has a built in scanner.(yes I have a HAM license) I may give the new escort a whirl with their 30 day test drive policy but I must admit my valentine one has saved my license a few times.
Pioneer dvr-108,NEC 3540,BenQ 1640,LiteOn 1693S
Intel pentium D 930 oc to 4.2 ghz
2 gb ddr2 1066 mhz ram
geforce 7600GT
sb audigy 2 zs platnum
hardware mpeg2 encoder card

Conscience is what hurts when everything else feels so good
User avatar
wicked1
CD-RW Player
 
Posts: 831
Joined: Tue May 27, 2003 7:26 pm

Postby VEFF on Wed Oct 06, 2004 11:08 pm

wicked1 wrote:time for my 2 cents on radar detectors as I live by them as many of you who have read on here a while know. I bought a Bel 980,Escort 8500 and a valentine one to try them all out to see which one worked best. The Bel 980 I didnt like due the falses. The escort 8500 was great for falses however I also got 2 instant on Ka band tickets that the escort never even alarmed on. The valentine one which I still have did false more often but it points to where its coming from so you can decide if its a threat. Plus the same cop that got me with the escort twice never got me with the valentine one. I definately prefer the escort for looks and display however its performance was sub par. I also use a uniden beartracker that alerts you of police within 3 miles or so even without radar guns plus has a built in scanner.(yes I have a HAM license) I may give the new escort a whirl with their 30 day test drive policy but I must admit my valentine one has saved my license a few times.


That is interesting about the lack of alarms for the instant on Ka.
How do you know, other than the word of the officer, that you were actually clocked (by Ka) though, since you say it never went off? I assume you didn't have another detector that did alert you, since you said you got tickets both times.

Warning: If you are in an area where POP is being used, or going to be used, the Valentine One will not detect it at all; even some of the cheaper ("under $200" category in radartest.com tests) new detectors detect it.


Radartest did give the new X50 the vote for instant on over the Bel and V1
for what it is worth.
http://www.radartest.com/article.asp?articleid=9090
Speedzones concurs (see chart at [url]speedzones.com[/url]).
From 2 1/2 miles, the X50 detected Ka constant (not X and K) and detected X and Ka instant (not K).
The Bel and V1 detected nothing (neither X nor K nor Ka) from 2 1/2 miles.
From 2 miles, they all detected all 3 bands, both instant and constant.

IF the tests can be trusted, the X50 is said to have the edge...

The one thing with my previous 8500 (non X50) was that there was one specific time that I felt it alerted me kind of late, but maybe the gun wasn't turned on till I got closer.

The only thing I never considered is whether this 50% extra range in the X50 over the regular 8500 can actually be a problem at times:
Now that it has longer range, there will definitely be more times when the detector sends alerts on radar guns that could be on a nearby side street
or other nearby location e.g. where I have no chance of being clocked, whereas with the shorter range (regular) 8500 these non-threats were out of the detector's range.
While these aren't false alerts, they could be annoying
Burners only:
Pioneer DVR-115D
Pioneer DVR-111D
Plextor PX-716A TLA0304
Plextor PX-716A same TLA

LiteOn 52246S 52X CD-RW
LiteOn 52246S (another)
LiteOn 52327S 52X CD-RW
TDK 40X USB 2.0 CD-RW
TEAC CD-W540E 40X CD-RW
User avatar
VEFF
CD-RW Player
 
Posts: 2025
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2002 9:36 pm

Postby MadBurner on Thu Oct 07, 2004 5:56 pm

Received my Bel RX65 today and so far I am very impressed by it cosmetically! I haven't had time yet to compare the performance with my Bel 985.

I'm a little pissed that I have to pay $29.95 plus shipping ($4.95) for the Direct-wire SmartPlug!!

Perhaps I can find one on eBay for cheap?

