Latest escort police radars: Cordless Solo S2 vs. Passport 8500 x50

[rporter]

Laser detectors are useless... they only tell you AFTER you've been hit, for the most part... unless the cop can't hold the gun steady.

 

 

if you are observant while in traffic, you can occasionally pick up laser signals from a car ahead of you.

 

But, on the open road, you are defenseless against laser or low-power instant-on radar guns.

[chuckzul]

Just drive the speed limit (+/- 10 mph), never worry about a ticket, take the money you would have spent on a detector and buy more mods.

[wukindada]

I'm back in the market for a detector....

Left my 14 month old Vector 995 in the glove compartment of the wifeys LC while on vacation.

Went to use it this week & it's main board has heat damage:(

 

Think I am going back to the V1

[schwinn]

if you are observant while in traffic, you can occasionally pick up laser signals from a car ahead of you.

 

But, on the open road, you are defenseless against laser or low-power instant-on radar guns.

Technically, yes it's possible... but it's not that repeatable, if at all possible, for the most part. I also mount my detector high, above the rearview mirror, where it will have even less of a chance. On the dash, maybe you can get luckier, but as the speedzones test shows: Best Radar Detectors, Best Radar Jammers, Radar Detector and Radar Jammer Tests and Comparisons

"In ten tries the Valentine One [the best of the tested detectors] did not give any advanced warning to laser being aimed at the vehicle in front of it."

 

I have never had my Bel warn me on laser... except when I got pulled over.

[sframs]

i have a beltronics x65 and i got 3 laser readings today.

 

no tickets yet. i avoided 1 yesterday. driving on the 101 and usually take off right when i get on, but the radar was going crazy. saw a cop way back. saved me beaucoup $$

[Scotty]

When does the arrows come in handy on the V1? Well here's a situation I've been in. You are driving along on rolling hills. You detect multiple short burst from up ahead. You slow down and drive past the cop. Now you are getting the signal from behind. As you crest the next hill, you think you can speed up again since you just passed the cop. But wait, V1 is still picking up 1 signal except now the arrow is pointing to the front. On the next crest, and there's another cop.

 

Since the cops are only turning the radars on when they need to, your detector only show one signal. You just don't know if it is from the one you just passed or the one ahead.

[johnAWD]

I've got you beat - 1980 (or sometime in the early 80s) and the "fuzzbuster elite".

 

As far as current product, V1 all the way. I've used most of the 'top of the line' pieces, and IMNSHO - V1.

 

1986, what took you so long , I bought my first Escort in 1981. FWIW, Autoweek just ran a story this week and the Passport cordless came in first. I have used a Valentine for a number of years and almost every other detector and it is hard to pick a clear winner.

[eHoward]

anyone have a pic of this on the dash? the pics i'm finding on the net of the V1 look like a big square black box. how big is it?

 

 

http://www.howard.saturnet.net/USGP_06/USGP_06-Images/42.jpg

[rporter]

Technically, yes it's possible... but it's not that repeatable, if at all possible, for the most part. I also mount my detector high, above the rearview mirror, where it will have even less of a chance. On the dash, maybe you can get luckier, but as the speedzones test shows: Best Radar Detectors, Best Radar Jammers, Radar Detector and Radar Jammer Tests and Comparisons

"In ten tries the Valentine One [the best of the tested detectors] did not give any advanced warning to laser being aimed at the vehicle in front of it."

 

I have never had my Bel warn me on laser... except when I got pulled over.

 

If the car is less than a few car lengths or so, of course not (unless the cop is a VERY bad aim). The laser beam is narrow. I have gotten advance laser beeps around Detroit, and back when I used to live in Chicago. If they are shooting up ahead, and aren't precisely on target, you get stray laser beams.

 

Real-life situations do not always match a planned test scenario. Try aiming a laser properly out the side windo of your car.....and have a donut in the other hand!!

 

Properly-used instant-on is as deadly.

[rporter]

When does the arrows come in handy on the V1? Well here's a situation I've been in. You are driving along on rolling hills. You detect multiple short burst from up ahead. You slow down and drive past the cop. Now you are getting the signal from behind. As you crest the next hill, you think you can speed up again since you just passed the cop. But wait, V1 is still picking up 1 signal except now the arrow is pointing to the front. On the next crest, and there's another cop.

 

Since the cops are only turning the radars on when they need to, your detector only show one signal. You just don't know if it is from the one you just passed or the one ahead.

 

If you are experienced in using your detector, you can pick up that scenario without any arrows. I do recommend the V1 to folks who infrequently use a detector, as they can use the arrows as a crutch....and for entertainment. However, regular heavy users of other detectors can pick up the two-car scenario, whether radar is ahead or behind you, etc.

 

FWIW, I've been an Escort-product user for 23+ years.

[Scotty]

If you don't know if the signal is in front or behind, the only thing you can do is drive slow.

[rporter]

If you don't know if the signal is in front or behind, the only thing you can do is drive slow.

 

What I mentioned above is a scenario where I dont need arrows to tell me where its coming from. If you are experienced with a detector, you can listen to the cadence and pattern of the sounds to determine the direction of the threat.

 

And the two-car scenario you descrie is a chance occurence of two cars, it's not te way any traps are set up.

 

Every detector maker has their gimmicks, and Mikey's is the arrow setup.

[highlander]

I've seen a few comparisons, and the Valentine 1 is beat in a couple areas in terms of sensitivity, but not by much. Some people swear by the arrows it has, but personally if my radar detector was beeping at me like crazy I'd slow down regardless. Also, the Escort Passport can be used with the optional ZR3 laser shifter, which can jam laser guns.

