Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)The first thing I want to say is that I ALMOST bought the passport 8500 because of what I read from one of the other reviews about a side by side test between the 9500i and the 8500. I read more about the topic and discovered that you can not compare the sensitivity of radar detectors by sticking both of them on your windshield and driving down the road. When they are that close to each other, they interfere with each other.
Boy am I glad I got the 9500i. The GPS functionality is great and I have blocked out all the false alarms on the usual routes I travel. So easy to do it, just hit the mute button on the device or the smart cord three times and you never have to hear that false alarm again. Sweet.
This thing has great range too. It picked up radar up to 5 miles away from one particularly well hidden detector along the Ohio turnpike.
Also, with the GPS function, it displays the speed you were going when you got "pinged" with the radar, so you can tell if you need to slow down or not. I know what you are thinking, but just because the detector is going off doesn't mean that someone with a radar gun can tell your speed. For a radar gun to detect speed, it must hit your vehicle then bounce back. This is only good for a mile at the most and under prime conditions. The detector just has to pick up the radar reaching it, so it can pick up from much farther away.
When you first get the alarm, it is usually with one bar on the detector. You can safely slow down (No slamming on the brakes) before you pass the radar source and the 9500i will keep you informed about how strong the signals are.
Another great thing about the GPS function, you can mark those pesky vascar spots. See, vascar doesn't use radar...so with any other detector, you are not protected when you pass over the white lines on the road. With this device, you can mark that spot so you know where it is next time, and it will warn you that it is coming in the appropriate amount of time depending on your speed. Sweet again.
The only down side that I can find in the 9500i after taking it around where I live and down the highway about 20 hours worth is that when the first warning shows up you can never be sure if it is a false alarm or not. You have to wait and see if it goes up high, or just stays a low signal...false alarms are almost always low signals. However, once you pass that low signal and it goes out of range, you can not...after the fact...still mark it as a fake signal to be blocked. It would have been nice if the device would allow you to still mark the most recent alarm a minute or two after you pass it. Obviously, you can mark it the next time past, but I'm just saying.
Mounts easy, comes with a nice case, extra suction cups, smart cord is awesome, and the dark feature (audio only, no light) can't be beat at night.
Overall, a GREAT device, can't recommend it enough. It has already saved me a ticket and I've only had it 2 weeks. Paid for itself.
p.s. Just so you know, radar detectors are legal in pretty much the entire country except for a few states (as long as you don't have a commercial driver's license). You can read about it on the Escort website.
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Escort Passport 9500i Radar and Laser DetectorWith the new PASSPORT 9500i, Escort has revolutionized the radar detector category again. Its blistering performance is built upon the PASSPORT 9500i, which means it delivers the best protection possible against all speed measuring devices. Escort added advanced GPS-powered intelligence, which makes the PASSPORT 9500i on of the best performing, quietest and most user-friendly radar detector ever designed.
All-Band ProtectionThe 9500i provides extreme long-range warning on all radar bands including X, K, superwide Ka, and instant-on POP mode. Multiple front and rear laser sensors provide 360 degree laser protection, including the widest field of view. For the ultimate in laser protection, the Passport 9500i is also ZR3 ready.
TrueLock GPS Filter This new feature allows you to permanantly "lock out" a signal in a specific location. Once you store a signal, it will be rejected the next time you are in that area. You now have the power ot eliminate false alerts by location and frequency.
Mark Location This new feature allows you to instantly "mark" known speed traps, cameras and other places of interest. Once marked, the 9500i will provide an alert any time you approach the saved locations.
Voice Announcements New easy to understand voice announcements provide instant audible feedback for controls and alerts. All alerts and instructions can be communicated using a voice announcement, or, if preffered, normal tones may be used.
AutoVolume The new AutoVolume feature automatically increases the alert volume in noisy conditions. In this setting, the 9500i's built-in microphone listens to the ambient noise in the vehicle and increases the audio in noisy conditions (e.g. loud music, excessive wind noise, etc.).
Brilliant Display The 9500i features an ultra-bright alphanumeric display with 280 LEDs. The device displays three high-resolution meter modes: standard Bar Graph display or ExpertMeter and SpecDisplay for more advanced users. ExpertMeter tracks and displays up to 8 radar signals simultaneously, and SpecDisplay provides actual numeric frequency for any radar signal. Finally, new for the 9500i is SpeedAlert metering, which displays the driving speed during each alert.
GPS-Enhanced Auto-Sensitivity Mode Passport's AutoSensitivity mode provides long-range warning, with minimum false alarms. In this mode, Passport's internal computer continuously analyzes all incoming signals and intelligently adjusts the sensitivity circuits. The addition of GPS intelligence means it also adjusts according to motion--as your vehicle's speed increases, the sensitivity range increases. As your speed decreases, so does the sensitivity, further eliminating unwanted and unnecessary alarms.
You can also select conventional Highway and City modes. When driving in urban areas where annoying X-band intrusion alarms and door openers are common, City mode can be engaged to lower X-band sensitivity and reduce X-band alerts.
Safety Warning System The 9500i also offers Safety Warning Systems (SWS) detection. This safety feature warns you of the presence of potential road hazards by detecting signals from safety transmitting devices.
One Year Limited Warranty Get extra peace of mind with Escort's one-year limited warranty. The company also offers a two year extended service plan.
What's in the Box Passport 9500i, Owner's Manual, Quick-Release Windshield Mount, Coiled SmartCord, Quick Reference Card, ESCORT Travel Case
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