Beltronics Pro 500 Review

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Overview of Beltronics Pro 500

Do you get a queasy feeling in your stomach feeling anxious with your stomach doing flip-flops when you finally notice a cop car in your mirrors?  To gauge your speed, law enforcement officers use the popular radar gun that reveals speed using the Doppler Effect, or shift, showing a change in a wave frequency.  It is easy for the officer moving relative to its source, being you in your vehicle.  The wavelength from the radar gun bounces off your moving vehicle and is compared to the returning wavelength.  This gives radar guns the edge since they are able to determine the frequency.  With the Beltronics Pro 500, you will be alerted to the enforcement officer’s presence.

Performance and Features

Beltronics Pro 500
Operating Bands	X-Band , K-Band radar, Ka-Band
Laser Detection	Multiple Laser Sensor Diodes
Display	LED display
Best Feature	Escort Live Community Sharing.
Price	$353.84 on Amazon (price may be changed without notice)
GPS Technology	Yes
Red Light Cameras Detection	Yes
Sensitivity Setting	Highway and City modes
Community Share	Escort Live
Auto Mute	Yes
Bluetooth	Yes
Power Requirement	12VDC, Negative Ground
Dimension	1.4H x 2.9W x 5.35L

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One of the best radar detectors is the Beltronics Pro 500 and it not only gives precise radar detection, it also has The Global Positioning System (GPS) a space-based navigation process that provides location and time.  The Pro 500 is the best of the best being a global leader for the brand.  This detector rules out false alerts such as garage door openers and motion detectors.  Its range is equivalent to other high-end detectors.  With six buttons, it is more complex to get started than other detectors that are not as superior in design and function.  Once you read the included instructions and User’s Manual you will find it is easy to learn and operate.

The Beltronics is additionally a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) detector, or laser detector, that is remote and passive for detecting infrared and it senses distance by illumination of a target with the laser then analyzing the reflected light.  It senses the lasers some law enforcement officers use for measuring speed with high accuracy.

A laser detector is not the same as radar detection.  Both are the most common ways to detect speed by law enforcement officers.  In both cases, the suspected vehicle is targeted with a pulsed energy beam to read the vehicle’s speed.  Radar uses microwaves while lasers use coherent light.  They are both similar yet have differences that work best for each technology.  Radar has been used for a long time, and both radar and lasers have gone through evolutions of improvement.  Laser technology is a more recent application and both systems are used for enforcement and detection and are still new.  It will be interesting to see what the new generations have in store.

With the Pro 500, you will be alerted with the 360-degree laser detection that is more accurate provided by the multiple sensor diodes.  Radar diffuses over a wider range and that is why you can detect it before law enforcement knows you are in the area.  With laser or LIDAR, an officer can target a single vehicle alerting you to know that your vehicle has been seen using the Beltronics detector.  The Pro 500 Laser Detection uses the Quantum Limited Video Receiver and the Multiple Laser Sensor Diodes.

Beltronics endorses their Pro-series since it is truly a high-tech device for the serious driver.  The Pro 500 case is matte black and soft to touch unlike the glossy polycarbonate tough plastic used in other detectors.  Because it is matte and not shiny, it will not reflect itself onto the windshield or dashboard during daytime.

Radar/laser detectors are easy to install to your windshield or dash with rubber suction cups and are easily removable to put into other vehicles.  The best of the best detectors have an excellent range and are highly accurate.  They come with alert and control features for being on top of your driving behaviors.

Alerts and Mapping

With the Pro 500’s best feature, the built-in GPS, you are able to indicate speed trap locations and prevalent LIDAR activity.  The GPS Receiver is the SiRFstar III, and has the powerful VCO with Scanning Frequency Discriminator, Digital Signal Processing (DSP), using the Radar Receiver, Superheterodyne.

The unit is preloaded with red-light and speed camera locations to detect them. With a subscription, you can update the database in your Pro 500 connecting to the Internet.  Your detector can grow and realize the latest things within the expansion and progression of your hometown.

The auto-learn feature is missing with the Pro 500.  That would combine the digital signally processing data utilizing the GPS for geographic locations.  When you continually receive false alerts in the same place, the processor learns to block it.  An example would be you get an alert each time you go past a certain traffic light.  That light is probably using radar to study and investigate traffic flow there.  Since it is not a threat, the auto-learn feature blocks that. It’s so sad because you can’t use this feature with Beltronics Pro 500. However, you can manually mark these locations and block them by using GPS function.

You can set the Pro 500 to get your audible alerts by tone or voice.  There is an audio jack for external earphones, and for motorcyclists, a Bluetooth transmitter connected to the headset in the helmet.  The Cobra iRadar App Version 4.0 incorporates distance countdown alerts and music control.

Threat Sharing and Pairing Advantages

Escort owns Beltronics; therefore, the Pro-500 can use the Escort Live app since they are matching in some features.  This app provides in real-time sharing of community threats.  The SmartCord plugs into your vehicle’s charger providing access to mark locations, mute alerts, and uses Bluetooth connecting your Smartphone to the radar detector.  This is a wonderful source for receiving and sharing threats such as active LIDAR guns nearby and any safety hazards.  It does require a subscription, and that is offset by the expensive traffic fines and points to your driving record.

Detection Bands

The Beltronics is additionally a LIDAR detector, or laser detector that is remote and passive for detecting infrared and it senses distance by illumination of a target with the laser then analyzing the reflected light.  It senses the lasers some law enforcement officers use for measuring speed with high accuracy.  This unit senses K-band (24.150 GHz ± 100 MHz), Ka-band (34.700 GHz ± 1300 MHz), and X-band (10.525 GHz ± 25 MHz).  The Laser Operating Bands are 904 nm and 33 MHz bandwidth.

The power required is 12VDC, negative ground and the sensitivity control is Highway/AutoScan/Auto NoX.

Here’s what you get in the box

• Beltronics Pro 500 Radar Detector
• Power Cord, Coiled
• Windshield Quick-release Mount
• Owner’s Instruction Manual

Conclusion

PROS

• Escort Live which help you communicate with other Escort users for sharing and receive threats
• Red Light Camera Detection
• Effective GPS technology
• Effective False Alert Filter System

CONS

• Having Built-In GPS But Don’t Have Auto Learn Technology
• Slightly Pricey

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