Escort 8500 verses x50 Radar Detector Is there a Real Difference??

[1987passport]

Wow, there's alot of misrepresentation above by prospeeder:

360 degree radar and laser coverage, the 8500 has a relatively restricted field of view.
Wrong. The original 8500 uses the S7 horn, widely considered better than the M4 horn on the X50.

POP sensitivity. POP although not legal to "cite" on, is a real threat out on the interstate where police may use it (illegally) to issue citations.
All POP setting does is increase falses, EVERYBODY turns it off anyway.

VG-2 alert which makes the Escort 8500 invisible to radar detector detectors although the Spectre 3 RDD will detect it.
VG2 is rarely used anymore, so it's a non-issue.

Smart Cord which has a mute button and LED indicator light.
Every 8500 has come with a Smartcord since they came out, another falsehood.

Adjustable brightness and sound.
Again, every 8500 has adjustable brightness and sound.

A bar graph LED signal strength meter. SpecDisplay, which displays the frequency of the radar signal. Very helpful if you keep a record of cars and signals. Especially out on the interstate where alerts are far and few between. Here in Texas if I see a 1 bar alert for Ka 34.747 It's almost guaranteed to be Texas DPS.
Again, my plain 8500 has this setting.

Auto Mute which turns the sound off after a few seconds of alerting you.
Once again, same on the non-X50.


The ONLY difference is the X50 DOES NOT alert to SWS (who cares anyway?), but rather has POP (which noone uses anyway)

Detection difference? The plain 8500 is BETTER on 35.5 Ka than the X50, see this link:
Guys of LIDAR - Radar Detector Test

[fire65]

I had the 8500 for a cpl of years. By far the best RD I ever owned. I now own 2 X50's. If the 8500 is working fine with no bad messages, I would just run it. I just got a chance to get good money for the old one, so I upgraded.
Remember, it is a just a piece of electronic hardware. It will wear out, high heat, cold temps, moving it.
To put it to perspective think of your cell phone, Im sure you have one. Most of us want the latest and greatest, so we upgrade as often as if affordable. The RD is no different. Keep the best that you can afford.
All this said,, the 8500 is a super RD, if it is not giving the Service Required, it is probably just fine and is ALMOST on par with the X50.
I think one reason people say the X50 is better is just because they are running a new RD. Just my opinion, for what its worth.

[art]

I just joined this forum and looks like there's a lot of knowledgeable people out there.

Anyway, I've had an 8500 for about 5 years and really like it. I don't think it's worth upgrading to an X50 just for the POP detection - sounds like it's not much used anyway.

Unfortunately, my 8500 LASER detection has recently started going off, VERY frequently. Sometimes it goes off when I turn on windshield wipers, use unlock door feature, or many times just appears to go off randomly, on highway or off. Never did this until a couple months ago.

1) Does anyone know what to do for this problem?

2) Have never had my unit upgraded in the 5 years I've had it. Is there any advantage to upgrade to V5 firmware (which I think is the last version) for the 8500? Additional fearures, sensitivity, etc.? What does an upgrade cost or is my unit too old?

Any advice is appreciated.

[fire65]

Can't really say why, but it seems like alot of us X50 owners experience laser falsing. I had the same problem with mine, so I just turned laser off. X50 isn't really going to help you that much anyway.
I did send it in about two months ago for a different problem. When I got it back, no more falsing on laser. I guess its just a problem that occurs with age. Cost you 70 bucks to send it in for refurb. I got mine back with new cups, new smart cord, new antenna, and a new serial number. Had great customer service also.

[CJR238]

For me i always want the newest models. However I still have my 8500, and it works great!

[1987passport]

2 ways to fix your laser problem:

1. Turn laser off, quite frankly it's a joke anyway. If it goes off, you've been lasered, end of story.

2. Open the detector up, tighten down the horn to board screws. Then make sure all the tabs on the bottom of the laser shield are tight. I once had an 8500 that went off on laser all the time, I tightened the screws and bent the tabs well, and it fixed it, I haven't had a problem since.

[CJR238]

Originally Posted by 1987passport

2 ways to fix your laser problem:

1. Turn laser off, quite frankly it's a joke anyway. If it goes off, you've been lasered, end of story.
.

But if you turn it off you wont know if you have been lasered than try to get to the next exit ramp fast.

[RadarReviews_Net]

Originally Posted by WellcraftDave

Dont forget though,, there is the 12v meter on the X50 where as the unleaded 8500 doesnt have that.

Believe it or not, it was pretty handy to have... I had a alternator problem, or so I thought... but I used the X50's 12v read out to trouble shoot what ended up ultimately being a loose battery cable at the terminal post.. either way.. I ran both and I must of got lucky and got a good unleaded 8500...

thats a good tool to use to diagnose your battery.. forgot it had that on there

[art]

Have an 8500 (not X50) and have never had my unit upgraded in the 5 years I've had it. Is there any advantage to upgrade. My unit is running v 13 (or maybe that's really v 1.3).

First, is an upgrade for the 8500 even available, and if so what are the advantages - additional fearures, sensitivity, etc.?

What does an upgrade cost or is my unit too old?

Any advice is appreciated.

[CJR238]

Originally Posted by art

Have an 8500 (not X50) and have never had my unit upgraded in the 5 years I've had it. Is there any advantage to upgrade. My unit is running v 13 (or maybe that's really v 1.3).

First, is an upgrade for the 8500 even available, and if so what are the advantages - additional fearures, sensitivity, etc.?

What does an upgrade cost or is my unit too old?

Any advice is appreciated.

Unless you trade it in for the new 9500ix, your not looking at any real big advantages.