Escort C65: A High Performance Radar Detector for the Masses

Escort C65 looks like a black-version of the Beltronics RX65

Escort C65: A High Performance Radar Detector for the [Shopping] Masses

If ever there was an argument to be made about a product being produced by the "Belscort" company, the new $349 Escort C65, is it.

The Escort C65 is a radar detector designed specifically for shopping at "club wholesalers" such as BJ's Wholesale Club, Costco, and Sam's Club. Escort has no current plans to provide the C65 through other retail/Internet sales channels (although the Escort C65 does appear on their own corporate website and could conceivably appear on these mass retailers' websites).

For those already familiar with the Beltronics line of radar detectors, you'll immediately recognize that the Escort C65 appears very similar to a Beltronics Pro RX65, only its case is black.

The Escort 65 is essentially a hybrid product of both Beltronics and Escort and is expected to provide performance levels similar to both companies' (now considered) mid-range (priced) level of radar detectors, such as the Escort Passport 8500 X50, Beltronics Vector 995, or Beltronics Pro RX65. All of course are very good.

The current top-windshield-mount models are the Beltronics GX65, Beltronics STi Driver, and Escort Passport 9500ix.

It appears to me that by creating another model that doesn't include the name Passport in it, Escort is attempting to minimize [Passport] brand-erosion, while at the same time creating another sales distribution conduit for their [Escort-named] products (like Beltronics' Vector versus Beltronics Professional series), perhaps in the wake of Circuit City's recently declared bankruptcy (a large national Beltronics retailer).

I may be wrong, but it feels as though that could be a challenging task as the naming and appearance of the Escort C65 may confuse the consumer with Escort's or Beltronics' premium name-brands or may tend to blur the distinctions between each brand identity.

Perhaps it would have been better to refer to this new radar detector as a Cincinnati Microwave C65 by Escort, instead of an Escort C65.

I suspect Escort will rely on a sophisticated POP (point-of-purchase) display piece to convey the benefits/distinguishing characteristics of their new Escort 65 model as compared to other retail-packaged consumer-level radar detectors available at generalized large chain retailers.

I can only imagine some of the dialog one may hear at the electronics department of one of these stores. Perhaps it would go something like this:

Would-be consumer: Can the Escort C65 detect all 15 bands?

Wholesale club salesperson: Ah, I dunno...What's it say on the box?

Will such mass retailers adhere to an established MAP? What happens to "overstocks" if and when they should occur? What impact could a precipitous price drop or "blow-out" sale (by an otherwise unsuccessful mass-retailer) have on the overall lines of either Beltronics Professional or Escort Passport premium brands or their long-established specialized dealer networks?

Whether or not the Escort C65's launch will be successful for the long-term may largely depend on how well the these organizations understand such a product.

Radar detectors, especially higher-end models like the Escort C65, are very specialized versions of consumer electronics and consequently require a high-level of knowledge to sell effectively, best provided by specialized retailers, especially those models at a price point of the Escort C65 or beyond.

At this point, this particular Escort feels like it's more tactically than strategically positioned (and something that may have ultimately been better suited by the long-established and very fine Beltronics Vector series).

Online discussion:

Escort C65: A Radar Detector for the Shopping Masses

Veil Guy

Cobra XRS R10G, R8 & Cobra XRS 9960G, XRS 9955 GPS-Enabled Radar Detectors

Cobra XRS 9960G & Cobra XRS R10G

Cobra XRS R10G/Cobra XRS R8 & Cobra XRS 9960G/Cobra XRS 9955 New GPS-Enabled Radar Detectors

Update: 08 MAR 09

Our Full Review: Cobra XRS-9960G Review

It's clear to me that GPS-enabled radar detectors—able to alert to the presence of nefarious speed cameras and red light cameras—are here to stay and Cobra certainly gets this as evidenced by their introduction of new gps-enabled radar detectors, including the Cobra XRS R10G and Cobra XRS 9960G.

For 2009, Cobra will continue following the lead established by Escort (two years ago with the Passport 9500i) with the introduction of newer, smaller, and more capable GPS-enabled radar detectors than previous Cobras, including their new flagship Cobra XRS R10G and Cobra XRS 9960G.

