Advanced Radar Detector Programing with Escort Live
During this video you'll discover how to program the advanced settings of your Escort and/or Beltronics radar detector using Escort Live.
(Video Transcript)
This video is the final segment in our three part series on Escort Live.
In part one and two we discussed the basics; like how to install Escort Live, the map features, marking locations and the basic programming functions.
During this final segment we will review the advanced programming for your radar detector, which you can do through the Escort Live App.
If have not watched our first video, I recommend that you do that now, prior to watching this video.
So lets get started on part three of our series on how to program your detector using Escort Live.
Now during this video I will be programming a Passport Max2 with an iPhone.
Many of the programming features I’ll be sharing with you will be the same as the other Escort and Beltronics radar detectors with a few exceptions.
To access the programming menu through your Escort Live interface, press the blue gear button on the bottom right and then radar settings.
As you can see here on this screen there are a lot options when it comes to programming your detector.
Sensitivity.
You have three options here; Auto, AutoNoX and Highway.
X-band is an older radar band and it’s also a very noisy band as this frequency is shared with many other devices, which will cause false alerts.
Thankfully real police encounters on this band are extremely rare here in the US, as most police agencies have upgraded their equipment years ago.
However, N.J. State Police is the only police agency in the US that still has an open contract for X-band radar guns and there have been numerous reports from users of X-band radar guns are being used on the Garden State Parkway in Southern part of the state.
Because of this if you’re in NJ you may want to consider keeping X-band activated.
However if you’re anywhere else, select AutoNoX.
Now another nice feature of AutoMode is that your detector will automatically adjust its settings based on your speed through the GPS.
Example, you pull into a Wal-Mart parking lot and your speed is less than 20 miles per hour. Your detector will sense this and turn down the sensitivity and mute the alerts so you’re not blasted by all the automatic door openers.
Now when you leave Wal-Mart and you pull onto the highway, your detector will notice the increase in speed and increase adjust the sensitivity accordingly.
Next we have the brightness setting for your detector. Here you can select dark, minimum, medium, maximum and auto. I recommend that you go through these and select the setting that is just right for you.
Pilot Mode
The Max, the Max2 and the Passport have a scanning bar that some people find annoying while driving. In this setting you can turn it off.
Meter Mode
Below this we have the Meter Mode with four options; Standard, ExpertMeter, SpecDisplay and Simple.
Standard is the basic setting.
ExpertMeter will display multiple boggy alerts with the band.
SpecDisplay will display the strongest signal with the exact frequency of the alert.
And Simple will just give a simple warning like “Caution” or “Warning”.
My personal preference is ExpertMeter so I can see how many bogies are in an area with the band displayed.
AutoMute
The AutoMute setting will either keep you alert tone constant or automute it a few seconds after the detector alerts.
Audio Tones
Audio Tones enables you to select from the standard alert one to a milder alert tone.
Laser Shifter Intergration
Now if you have one of Escort’s older ZR3 laser shifters you can interface it with your detector here.
But as a side note, if you do own a ZR3 you may want to consider upgrading.
This is because you cannot update the firmware of the laser jammer and since it was manufactured several years ago, it will not jam the newer police laser guns.
Voice Menu
The voice menu will enable you to turn voice alerts on or off.
Auto Power Menu
The auto power menu will enable you to select the powering down of your radar detector automatically when parked for extended periods.
Selecting off will disable this feature.
Unit Menu
The Unit Menu allows you to select English or Metric units of measurement.
GPS Filter Settings
GPS Filter setting enables the GPS filtering based upon your speed, so I recommend keeping this active.
AutoLearn
Enabling the AutoLearn feature enables your detector to learn and block out known false alert locations based upon the exact frequency of the alert and the exact location.
One of our most frequently asked questions is “what if this location is automatically blocked out and a real cop decides to use radar at this location?”
Well first the AutoLearn feature will not block out Ka band or Laser, only K and X band.
Now the chances of having an officer shooting a K band radar gun on the exact same frequency and location are extremely rare.
So I recommend setting AutoLearn to on, unless you don’t mind false alerts.
Cruise Alert
The Cruise Alert enables double beep tones below a specified speed, the default in 20 mph.
Speed Alert Menu
The Over Speed Alert menu will alert you when your speed exceeds it set speed limit. Personally I set this to 90 because of the higher speed limits here in the southwest.
Display Color Options
The Display Color option enables you to select the color of your display between; Amber, Red, Green and Blue.
Speed on Display Option
The Speed on Display Option allows having the speed limit of the road you’re traveling on, displayed on your detector and phone.
Now I don’t recommend counting on this speed as always being accurate, so instead please pay attention to the speed limit signs posted on the roadway.
Expert Mode Programming
Now that you’re becoming an expert in programming your detector, the next option enables you to program the more advanced setting of your detector, so switch this setting to advanced.
Band Settings
Your next options are band settings
First we have laser. Now realize even though your detector may warn you of laser alert, its often to late, the officer has already captured your speed.
Because of this I recommend having a passive or active laser protection product along with your detector, such as the VEiL Stealth Coating or a laser jammer.
Next we have the POP setting.
Now I refer to POP as POOP as the only police radar gun that has POP is MPH Industries and the only state to have an open contract with them is Nevada.
And here is something many people don’t know.
An officer cannot write you a citation if he is using POP mode as it can only be used to obtain an estimate of your speed.
Now if you enable POP mode your basically opening up the sensitivity of your detector by reducing it’s filtering. Because of all these factors I recommend keeping POP mode off.
Ka band and K band.
As these are the most used police radar bands in the US, I recommend keeping these on.
As previously discussed, X-band is seldom used anywhere with the exception of N.J., so I recommend turning it off unless you drive there.
TSR Settings
TSR stands for Traffic Flow Sensors, which are sensors, placed along the highway in some areas to monitor the flow of traffic.
The problem with these sensors is that they use pollute the airwaves with K band, causing your detector to alert.
And what else pollutes K band are the new adaptive cruise control sensors car manufacture are installing in cars today.
By activating TSR in your settings is that your blocking any short bursts of K band that your detector may pick up, effectively blocking out these traffic flow and adaptive cruise control sensors.
Marker Settings
The last group of settings is the marker settings that will appear on your Escort Live map while your driving. My personal recommendation is to activate all of them. comments powered by Disqus
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This site is family owned and was founded by "Radar Roy," a retired police officer and certified traffic radar instructor, who is considered a leading expert in the speed counter measurement industry.
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This site is family owned and was founded by "Radar Roy," a retired police officer and certified traffic radar instructor, who is considered a leading expert in the speed counter measurement industry.