YARLIT: Yet Another Redline Impressions Thread

[kpatz]

Like we don't have enough of them already.

I just got my Redline today so I'll be posting my thoughts on it in this thread.

This post will be just brief observations from unboxing it and trying it in my car (haven't driven with it yet, just in the parking lot at work). I'll post more as I take it on the road and have real encounters with it.

The packaging is just like what my X50 came in. A solid black case, containing the Redline, coiled smartcord, windshield mount, 2 extra suction cups and the owner's manual. It looked so shiny and new I didn't even want to take it out of the box. In fact, I only took the RD out and used my RX65 cord and mount with it for my initial test.

The Redline itself is pretty hefty, definitely heavier than the V1 and it may be heavier than the X50 as well (I don't have my X50 with me at the moment, it's at home, so I can't compare, yet). It has a nice, solid feel to it, moreso than other Belscorts I've had/have, but the paint does have that tacky, rubberized feel to it, that others have mentioned. It doesn't seem wet though, and touching it doesn't leave any residue. In fact, the paint seems quite fingerprint-proof. Assuming it's fairly rugged paint that won't dry up and peel, the Redline should stay good-looking for a long time to come. Like the STi but unlike the X50/RX65 the Redline is painted black and thus will get hot sitting in a sunny windshield. You'll want to aim the A/C vent at it, and take it down when parking.

The smartcord is identical to the ones they have been using for years, except that it is labeled "Escort" instead of "Passport". As a way of apologizing for the delay in shipping out the Redline pre-orders, they also included a hard-wire smartcord with the order (this one is labeled Passport). Of course, all Belscort smartcords are interchangeable.

The suction cup mount is also identical to the ones that came with my X50 and RX65, and is pretty universal amongst the Belscort line. The Redline itself has two rubber bumpers on the edge that touches the windshield, to smooth out the bumps and jigglies you get when driving.

Next came the power-up. I placed the Redline on my windshield and plugged the cord into my lighter socket. The unit greeted me with "ESCORT" followed by "REDLINE" on the display, then it went to its default mode, Highway. Unlike older models, the Redline defaults to Fast power-up mode so you don't get the series of beeps and boops unless you go into programming mode and select the standard power-up mode.

The speaker seems plenty loud enough at first blush, and the volume is adjusted in the Beltronics fashion of holding the mute button down once to raise the volume and again to lower it. The mute button on the smart cord can also be used to adjust the volume.

The alert sounds are like the 9500 series, and have a more pleasant sound than the X50 or Beltronics units. The voice is more pleasant than my RX65 too. The voice announces mode changes as well as alerts, so you always know what's going on, even if you have the display hidden or darkened.

Next was the informal stealth test. I powered up my V1 while the Redline was on. The first time I did this, I got a brief K band alert on the Redline. I don't know offhand if the V1 caused this or a passing LEO, but it does show that there is the possibility of interference. The Redline didn't set off the V1 at all, even when placed up to the V1's horn, showing that the Redline has no emissions, unlike my other Bel/Escort RDs.

I had my Stalker ATR in the car, so I did a quick, informal test of Ka-band I/O. My first trigger pull (about a second or two) caused both the V1 and Redline to alert at about the same time. Then I tried quick-trigger. The next pull (very brief) didn't alert either detector, but I don't think the ATR went on either (it doesn't poll the trigger switch all that quickly). A very slightly longer pull set off the V1 but not the Redline. A slightly longer pull (over 1/2 second) set off both detectors. So like others have said the V1 is faster to respond to QT but the Redline isn't bad either. I'll have to compare it to my other Belscorts.

Well, now it's time for lunch so I'll take a short trip with the Redline up on the windshield and see what I get!!

Oh, one other cool item to note: the scanning dot on the Redline goes back and forth like the lights on KITT in Knight Rider, unlike the X50 which only "scans" left-to-right.

[kpatz]

After a jaunt through town, some more observations. I ran the V1 and Redline together for this trip. I didn't notice any apparent interference between the detectors. That odd K band alert I got on the Redline the first time I powered up the V1 alongside it didn't happen again. Could have been a coinkidink.

Going down a busy road (Route 28 in Salem), which is basically a clusterf*%$ of stores and door-openers, in many cases the Redline alerted to the K band openers before the V1 did. Sometimes they would start alerting at the same time, other times the Redline would beat the V1 by a few seconds. Being door openers these would be off-axis signals.

I also got a lot of X-band alerts from the Redline. My V1 has X turned off, so I didn't compare performance on X band, maybe someday I will. More likely I'll just turn X off on the Redline since it's a non-threat around here.