MB
User avatar
MadBurner
CD-RW Player
 
Posts: 464
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2003 3:00 pm

Postby MadBurner on Thu Oct 07, 2004 8:07 pm

When filling out the warranty info on your new radar detector, if you mention eBay or the price you paid, the manufacturer will not honor the one year warranty. From what I understand, they do not warranty any detector that was purchased for less than retail and they do not warranty any detector that was purchased on eBay.

However, the place of purchase and the purchase price is not required by the manufacturer to get their one year warranty. So, if you leave that information blank, you will not have any problems if you ever need your detector repaired.


I received this letter with my Bel RX65 regarding the one year warranty. However, a sales receipt is still required which I am working on getting at the moment.

MB
User avatar
MadBurner
CD-RW Player
 
Posts: 464
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2003 3:00 pm

Postby MadBurner on Thu Oct 07, 2004 8:33 pm

VEFF wrote:It should be noted that Bel and Escort are basically one company now; that explains the (same) SmartCord being used on both the Bel Pro and the Escort Passport.


I also checked their website registration looking for a contact email for Beltronics but all I found were two addresses from Escort Inc. So it appears that they are in fact the same company! What's the best way to get in touch with Beltronics regarding questions? Contact Escort Inc?

Administrative Contact:
Escort Inc
jdutt@escortinc.com

Technical Contact:
Escort Inc
kmanning@escortinc.com

Thanks!
MB
User avatar
MadBurner
CD-RW Player
 
Posts: 464
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2003 3:00 pm

Postby wicked1 on Fri Oct 08, 2004 10:28 am

VEFF wrote:
wicked1 wrote:time for my 2 cents on radar detectors as I live by them as many of you who have read on here a while know. I bought a Bel 980,Escort 8500 and a valentine one to try them all out to see which one worked best. The Bel 980 I didnt like due the falses. The escort 8500 was great for falses however I also got 2 instant on Ka band tickets that the escort never even alarmed on. The valentine one which I still have did false more often but it points to where its coming from so you can decide if its a threat. Plus the same cop that got me with the escort twice never got me with the valentine one. I definately prefer the escort for looks and display however its performance was sub par. I also use a uniden beartracker that alerts you of police within 3 miles or so even without radar guns plus has a built in scanner.(yes I have a HAM license) I may give the new escort a whirl with their 30 day test drive policy but I must admit my valentine one has saved my license a few times.


That is interesting about the lack of alarms for the instant on Ka.
How do you know, other than the word of the officer, that you were actually clocked (by Ka) though, since you say it never went off? I assume you didn't have another detector that did alert you, since you said you got tickets both times.

<<Yeah the word of the officer was all. He was bragging to me about my useless radar detector and how his gun got around it through instant on. I dont trust speedlabs they rated the bel 980 number 1 with the escort and v1 behind it year before when the 8500 was new. The bel 980 sucked.

Warning: If you are in an area where POP is being used, or going to be used, the Valentine One will not detect it at all; even some of the cheaper ("under $200" category in radartest.com tests) new detectors detect it.


Radartest did give the new X50 the vote for instant on over the Bel and V1
for what it is worth.
http://www.radartest.com/article.asp?articleid=9090
Speedzones concurs (see chart at [url]speedzones.com[/url]).
From 2 1/2 miles, the X50 detected Ka constant (not X and K) and detected X and Ka instant (not K).
The Bel and V1 detected nothing (neither X nor K nor Ka) from 2 1/2 miles.
From 2 miles, they all detected all 3 bands, both instant and constant.

IF the tests can be trusted, the X50 is said to have the edge...

The one thing with my previous 8500 (non X50) was that there was one specific time that I felt it alerted me kind of late, but maybe the gun wasn't turned on till I got closer.

