8500 vs X50 plus other newbie questions! Thanks!

[tsmfirefighter8]

Hey Guys,

I just started reading the forum yesterday, but I am already very impressed and grateful with the depth and quality of information shared here. I have an Escort 8500 (non X50) that I bought about a year ago and have some questions that I've never figured out the answer too, and I'm hoping you can help me out! So here goes...

I have X-band disabled in city mode (because both city and county LEO's in my area use K or Ka and I used to get frequent false alerts), but I'm wondering if I get increased K and Ka sensitivity when in highway mode vs city mode.

Does the 8500 (non X50 again) offer "POP" protection?

I rarely encounter laser traps, but the VSP (Virginia State Police) only use Ka to the best of my knowledge (and I usually only use my detector travelling on the Interstate to work). Is it worth the money to upgrade to an X50 over the 8500?

Can anyone reccomend a good guide for doing a stealth install of my detector?

I currently have the detector mounted in the bottom left corner of my windshield. How much range am I losing by mounting it here vs near the top of the windshield? Does anyone reccomend buying a second detector to mount in the rear window (which is tinted in my Jeep) for rear protection because of the lost protection by having the 8500 mounted in the bottom of the front windshield? How much range is lost mounting the detector in front of the stock sun tint at the top of the windshield?

My area is switching to a trunked digital 800mhz system in the next few months, but the VSP will be on UHF for at least the near future. Which scanner would you guys reccomend (perhaps a digital and analog choice?) for use as a secondary counter-measure?

Thanks for all the great information thus far, and I appreciate any feedback anyone can give me on my questions. Best regards.

[robert]

First, I'd turn the X back on and at least put it on "City LoX" to lower the chances of falses. Up here in Baltimore there are a few X guns still being used.

For mounting, is it pointing straight ahead where you have it mounted? On my windshield it would be angled to the side if I mounted it where you have yours. If you want a good stealth install, get the direct wire cable and mount the RD just above your rearview mirror. You'll get great range in that spot while keeping it out of the view of the LEOs.

Welcome to the forums!

[stealthJamal]

X band may still be used in Maryland, but I know that it is not in VA. One of my previous post(lazy right now, not looking for it) provides a link to the list of radar equipment approved for use in VA, no X band guns are on it.

If you drive outside of VA on a regular basis I would say upgrade to the X50. If most of your driving is in VA, I would wait until the next best radar detector comes out. Also, I would wait and see if the VSP gets Spectre or not.

BTW, VSP uses K band also. VSP uses mostly Ka, but they still have some K. You will not find X band in VA. Only exception to the X band is Roy says that the U.S. Park Police still use some X band. The U.S. Park Police have jurisdiction on the GW Parkway in Northern VA.

As for a stealth install,

Depends on the design of your vehicle. Put the detector in a location that it will work properly without being seen from outside the vehicle. Hope this helps.

Jamal

[sethy]

I would say you would want to upgrade for a few reasons

- x50 fixes the overheating issue
- The x50 is more sensitive to the growing KA band threat

Those 2 reasons, should be good enough to upgrade.

[SPEEDYJ]

I think it would be in your best interest to go with the X50 because it does give you a little more warning time with KA. You may want to consider getting a BEL RX65. IMO the X50 and RX65 give you virtually the same warning time but the RX65 will alert to KU if and when it ever starts being used in the U.S. I do still occasionally run across VSP using K band but most are using KA. I don't know where you're at in VA but most county officers that run radar use K (Roanoke City/County, Salem City, Christiansburg and Blacksburg officers almost all use it but I think that there's one or two cars used by Montgomery and Giles counties that use KA). Stay safe...J

[stiGuy]

I also have an 8500 (not X50) and am wondering about the overheating issue that's fixed with the X50... What is the issue?

I've got mine hard wired and mounted above the rearview - it's 3+ years old - and I've never had a problem...

I also have a zr3 hooked in to it and did have a problem with the front shifters (they were installed poorly) - but I've replaced them and all is now well...

I'm mostly on the highway (Ka), but do get K and even X (locally) from time to time. I've got the remote mute button mounted under my e-brake, and don't at all about the few falses I get from leaving it in auto mode.

As for the Ka threat - is there something I'm missing? I've been avoiding Ka guns for years... What's the X50 do that the 8500 doesn't? (POP detection sounds like an annoyance from all the falses, but what do I know?)

So, how much better is the X50? I've gotten a couple of tickets over the past five years - one because I was in unfamiliar territory, had the stereo up too loud and was just plain stupid, the other right before I got the zr3 - LIDAR at 999 feet. I beat both in court, and haven't had to go back...

Anyway - just wondering if upgrading is really worth it...

FWIW - I'm in MA mostly - I just ordered a bottle of Veil and a Laser Shield cover, and I'm pretty happy with my zr3 as it is (has saved me on average two times per month).

Yeah, I'm long winded, sorry...

-tig

[Radarboy12312]

I also have an 8500 (not X50) and am wondering about the overheating issue that's fixed with the X50... What is the issue?

I've got mine hard wired and mounted above the rearview - it's 3+ years old - and I've never had a problem...

I also have a zr3 hooked in to it and did have a problem with the front shifters (they were installed poorly) - but I've replaced them and all is now well...

I'm mostly on the highway (Ka), but do get K and even X (locally) from time to time. I've got the remote mute button mounted under my e-brake, and don't at all about the few falses I get from leaving it in auto mode.

As for the Ka threat - is there something I'm missing? I've been avoiding Ka guns for years... What's the X50 do that the 8500 doesn't? (POP detection sounds like an annoyance from all the falses, but what do I know?)

So, how much better is the X50? I've gotten a couple of tickets over the past five years - one because I was in unfamiliar territory, had the stereo up too loud and was just plain stupid, the other right before I got the zr3 - LIDAR at 999 feet. I beat both in court, and haven't had to go back...

Anyway - just wondering if upgrading is really worth it...

FWIW - I'm in MA mostly - I just ordered a bottle of Veil and a Laser Shield cover, and I'm pretty happy with my zr3 as it is (has saved me on average two times per month).

Yeah, I'm long winded, sorry...

-tig

I guess I,am one of the lucky ones as I have not had any overheating issues with my X50 but yes just like any other detector it can and does get hot .