I also had a constant-on Ka encounter on 35.5. The Redline truly shined in this encounter, sounding several seconds before the V1 did. I didn't spot the LEO in the heavy traffic, I think he turned off before I got to him, as after passing an intersection, the Redline stopped alerting to the Ka, and the V1 continued with the rear arrow.

At one point when I was stuck in traffic (*bleep* Salem), I switched the Redline to Auto NoX. While in this mode the V1 was picking up more K than the Redline, so Auto mode does filter K band on the Redline. For my situation (K = possible threat, X = no threat) I'll probably just keep it in highway mode and turn off X in the programming mode. My older Belscorts didn't filter K band in City mode, so I would run those in City NoX.

One other thing I noticed, if you switch modes (between Highway/Auto/Auto NoX) while it's alerting, the display doesn't show the mode change. The voice does, however, so it's not a serious issue, but you do have to listen to the voice to know what mode you are in, if an alert is being displayed. With no alert, the display does show the mode you switched to.

The "alert light" that some people whine about flashes in time with the audio alerts. So if it's a weak alert, you'll only see the light flash when you hear the beeps. This can be turned off in programming mode for those who need stealth.

So far, I'm pretty impressed. I haven't come across I/O with it yet, but its C/O performance on K and Ka have finally knocked my V1 out of top place.

[METEORIC]

Thanks for the initial review.

[nine_c1]

Nice write up Kpatz. I like the amount of detail you provided about the volume controls, scanning dot, etc... It's a first.

Can you check and see if the mute/volume control can also be used to unmute an alert that has been manually muted?

Your QT test is encouraging........perhaps the RedLine is not as slow to react as some of the other Belscort models?

[kpatz]

I had an opportunity to test the Redline & V1 together against a K-band speed trailer. I approached it from both directions, to get a forward facing test as well as the usual facing-me test. In every case, the Redline alerted first, and the V1 alerted immediately afterward (maybe 1 second later at most). Thus, for all intents and purposes, the two RDs were neck-and-neck. On my jaunt down Route 28 in Salem earlier today, the results were similar, Redline alerting to most of the door openers <1 second before the V1.

Therefore, the Redline's K band performance just slightly edges out the V1, but not significantly so.

I also did some "bench tests" with the Redline, V1, X50 (Rev 5-S7), and RX65 (Rev 6.3-M4) both running together and separately, testing them with my K-band and 34.7 Ka guns, and my PL2.

The radar tests were somewhat inconsistent. On K band, sometimes one RD would alert first, sometimes another, and it wasn't predictable which. Even the dreaded M4 platform RX65 was sometimes first to alert. Ka was even stranger. At first, the X50 wasn't alerting consistently to the gun at all. I tried doing a factory reset on it, but that didn't help. Eventually it alerted if I moved the gun away from the detectors, so it was overloading. I reduced the signal strength by shooting the gun into the floor (concrete slab), and then the X50 was more consistent. The Redline, however, was not so consistent. Sometimes it would take several seconds to alert. This happened even with all other RDs turned off, which rules out interference. So, either Ka 34.7 is an Achille's heel of the Redline, or my testing environment with the gun within a few feet of the detectors was causing issues with overload or confusing the filtering algorithms.

I also tested the detectors with laser. As in past tests, my V1 is top dog in laser, followed *very* closely by the M4 RX65 (this still surprises me, I need to test a M4 X50/9500i/9500ix). The X50 and Redline were more or less tied for laser sensitivity, requiring a more-or-less direct hit from the gun to alert.

I shot video of these tests but haven't had a chance to process them yet.

[KnightHawk]

The "alert light" that some people whine about flashes in time with the audio alerts. So if it's a weak alert, you'll only see the light flash when you hear the beeps. This can be turned off in programming mode for those who need stealth

This feature functions like the STi then.

[kpatz]

Can you check and see if the mute/volume control can also be used to unmute an alert that has been manually muted?

It does not... once muted, you have to wait until the alert ends to unmute.

Your QT test is encouraging........perhaps the RedLine is not as slow to react as some of the other Belscort models?

Based on my bench tests, the QT issue may not be speed/reaction time related as much as the filtering algorithm getting confused/overloaded with point-blank I/O. Testing in a more real-world environment (gun several hundred feet away from the RD) may produce better results.

[jmccam]

Thanks for the nice write-up on the new Redline!

[winee]

so do u think redline will be good friend with v1?
when i running them together

[kpatz]

so do u think redline will be good friend with v1?
when i running them together

I haven't noticed any ill effects when running them together. Both units are, for all intents and purposes, neck and neck on K band anyway. This morning, on the highway, I drove past the exit that has the speed trailer (so the trailer was 1/4 mile away and aimed toward my side and this time the V1 picked it up first, followed closely by the Redline.