Edmunds.com | Inside Line | Auto Observer Your Account | Help | Directory
You are here:
![[F]](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/site.gif){kind=small}
Forums
Automotive News & Views Radar/Lidar detectors
1206 messages, Last post on Dec 28, 2008 at 5:16 PM
You are in the Automotive News & Views Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & claires
|
Replying to: blane (Dec 28, 2007 5:31 pm)  And that's my personal concern with my proposed scenario of owning both the x50 and the V1, and using the former exclusively for my usual around-town commutes and errands, and the latter exclusively for highway. I fear that I will not be able to, thus, optimize my use of the V1, in such a scenario, since I so rarely take extended trips anymore. Furthermore, I am fearful that, therefore, my lack of intimacy with the V1 would also mean that I will not be able to interpret its warnings properly (and/or respond properly). These are the reasons why, in conjunction with the other listed in my previous posts above, that my current detector is the x50 (and why I am seeking the 9500i as an upgrade). Had my lifestyle and driving preferences/needs been different, it is just as likely that I would use the V1 as my primary detector, or, for that matter, the STi-Driver. I have nothing against the V1 - it's a tremendously capable detector, and probably the most sensitive of the breed, and furthermore, its directional capability is just a marvel. I have nothing but respect for it. Unfortunately, it is just not a good fit for me. 
|
|
|
|
Just had the 9500i delivered yesterday. I will try to keep you posted on my experiences w/ it as I know you are interested in acquiring one (lgtwrx). BTW, I noticed it also picks up Ku band which I've heard got everyone all excited a while back because there were no detectors tuned for it.
|
|
|
Replying to: upstatedoc (Dec 29, 2007 9:05 am) Cool! Let me know what you think as the miles roll by. One item of-interest: if for some reason, your delivered unit isn't delivering a smooth, progressive audio ramp-up, please let me know. A good car-buddy of mine recently purchased the 9500i, direct from Escort, and had specifically requested a ramp-up corrected unit, and was delivered one in which the ramp-up issue was not yet addressed. Escort did go all-out to help him solve the issue, but could not avoid the hassle of having his credit-card charged 2x the purchase amount, until the questionable unit was received by Escort (at which time they took off the extra charge, of course). In any case, regarding Ku-band.... Currently, the only reason for you to enable Ku-band detection would be if you were going off North-America for travel. Luckily for us, Ku-band is not currently in-use here for speed-enforcement. Enabling Ku-band detection on your detector may cause issues with increased falsing, and may potentially also cause your detector to respond just ever so much slower, as it will have yet another segment to scan through.
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: lgtwrx (Dec 29, 2007 10:29 am)
|
|
|
Replying to: upstatedoc (Dec 30, 2007 8:59 am) The audio alert "ramp-up" from the Escort 8500x50 was considered by many enthusiasts to be the model of perfection - a smooth progression based on threat strength/distance. Imagine a scale/range of audio output, from 1 to 10, with "10" being the "highest" level of alert - a nearly solid and insistant warning tone, whereas "1" is essentially a single, soft, beep. With a signal detected far-away, but getting closer, the x50 would thus "ramp-up" its audio warning as follows: 1-1-1-1--2-2-2-2-3-3-3-3-4-4-4-4-5-5-5-5-6-6-6-6-7-7-7-7-8-8-8-8-9-9-9-10-10-10-- 10 On the early-release 9500i, many complained that the audio ramp-up was non-linear, reflection, in the same situation, this type of report: 1-1-1-1-4-4-4-4-7-7-7-7-10-10-10-10-10-10-10 While later explainations as to why this kind of audible threat report may have both made-sense, based on several different situations, as well as might have been something that the 9500i's engineers were specifically trying to achieve, most of the loyal Escort users still found themselve wishing that the ramp-up was more akin to that of their beloved x50's - and after a number of complaints by end-users as well as product returns where this "defect" was the one cited as the main reason for return, Escort responded by reverting to the more linear audio ramp-up. Supposedly, units made after the 4007 (40th week, 2007) date-stamp have the revised (old scheme, like the x50) audio ramp-up in-place already, but there have been a few reports of units having "slipped through," and arriving with the non-linear ramp-up. I *believe* that all "Blue" units already have the revised ramp-up scheme in-place, but again, I cannot be completely sure. Also, please note that this ramp-up progression issue can also be simply a personal-preference issue. I know of several early-9500i adopters who have elected NOT to send their units back for this revision, specifically because they preferred the non-linear audio warning scheme.
