# escort passport x50



## soccrstar (Nov 23, 2004)

is this like the best radar detector? 

i'm in need of one

i speed alot cuz i'm like always almost late for work alot of times (last time punchin' in 3 min b4 schedule) yea i know, leave early blah, 

i needa find my radar jammer, gotta b here somewhere

anyways anyone have the escort x50? work well? how far cops is b4 it starts notifiying you?

thanks


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## Marvin (Oct 16, 2002)

buy a valentine 1


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## 7875 (Apr 3, 2003)

Are you looking for a jammer or detector? Those are two different things.


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## soccrstar (Nov 23, 2004)

i know they 2 different things... i already have a jammer. looking for a detector?

and valentine 1? i thought escort x50 was the best?


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## CHRIS/SR/SE (Dec 15, 2003)

Go for the Valentine One, it is the best on the market, look at car and driver reviews over the past 10 years or so.


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## pete? (Jul 6, 2004)

also there are a few non removeable systems. they mount either 4 or 6 sensers at the 4 corners (and front and back for the 6) and they are wired to a 1/2 din "tuner" that you place in your dash, cops mistake it as a piece of audio. i have heard these are suppost to be top notch car and driver tested one on a bimmer iirc and gave it extremly good ratings.


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## Zac (Mar 10, 2004)

soccrstar said:


> is this like the best radar detector?
> 
> i'm in need of one
> 
> ...


O god, now you got me started. DO NOT BUY THE V1 UNLESS YOU ARE CRAMMED EVERYWHERE WITH PHOTO RADAR AND ANCIENT X BAND!!!!!

The 8500X50 is the best on the market for constant on K and KA as well as instant on K and KA band radar. As far as LIDAR which is laser, you are screwed without a jammer. The V1.8 and 8500X50 do about the same. As far as instant on radar, the V1.8 (yes, the new one) sucks compared to the 8500X50. Telling you a warning time or distance is impossible but it will vary from a few seconds to about 7 miles.


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## Zac (Mar 10, 2004)

On top of that, radar jamming is illegal as can be. You can go to jail for 25+ years as it is a HUGE federal offense. If your jammer is an RMR that claims to jam everything, then it is a piece of shit and you have fallen to the con. Passive jammers are a con and even active jammers dont do much. Their has never been a jammer that could jam digital K or any KA band radar. Sorry, jamming digital band radar is prettymuch impossible.


This is my review of the 8500X50 from a few months ago as my opinions have not changed. Since then, the V1.7 became the V1.8 which is better, but still inferior to the 8500X50 in KA band detection. The V1.8 finally detects BEE POP3, but still has its shortcommings in instant on, the fastest spreading form of radar.

The 8500 X50 obliterates the V1. Sorry Valentine guys, your K and KA protection is lacking. Last night I was driving next to a MazdaSpeed who had a V1. We both were hit with K Instant On. I had a least an extra second warning before him. In the game of instant on, every second counts. The new X50 has improved circuity for quicker responses to Instant On. Don't expect to see POP 3 on the road...it is innacurate and should soon be outlawed, but you will begin to see a lot of Instant On. LIDAR range is improved significantly as well (though alot of this can be linked to how you mount your detector as well). I have had a few LIDAR warnings. I have said Escort's strengths before and I have said it again...

Strengths:
1. Superior K, KA and now LIDAR protection-longer range and quickest circuitry due to newest state of the art DSP 
2. Smart cord is included as well as a hard case 
3. Mounting hardware is superior to "lesser" detectors 
4. They have blue and red...I love my blue 
5. Ability to turn off certain bands which almost all detectors lack 
6. The sounds are the same as the 8500 Classic...loud, clear and distinct-a different sound for each band 
7. It is easy to use out of the box, but the expert meter is a great tool as well.--And as far a frequency display-X, K (sometimes LIDAR) will false a lot and KA can false believe it or not. Frequency display is very important in some cases. It lets you know what is a real threat. 
8. The platinum casing looks more expensive (can be a weakness as well) 
9. This detector does not react negatively when in close range with other detectors 
10. LIDAR has improved enough to where you have a prayer if you encounter it

