Blinder M25 J16 or Escort ZR4 shifter?

[SuzaFan]

Guys,

I would like to know which one is considered better?
I know that ZR4 offers back protection too, but let's put that aside...
I have a Passport 8500 X50, and the ZR4 can somehow be linked with my 8500 X50...that's why I am leaning towards the ZR4...
Can the Blinder M25 be linked with it too?? Is it a usefull option to link those 2 devices or is it just marketing...

Thanx for the answers...

[djrams80]

Guys,

I would like to know which one is considered better?

The Blinder is considered better.

Radar Detector Tests and Reviews by Guys of LIDAR

I know that ZR4 offers back protection too, but let's put that aside...
I have a Passport 8500 X50, and the ZR4 can somehow be linked with my 8500 X50...that's why I am leaning towards the ZR4...
Can the Blinder M25 be linked with it too??

No, the Blinder cannot be linked the X50.

Is it a usefull option to link those 2 devices or is it just marketing...

Thanx for the answers...

Linking is a very useful option. Having one display and mute button for your whole system is very nice.

[John From Cincinnati]

With rear protection taken out of the equation, as a ZR4 owner, I'd recommend the Blinder over the ZR4. In my opinion, Shiftlink is a nice "convenience" feature, but in hindsight I don't feel that it is worth the seemingly quite significant performance deficit. As often as you're going to get a laser alert, pushing an extra button is well worth it to garner the extra protection the Blinder offers as recently tested. One caveat, if you're in a location where you could potentially face the Truspeed, I'd wait until Blinder's status is known as far as protection against it.

[SuzaFan]

Thanx for great info...

[LFRP]

Hi all, I dont write here in the forum a lot but i read it in a daily basis... all the information found here is really good and fun to read....

Im in the same position as SuzaFan, I own the escort x50 and Im deciding between the zr4 and the blinder.. I live in Broward, Florida, and last week going on sample rd I got a laser alert and I saw the leo on the side of the road.. I was going only like 10 mpg over the speed limit, anyway he didnt stop me.

So first I would like to know if anyone have information about leo's using laser here in Broward county, Fl???? because as far as I used to know, I have only see k and ka, this is the first time my x 50 goes off by laser...

and if they are using laser I would decide between the blinder and the zr4...
I like about the zr4 the display thing and the rear protection... I think the blinder doesnt have rear protection, does it matter?

djrams80 said that the blinder can not be linked to the x50, but the blinder web page says:

The M25 is a superb, proven active laser jammer and is compatible with: Escort 8500 X50 (Windshield mount) Escort SR7 (Hidden Install) Bel RX65 or Bel 995 (Windshield mount) Bel RX75 (Hidden Intall) These are the very best radar detectors on the market.

so I'm not sure about that now if it can be link or not...

Thanks.

[John From Cincinnati]

As far as the linking and rear detection is concerned: The Blinder is not capable of the Shiftlink feature. Escort and Beltronics detectors, when plugged into the ZR4 control panel, will display and sound alerts from the ZR4 through the detector, rather than through the small provided display as a standalone ZR4 would. If you had an Escort radar detector and the Blinder, you'd get and respond to laser alerts through the Blinder hardware rather than through your detector. I'm not sure just what Blinder is saying here, other than that a jammer is complimentary to a radar detector, but they can't be linked like a BelEscort product can. I'd again personally recommend leaving the linking factor aside in your selection of a jammer.

As for the rear detection, it's a bit of a toss up. The ZR4 seems to jam sufficiently well when the rear plate is targeted, but any panning towards the taillights may result in punchthrough. It's a case of "something may be better than nothing". I certainly wouldn't rely on the single ZR4 rear head to protect you from rear LIDAR targeting anywhere near fully. Luckily, rear targeting remains, in most places, a relatively obscure tactic, so the front is the primary consideration for most drivers.

I can't speak to Broward County's habits, other than to comment that FL seems to have a fair amount of laser in general. I think it's highly likely that you'll face it at some point, as it seems you already have.