These new detectors, like the Cobra XRS 9960G ($389) and Cobra XRS R10G ($469), will feature Cobra's proprietary and extensive Aura^™ photo enforcement (red light camera & speed camera) database covering the United States, Canada, and Europe with claimed 100% verification of fixed speed cameras, red light cameras, known speed trap locations, and dangerous intersections.

The accretive Aura Camera and Driving Hazard database is the latest incarnation of the former U.K. company Performance Products Limited's technology—whose highly regarded Snooper^® European GPS models were equipped with the enigma database—which was acquired by Cobra in 2006.

Like other gps-enabled detectors offered which utilize another proprietary and highly regarded Trinity database (Beltronics GX65, Escort Passport 9500ci, Escort Passport 9500ix, Cheetah GPSMirror, Cheetah C100), these new Cobra models promise to provide a much higher level of accuracy and lower false rate as compared to those offered by devices relying on hobbyist provided data, since proper identification and classification of photo enforcement technology really requires trained professionals to do well.

These new GPS detectors will utilize newer, much smaller, and easier to use/update GPS modules that directly connect to the detectors and is a far more elegant solution as compared to the earlier Cobra XRS R7/Cobra XRS R9G and Cobra XRS 9950 models which required a separate cable and windshield-mounting location for their larger external GPS modules.

These smaller GPS modules (RDA GPSL55) offer the convenience of being directly connectible to your PC (via a direct USB port connection) for automated updating (SYNCing) from Cobra's online web portal on as frequent as a daily basis without the need for the entire radar detector to be removed from the vehicle, to do so. (Beltronics and Escort models have their GPS capability built-into the detectors themselves to take up less space on the windshield and are a "cleaner" approach as a result, but require the complete detector to be connected to the PC for updating).

A total of 10 radar detectors will be able to benefit from the incorporation of the Aura camera database: Cobra XRS 979, Cobra XRS 999, Cobra XRS 9845, Cobra XRS 9945, Cobra XRS 9955, Cobra XRS 9990, Cobra XRS 9860G, Cobra XRS 9960G, Cobra XRS R8, and Cobra XRS 10G.

The three Cobra models ending with a G designation, the Cobra XRS 9860G, Cobra XRS 9960G, and the Cobra XRS 10G include the GPS module and come with a lifetime subscription to the Aura camera database at no additional charge, a very nice feature, indeed.

The other seven models, the Cobra XRS 979, Cobra XRS 999, Cobra XRS 9845, Cobra XRS 9945, Cobra XRS 9955, Cobra XRS 9990, and Cobra XRS R8 will require the purchase of the GPS locator which retails for $99.95 and will require an annual subscription fee of $29.95 for continued database updates after the initial 12-month period of free updates, expires.

If you expect the need for GPS detection anytime in your future (you should), then I would recommend the purchase of one of the G designated models as the cost savings, over time, will be signficant.

Cobra's Information-Packed OLED Displays: Industry Class Leaders

Several of these Cobra radar detectors are in a class by themselves when it comes to display panels with the incorporation of the latest advancements in display technology—the OLED—which can be easily configured to suit the color schemes of most vehicles.

I only hope that the high-gloss display (which has been far too reflective)—on the windshield-mounted radar detectors—gives way to a more low-glare surface that will be easier to view in a wider variety of lighting conditions.

Cobra will also join the ranks of Beltronics, Escort, and Whistler with the augmentation of voice alerting into several of their new models.

Getting A Lot Of Things Right

If these new Cobra models continue to show real-world performance improvement with police radar, police laser detection and false-rejection (not an unreasonable expectation considering the somewhat lofty price points) I would expect them to have the potential of being compelling offerings.

In any event:

GPS-enabled radar detectors are the wave of the future.

Frankly, everything else is beginning to feel outmoded.

Happy and Safe Motoring!

