Escort 8500 X50 mounting / install / visor

I'm new to the radar detector world. I debated over the V1 vs x50 and chose x50.

I'm worried about theft. I don't want to have hassle taking it up and down each time I drive.

I'm also worried that if a cop sees that i have a radar detector that he might be more likely to pull me over just because.

The solution:? I want to either mount it high beneath the rear view mirror or on the visor.

So, I thought the visor clip would be good, but the visor clip is very tight and it seems like the radar detector is being smashed into the visor. There is absolutely no space between the radar detector and the visor.

What are the downsides of the visor mount? I know that laser might be harder to detect, but then again if I get a laser warning it's probably too late anyway.

What about the Escort hardwire with the mute button. Is that worth buying or should I just get the regular 10 dollar hardwire? Any suggestions on where to hardwire?

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Originally Posted by clerkofthecourt30322

I'm new to the radar detector world. I debated over the V1 vs x50 and chose x50.

I'm worried about theft. I don't want to have hassle taking it up and down each time I drive.

I'm also worried that if a cop sees that i have a radar detector that he might be more likely to pull me over just because.

The solution:? I want to either mount it high beneath the rear view mirror or on the visor.

So, I thought the visor clip would be good, but the visor clip is very tight and it seems like the radar detector is being smashed into the visor. There is absolutely no space between the radar detector and the visor.

What are the downsides of the visor mount? I know that laser might be harder to detect, but then again if I get a laser warning it's probably too late anyway.

What about the Escort hardwire with the mute button. Is that worth buying or should I just get the regular 10 dollar hardwire? Any suggestions on where to hardwire?

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Save up some money and get a remote-mount detector, theft is highly minimal and cops can't see it.

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Originally Posted by Lucky225

Save up some money and get a remote-mount detector, theft is highly minimal and cops can't see it.

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Lucky go to bed, its way past your bed time lol

Not a bad suggestion

Mount it high, on the RVM and get a smart cord hardwire. Lock your doors and get a new alarm system that will alert you if you are within a certain distance if your car is broken into, a RD will be the least of your worries as even in the glove compartment it will get stolen unless you lock it every time and even that is not enough often times. GL later

http://www.radardetector.net/forums/...ector-fyi.html

Windshield Mount Illegal in California

Just some ideas. :)

Just a point about the Escort smartcord - it's more than a mute button. It will give you a power-on status light and an amber alert light that flashes. So if you're concerned about stealth, esp. at night, that detector has the option to run in "dark mode" and your alert lights (although not as detailed) can be down where your cigarette lighter plug is. Dark mode on the X50 can either be just a tiny "pilot light" or DISPLAY TOTALLY OFF.

I mainly run mine either on the interstate or on road trips where I figure the local polizia are totally unlikely to give me a break whether they see my detector or not (locally, I actually don't run it much, as the locals are actually a pretty fair-minded lot and are known to give you 15 mph over as long as you're not hanging your ass out the window at the time), so mine gets stuck out there on the windscreen.

Back in the days before laser, I was a big fan of sticking it up as high as possible and to the right of your rear-view - detector is pretty much out of sight that way, but as you already know, requires a cord run to make it really inconspicious. If you have a dark tinted strip on your windshield, that and judicious placement of your passenger visor makes it just about invisible.

However, nowadays with lidar and Ka I'm a little more concerned about maximizing my chances to get signals, so you do have to balance stealth with range.

Those smartcords come in red and blue models, as does that detector. The alert light is amber in both, the pilot light is either red or blue. I guess you could match them or, if desired, mix them so that you can see red and blue blinking inside AND outside your car... :-)

Give this one a try, get it anyway you want it, with or without light. I have the Escort cord and this one, I like this one better. The Escort cord has a very bright light that I find annoying at night. You can get the safensound on Ebay.

http://www.safe-n-sound1.com

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Originally Posted by fire65

Give this one a try, get it anyway you want it, with or without light. I have the Escort cord and this one, I like this one better. The Escort cord has a very bright light that I find annoying at night. You can get the safensound on Ebay.

http://www.safe-n-sound1.com

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True, the Escort blue power light on the factory smartcord is VERY bright. Fortunately for me, it's kind of down low, but it would get old if it were in my line of sight.

i spoke to someone at escort and he said that mounting on the visor would not matter for radar and might make it better, etc. duh. but id lose laser. he also said just to get a regular hardwire if plan to mount on the visor or by the rear view mirror.

i could tinker with the mute/smart button, but just to use auto mute.

also, what can someone tell me about these mirror wires? i didnt know i could wire it into my rear view mirror. how complicated is this?

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Originally Posted by clerkofthecourt30322

also, what can someone tell me about these mirror wires? i didnt know i could wire it into my rear view mirror. how complicated is this?

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It's not hard at all. Are you close to Atlanta? I assume the 30322 is a zip code. What kind of car do you have?

used to live in atlanta, now in TX. ive got an new accord.

Does it have power to the mirror, such as map lights or compass? If so it should have a power connector on the back of the mirror. You just need to push two pin connectors into the back of this connector on the +12v switched and ground wire connections.

I use Invisicord myself, but there are other brands also.

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Originally Posted by clerkofthecourt30322

ive got an new accord.

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Try and see if there may be "walk throughs" on your dedicated-vehicle enthusiast/hobbyist Forums. :) Many such communities have detailed instruction.

update. i hardwired using the smart cord and velcroed just to the left of my steering wheel.

i can't decide if i like the visor mount. i drove about 400 miles this past week on highway and i think i drove at off peak times (thursday and then on sunday) and the Texas State Troopers weren't out. couldn't see how it compared to mounting in the middle of the windshield.

any good way to figure out which is better: visor mount of windshield. i do a lot of city driving during the week so i think i'm gonna go with visor to keep it out of view and i dont think cops here use laser.

anyway to find out if they use laser in the city or where to mount? :confused:

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Originally Posted by clerkofthecourt30322

anyway to find out if they use laser in the city or where to mount? :confused:

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For city/area information:

http://www.radardetector.net/forums/...0-10-08-a.html

http://www.radardetector.net/forums/...at-states.html

Also, check the local/regional sub-Forum:

Local & Regional Info - Radar Detector Jammer Forum

:)

update: so i've been using it on the visor. it's pretty well concealed. the only weird thing is that i've been getting false laser hits. i have gps and xm and bluetooth in my car. anyone gotten false laser?

it's especially bad when i point it near the GPS screen.

:confused:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by clerkofthecourt30322

update: so i've been using it on the visor. it's pretty well concealed. the only weird thing is that i've been getting false laser hits. i have gps and xm and bluetooth in my car. anyone gotten false laser?

it's especially bad when i point it near the GPS screen.

:confused:

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probably one if the LCD screens is causing your problem. Mounting your X50 further forward, like on the windshield, should solve this.

sounds about a right. there is a large LCD screen. i'm still trying to get info on this visor mount vs windshield.

anyone know if the dark stripping at the top of the windshield affects radar at all? i know it affects laser, but i wasn't clear if it messed with radar.

what settings do ya'll have on your x50? city/ auto / hwy ; all dark?

i usually do city all dark all the time.

GPS screens cause a lot of detectors to give false laser alerts.

Like cat4 and dj mentioned, you've pretty much troubleshot yourself. :)

http://www.radardetector.net/forums/...er-alerts.html

^ Good stuff in this thread.