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Passport 8500 X50, Escort Radar, Blue Display

Rated by John Turner:

Speed Measurement Labs tests - The Escort Passport 8500 X50 Radar Detector provides superb performance at detecting hidden radar traps, over the hill and around blind curves. 1stRadarDetectors tests a variety of products at Speed Measurement Labs to determine which products provide the best performance for our customers. Above is shown the PEscort Passport 8500 X50 Radar Detector, Valentine One Radar Detector and the Beltronics STI Driver Radar Detector. Al three are superb radar detector products. Speed Measurement Labs distance detection of the Escort Passport 8500 X50 Radar Detector is very good. In a 2008 test, we typically had 10 mile distance and in our tests in 2006, we find consistent performance. Speed Measurement Labs RDD, Escort Passport 8500 X50 Radar Detector radar detector detector performance test.

Product Tests

• Radar - During our road testing of the Escort Passport 8500 X50 Radar Detector, we logged a typical 9 mile distance detection of Ka radar. This is extremely good and the very best detection sensitivity. False alerts were minimized by turning off X band radar detection, but we also discovered that some police are resorting back to X band radar, knowing that many drivers turn X band off. We suggest that you drive with X band on, just in case. The SWS detector alerts (special K band safety alerts) when turned on and selected, will alert you to road hazards and construction; if the SWS transmitter technology is used by road crews and ambulances. We found that we would often encounter road hazard situations, but sometimes the Escort Passport 8500 X50 Radar Detector did not alert due to the SWS technology not being used by the road crews and ambulances. We noted some POP3 alerts, but the Escort Passport 8500 X50 Radar Detector is very good at alerting you to a real POP3 signal, which is a very fast, (67millisecond) burst radar pulse. Many radar detectors today can detect fast radar pulses, but can not tell if the fast signal is simply a false alert or a real POP3 radar burst. The Escort Passport 8500 Radar Detector can detect POP3 better than nearly all other radar detectors with very few false alerts.
• Laser - During our test, we encountered a few laser alerts from police. Since the Escort Passport 8500 X50 Radar Detector detects laser from the windshield, you may want to supplement your laser protection with an optiona laser jammer.