Weaknesses:
1. It is more sensative hence falses more (with POP3 mode especially)-accept any RD will false and either live with it or drive slower. 
2. LIDAR falses from ambulances, tow trucks and the lights on a Chevy Avalange (actually these all use lasers, so it isnt really a false) 
3. Their is always the question that early models could have defects but mine seems to get the job done well 
4. The price has risen if you want the blue (but it is still an even 300 with the red)


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## soccrstar (Nov 23, 2004)

they not illegal everywhere. i have one. and it does work. all the time when i be driving at night i see cops turn on their dome light cuz they think somethings wrong with their radar and give me that stare down. i'm not in jail still here. i know they illegal in NY, CT, VA, D.C. and several other states but not massachusetts

i just dont know where i put that sucker, has to be in the house somewhere

and thanx for the write-up on the x50. gon purchase the x50 blue



NickZac said:


> On top of that, radar jamming is illegal as can be. You can go to jail for 25+ years as it is a HUGE federal offense. If your jammer is an RMR that claims to jam everything, then it is a piece of shit and you have fallen to the con. Passive jammers are a con and even active jammers dont do much. Their has never been a jammer that could jam digital K or any KA band radar. Sorry, jamming digital band radar is prettymuch impossible.
> 
> 
> This is my review of the 8500X50 from a few months ago as my opinions have not changed. Since then, the V1.7 became the V1.8 which is better, but still inferior to the 8500X50 in KA band detection. The V1.8 finally detects BEE POP3, but still has its shortcommings in instant on, the fastest spreading form of radar.
> ...


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## Coco (Apr 30, 2002)

I have an older model Escort passport and ever since I bought it, I haven't gotten a ticket. It's been about 4 years now. Well worth the money and it's extremely reliable.


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## Marvin (Oct 16, 2002)

I like my V1. To me, the differences in $400 radar detectors are minimal. While one might out perform one a touch better than another, it really doesn't make too much of a difference. They will all let you know about a radar gun 5 seconds before a cop can see you, so if the Escort lets you know a full second before my V1, i'm not really worried about it.


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## BII (May 13, 2004)

Active Jammers are illegal under _federal_ statute, and many states (but not all) also have a state law. So if you get caught, you can go to "Federal, pound me in the ***" prison.


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## Zac (Mar 10, 2004)

soccrstar said:


> they not illegal everywhere. i have one. and it does work. all the time when i be driving at night i see cops turn on their dome light cuz they think somethings wrong with their radar and give me that stare down. i'm not in jail still here. i know they illegal in NY, CT, VA, D.C. and several other states but not massachusetts
> 
> i just dont know where i put that sucker, has to be in the house somewhere
> 
> and thanx for the write-up on the x50. gon purchase the x50 blue


Active jamming is a HUGE federal offense man. They are 50 state illegal and considered in violation with the FCC. If they are shooting KA, you arent jamming them. What brand jammer are you using? I know of only 3 active jammers that can do X and analog K.


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## FletchSpecV (Nov 26, 2002)

I have an escort 8500 and I love it. Never gotten a ticket in my life after 8 years of driving. For the 300 bucks I paid for it, it's probably the best investment I've ever made and I think the V1 is about 500 so for the difference in price it's definetly a good deal. :thumbup:


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## Marvin (Oct 16, 2002)

V1 is $399.

Where in the hell did you get $500?


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## Zac (Mar 10, 2004)

im guessing the factored in the price of a smart cord, case and hard wire kit. iirc the V1 doesnt come with it unless it has changed.


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## Marvin (Oct 16, 2002)

Mine came with hardwire kit and cig lighter adapter, along with all mounting hardware. Only thing extra I paid for was the module to hide the display.


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## Zac (Mar 10, 2004)

then they were simply off by about 100 bucks 
V1 is 400, X50 blue was 340 from authorized retailers last I checked and X50 red was 300...not that bug of a difference though. if you are willing to pay for one, 300-400 is not that big of a step compared to 100-200. if the figure is still accurate, the 8500 and V1 sales combined makes up less than 1% of all radar detector sales. the one thing i do really like about the V1 that no other production unit to my knowlege has are of course the arrows. they arent perfectly accurate but they are pretty close. i can tell where a radar source is comming from by how strong the signal comes on, but having arrows is a plus and makes it so you dont have to focus on the intensity of the source you are being hit with. i would imagine mike valentine has a patent on that technology which is why no one else has released it; either that or no one else views it cost effective which imo it is.


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