9500ix first impression

[kenolle]

I bought my first ix the other day and have had a few days to check it out, I currently own three 8500s and they have served me well but with all of the features packed into the ix I just couldnt resist. First impression was WOW, Ive been running Escort products since the original model was put on the market in the 70's, this thing is a million percent improved on that one but I have found what I consider issues. 1st would be the speed trap warning distance, I have found that the warning distance is set at 1500' regardless of speed. Being what I consider to be very experienced with radar detectors over the years I took the user manual at face value and when I read that warning distances are affected by speed I was surprised that it didnt matter whether I was stopped or doing 75mph that the distance is 1500.

I had already contacted support about what I thought were good ideas on how to expand on the use of the GPS and received a very nice email from a VP saying thanks and he would take my suggestions under serious consideration. When I realized the distance problem (by marking a spot where cops always sit and having the det warn me at the crest of a bridge and dead in his sights right at 1500' away) I replied to the VP that perhaps 1500 wasnt such a good number, at least not at 65 and I made the suggestion that they should consider making this user definable to which I received a another email saying basically that they cant make the units too complicated, at least thats what I took from it. I replied that there should be advanced settings for experienced users that understand what they are doing and the ramifications, at that point I hit a brick wall. The 2nd issue I have is with the camera warning system, I live just outside of St. Louis, Mo. and on the 1st trip thru the city I was on the interstate and traveled past 4 intersections right off the interstate that have red light cameras that have been there at least 2 years, not a peep out of the ix and I assummed that they must really have the camera locations down and the GPS data as well as speed kept it from sounding any warning. I found this to be incorrect when I finally did get a camera warning while on the interstate, it showed the cameras 500' off the highway at a intersection I know quite well which only has camera light control and no other cameras. Later the same day I found myself looking in the rearview mirror at a red light camera and not a peep out of the ix... That made a total of 5 locations that should have lit the det up that didnt and one that shouldnt have that did, I wrote another email to the VP and got a not so nice response.

I was ready to replace all of my 8500s but at this pont I am going to have to see what happens with the database, if the info isnt in there it really doesnt do me any more good than the 8500s I already have. Out of the box looking at what its supposed to do it looks great but in my experience in the 5 days Ive had it its lacking in a big way in the accuracy of the database. Per the VP they only put into the database "verified" locations, this information comming from manufacturers of the camera systems and "a third party source that has thousands of feet on the street". I offered to be one of those "feet" but was not pointed to the source so I wonder who the source is. Anyone know? Its nice that you can mark locations as a reminder but if Escort doesnt collect this info during detector updates (the best way to do it from my perspective) and use it to update the database then a up-to-date database is going to be slow in comming. It wouldnt take much to verify the location if multiple users are marking the same spots. Just my .02 and I hope you find it helpful. Ken

[BoneStamp]

No offense but I'm having a really hard time reading this, could you possibly put a couple blank lines in there to break it up a bit.

[CJR238]

Wow that’s one long run on sentence.

I agree the 9500ix is aWOW RD.
Its kind of funny how the marked locations are not very good for you. When the 9500I cam out evryone complained the radius was too big now its too small.
it use to be 1/2mi and 1mi now its:

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

IMO this is an easy fix, just the "Speed Trap" should be 1mi and "Other" should be 3/4mi, problem solved. The red light & speed cams are fine IMO.

As far as the database being inaccurate i have herd the opposite, and its derived from one of the best red light & speed cam databases available. Sure its not spot on with knowing what road and direction your driving to warn you of the camera trap, but for a $500 RD its pretty good.

[djrams80]

I find the camera database to be extremely accurate. You can PM forum member allyoops if there are any needed corrections.

[Obsidian]

I agree the 9500ix is aWOW RD.
Its kind of funny how the marked locations are not very good for you. When the 9500I cam out evryone complained the radius was too big now its too small.
it use to be 1/2mi and 1mi now its:

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

IMO this is an easy fix, just the "Speed Trap" should be 1mi and "Other" should be 3/4mi, problem solved. The red light & speed cams are fine IMO.

As far as the database being inaccurate i have herd the opposite, and its derived from one of the best red light & speed cam databases available. Sure its not spot on with knowing what road and direction your driving to warn you of the camera trap, but for a $500 RD its pretty good.

I agree. Nobody will ever be 100% happy. I think the alert radius's should be user programmable. There is so little on this detector that can't be turned into a user programmable option, especially with detector tools.

I find the camera database to be extremely accurate. You can PM forum member allyoops if there are any needed corrections.

I think a lot of people are too lazy. I've had allyoops remove 5 falses for me so far and I could not be happier with the database.

[kenolle]

I never said that everyone could be made happy, Ive been in the service industry way too long and thats just not possible but there should be a way to make the detector what you need it to be IMO, its advertised as a "intelligent"detector. seems to me that it shouldnt take much from Escorts RD team to write firmware with more choices, then the guy who doenst like 1500' can change it to whatever and everyones happy.

As far as camera locations, I traveled thru an area thats pretty heavily concentrated with red light cameras today, as a matter of fact there has been serious oppossition to theses cameras in the press locally and I found that only one of two cameras on average were alerted to, I must admit that in this instance I have no clue how long any particular camera has been there but I repeat my position that Escort should be downloading marked locations when detectors are updated as a means to gather information, these things are going up so fast that it will likley be some time before their database will include them relying soley on the manufacturers information that they are able to obtain.

[CJR238]

Ibut I repeat my position that Escort should be downloading marked locations when detectors are updated as a means to gather information, these things are going up so fast that it will likley be some time before their database will include them relying soley on the manufacturers information that they are able to obtain.

They are downloading marked locations when detectors are updated as a means to gather information. Its what they are doing with it is the question.

On a side note. I have a marked speed trap on my way home and just as it alerted to the speed trap i get K Band, "Multiple Frequencies Detected" after the alert passes it announced "Speed Trap" again than "You have reached your marked location". I thought it was very cool that it was able to do so many things at once and be so clear as to the threat and location information.

[SlapMyFro]

the date base is indeed accurate, after an update I picked up a speed camera that I had no idea was there, it was just put in a couple days prior to the update.
The warning distance needs a bit work too.
300 feet is not enough at all.

[djrams80]

the date base is indeed accurate, after an update I picked up a speed camera that I had no idea was there, it was just put in a couple days prior to the update.
The warning distance needs a bit work too.
300 feet is not enough at all.

The alert is set for 10 seconds, so the higher the vehicle's speed, the longer the alert distance.

[kenolle]

Update: I was getting off the interstate yesterday and got a red light camera warning as I exited (on a curve and in traffic so I coulnt watch the detector very closely) and sure enough the 1st intersection I came to did have red light cameras, the intersection a mile up the road had them too but not a peep out of the ix. On the return trip to the interstate I travled back thru both intersections and it didnt alert to EITHER intersection, then about at the point the det did alert while exiting the interstate earlier (and going the other way) it alerted to cameras, the location was an interstection off the right side of the bridge I was on so I coulnt verfiy if there were cameras there or not, I will have to go thru the intersection next time Im over that and take a look. I would really like to know who the third party source is(other than user marked locations) that Escort is using, if you know please post or send me a PM. Thanks, Ken