 

BEL also has the Laser jammer option. Since Bel & Escort are now the same company they have shared technology (to a point).

 

I have been a big fan of BEL since the STI series was introduced.

The remote series is especially nice.

 

A search of eBay will find several options from the Pro Rx65($229 shipped) or STI ($450 shipped) for the portable models, or the Pro750 with Laser Blocking ($450-750 shipped).

 

I almost bought the 750R but saved the $$ for mods.

 

Several trips, no tickets, 2 Laser saves (from vehicles in front).

 

Yeah my judgement could save me from a ticket, but my evil twin enjoys the GO pedal too often when it shouldn't:icon_twis .

[Mr. T]

1986, what took you so long , I bought my first Escort in 1981. FWIW, Autoweek just ran a story this week and the Passport cordless came in first. I have used a Valentine for a number of years and almost every other detector and it is hard to pick a clear winner.

 

What took YOU so long, I bought my first detector in 1978. An original Fuzzbuster. Big black box with a gain control and a big white warning light. :lol:

 

Have owned 2 V1s since 1993. Nothing else compares!

[Mr. T]

I've got you beat - 1980 (or sometime in the early 80s) and the "fuzzbuster elite".

 

As far as current product, V1 all the way. I've used most of the 'top of the line' pieces, and IMNSHO - V1.

 

Oops, didn't see the latest post as far as how long ago someone bought their first detector.

 

Still got you beat!

 

V1 Rocks

 

Permantly mount it up by the mirror, no one from outside can see it and you get the best range because it is mounted up high.

[rporter]

Bump..

 

considering the solo S2 vs 8500 x50...anyone have any current thoughts on this issue?

 

I know that the solo 2 does not have pop like the 8500 x50 does..

 

I'm wrestling with this one myself.....

 

I have the next-oldest Solo that I love, but I'm debating whether I want to go back to a wired model to get the POP.

 

What I have found over the years with Solos (and I've been using them since the original back in the early '90s) is that I tend to use a detector more when it is convenient to carry around and use. This is because we have a couple of cars at home, plus I used to travel a lot for business and had rental cars. A wired model may have better range, but I would use a Solo more frequently, hence better coverage.

 

Since we are down to two daily-use cars, and my wife has her own Solo, I am leaning toward doig a permanent-mount setup with a new POP detector for the LGT, and still keep the Solo for other cars and rental cars when needed. Maybe even update to a newer Solo for these instances.

 

POP is still a burst of K or Ka, and I swear that I've picked that up with my current Solo.

[rporter]

They touch on why laser will never be the most popular......it's too much work!! Laser must be properly AIMED.

 

Don't know how many folks remember the early laser test in C&D where they had Mike Valentine help them out. The "aiming" part is critical, and was tough for them to get right. The note in the Edmund's article about aiming at a front plate so that the detector in the windshield doesn't go off is not something the average cop can do!!

 

The advent of the laser that can be aimed through a windshield helps, though, as the old guns had to be aimed out an open window.

[TSiWRX]

^ It may be too much work, but damn near all the true speed-traps around here use it - and not just State Bears, either...even the better-funded local fuzz are using it.

 

That's why I've invested in an active jammer. Too many close-calls.

 

----

 

As for the detector, I'm in-favor of corded units. I am not sure if the latest revisions of the cordless Solo gives it true "constantly powered-on" technology, but even in the recent past, cordless units have used intermittent power technology in order to help extend battery operation duration.

 

This will somewhat decrease, of course, it's ability to "instantly" react to threats - i.e. the threat comes at a time during which the unit is not fully powered - and is one limitation which is evident in the inability of past cordless units to offer POP protection.

 

The trade-off, of course, is portability - which can be a very valid reason for those who either travel frequently and use rental vehicles and/or split their driving time between main vehicles.

[TSiWRX]

Yes, detector to power-source (be it the cancer-stick plug or hard-wire end-point), and typically, that's all she said.

 

On some models, this plug end not only sources the power, but also acts as a secondary mute/function button offering yet another access point for controlling the unit.

[schwinn]

If the car is less than a few car lengths or so, of course not (unless the cop is a VERY bad aim). The laser beam is narrow. I have gotten advance laser beeps around Detroit, and back when I used to live in Chicago. If they are shooting up ahead, and aren't precisely on target, you get stray laser beams.

 

Real-life situations do not always match a planned test scenario. Try aiming a laser properly out the side windo of your car.....and have a donut in the other hand!!

 

Properly-used instant-on is as deadly.

Some older laser guns had very tall beam heights and wide beam widths due to the use of multiple beams (LTI 20-20 Marksman, specfically... see here: Radar detector jammer forum: View topic - LTI2020 Marksman not accurate in Israel? ) With such a high beam, and a wide spread, it was much easier to detect the laser gun. Newer versions (LTI 20-20 Ultralyte, for example) don't use triple-beams, and have reduced the "splatter." So, what you may have detected before, may not be detected any more.

 

Sure, the beam is very jittery at the car, which is why they often steady it with the door or window "sill" on the car as they target cars. I can tell you that I have only once ever seen a laser warning, and it was just before I got pulled over. I have seen many cops using laser, and my detector never going off at all, too.

 

^ It may be too much work, but damn near all the true speed-traps around here use it - and not just State Bears, either...even the better-funded local fuzz are using it.

 

That's why I've invested in an active jammer. Too many close-calls.

My sentiments exactly - MOST daytime Mass State Police run laser these days. I see it more often than not on my short, <10 mile commute. This is why I have my Blinder M-20, too