Explanation of the 9500I & TrueLock info (Tricks)

[CJR238]

Originally Posted by MEM-TEK

Its not a matter that Escort was "listening." Its still a matter of a hardware "bug" which has actually turned out to be an incredibly beneficial feature -- especially at strongly alerting the driver in over-the-hill and around-the-curve encounters or whenever the 9500i encounters a weak radar signal which is moderately to rapidly increasing in intensity. Whatever the unintended flaw is in the circuitry is, Escort should jump on a patent for it immediately. Escort, I hope that you read this post!

Maybe i will send mine back in to flash it the old way, if it indeed is a bug. I wonder if thay can/will do that?

Originally Posted by CJR238

Jimbonzzz cleared up what my guess was with the antenna/mixer, his guess was a optimized component values in parts of the circuit rather than an actual part, which i thought it was. Apparently the horn is the antenna. After the antenna, the radar goes into the mixer (stupid me ). Well the end result was the same what ever they did.

(Component values could be optimized with a flash)
I guess Jim's guess was wrong too. So than all the parts we all discussed: Horn antenna/mixer, component values (software flash), metal clad area of the circuit board, single wave guide, stronger phase cancellation and firmware have nothing to do with the changes? There is nothing left...except for the smart cord.

No need to divulge what actually was done if you feel closer to Escort than us, just tell us the only thing that we missed/left out.

Originally Posted by ahmadr

So any original 9500i who gets the ramp-up fix will get the enhanced performance of the later 9500i??

Yes, all they realy do is a flash. However what MEM-TEK states above makes me wonder.

[CJR238]

I haven’t talked much about the 9500I's laser sensitivity because I didn’t have enough encounters.
Now that I have had 3 real confirmed encounters, I feel I can report better on how I feel the 9500I's laser sensitivity is.

My 1st encounter was pretty impressive, I would say 1/4mi at the bottom of a small hill. Wicked laser save with my 9500I

My 2nd encounter was a speed trap. I was going about 80 in a 55 and bam my 9500I goes off Laser! I jam on the breaks to slow to everyone’s speed and just a few seconds later I saw 2 LEO's with customers.
I’m assuming that if I was directly targeted I would of been pulled over for doing 25 over, so it must of been scatter, and therefore a save. going to Atlantic NJ city from NY

3rd encounter was pretty standard, LEO in left lain using the top of his hood as a brace shooting at incoming, Got the alert about 1/4mi however I was only doing 10 over so this case may not have been a true save.

So in conclusion the 9500I's laser sensitivity has been very impressive, I would say close to the #1 laser detecting unit out there but with less falses.

I would also note that I have seen some 9500I owners complain that on rare occasions bright sunlight gave off laser falses.

[MEM-TEK]

This seems to back up my two impressions of how well my 9500i performs against laser. Remember my post months ago about me encountering a LA state trooper parked on the opposite side of the highway shooting laser at cars cresting a hill roughly 1000 feet away? My 9500i was detecting the reflected returns off of the oncoming cars (1000+ feet away from the trooper) just as well as the trooper's laser gun was getting readings from the return signals. My one other encounter was in Rome, GA, where a motorcycle cop was shooting laser. I was the fourth or fifth car behind the car that was targeted.

I've looked at the laser circuitry inside the 9500i. It is the same as what is used in the Bel Vectors. While the 9500i/Vector laser circuitry performs fairly well, it should be noted that several tests show that the V1's laser circuitry performs better. The weird thing though is that my laser saves with both my STi and 9500i have occurred with these RDs mounted high above my RVM. Thinking about the shape of my car's hood (conventional and as found on most compact 4 door sedans), it seems that my high mounted RDs seem to ideally detect laser reflections off of the more sloped front edges of my car's hood.

There needs to be some serious testing of RDs against laser with the RDs mounted both low and high. Logic suggests that a low mounted RD will more likely "see" the laser shot since it should be closer to the laser cone targeting the front of the vehicle, yet a high mounted RD seems to be able to better see IR reflections off of the very front of the car's hood? Hmm...New stuff to ponder...

[Governator]

Excellent guide CJR238, very informative and I certainly look forward to playing with my 9500ix which I should take delivery of in a few days, to you!

[CJR238]

I figured I would add some info for the potential new ix owners like the Governator above.

Other than the added and very cool features of the ix below, the I & ix radar performance is the same.

What the new 9500ix features add over the 9500I:

USB DataPort & Safety Camera Database:
This allows you to update your database, (red light and fixed position speed cameras) and other software from Escorts website. All marked locations in the database will be reported as you approach them. Or you can set it to Selectable Markers (on/off) this allow you to customize which Markers are monitored and you are alerted to.

AutoLearn-TrueLock:
AutoLearn works just like the 9500I’s TrueLock with the addition of the AutoLearn feature analyzing (over time)
the source of radar signals by location and frequency. The ix automatically locks out this source at this particular location after ~3 passes. AutoLearn will also UnLearn signals if a particular signal is no longer present at a location that was previously locked out.

NOTE: AutoLearn typically needs to see the exact frequency in the same location approximately three times to lock it out. Since some door openers are turned on and off routinely, some variations may occur.

A few improvements for mark locations:
Once marked and assigned a label, the ix provides the following alert distances:
• Red Light Cameras = 250’ or 10 seconds
• Speed Cameras = 250’ or 10 seconds
• Speed Traps = 1/3 mile
• Other = 1/3 mile

AutoPower:
This feature automatically turns PASSPORT off if the vehicle has not moved for 4 hours. This is especially useful if your vehicle has a hot plug (12 volts all the time). See the Preferences section for details.

Auto mode No X setting.
In addition to adjusting sensitivity according to speed like the 9500I, the ix can be set to turn off X band in auto mode.

NOTE: If your vehicle is moving less than 20 mph and you encounter a radar or laser signal, only a doubletone is used. However, the display meter will keep you informed of the signal strength until it has passed or until you reach a speed above 20 mph.

The 9500I & ix work off exactly the same platform so there radar performance should be exactly the same other than variance from RD to RD. The added features certainly can have advantages for some areas, especially for areas that have a lot of red light and fixed position speed cameras. Pus the AutoLock is an awesome advantage for the RD user that doesn't want to do all the thinking for the RD.

FYI UPDATE! Updates via USB are now available from Escort for the 9500I!
https://secure.escortradar.com/9500iregister.asp

First update 9/1/08 for the 9500I consisted of:
1. Improved Laser lock out logic.
2. Increased speed pilot limit to 255 mph
3. Improved meter ramping
4. Improved calibration of voltage circuit
5. Fixed power on/off when turned off by the power button
6. Added mark location capability during an alert
7. Changed ZR3 to SHFT when a shifter is attached.

[rhimbarger]

CRJ238

Your tips and tricks and your posts are great. Thank you so much. Escort should include it in their 7500i and ix boxes or put in their manual.

Bob