Bel RX65 and Escort 8500 x50

[Ramboss]

OK, I did a side by side test on the detectors that I'm thinking about buying.

The Escort Passport 8500 x50
X, K, KA, Laser=ON
POP=OFF

The Bel RX65
X, K, KA-USA, Laser=ON
POP, KU, SWS=OFF
Both are using the Threat meter.

Mounted low in center of windshield just above wipers about 12 inches apart. RX65 on drivers side x50 on passengers side. First plugged in went through the Fast starts on both units then the RX65 had K1 X11 and the x50 had X1 the x50 went quiet while the RX65 continued to show K1 X11. Backed out of driveway to have now both show a KA11 both went quiet. But RX65 continued to show K1 down the street at various times going to K11. Passed my favorite grocery store and both went off on X but the x50 quieted down quicker. Meanwhile the K1 or K11 would still show on the RX65. My conclusion was this Bel is certainly a chatty little thing or something to that affect. Went about 2 miles down same road. At a CVS store both went into a K1 as I pulled into the parking lot.
I then switched units so the x50 was on drivers side and RX65 on passengers side also spread them out more so the units would be in front of the seating positions. Went back towards my house. The grocery store reported but I noticed the RX65 was quieter but not totally silent on K-band. Almost to my house I unplugged the x50 and the RX65 went silent, per say, as I had it muted because it was always showing something.
So, I'm trying to draw some conclusions on this test of mine. Too sensitive RX65 or too leaky x50? Well filtered x50 not well filtered on RX65?
Your thoughts would be helpful.

[djrams80]

Interference between the two units, which is totally normal. Running two detectors on the same windshield is never recommended for this exact reason.

[fire65]

My conclusion would be that the test tells us its not a good idea to run them at the same time. Run them one at a time to get usable results.

[Ramboss]

I see these vids on this site showing 2 detectors and I thought they were corded or windshield mounts. Have all these been remotes and windshield? One was a Whistler and V1 compare.

[djrams80]

They're always a remote and a windshield mounted RD. I did a couple of vids with three detectors on the windshield for funzies and they were obviously interfering with each other. That video you saw was probably snoopyc4's and he never has the V1 and the Whistler powered on at the same time.

[Ramboss]

OK will do separately. Could one of you tell me about the difference of the horns, I believe you call them? When were they changed and why the one is now worse?

[zerbey]

Run them both separately. Are they both M4 horns? If so, I doubt you'll see much of a difference. The 8500 has nicer alert tones IMHO, that's about it.

[djrams80]

OK will do separately. Could one of you tell me about the difference of the horns, I believe you call them? When were they changed and why the one is now worse?

The older style platform is called the S7. This platform picked up off-axis signals better than the newer platform, but lacked reliability. The newer platform is called the M4. Escort intentionally reduced the off-axis sensitivity to help reduce false alarms, which is the biggest reason RDs are returned. Basically, the M4s have a little more tunnel vision.

[Ramboss]

Run them both separately. Are they both M4 horns? If so, I doubt you'll see much of a difference. The 8500 has nicer alert tones IMHO, that's about it.

Wish I knew!

The older style platform is called the S7. This platform picked up off-axis signals better than the newer platform, but lacked reliability. The newer platform is called the M4. Escort intentionally reduced the off-axis sensitivity to help reduce false alarms, which is the biggest reason RDs are returned. Basically, the M4s have a little more tunnel vision.

The RX65 just came back from a Factory Tune-up but was bought in (he thought?) 2004. They put Software version 4.5 on it he does know. The x50 is about 2 years old and thats all I know about that one. Is there some way of telling the horns? Would the factory switch out that piece on a Tune-up? Thanks both of you.

[kpatz]

The RX65 just came back from a Factory Tune-up but was bought in (he thought?) 2004. They put Software version 4.5 on it he does know. The x50 is about 2 years old and thats all I know about that one. Is there some way of telling the horns? Would the factory switch out that piece on a Tune-up? Thanks both of you.

Look at the FCC ID on the bottom of the unit... if it ends in "M4" it's the M4 horn, otherwise it's S7.

Otherwise you can check the firmware version. If it's 6 or higher it's M4, otherwise it's S7. If your RX65 is 4.5 it's S7. A 2 year old X50 is probably M4. (IIRC the changeover from S7 to M4 took place in the latter part of 2006).

Typically a factory service/tune up they won't change out the entire guts, therefore an S7 sent in will still be S7 when you get it back. I suppose the exception would be if the whole thing is fried and they have to swap out the entire guts.