Here's the response I got back from Valentine after writing and asking what they were doing about the features of the Escort 9500ix. Looks like they still think the features are useless and have no intention to implement them. Doesn't sound promising...

He talks about the redlight stuff. Isn't that why they update the database? I'd be happy just to know if there is a possibility of one in the intersection I'm approaching. Even if its been turned off, better to be safe than sorry.

I'm not sure they take into account the memorization of the frequency with the stuff it blocks.

Dear Sir:

Thanks for your email. We appreciate your kind words on our V1.

We are indeed always working on new things (we are the only ones who do hardware and software upgrades) and we always post any news on the website.

We devoted considerable research into GPS in the past and decided, at least for now, not to do it, as we never want to compromise performance for a feature that may not have significant benefits.

A major problem is that the “intelligent” signal classifying routine may miss a new police signal by mistaking it for a previously marked-to-exclude door sensor signal, thereby excluding the police signal, too. This is a critical issue, and we’ve seen reports on websites echoing this concern. After all, what goes it the marking feature if it marks out the real thing as well?

The GPS function is not much help, in our opinion, unless it involves a daily drive or a commute and even then, it may be a roll of the dice in terms of what it might miss. And the database for red light cameras is constantly changing as units are turned on and off, so it’s hard to stay on top of really current information on location.



Cordially,

Pete Kaufman
Sales Department

 

 

i really like my escort 9500

 

Thanks for posting this, I love reading these responses from Sales. What I read from this is they don't feel sales are dramtically affected and therefore the cost to include GPS not to mention cost of maintaining a redlight/database not worth the investment. People will still buy our detector for the bogey indication and high sensitivity reputation.

The other excuses really don't have anything to do with their decision. The statement about only company to do hardware software upgrades seems pointless... trade ups and firmware updates are offered by several other companies.

The last paragraph is really silly considering the majority of driving EVERYONE does will be a regular commute and thus the advantage of blocking unwanted false alerts significant. Until you've experience an alert from a detector that has otherwise remained quiet on your regular communte you can't apprecitate the value. Ignoring 9500ix alerts is not something you find yourself trained to do.
Is there a possibility for a camera to exist that's not in the montly updated database... yes, does that however lessen the protection provided for those that are in the database...no. Anything is better then nothing... always.

 

Yeah...the whole argument about blocking real signals by excluding door sensors is crap. The Escorts don't just classify by location but frequency too. I've blocked out a radar trailer that's parked outside a support substation, and routinely pick up cops in the same location. It's really shortsighted on their part to dismiss GPS capabilities.

 

I agree with all of these points and just sent a message back to him making all of these points. I agree - I don't know how they can dismiss some of this stuff. And I definitely agree on the daily commute. That's what made me stop paying attention to my V1. I'd get the same falses in the same place every day to and from work. It cried wolf a little too often.

I'll let you know what/if I get back from them.

 

Love it.
O

 

buy a 9500 and get over it.

 

Just got one Friday.

 

Let us know what you think. There are a lot of heated debates about radar detectors, but very few people have actually used both brands. Like you I went from a V1 to a 9500, and have yet to regret it.

 

Yea, I was a pretty diehard V1 fan, always scoffing at that Escort crap. I'm curious to see how it is.

Its sort of like how I've had both BMW and Infiniti, so I can see the positives in and appreciate each.

 

let me borrow it so i can compare to my 8500.

 

Here's the response from Valentine to my response pointing out everything we talked about in this post.

Dear Sir:

You make some valid points here. I will pass your comments on to Mike and the R &D engineers.

In the meantime, stay tuned for any changes or upgrades as we post them on our website.

Cordially,

Pete Kaufman

Until then, I may stick with the 9500ix

 

I can't believe you are still using that old antiquated 8500!! You've got to get up with the times!!

 

The problem with the Escort 9500i and its TrueLock feature, advertised to help cut down on falses, is that it's flawed. The Escort 9500i breaks K band down into only 8 segments. If you TrueLock a false alert, it will no longer alert to any K band in that particular segment of K band in that location. If a cop happens to be shooting K band in that location and it happens to fall into that segment of K band, you will not get an alert and you could possibly receive a ticket.

Many stores have multiple door openers operating in all segments of K band so you could be locking out alerts for much of the entire K band if you TrueLock out all of the "falses" in that area. Every segment of K band you lock out will block 12.5% of all K band alerts in that area whether it is real police radar or a false alert.

The Valentine One and the Escort 9500i have two entirely different ways of dealing with police radar frequencies.

You have the Valentine One that will notify the driver of all police radar frequencies in use and let the driver decide what to filter out in their brain so they can react accordingly.

Then you have the Escort 9500i user who would rather have a nice quiet drive at the risk of receiving no alert and a speeding ticket because they let a computer judge what is a threat or not because they TrueLocked a false in an area where a cop decided to later run radar. Escort doesn't let you know on their website or in their Escort 9500i manual but if you TrueLock just one door opener, it will block 12.5% of the K band frequency in an area up to a 1/2 mile wide. A 1/2 mile area is equivalent to 7 1/3 football fields including endzones.

Do you want to risk receiving a ticket because your Escort 9500i was silent while a police officer shot you with K band for over seven football fields because you didn't want any falses?




Video of the Escort 9500i not alerting to actual police K band shot in an area where Escort's TrueLock feature has been used to cut down on annoying falses.