otto06

Ok - I have a friend in the DC area looking for a Radar Detector. I am a long time Valentine 1 user and love it but apparently they are plagued with photo speed enforcement.

This Escort (Escort Passport 9500ix) has come highly recommended but I have no experience with it. Who has insights?

billqj

Take a look at the Valentine, it is probably the best in terms of sensitivity. Also it has receiving antennas front and rear, so it shows you where the radar source is....ahead, behind, to the side.

CDLVancouver

I got mine about 2 weeks ago and so far so good. No issues on our spirited ride from vancouver to kelowna via the hope princeton on the long weekend (passed by 5 cops with their guns out).
The gps coordinates for the red light camera warning is rather annoying. But other than that it seems to pick up the right signals at the right time.

SnapSlap

Just got the Passport a few months ago and can't imagine driving without it. It picks up most cops from a good distance and has speed traps and cameras around the country preloaded. I would certainly reccomend it.

318touring

Doesn't guarantee that won't see this at your rear view mirror.

At the bottom of the picture is a V1.

Barn996

Using your eyes and mirrors and watching traffic flow and a decent detector help ward off tickets.

Gaspasser19

FIFY

washington dc porsche

The escort or bel equivalent is best for this area.

otto06

Washington DC Porsche - can you elaborate on why you think the Escort / Bel are best for the area? Is it the photo speed traps? We don't have those in CA.

For the rest of the posters - I drive with a Valentine and have since I got my first Porsche - before that I used a Passport. I have gotten my share of tickets with both (only laser on the V1) - but also have been saved from some nasty ones. I know how to play the game - I am just looking for regional advice for a friend.

LordVicious

The good news is you have it narrowed down to the 2 detectors you should be thinking about; the escort/beltronics 9500 and the V1. To answer your question it really boils down to what kind of person you are. If you are an engineer/likes-to-fiddle kind of person the V1 is absolutely THE BEST no question about it. The escort on the other hand will give you roughly the same detection capability as the V1 with far less "drama". I personally could not live without the V1 multi-bogey capability and the direction arrows provide endless amusement but if you want something that just sits on the dash and beeps when its supposed to then the escort is the way to go.

Dennis C

I've got a BEL RX-65 Driver and I love it. Where I live, traffic flow is monitored by K-band radar. Becaue of this, the V1 is useless as it constantly sets off false alarms. The Escort and BEL products have a software feature called "TSR" that eliminates these false alarms.

washington dc porsche

The Escort/Bel detectors with the camera/photo radar features. I'm sure they have more than one model so I didn't want to be too specific. The only thing I don't like is having to pay continuously for camera updates, however you can enter your own locations as you pass the traps.

I personally have neither and do pass speed cameras daily (1 in MD and 2 in DC on my daily commute in each direction) and 2 red light cameras to and from work(I don't run red lights so I don't worry about those). BUT there are times I go into areas I don't frequent in DC and have to rely on spotting the orange "photo camera" signs attached to speed limit signs and my old built in K40 detector. The orange sign is usually 100 to 1000 feet away from the radar camera.

aviography

OP,

You should get the Beltronic STi or Escort Redline if you are going to be in Maryland area, these two are invisible to radar detector detectors so you have a better chance not get picked up.

911FM

Have 9500. Pretty happy with it.

FM

kromdom

another very happy owner here of the Passport 9500ix......lost count how many times it has saved my azz