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: lgtwrx (Dec 30, 2007 1:13 pm)
|
|
|
Replying to: upstatedoc (Dec 31, 2007 5:26 am) Doh! I'm sorry that your message got deleted - but coming from a fellow "owner of a two-year old toddler" (my beloved baby-Anna will be turning two in just 6 days), I can well-understand, and share the same sigh/laugh that you undoubtedly voiced.  Thank you for your continuing update! Indeed, the 9500i, by the GOL's latest round of tests, did prove much more sensitive than the x50. I can't help but wonder if this sensitivity improvement may trickle-down to the x50, or if, as with many car manufacturers, they'll keep the x50 "de-tuned" so that there's a performance gap to the flagship model? In any case, again, I thank you for the continued report! ( PS: Yep, you can indeed turn off the visual speed alert. In anticipation of my coming 9500i, I'd already downloaded its manual from the Escort website, and read through it. )
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: lgtwrx (Dec 31, 2007 6:18 am) 
|
|
|
Replying to: upstatedoc (Dec 31, 2007 1:46 pm) I'm just an average hobbyist in this area, that's all. I did order a 9500i, Red, this afternoon. I requested one with the revised (x50-esque) audio ramp-up. Hopefully, I'll get what I asked for.... To Escort's credit, though, their phone operator was very cordial, and was product-knowledgeable. I am very eager to give this unit a try, however, I'm also somewhat apprehensive. The Rev5 x50 is regarded very, very highly among countermeasures enthusiasts, and as such, the 9500i will have big shoes to fill. Also, I was just informed today by a fellow BL/BP-chassis Subaru Legacy enthusiast - someone with whom I've only had "e-contact" with but whom I'd consider a true friend - that his 9500i, using the same hardwire setup as his x50, has come up with the often-reported "false Laser-alert on WOT" issue (his Rev5 x50, of the same vintage as mine, never saw this trouble). Although he kindly advised me to wait-out his trouble/fix report, I decided to take the plunge, nonetheless. It needs to be said that our Subarus - as with many modern-generation FI Subarus - are considered electrically "noisy" vehicles. Although there are those of us who've never experienced such issues, those who have are not, per se, necessarily a minority. Of that unfortunate group, many have been able to "cure" their woes by splicing in some form of in-line electrical filter (i.e. ferrite choke). However, it is speculated by at least one true guru in this area that RF-interference produced by the VEHICLE itself could also be the root-cause of these issues (and may be the true cause in those specific vehicles for which such in-line filters have not worked), and that in these cases, either shutting off the laser detection or sending the unit back to the manufacturer for "tweaking" (often, this means increased shielding around the laser circuitry, and this in-turn translates into decreased sensitivity; my friend was quoted that his laser sensitivity would be decreased by appx. 1/3 that of his current unit's). |
|
|
|
|
lgtwrx- I'm begining to understand what you mean by smooth audio ramp-up. The 9500i (at least mine) definitely has a different alert system. Gone are the days when you here just one beep and search for the source then the alarm slowly gets more frantic. This unit likes to scare you right off the bat when it encounters a signal. It's going to take some getting use to.. With the 8500, that flurry of sound meant you were right on top of the signal, not so with the 9500i, Again this unit is much more sensitive than my 8500, blowing it out of the water with it's Ka performance.
|
|
You are here:
Forums
Automotive News & Views Radar/Lidar detectors
New? Join Now!
Forum Tools
Search Forums
Browse by Vehicle
Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
Today's Chats