[djrams80]

Hi all, I dont write here in the forum a lot but i read it in a daily basis... all the information found here is really good and fun to read....

Im in the same position as SuzaFan, I own the escort x50 and Im deciding between the zr4 and the blinder.. I live in Broward, Florida, and last week going on sample rd I got a laser alert and I saw the leo on the side of the road.. I was going only like 10 mpg over the speed limit, anyway he didnt stop me.

So first I would like to know if anyone have information about leo's using laser here in Broward county, Fl???? because as far as I used to know, I have only see k and ka, this is the first time my x 50 goes off by laser...

and if they are using laser I would decide between the blinder and the zr4...
I like about the zr4 the display thing and the rear protection... I think the blinder doesnt have rear protection, does it matter?

If your local LEOs shoot from the rear, it matters. Mine do and I have a ticket to prove it. My rear ZR3s were beat. The ZR4s rear protection is minimal at best. Against anything but a PLIII, I wouldn't trust my rear ZR4s. Rear protection is a choice between none on the M25 and basically none for the ZR4s.

So, now we're back to square one. If your local LEOs do not use rear targeting tactics, the choice is then between the higher performance of the M25 and the better integration of the ZR4s with lesser performance. What type of vehicle you drive is a big part of what jammer you should choose.

Now, if your locals do use rear targeting tactics, I would personally suggest a jump up to an LPP or LI for proper protection, especially since every gun under the sun is used in Florida.

http://www.radardetector.net/forums/...at-states.html

djrams80 said that the blinder can not be linked to the x50, but the blinder web page says:

The M25 is a superb, proven active laser jammer and is compatible with: Escort 8500 X50 (Windshield mount) Escort SR7 (Hidden Install) Bel RX65 or Bel 995 (Windshield mount) Bel RX75 (Hidden Intall) These are the very best radar detectors on the market.

so I'm not sure about that now if it can be link or not...

Thanks.

Aaahhh. The tricky word here is "compatible". This means that both can be used together. This is true, but the Blinders cannot be integrated with the X50 or any other Belscort RD like the ZR4s can. This means that both systems will work independently as opposed to together like the ZR4s and your X50 for instance. The Blinders will not communicate with any other system.

[Stealth Stalker]

Aaahhh. The tricky word here is "compatible". This means that both can be used together. This is true, but the Blinders cannot be integrated with the X50 or any other Belscort RD like the ZR4s can. This means that both systems will work independently as opposed to together like the ZR4s and your X50 for instance. The Blinders will not communicate with any other system.

Exactly. And really, there is no significant benefit to the whole linking thing. Especially when you have to buy a lesser jammer in order to have it. Buy the best detector you can afford. Buy the best jammer you can afford. Give no consideration at all to "compatibility", because it's simply not an issue.

[AirMoore]

Exactly. And really, there is no significant benefit to the whole linking thing. Especially when you have to buy a lesser jammer in order to have it. Buy the best detector you can afford. Buy the best jammer you can afford. Give no consideration at all to "compatibility", because it's simply not an issue.

X2, Whats the point of having a jammer that links in with your system, if its not going to jam?


I was seriously considering the ZR4, until GOL... then I chose Blinder for its dominating performance (over the ZR4)... even though it would integrate rather nicely with some of my Belscort units.

[LFRP]

Thanks for the information and clearing that out... tricky word lol... they just do that so people get more excited to buy it.

I drive a small vehicle, a toyota celica 97...

One quick question.. in terms of warning system, I see that zr4 comes with a miniature display controller but the blinder m25 comes with the mute button, a led light and a speaker right??

I was considering getting the zr4 because I have the x50, so to keep it the same brand... and also I like the display controller, but on the other hand, the smartest thing is to go with the blinder that did a lot better on the test and is less expensive too..

I was thinking about another option, and since I have a small car I can get the zr4 and veil...

I'm thinking to really know which one I want before I buy it, because right now i'm just a student and dont want to get something I will not like... I mean, I dont work full time to spend 400.00 twice...