GOL, roadtrip, STI and Escort

**RacerX** · 02-01-2006, 03:56 PM

WOW, what a week!
Well, I’ll start from the beginning.

I got to Roy’s early Tuesday evening. On the way up I stopped (well actually drove) through the 101 loop in Scottsdale to test out the Superprotector for everyone. They recently installed photo cameras in a few select areas, and are giving (hopefully) drivers warnings until later this month. I shot some video and will keep everyone posted in the photo enforcement section.

Once I got to Roy’s he gave me a tour of my new home for the next week. By now I’m sure you’ve seen the pics, so you know how nice a setup that is. If you’re going to drive, might as well do it in style.

Next I got to see the new STI driver. My initial impression was that it is a good looking unit. It feels very solid. I also like the buttons being in front for ease of use. Of course the two biggest questions are, how does it perform, and is it truly spectre immune?
A 4000 mile road trip gave me the answer to performance, which I’ll discuss in a few, and I got to play with all the spectre units Roy had, to do my own test.
The quick answer is YES it is spectre immune like you wouldn’t believe.
I did my own testing with the spectre/stalcar units and the STI didn’t alert, while my V1 and 8500 alerted it from 15-20 feet away with no problem.
If you want a true spectre immune detector this is it!

On the way up to the testing we stopped in at Escort. Not expecting much, boy was I surprised.
First, I would like to thank EVERYONE at Escort. They were all a very friendly and down to earth group of people. I felt like royalty. They treated us like V.I.P.’s and gave us a FULL blown tour.
One thing I must say, that I myself have been guilty of, is using the reference “Belscort” when referring to Escort and Beltronics.
Escort may own both companies, but they ARE two distinct product lines, with two distinct marketing goals. The advantage is that they can share hardware and software technology while offering different features to different people.
Also, the R&D and testing that goes into a new unit is amazing. I must also say that I was very impressed with the quality control that they are putting into shipping units. They are still preparing STI’s for shipment and each unit gets triple checked for quality, not to mention each pallet of all new units get random boxes pulled and double checked for quality.
Words can’t really fully describe the experience. Needless to say it was great!

On a side note, Outrun called Valentine to see if we could stop in, and the bottom line was NO!

So much for friendliness from VR. Kinda sad. I’m sure he can tell you more about the conversation.

When we finally arrived, I started meeting the different people from here.
I would just like to say it was a pleasure meeting each and every single one of them.
EVERYONE I met were just good down to earth people. It was truly a pleasure to meet everyone face to face and talk with them.

Now to the other big question. How did the STI perform?
Great! We ran into over a dozen speed traps on X, K, and Ka bands. Instant or constant, it handled everything thrown at it.
For me personally, trust is earned when it comes to a new detector. When I first got my V1, I didn’t trust it until I saw it perform for a while, and now, of course, I do.
The same went for the STI. The more I saw it perform, the more trust it gained.
After this trip I have FULL confidence in its abilities.
We had situations where we got 3, and 5 mile warnings with constant, along with several mile warnings with instant on, moving and stationary.
The audio alerts were distinct for each band and of course it had AUTOMUTE. Man I missed that. What a great feature.

The long drive aside, this was a great experience. No negativity, no problems. Just one great trip for the record book. I couldn’t have asked for a better time if I planned it this way.

I would also like to give props to Roy and Outrun. If you want to get to know someone, go on a several thousand mile road trip with them. They are both nice as can be.

I’ve got some video to go through, and I’ll put up one showing Outrun doing his magic with a camcorder.

Also thanks to GOL for the invite. These guys are sticklers when it comes to testing. They do everything possible to ensure accuracy, equality and fairness when testing.
Great job guys!

Well, that should pretty much sum things up.

