0ur opinion:

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blue display * super-high sensitivity for the earliest possible warning * VG-2 immunity (invisible to radar detector detectors) * digital and audio alerts for radar, laser, SWS, and VG-2 * multiple high-performance laser sensors for optimum coverage * power-on indication * signal strength meter * auto mute * city/highway modes, plus AutoSensitivity mode for greater resistance to false alarms * 3 brightness levels plus dark mode * preferred settings retention * dimensions: 2-7/8'W x 1-1/4'H x 5-3/8'D * warranty: 1 year

Review:
Radar detector manufacturers are constantly playing a game of catch-up with new technologies designed to nab the lead-footed. 'Pop' radar is a relatively new instant-on technology that may make a whole generation of radar detectors obsolete. These radar guns operate at low frequency until they are switched on to determine a driver's speed with lightning-fast accuracy. This leaves a radar detector little opportunity to scan and detect the radar signal. Pop radar may sound ominous, but a new crop of radar detectors--including the Escort Passport 8500 X50--offer Pop radar detection. Escort claims that the 8500 X50 is the most powerful and advanced radar detector ever, with the supreme sensitivity required to detect low-frequency Pop radar.

Design
Mounting the 8500 in our test vehicle was easy and straightforward. A small suction cup bracket slides into the unit's release mechanism and easily attaches to the windshield with light pressure. The unit is housed in a sturdy plastic case that's low profile and compact--although it is larger and heavier than Escort's wireless offering, the Solo S2. The rear of the unit is dominated by a receiver window and there's a rear-facing laser detector window designed to detect laser signals emanating from behind the vehicle.

Digital Signal Processing (DSP) provides maximum range, with minimum false alarms.

The Escort 8500 has a suprisingly simple control layout. Two buttons on the top of the unit control sensitivity settings and display brightness. They also double as selection buttons when the unit is in programming mode. The left side of the unit sports a volume dial. A mute button is positioned on the front panel next to the large, horizontal LCD display which, during normal use, graphs the intensity of the radar and laser signals the unit detects. Power is supplied by an included Escort SmartCord, which plugs into a cigarette-lighter power socket. The SmartCord features an alert LED, as well as a built-in mute button-- two handy additions.

Features
The 8500 can detect all of the radar bands currently in use in North America for speed detection, including the X, K and Ka bands. The unit also features detection diodes for laser detection, but for the most powerful protection from laser detection, Escort offers the ZR3 laser jamming system, which is plug-and-play compatible with the 8500.

The feature that separates the 8500 from other Escort radar detectors, as well as the entire previous generation of radar detector technologies, is its Pop radar detection capabilities. Pop radar guns, while still relatively rare in police departments, are used to identify speeding vehicles in traffic. They provide little warning as the radar signal idles at a low frequency until it transmits an extremely short, high-frequency burst to 'Pop' a target. The 8500 is equipped with a highly sensitive receiving system and a digital signal processor designed to pick up Pop signals from a safe distance. Pop detection is not enabled by default in the 8500, however; users must turn it on in the settings menu. Escort probably chose to disable Pop detection by default because its increased sensitivity also increases false alerts. However, first-time radar detector users might be in for a surprise if they neglect to turn it on.

The Passport 8500 X50 provides 3 types of warning displays to choose from.

Audio alerts are the most important feature of any radar detector, and the 8500 doesn't disappoint in this department. Warning tones get progressively louder as a threat approaches, and users can set the unit to deliver warnings at preprogrammed volume levels. Each radar band--including Pop radar--has a distinct tone, making it easy to quickly discern threats. The 8500's 'AutoMute' feature automatically lowers the volume level of an alert after a period of time.

False alarms are one of the major annoyances of radar detector use. ln our tests, the 8500 was surprisingly adept at minimizing false alarms from home garage door systems, as well as home and commercial security systems that commonly operate on X-band radar. The unit's city sensitivity setting decreases sensitivity to X-band sources, while the highway setting does not. We found the unit's powerful 'AutoSensitivity' mode the most accurate, however, as it dynamically filtered all types of radar signals and identified which sources were a legitimate threat. We got a few false alarms, but for the most part, annoying chirps from bogus X-band sources were uncommon.

The 8500 has nine built-in customizable settings. ln the settings mode, the LCD acts as a menu system that lets users control display brightness, automatic mute, audio tones, and power-on modes. There are also settings for disabling detection of selected bands. We liked the expert mode settings, which allow a user to get a constant picture of the intensity of all the radar bands in the area. The SpecDisplay, which is a feature exclusive to the 8500, displays the actual numeric frequency of the radar signal being received.

