Amazon.com Review Radar detector manufacturers are constantly playing a game of catch-up with new technologies designed to nab the lead-footed. "Pop" radar is a relatively new instant-on technology that may make a whole generation of radar detectors obsolete. These radar guns operate at low frequency until they are switched on to determine a driver's speed with lightning-fast accuracy. This leaves a radar detector little opportunity to scan and detect the radar signal. Pop radar may sound ominous, but a new crop of radar detectors--including the Escort Passport 8500 X50--offer Pop radar detection. Escort claims that the 8500 X50 is the most powerful and advanced radar detector ever, with the supreme sensitivity required to detect low-frequency Pop radar.
Design Mounting the 8500 in our test vehicle was easy and straightforward. A small suction cup bracket slides into the unit's release mechanism and easily attaches to the windshield with light pressure. The unit is housed in a sturdy plastic case that's low profile and compact--although it is larger and heavier than Escort's wireless offering, the Solo S2. The rear of the unit is dominated by a receiver window and there's a rear-facing laser detector window designed to detect laser signals emanating from behind the vehicle.
Digital Signal Processing (DSP) provides maximum range, with minimum false alarms.
The Escort 8500 has a suprisingly simple control layout. Two buttons on the top of the unit control sensitivity settings and display brightness. They also double as selection buttons when the unit is in programming mode. The left side of the unit sports a volume dial. A mute button is positioned on the front panel next to the large, horizontal LCD display which, during normal use, graphs the intensity of the radar and laser signals the unit detects. Power is supplied by an included Escort SmartCord, which plugs into a cigarette-lighter power socket. The SmartCord features an alert LED, as well as a built-in mute button-- two handy additions.
Features The 8500 can detect all of the radar bands currently in use in North America for speed detection, including the X, K and Ka bands. The unit also features detection diodes for laser detection, but for the most powerful protection from laser detection, Escort offers the ZR3 laser jamming system, which is plug-and-play compatible with the 8500.
The feature that separates the 8500 from other Escort radar detectors, as well as the entire previous generation of radar detector technologies, is its Pop radar detection capabilities. Pop radar guns, while still relatively rare in police departments, are used to identify speeding vehicles in traffic. They provide little warning as the radar signal idles at a low frequency until it transmits an extremely short, high-frequency burst to "Pop" a target. The 8500 is equipped with a highly sensitive receiving system and a digital signal processor designed to pick up Pop signals from a safe distance. Pop detection is not enabled by default in the 8500, however; users must turn it on in the settings menu. Escort probably chose to disable Pop detection by default because its increased sensitivity also increases false alerts. However, first-time radar detector users might be in for a surprise if they neglect to turn it on.
The Passport 8500 X50 provides 3 types of warning displays to choose from.
Audio alerts are the most important feature of any radar detector, and the 8500 doesn't disappoint in this department. Warning tones get progressively louder as a threat approaches, and users can set the unit to deliver warnings at preprogrammed volume levels. Each radar band--including Pop radar--has a distinct tone, making it easy to quickly discern threats. The 8500's "AutoMute" feature automatically lowers the volume level of an alert after a period of time.
False alarms are one of the major annoyances of radar detector use. In our tests, the 8500 was surprisingly adept at minimizing false alarms from home garage door systems, as well as home and commercial security systems that commonly operate on X-band radar. The unit's city sensitivity setting decreases sensitivity to X-band sources, while the highway setting does not. We found the unit's powerful "AutoSensitivity" mode the most accurate, however, as it dynamically filtered all types of radar signals and identified which sources were a legitimate threat. We got a few false alarms, but for the most part, annoying chirps from bogus X-band sources were uncommon.
The 8500 has nine built-in customizable settings. In the settings mode, the LCD acts as a menu system that lets users control display brightness, automatic mute, audio tones, and power-on modes. There are also settings for disabling detection of selected bands. We liked the expert mode settings, which allow a user to get a constant picture of the intensity of all the radar bands in the area. The SpecDisplay, which is a feature exclusive to the 8500, displays the actual numeric frequency of the radar signal being received.
For those living in states that prohibit use of a radar detector, the 8500 does include VG-2 radar detector detector protection, which is designed to both alert the driver and shut down the unit's oscillator.
On the Road We used the 8500 on a 20-mile stretch of busy interstate and were impressed with the low number of false alarms we received. Again, this remarkable level of accuracy is due to the unit's AutoSensitivity feature. While we encountered no police radar, other controlled tests of the 8500's performance have put the reliable range of detection at 2 miles for all bands. Meanwhile, Pop mode tests place the reliable detection range between 500 and 1000 feet.