Trustworthy Purchasing Source:

• XRS 9960g at BuyRadarDetectors

Related Discussion:

• Cobra XRS R10G, Cobra XRS R8 & Cobra XRS 9960G, Cobra XRS 9955 GPS-Enabled Radar Detectors

Veil Guy

The Ultimate $1000 Windshield-Mount Radar Detector

I have been thinking about posting this one for quite some time and given that Beltronics is soon to release their new BEL GX65 radar detector and that we will soon be entering the extended holiday (shopping) season, I feel perhaps now is the time to post this entry as an addition to my short Santa's list.

Other than the Nikon D3X (or Nikon D4) that I would love to find under my tree this season—as the Hasselblad H3DII-50 is just a bit outside of my price range—I wish Beltronics would finally offer, what I would regard, the ultimate radar detector (in a windshield-mount).

This supreme radar detector would possess the following attributes:

• The Dual LNA Antenna of the STi Driver/STI-R that would enable the detector to remain invisible to Spectre RDDs while providing unimaginable levels of performance
• The incorporation of the GPS abilities of the Beltronics Pro GX65 and Escort Passport 9500ix which includes the Cheetah Trinity Database of Red Light Cameras and Fixed/Mobile Speed Cameras w/lifetime subscription to updates
• The auto-learning and un-learning of identified false locations
• The absolute reception capability of the Beltronics STi-R
• Police lidar/laser reception on par with the new Bel GX65
• The silky-smooth alert ramp-up of the Escort Passport 8500 X50
• Ka-Band segmentation as currently provided in the Beltronics STi-R
• Incorporation of the four different metering display options (borrowed from both Beltronics and Escort Passport models)
• The magnesium chassis of the STi Driver as well as its second-to-none packaging.
• All of the ergonomic advancements which we have all come to know and love from both Beltronics and Escort models including the nice new double-tone auto-muting at speeds below 20mph.
• The ability to incorporate with the Cincinnati Microwave Laser Shifter ZR4
• The potential to alert via a blue-tooth link into new automobile sound systems and/or other mobile devices
  

I believe there exists a place in the Beltronics line-up for such a radar detector and I suspect that place would be at the $999USD price point.

Such a radar detector could fulfill the vision of providing an incremental approach to buidling a system along the lines of an Escort Passport 9500ci without undermining the positioning of any of the other products offered by either Beltronics or Escort.

In my opinion, such a radar detector could be universally regarded as the most sophisticated and capable (dare I say perfect?) windshield-mount radar detector, yet conceived.

Santa (aka: Beltronics), I don't know if you are listening, but...

I know I am not in Iowa, but I do believe that if you build it, they will come...

Veil Guy

Beltronics Pro GX65 Review: Another GPS-Enabled Winner from BEL

Updated: 03OCT 08

I had the distinct pleasure of being able to put the new Beltronics Pro GX65 (BEL Pro GX65) through its paces this past weekend with some real, real-world miles—throughout several states which employ police radar operating at X, K, and Ka as well as police laser (lidar) and my initial impressions are that Beltronics has another winner on its hands.

Expected to start shipping later this month (or early October), the Beltronics Pro GX65 appears poised to sit-atop of the Beltronics professional series of conventional windshield-mount radar detectors and certainly picks up where the Beltronics Pro RX65 (BEL Pro RX65) left-off.

Like the Escort Passport 9500ix—the Beltronics GX65 is also based upon the incorporation of GPS and the North American Trinity Database of red light cameras and speed cameras that are rapidly proliferating in the country—the Beltronics GX65 Pro (BEL GX65) is, I believe, representative of the most sophisticated windshield-mount radar detectors yet conceived which maximize driver situational awareness not only to police radar and police laser, but photo enforcement, as well.

Incorporating some of the nice-touches from the Beltronics STi Driver, like auto-dimming and button illumination, the Beltronics GX65 Pro also provides a more natural sounding male voice alert (as opposed to the Escort Passport 9500 series of natural-sounding female voices).

I would prefer that Beltronics renames the GX65's AutoScan mode since it actually acts in the identical fashion to the Auto Sensitivity modes of the Escort Passport 9500i, Passport 9500ix, and the Escort Passport 9500ci—varying its sensitivity to X-band and K-band radar in real-time depending on the rate of travel. Naming this feature AutoScan may blur the meaning of that function—which appears on the existing radar detector models from both Beltronics and Escort.

