Until recently, driving with an inexpensive radar detector was cost-effective, at least compared to driving with no detector. But that was before Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) systems rendered low-priced detectors essentially useless.
This technology uses radar to spot adjacent vehicles and warns when a lane-change is dangerous. They transmit continuously, setting off every detector in the vicinity.
Unfortunately, BSM radar shares the K-band frequency with police radar, making it difficult for a detector to know which technology it's encountering. The result is unending K-band alerts, enough to make most drivers beg for relief.
In town, commercial radar-controlled automatic door openers also pollute K band. Drive within a quarter-mile of a Walmart and expect an alert.
Some newer detectors have software to combat false alarms. A few also have GPS, which enables them to lock out door-opener radar.
The downside is that these are often pricier, giving shoppers two options: go cheap—and expect to be bombarded with incessant false alarms—or pay more for a GPS model with civilized behavior.
We gathered examples from three manufacturers and both categories to see which does the best job of keeping a detector quiet. We rated them on their features, the effectiveness of their radar filtering and their performance. Here's what we found.
- Built-in Bluetooth
- Mini-USB jack
- TSR radar filter
- Built-in Bluetooth
- Mini-USB jack
- TSR radar filter
The Escort Passport X80 ($299) fills the slot vacated by the discontinued X70 and is identical save for the addition of Bluetooth. This allows it to link easily with the Escort Live app ($99).
The Escort Passport X80 ($299) fills the slot vacated by the discontinued X70 and is identical save for the addition of Bluetooth. This allows it to link easily with the Escort Live app ($99).
Features
On the side of the case is a mini-USB port which can connect it to a PC for firmware updates.
Filtering
The best way to use the X80 is to combine it with Escort Live. Once the two are linked, the X80 uses the phone's GPS to lock out nuisance radar like commercial door openers.
Escort Live also unlocks realtime alerts from other users on the network—speed traps or rolling cruisers in the vicinity, for example. Once the two are working together the detector's behavior is transformed.
Performance
The X80 showed excellent performance. While it trailed the front-running Uniden DFR7 on K band by a few feet, on the all-important Ka band it swept the field.
- GPS nuisance radar lockouts
- Red light camera alerts
- Speed-variable audible alerts
- BSM / TSR radar filters
- Directional camera alerts
- Camera-overspeed warnings
- GPS nuisance radar lockouts
- Red light camera alerts
- Speed-variable audible alerts
- Blind Spot Monitoring / TSR radar filters
- Directional camera alerts
- Camera-overspeed warnings
The Radenso XP is the company's entry-level GPS-enabled model. It can lock out 200 nuisance radar signals like automatic door openers. In contrast, the Uniden DFR7 will lock out 100 signals. Drivers who log a lot of miles will probably benefit from the added capacity.
The Radenso XP can be used in set-and-forget mode but it also caters to power users looking to fine-tune its behavior. For example, a threshold speed for the onset of audible radar alerts can be set anywhere between 5 mph and 55 mph. City-mode radar sensitivity for each band can be adjusted independently, from 0 to 90 percent.
Unlike the Uniden DFR7, its camera alerts are directional. Red light cameras frequently monitor only traffic on a single street; transiting on the unmonitored street carries no risk. But while the Unidens alert anyway, the Radenso knows the camera isn't a threat and stays quiet.
Like other GPS-enabled models, the Radenso XP warns of red light and speed cameras. It also indicates whether the camera looks only for red-light runners or if it's monitoring speed as well.
In another feature missing in Escort and Uniden GPS-enabled models, when approaching a camera the Radenso XP gives a voice alert to remind of the posted limit. If you're over the limit, Overspeed flashes in the display.
Filtering
Filtering
We found that by using Auto City mode and tweaking some of the settings, the Radenso XP can be made more tolerant of urban nuisance radar. For example, we set the K-band City Filter to 40 percent sensitivity, Low Speed Mute to 35 mph and City Mode Speed to 50 mph. This shut off audible radar alerts below 35 mph and reduced K-band sensitivity by 40 percent, restoring full sensitivity at speeds over 50 mph.
Performance
The Radenso XP scored within feet of the front-running Escort X80 against Ka-band radar and far ahead of the Uniden DFR7. It also exhibited significantly better resistance to false alarms than the Escort, helped greatly by its GPS and ability to lock out nuisance radar signals.
Its BSM radar filter enabled it to ignore many of the most common lane-change radar systems. If needed, a TSR filter can be switched on to eliminate false alarms from traffic-sensing radar.
We found that GPS technology makes the Radenso quieter, particularly on daily commutes after nuisance signals have been locked out. With its resistance to false alarms and plentiful features, it's a cost-effective model in defending against police radar and excessive false alarms.
- Nuisance-radar signal lockout
- Red light camera alerts
- User-adjustable radar sensitivity
- Speed-variable audible alerts
- BSM / TSR radar filters
- Camera-overspeed warnings
- Nuisance-radar signal lockout
- Red light camera alerts
- User-adjustable radar sensitivity
- Speed-variable audible alerts
- BSM / TSR radar filters
- Camera-overspeed warnings
The Uniden DFR7 is the company's least expensive GPS-enabled model and identical visually with the DFR6. Like its sibling it has a black OLED display with white fonts.
In addition to speed and vehicle voltage, the DFR7 can also display an 8-point compass or, if you're interested, the altitude.
Approaching a red light camera triggers a voice alert and a camera icon appears in the display. If the camera also looks for speeding, it adds Speed Camera to the display. Distance to the camera counts down as the distance closes and if you're speeding, a double-chime alert warns of the transgression.
Filtering
The Uniden DFR7 offers some additional tools to help combat false alarms. Quiet Ride shuts off audible radar and laser alerts until a user-selected speed is reached.
Performance
The Uniden DFR7 showed the best K-band range of the group, trailing the others somewhat on Ka-band.
The Uniden DFR7 has some key virtues, protection from red light cameras and good resistance to false alarms among them. It also offers a decent array of features and a rock-bottom price.