For those living in states that prohibit use of a radar detector, the 8500 does include VG-2 radar detector detector protection, which is designed to both alert the driver and shut down the unit's oscillator.

0n the Road
We used the 8500 on a 20-mile stretch of busy interstate and were impressed with the low number of false alarms we received. Again, this remarkable level of accuracy is due to the unit's AutoSensitivity feature. While we encountered no police radar, other controlled tests of the 8500's performance have put the reliable range of detection at 2 miles for all bands. Meanwhile, Pop mode tests place the reliable detection range between 500 and 1000 feet.

Pros

• Well-designed controls and display features
• AutoSensitivity feature greatly reduces false alarms
• Highly accurate with massive detection range

Cons

• Pop detection not enabled by default

Piece Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

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Buyer's feedback: - * just as advertised ...
has saved me many times; lives up to the advertising; few false alerts. don't leave home without it.

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Buyer's feedback: - Works great
I just used this detector on a 4500 mile road trip traveling in the west. Went from Seattle to Vegas, Vegas to Cali, back to Seattle.
I never had the unit go off in Nevada, but it gave me warnings about 6 times in California and 4 times in Oregon. These were either cops coming my way on the road with their radars going, or near speed traps. I found the unit gave ample warning in open spaces, and a couple of seconds warning when coming around a bend in the road. Around the 4th of July i hit alot of speed traps at night, and it saved my butt several times. Works very well. Be sure to turn on the POP feature (not on by default). Its true if you get hit by a laser, you basically are being told 'hey you got a ticket' - however if you Are driving the speed limit, the POP is useful in letting you know that the laser is being used. This warned me in the town i was in that cops were using laser, so i kept my speed down. Only improvement i can think of is to have the option of a Flashing warning, and maybe abit higher sound capability. I tend to listen to my music very loud on long trips like this - so sometims i didnt see the warning for awhile. It did have a fair amount of false readings (as far as i could tell) - but not too bad.

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Buyer's feedback: - * A lot of Bells and Whistles but Little Performance! ...
Got this radar detector and had high hopes for it in light of the price and all the hype.
Unfortunately in my first week I got a nasty speeding ticket. The officer had a laser gun and it didn't warn me until it was right in front of me. With this kind of protection who needs protection at all?
Sure the slim unit looks great, and I like the talking radar but at the end of the day don't you buy this to avoid tickets? My friend swears by his Valentine, which looks ugly, but really who cares about the looks of a radar detector.

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Buyer's feedback: - Has never failed me yet
We now own two of these Escort Passports and think they are excellent. I know for a fact this unit is worth the money. A friend was driving next to me on a toll road, no cars around so our speed increased. My Escort began to show a weak Ka signal. I slowed down but my friend, who had a Whistler, kept accelerating. Then my signal peaked out. I couldn't see any police car and my friend was way ahead of me now. Suddenly, he slammed on his brakes at the top of an overpass and there was the State Trooper - sitting in the on ramp, well hidden. My Escort saw him 3-4 miles ahead...amazing!

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Buyer's feedback: - * Does everything I needed it to ...
First of all, I am a military brat who has lived and driven in other countries. The only reason that is relevant is because for every state/country I have lived in, there is only one that has provided me the unpleasant experience of having to deal with the police; that place is the Commonwealth of Virginia (where detectors are illegal coincidentally).

After purchasing this detector and joining radardetectors.net, I have finally gotten a leg up on the money machine that is law enforcement. People complain about the sensitivity of this detector, but one must consider that radar bounces and if there is a car or truck ahead of you, they will soak up much of the radar signal and your warning time will be reduced accordingly; add to that the terrain and possible corners and you still have an element of possible capture. Also, one cannot speed with impunity, some caution is required to be able to drive recklessly and still not get caught. I have even found my awareness increase as well as a drop in the overall speed of my driving. The only time I speed up is if I get passed by someone who is driving above the limit; i follow at the distance of 1/4 mi, and if he's tagged by radar/lidar, then I get a warning sound and have enough time to slow down.

While it isnt a device that provides a shield and it wont detect a police cruiser that doesnt have it's speed detection equipment on, the X50 has served me well. The farthest distance it has given a warning was somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 miles away from the cop. I dont get too many intermittent false detections, even though I dont change from the highway setting. The design is sleek enough where it doesnt stand out when placed in my car (there's nothing worse than not being able to hide your use of a detector due to a bulky design), the smart cord works extremely well, the cloaking device has held up to electronic scrutiny (I have no fear of the police scanning me and finding its' signal); all in all, the detector is a nice all round package and deserves to be among the top detectors on the market.