Although the performance of the Beltronics GX65 appears similar to the Escort Passport 9500ix (which is a very good thing), it retains enough of the Beltronics "personality" to distinguish itself.

The laser reception performance of the Bel GX65 appears to be noticeably improved over the Bel Pro RX65 which was tested nearly years ago.

As with the Pro GX65's cousin, the Escort Passport 9500ix, the Beltronics Pro GX65 introduces a new auto-muting function which makes the radar detector even more easy to live with around town: If your vehicle is moving at a rate of less than 20mph and you encounter either police radar or police lidar, the Pro GX65 will briefly tone alert with a double-tone which varies based-upon the type of reception.

At first blush, I thought there was an issue with my Pro GX65, until I read page 11 of the owner's manual which describes this new innovative feature.

Unlike the Beltronics STi Driver, the Beltronics Pro GX65 can be directly interfaced to the Cincinnati Microwave Laser Shifter ZR4, externally mounted front and rear laser jammer.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, it's really wonderful to see both Beltronics and Escort really flex their engineering muscles.

Without a doubt, these two companies are currently producing the most sophisticated radar detectors yet conceived.

My hat's off to both engineering teams! One plus one does equal three!

This new detector is expected to ship within two weeks.

Trustworthy purchasing source(s):

• Pro GX65 at Buy Radar Detectors

Veil Guy

Beltronics Pro GX65 Review: New BEL Pro GX65 Radar/GPS Detector

UPDATED: 27 SEP 08

Beltronics GX65 Review/(BEL Pro GX65) Preview:

In the continuing evolution of high-end radar detectors offered by Beltronics, GPS capability (from the Escort Passport 9500i and Escort Passport 9500ix) comes to Beltronics in the form of the new Beltronics Pro GX65.

The Beltronics Pro GX65 to be somewhat of a hybrid of both the Escort Passport 9500i (which provided GPS capability and manual-marking of false and other noteworthy locations, like VASCAR speed traps) and the Escort Passport 9500ix (which adds the additional capability of autolearning fixed false locations and being able to alert to red light camera, fixed speed camera and mobile camera locations, by incorporating Cheetah's Trinity database).

Currently available with red LED display model, the Beltronics GX65 to slot in between the retail pricing of $449 of the Escort Passport 9500i (Red) and $499 of the Escort Passport 9500ix (Blue) sporting a suggested retail of $469.

For those of us who have valued the performance of the venerable Beltronics RX65 Pro and Beltronics engineering design, the Beltronics to be a natural evolution of "conventional" (ie; non-Spectre immune) Beltronics windshield-mount radar detectors (in contrast to the Spectre undetectable Beltronics STi Driver)

Having become accustomed the auto-learning feature provided by the new Escort Passport 9500ix and Escort Passport 9500ci remote installed radar detector, this feature, if not fully implemented in the BEL GX65 Pro, will be missed.

When one considers the cost differential of just $30 can put you into an Escort Passport 9500ix which provides auto-learning capability along with a cool blue LED display the "positioning" seems pretty tight, quite frankly (especially when $30 historically separated models simply by the display color—red or blue—albeit in the same model line, and did not bring increased functionality).

Perhaps the positioning of this new radar detector is a precursor to the eventual phasing out of the Escort Passport 9500i which remains in the red display model version (purely speculation on my part, but I believe logical nonetheless).

Fortunately the BEL GX65 can be software updated via a PC USB cable and perhaps additional features will ultimately appear on the Pro GX65 via some future update; my vote is for the inclusion of the auto-learning feature.

At any rate, being a long-time fan of Beltronics radar detectors, I am very pleased to see the continued development of the Beltronics Pro series.

They'll be more to come on this exciting new detector once we have accumulated some significant real real-world miles with it and documented in the following: Beltronics GX65 Review.

In the meantime, join our discussion of the new GPS-enabled Beltronics Pro GX65 and other Beltronics engineered products online.

Trustworthy purchasing source(s):

Pro GX65 at Buy Radar Detectors

Veil Guy

Red Light Cameras Detectable by Laser/Radar Detectors

Last week I was on a business trip which took me to the eastern Maryland.

During the week I commuted daily from an old buddy's house located on the south-western border of Maryland.