The only thing I never considered is whether this 50% extra range in the X50 over the regular 8500 can actually be a problem at times:
Now that it has longer range, there will definitely be more times when the detector sends alerts on radar guns that could be on a nearby side street
or other nearby location e.g. where I have no chance of being clocked, whereas with the shorter range (regular) 8500 these non-threats were out of the detector's range.
While these aren't false alerts, they could be annoying
Pioneer dvr-108,NEC 3540,BenQ 1640,LiteOn 1693S
Intel pentium D 930 oc to 4.2 ghz
2 gb ddr2 1066 mhz ram
geforce 7600GT
sb audigy 2 zs platnum
hardware mpeg2 encoder card

Conscience is what hurts when everything else feels so good
User avatar
wicked1
CD-RW Player
 
Posts: 831
Joined: Tue May 27, 2003 7:26 pm

Postby VEFF on Sat Oct 09, 2004 11:09 am

wicked1 wrote:
VEFF wrote:
wicked1 wrote:time for my 2 cents on radar detectors as I live by them as many of you who have read on here a while know. I bought a Bel 980,Escort 8500 and a valentine one to try them all out to see which one worked best. The Bel 980 I didnt like due the falses. The escort 8500 was great for falses however I also got 2 instant on Ka band tickets that the escort never even alarmed on. The valentine one which I still have did false more often but it points to where its coming from so you can decide if its a threat. Plus the same cop that got me with the escort twice never got me with the valentine one. I definately prefer the escort for looks and display however its performance was sub par. I also use a uniden beartracker that alerts you of police within 3 miles or so even without radar guns plus has a built in scanner.(yes I have a HAM license) I may give the new escort a whirl with their 30 day test drive policy but I must admit my valentine one has saved my license a few times.


That is interesting about the lack of alarms for the instant on Ka.
How do you know, other than the word of the officer, that you were actually clocked (by Ka) though, since you say it never went off? I assume you didn't have another detector that did alert you, since you said you got tickets both times.

<<Yeah the word of the officer was all. He was bragging to me about my useless radar detector and how his gun got around it through instant on. I dont trust speedlabs they rated the bel 980 number 1 with the escort and v1 behind it year before when the 8500 was new. The bel 980 sucked.

Warning: If you are in an area where POP is being used, or going to be used, the Valentine One will not detect it at all; even some of the cheaper ("under $200" category in radartest.com tests) new detectors detect it.


Radartest did give the new X50 the vote for instant on over the Bel and V1
for what it is worth.
http://www.radartest.com/article.asp?articleid=9090
Speedzones concurs (see chart at [url]speedzones.com[/url]).
From 2 1/2 miles, the X50 detected Ka constant (not X and K) and detected X and Ka instant (not K).
The Bel and V1 detected nothing (neither X nor K nor Ka) from 2 1/2 miles.
From 2 miles, they all detected all 3 bands, both instant and constant.

IF the tests can be trusted, the X50 is said to have the edge...

The one thing with my previous 8500 (non X50) was that there was one specific time that I felt it alerted me kind of late, but maybe the gun wasn't turned on till I got closer.

The only thing I never considered is whether this 50% extra range in the X50 over the regular 8500 can actually be a problem at times:
Now that it has longer range, there will definitely be more times when the detector sends alerts on radar guns that could be on a nearby side street
or other nearby location e.g. where I have no chance of being clocked, whereas with the shorter range (regular) 8500 these non-threats were out of the detector's range.
While these aren't false alerts, they could be annoying


I hope the officer was being honest about it, even if you were in fact speeding.
He could have also said he timed you, although there are probably approved methods.
I know they use a tool called VASCAR which measures speed by the time it takes you car to travel between two points; this is like using a stopwatch to make an analogy, and can't be detected, since no electronic transmission is sent out to your car...

I believe you can ask for a readout.
Burners only:
Pioneer DVR-115D
Pioneer DVR-111D
Plextor PX-716A TLA0304
Plextor PX-716A same TLA

LiteOn 52246S 52X CD-RW
LiteOn 52246S (another)
LiteOn 52327S 52X CD-RW
TDK 40X USB 2.0 CD-RW
TEAC CD-W540E 40X CD-RW
User avatar
VEFF
CD-RW Player
 
Posts: 2025
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2002 9:36 pm


Return to Buy & Sell

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest

All Content is Copyright (c) 2001-2024 CDRLabs Inc.