**amoney** · 02-01-2006, 05:10 PM

Thanks for the post, sounds great! Now thinking about it, since Roy RV is high, plus the STi is mounted on the visor, that may have something to do with the extra long range. I am not saying that the STi is not a performer in a regular car, I am sure it does well as csteph has mentioned in his passenger car. And perhaps as you mentioned, that is why the forums have been separated, maybe Escort was alittle hurt buy the fact that they were combined, oh well, only speculation. It is a bummer VR declined, I won't even go there. I am sure it does not mean anything bad. VR has already proven their comitment to the consumer.

**csteph** · 02-02-2006, 07:27 AM

Did you encounter a lot of Ka falses with the STi on your trip?
If not, was X band disabled?

I ask because since disabling x band i noticed a significant decrease in Ka falses. :wink:

**RacerX** · 02-02-2006, 09:11 AM

on the way up we had some on ka, but considering we drove 2000 miles, not bad.
the STI falsed more on ka, but the V1 falsed more on k.
x was disabled going there, but was enabled on the way back, since we hit x band on the way.

coming back it wasn't bad at all. i think it just depends where/when you drive and what's around you.
if you're in a place where detectors are illegal, i suspect this thing would be very quiet.
that and i'm sure Bel will continue fine tuning it before it officially hits market for the masses.

**itisjustme** · 02-02-2006, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by RacerX

coming back it wasn't bad at all. i think it just depends where/when you drive and what's around you.
if you're in a place where detectors are illegal, i suspect this thing would be very quiet.
that and i'm sure Bel will continue fine tuning it before it officially hits market for the masses.

I wonder if this is the very thinking as to why the first s/w for the STi was not very concerned with other detector interference? Maybe Bel was expecting the STi to be sold primarly in markets like that and now they are finding out the demmand for the STi is greater making them work on trapping out more dirty detector noice in updates to come. Well bottom line is I am sure after investing that amount of money into the R&D they will certainly polish up what needs to be done.

**RacerX** · 02-02-2006, 09:54 AM

yeah, you may be right.
it's possible they didn't realize this would interest other markets from whatever they intended.
either way it's nice to see another option to the top detectors.

**Rottman** · 02-02-2006, 10:00 AM

Racer, you said Bel and Escort have different marketing strategies etc. Can you expand on that?

**happya$$** · 02-02-2006, 10:04 AM

It was one hell of a weekend but NO ONE come sto my turf and talk sh!t about my STEALTHED out Civic! You done just that and now you must pay :twisted:

**RacerX** · 02-02-2006, 10:33 AM

THAT was stealth :?:
You poor bastard, you have no idea what you're in for. you better take that little toy and go back to the drawing board.

the day of reckoning is approaching, and i WILL be the Highlander, for "In the end, there can be only One"!
:twisted: :twisted:

davekr,
first, in case you didn't catch the speed trap post, they DO run x band there, at least on the highways, so watch out.

Second, as for marketing strategy, i can briefly summarize, but not in great length, because i would probably get some of it wrong and i don't want to mis-inform anyone.

basically, Bel is going for the younger crowd, those that like to deck out their vehicles, shop at stereo stores, etc... maybe drive souped up mustangs, or maybe a hummer.

Escort is shooting for the say the older driver who drives a porsche, sips martinis, etc...

that's more or less it.

someone else here made a reference about GM. they own several different brands, but each one has it's market place and uniqueness.

the same with Escort. even though they own both, they are still seperate brands.
for me i had just figured they were one in the same, since we would see references to how manuals were worded similarly, or designs were, etc..,
but many companys own many different brands, but still keep a certain individuality about them. Escorts the same.
you learn something new everyday.

actually i'm glad.
this means there's still the top 3 to choose from, instead of the top 2.

**happya$$** · 02-02-2006, 10:36 AM

Oh hell no you dont address me briefly and move on to Davekr on the same thread! I am much more of a threat to you than you think. How dare you blow me off like my Civic aint sh!t? Roy even had a chance to get in it and take it to the store and his big a$$ became invinsible as soon as he got in my Civic Stealth 1. You WILL learn to respect my stealthness one way or another. The easy way is not an option for you anymore. Now it is the HARD way. The shame way!