One morning, I took a wrong turn off of Route 40 and ended-up going south on I-97 when I needed to go north. I immediately exited at the Town Center exit off of I-97 and was considering making a U-turn at an intersection controlled by red light when I observed a No U-turn sign. As I changed lanes from the left to the right in preparation to make a legal U-turn, my Beltronics Vector 995 briefly alerted to laser.

When sitting at the red light to make the left-turn back towards I-97, I noticed 6 or so boxes that were mounted on polls facing each of the four directions of travel of the intersection.

It appeared to me that this intersection was being monitored by a red light camera system, but by one that I did not recognize.

The following morning, just to be certain, I traveled back to the intersection, this time equipped with a Cheetah GPSMirror.

As anticipated, the Cheetah GPSMirror did correctly alert to the presence of the red light camera system that was in operation at this intersection.

Certain red light camera systems utilize police laser (lidar) to operate.

Given the fact that my BEL Vector 995 alerted to laser, it suggests that, conventional (ie; one that doesn't utilize GPS) radar/laser detectors can alert to the operation of certain (police laser/lidar-based) red light cameras.

This information may be good to know the next time you approach an unfamiliar intersection and your radar detector alerts to laser...

An ongoing discussion of this experience can be found, here:

Red Light Cameras Detected by Radar/Laser Detectors

Veil Guy

AutoScan versus Highway Mode...A Closer Examination.

As some of my friends and close followers [of my postings] already know, I recently drove to Atlanta, GA and back from Philadelphia, PA, to attend a conference with my good friend and business associate RadarRoy (of radarbusters.com).

Instead of flying, I decided to drive it -- all in the name of testing the latest radar detectors (including new models from both Whistler and Cobra). I managed to take copious notes on my traveling experiences and will include a summary of them in my upcoming blog postings and our full-review entitled "the ultimate radar detector review 2007." Our trip included a journey through Virginia (where radar detector usage is still banned in Draconian fashion) -- you can guess which radar detector we used for that portion of the trip. We also managed to visit our friends at Cricket Ventures (buyradardetectors.com) in Rock Hill, SC.

It's going to take a bit of additional time to compile all of those experiences and post them. That is something that is in very short supply of late since a lot of things are going on both in my personal and business life. (For example, my sister is tying the knot this weekend and the pre-wedding activities, alone, are demanding on what little time I have).

As you may already know, I recently purchased another retail model of the Beltronics STi Driver, which brings my current ownership count to two units. Once I got familiar with the operation characteristics of both them (on both an absolute and relative basis) I decided to take a unique approach to empirically examining the actual effect of operating the radar detectors in AutoScan mode.

One particular reviewer -- Craig Peterson of RadarTest.com -- has mentioned the use of AutoScan mode (in terms of generally quieting Bel's and Escort's detectors 'even more') but has not gone into depth about its utility and generally recommends to drive with the radar detectors in Highway mode when on the highway -- to maximize their effective performance by minimizing filtering. All other tests with which I have read (such as SpeedZones.com or GuysofLidar.com), either in print or on-line, always focus on performance of their tested radar detectors set in Highway mode (or in the V1's case -- all bogeys mode).

But since the default settings of Beltronics and Escort radar detectors are, in fact, AutoScan mode, I felt it was high time to really explore, in depth, the actual effect of running their detectors in AutoScan while driving on the highway and around town.

And what better way to do this than with two BEL STi Drivers running concurrently.

First things first: Establishing a Base-Line with both BEL STi Driver Radar Detectors

Before I could really explore the effect of AutoScan, I have taken a few weeks and about 3500 miles of driving with both of them in Highway mode. In this manner, I was able to accurately access the intra-model performance production variances of each radar detector.

My conclusions are the latest STi Driver that I purchased is slightly "hotter" on X-band and Ka-band reception (at least on the observed frequencies of 33.8Ghz, 34.7Ghz, and 35.5Ghz) while not being quite as "hot" on K-band reception. These performance variations are relatively small (about 1-2 seconds max between each radar detector) and not completely consistent. In other words, the new BEL STi Driver doesn't always beat my other STi Driver. But, it does enough times for me to draw these basic conclusions.

