22nd of March 2010
Escort Passport 8500 X50 Radar and Laser Detector Red Display specifications:
- Sophisticated long range radar and laser detector reads all police, regular, and “instant on” radar
- Digital signal processing gives maximum range while minimizing false alarms
- Identifies up to eight radar signals simultaneously
- Reprogrammable microprocessor can detect new radar and laser threats
- Red matrix display with 280 LEDs, 1 year restricted warranty
Escort Passport 8500 X50 Radar and Laser Detector Red Display review:
Hailed as the most revolutionary radar/laser detector ever. The Passport 8500 X50’s new “V Tuned” radar receiver gives extreme detection range on all police radar, regular and “instant on” radar, as well as 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 gives maximum range, with minimum false alarms. The Passport 8500 X50 is one of the most advanced and sophisticated radar and laser detectors still developed by the professionals at Escort. Totally 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 restricted Video Receiver, many High Performance Laser Sensors Programmable Features Power On Indication, Power On Sequence, Signal Strength Meter, AutoMute, Audio Tones, City Mode Sensitivity, Display light, black 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 black Mode Power prerequisite 12VDC, Negative Ground, SmartCord MuteDisplay Included Sensitivity Control AutoSensitivity, Highway, and City Mute and AutoMute, Auto Calibration Circuitry Unit SizeHxWxL 1.25 x 2.85 x 5.32 inches Escort One year restricted warranty
Radar detector manufacturers are constantly playing a game of catch up with new technologies intended to nab the lead footed. “Pop” radar is a comparatively new instant on technology that may make a whole generation of radar detectors out of date. These radar guns operate at low frequency till they’re switched on to find out 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 obliged to detect low frequency Pop radar.
Design
Mounting the 8500 in our test car was easy and straightforward. A small suction cup bracket slides into the unit’s release system and easily attaches to the windshield with light pressure. The unit is housed in a tough plastic case that is low profile and compact although it’s bigger and heavier than Escort’s wireless offering, the Solo S2. The rear of the unit is dominated by a receiver window and there is a rear facing laser detector window intended to detect laser signals emanating from behind the car.
 Digital Signal Processing DSP gives 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 light. 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 located on the front panel beside the big, horizontal LCD display which, throughout 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, also as a fitted mute button two useful additions.
Features
The 8500 can detect all of the radar bands now in use in North America for speed detection, as well as the X, K and Ka bands. The unit includes 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 matched with the 8500.
The feature that separates the 8500 from other Escort radar detectors, also as the complete last generation of radar detector technologies, is its Pop radar detection potential. Pop radar guns, while comparatively rare in police departments, were used to recognize speeding vehicles in traffic. They supply little warning as the radar signal idles at a low frequency till it transmits an very short, high frequency burst to “Pop” a target. The 8500 comes with a greatly sensitive receiving system and a digital signal processor intended to pick up Pop signals from a safe distance. Pop detection isn’t enabled by default in the 8500, however, users must turn it on in the settings menu. Escort most likely chose to disable Pop detection by default because its increased sensitivity also increases false alerts. But, first time radar detector users may be in for a surprise if they neglect to turn it on.
 The Passport 8500 X50 gives three types of warning displays to decide from. |
Audio alerts are the most vital feature of any radar detector, and the 8500 does not 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 simple to swiftly discern threats. The 8500’s “AutoMute” feature automatically lowers the volume level of an alert after a time period.
False alarms are one of the big annoyances of radar detector use. In our tests, the 8500 was amazingly adept at minimizing false alarms from home garage door systems, also as home and commercial security systems that usually operate on X band radar. The unit’s city sensitivity setting decreases sensitivity to X band resources, while the highway setting doesn’t. We found the unit’s powerful “AutoSensitivity” mode the most correct, but, as it dynamically filtered all types of radar signals and identified which resources were a rightful threat. We got some false alarms, but for the most part, annoying chirps from bogus X band resources were unusual.
The 8500 has nine fitted customizable settings. In the settings mode, the LCD acts as a menu system that lets users control display light, auto mute, audio tones, and power on modes. There are settings for disabling detection of selected bands. We liked the expert mode settings, which let a user to get a constant picture of the intensity of all the radar bands in the neighborhood. The SpecDisplay, which is a feature exclusive to the 8500, displays the real 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 intended 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 extraordinary level of accuracy is caused by the unit’s AutoSensitivity feature. While we encountered no police radar, other controlled tests of the 8500’s performance have put the dependable range of detection at two miles for all bands. In the meantime, Pop mode tests place the dependable detection range between 500 and 1000 feet.
Pros
- Well designed controls and display features
- AutoSensitivity feature largely decreases false alarms
- Highly correct with big detection range
Cons
- Pop detection not enabled by default
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September 1, 2008 at 11:17 pm
I have one for sale, great price, email me if interested
September 2, 2008 at 11:21 pm
Pros: Great product for the price. Cons: Hard to find in stock
September 3, 2008 at 10:55 pm
price of escort passport is a great deal for car electronics
September 4, 2008 at 9:45 pm
Amazon had it for sale
September 5, 2008 at 3:37 pm
it’s in limited availability, and hard to find a rebate, so dont bother too much, just buy it
September 6, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Check any price comparison web sites for lowest price.
September 7, 2008 at 11:49 pm
It’s one of the better car electronics out there. Good Pricing.
September 8, 2008 at 10:41 pm
Your best bet is to compare escort passport 8500 prices on ebay
September 9, 2008 at 8:30 pm
Nothing in Frye Electronics, couldnt find rebates or coupons
September 10, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Will check local outlet for any discounted deals on
September 11, 2008 at 2:16 pm
i got it in Target store that had a clearance sale, but generally online deals are better
September 12, 2008 at 6:36 pm
It’s hard to find it on a discount or closeout sales
September 13, 2008 at 3:46 pm
Enough comparisons, just buy it.
September 14, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Don’t think closeout prices are a deal, i would buy it now.
September 15, 2008 at 6:56 pm
wouldnt want to get this one refurbished haha
September 16, 2008 at 10:29 pm
Usually has a limited availability, and when i found it, wasnt exactly the cheapest
September 17, 2008 at 10:35 pm
Where online can you find it used?