Product Description Hailed as the most revolutionary radar/laser detector ever. The Passport 8500 X50's new "V-Tuned" radar receiver provides extreme detection range on all police radar; conventional and "instant-on" radar, including the new POP mode radar threat, X-Band, and up to 50% more range than the original Passport 8500 on the all-important K and Ka bands. Digital signal processing (DSP) provides maximum range, with minimum false alarms. The Passport 8500 X50 is one of the most advanced and sophisticated radar and laser detectors yet developed by the professionals at Escort. Completely immune to the VG-2 detector-detector Operating Bands - X-band 10.525 GHz +- 25 MHz, K-band 24.150 GHz +- 100 MHz, Ka-band 34.700 GHz +- 1300 MHz, Laser 904nm, 33 MHz Bandwidth Laser Detection - Quantum Limited Video Receiver, Multiple High-Performance Laser Sensors Programmable Features - Power-On Indication, Power-On Sequence, Signal Strength Meter, AutoMute, Audio Tones, City Mode Sensitivity, Display Brightness, Dark Mode, Radar / Laser Bands SmartShield VG-2 Immunity Radar Receiver / Detector Type - Superheterodyne, Varactor-Tuned VCO, Scanning Frequency Discriminator, Digital Signal Processing (DSP) Display Type - AlGaAs 280 LED Matrix/Text, Bar Graph, ExpertMeter, or SpecDisplay, 3-Level Dimming, plus Dark Mode Power Requirement - 12VDC, Negative Ground, SmartCord MuteDisplay Included Sensitivity Control - AutoSensitivity, Highway, and City Mute and AutoMute, Auto Calibration Circuitry Unit Size(HxWxL) - 1.25 x 2.85 x 5.32 inches Escort One year limited warranty
If you like to speed a little...December 3, 2008 This is a great product if you know how to use it. I have had the passport 8500 x50 for about 1 1/2 years. It was recommended by a friend. I have it hardwired into my Subaru wrx using the smart cord (the cord with the mute button), I had it professionally installed by a local stereo shop, I did this so I could mount it next to my rearview mirror to get the best results, as the owners manual stated. I then turned off X and K bands. The police and other agencies only Ka, Laser and POP radar, so, no false alarms! This has saved me from at least 3-4 tickets. These occurred mostly on main roads when a cop has been sitting there clocking peoples speed. There is a learning curve to this product, not a large one, but you have to learn have to read the signal strength. If its got 1 or 2 bars then jumps up to full, then goes back down to 1 to 2, then it was probably a cop on a side road. If it starts low and gets stronger quickly, probably a cop coming at you. If it comes on and stays strong for more than a mile a cop is either in front of you or behind. This works for multiple radars too. Laser rarely goes off, and if it does it is probably too late, cops have to, more or less, point it directly at your car (I read somewhere that cops are taught to point Laser (Lidar) at a flat surface, like a license plate) and they dont leave it on all the time either. This is my #1 threat. I have also, but rarely, had pop go off as well. It always is on and then gone in less than 10 seconds or so. Note: I have also never seen the cop after it has gone off, they must have been hiding. Ka is the most common where I live in nothern Cali. Some cops leave it on all the time so you can tell there is a cop nearby. Most police though, Never have anything on. This why you always have to be careful! 1 out of 20 actually have there radar on. The noises are clear and loud when set to max volume, rarely does my music drown it out. The display is clear and bright, no complaints. The connector for the unit is an old phone jack type, nice connector, but since the unit is $300, I take it down if my car is not in a secure place so that someone doesnt break in an steal it. Doing this over a year and a half has caused the little clippy thing to break off. Although it still works fine, doesnt come loose at all (its actually easier to take in and out). If you have the money, commute, or just like to bend the speed limit occasionally (and have $300) this is for you. 5 stars.
Escort 8500 x50 Radar DetectorDecember 2, 2008 Excellent Radar detector for the money. Gives you ample lead time before seeing any cop car. Very few false warnings, mostly from bigger shopping centers. Definitely a worthy unit.
Worth money, 3x over.November 29, 2008 I have owned three X50's now, within the last 3 1/2 years. One of them, the first, has never failed me, never died, had 'service' issues, heat or cold sensitivity and has saved my wallet hundreds of times over.
I have had three because one was stolen from my vehicle, and I loved it so much, that very morning I bought a new one. The price then was still over $300.00. I have total trust in both my current X50's and have used other detectors before, including the Valentine model. The arrows, though nice, were not a deciding factor considering my location. If maybe you lived in a more populated area, it might be helpful.
The range on this, I have not read an exact distance, but I have picked up, on slightly hilly terrain, cops in a speed trap from approx. 5 miles away. I heard the beep, slowed down, hit the silence button and waited to pass the cop. I went over a few hills, and sitting at the top of one, unseen from the spot of detection at first, was 3 cops. Two with KA (highway patrol) and one with K band (local sheriff). It has great range, needless to say.
The display on this is easy to see day and night, especially if you take into effect that you can dim the display, or change how the display is shown. Instead of a dull Highway showing, you can press a button, and it will say HD in a dull red. Perfect for night driving, for your own vision, and so officers dont see that dead give-away red light on your dash or in the window.
There are alot of other features I like about the X50, but they are covered in other reviews, and range from its size, to how easy it is to swap from one vehicle to another if needed. I recommend this item 100%, as I have not had a single problem with the 3 I have had. I own two vehicles, both always have my X50 on, and are both continually saving me from hefty tickets. It has paid for itself more times then I can remember.
For those who claim its junk, I bought my first from a Flying-J Travel Center. It has worked since day one, traveled across and around the US several times over, and in Dallas Texas, during 108+ degree temps, still kept me safe from tickets.
You can buy a nice selection of accessories for it, which I suggest= Escort Direct Wire SmartCord as it makes muting the beep much easier for vehicles where an outlet is out of easy reach. I use it for both my vehicles.
Escort passport 8500 X50 Radar DetectorOctober 30, 2008 0 out of 2 found this review helpful
This product was advertised as new, when I received this item it was not complete. The unit was shipped in an envolpe with a small amount of bubble wrap. There was no power cord,cup or case. I requested a refund and have not heard from this individual. He did state that he listed the missing items in the comments section. My question to him was it new or an open unit. I do not check the comments for missing part on a new item. This buyer should be ban from your site for false advertisment. I would never purchase an item from bestbuys again.
Escort Rates the BestOctober 24, 2008 In the past several weeks, I have used the Escort Passport both in city and highway driving. It passes every test with flying colors. Obviously, I haven't owned the Passport long enough to judge its' reliabilty in the long run. So far, so good!
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