Empirical Findings of AutoScan mode (BEL STi Driver)

After several weeks of close examination of each radar detector (run in AutoScan and Highway modes) and many additional miles I believe I have formulated some opinions which may be helpful for you to determine whether AutoScan is the right mode you or not.

It appears that AutoScan mode effectively reduces sensitivity to both X-band and K-band by a very little bit and reduces sensitivity to non-police Ka-radar bands while not effecting reception performance to (at least) the three U.S. police radar Ka-bands (33.8Ghz, 34.7Ghz, and 35.5Ghz). To the contrary it appears that reception performance may actually increase (slightly) on those three police radar Ka-Bands relative to their Highway setting counterparts.

I write effectively because I believe their is much more to AutoScan than merely "dialing-back" sensitivity to certain radar bands. I believe the detector still receives the signal but it may be doing some additional processing to "squelch" the initial reporting of weak X, K, and non-essential Ka signals that normally would register about a 0-3 signal strength level. It may also be that the (listening) sweeping pattern (remember a radar detector is a very specialized radio-scanner) may be altered so that an AutoScan'd radar detector may actually focus a greater amount of time on Ka (in the case of the STi Driver, at least) at the slight expense of both X and K-bands. Or it may be a combination of all of these. Regardless of how Beltronics actually accomplishes their advanced filtering, the ultimate effect, is slightly reduced sensitivity to X and K and non-essential Ka.

And I do mean slightly...nothing really dramatic...just enough to eliminate some of the observed variance advantages of one detector over the other.

The benefit to all of this advanced filtering is a quieter radar detector! Gone are are a good number of X and K "falses" one often receives with a high-end radar detector when traveling on the highway by interchanges and adjacent shopping centers. Gone too are the occasional Ka-falses which occur from other cheap radar detectors which leak RF (harmonics in the wide Ka-band) at frequencies like (a reported) 33.458Ghz.

AutoScan does not appear to have any adverse impact on the Beltronics STi Driver's ability to report multiple and simultaneous radar encounters. Each radar detector seemed equally adept at identifying concurrent encounters of X and K-band regardless of the filtering mode selected.

So the trade-off appears to be a very slight reduction to both X and K reception -- in some cases -- for getting an even quieter detector which falses even less frequently. Having driving with Valentines for many years, I am really warming up to the quieter nature of the Beltronics STi Driver since it really doesn't appear to come at the expense of extreme sensitivity to real bona-fide police radar traps. Too much sensitivity without advanced filtering becomes painful over time and your mind can start to do its own filtering (eg; ignoring) which may not be a good thing.

Empirical Findings of AutoScan mode (BEL RX65-Pro and Escort 8500 X50)

Over the years I have examined the performance of AutoScan mode relative to Highway mode on both the Escort Passport 8500 X50 and the Beltronics RX-65 Pro radar detectors and although I haven't published anything, I have formulated some opinions which I will share with you now.

AutoScan appears to have a very interesting effect on the Escort Passport 8500 X50 (of which I own four -- two blue and two red). It appears that K-band reception actually improves slightly where X and Ka reception is affected similarly to the Beltronics STi Driver.

The Beltronics RX65-Pro detector doesn't quite seem to be affected to the same degree as the Passport 8500 X50 (at least in terms of K-band reception).

I suspect these performance variations in operating modes may be tied to an altered sweeping pattern for listening. In the instance of the 8500 X50, the detector may have allocated more time to listening to K-band relative to X and/or other parts of the Ka-band that are not police radar. The Beltronics, in general, feels a little quicker and as a result performance changes are somewhat less noticeable.

Conclusion

At least for now, I am going to continue driving with my STi Drivers with POP-OFF and AutoScan on (which is their factory default operating mode). You may want to try the same -- for your own edification -- you may actually prefer it.

Regardless of which mode you use, it's good to know that both Beltronics and Escort are continuing to push the envelope on super-advanced filtering modes -- that have minimal adverse impact of genuine police radar reception -- to deliver their owners the most enjoyable high-end radar detector ownership experience possible.

I can't wait to see how the Escort Passport 9500i matures over time!

Veil Guy