Beltronics STiR Plus w/Laser interceptor vs. PASSPORT 9500ci

[///M KID]

What radar should I get and why?

Beltronics STiR Plus w/Laser interceptor vs. PASSPORT 9500ci

Here are some great installs I found on YouTube...

[URBAN LEGEND]

Awaiting full stealth review.

[M54ccibo]

Whatever you do, if you go LI don't put them that far back in the front grill. No bueno.

[///M KID]

Does anyone know if the LI will properly fit in the 2014 M5 grill(m6 grill)?

[M54ccibo]

That's a good question. I am guessing yes, the LI heads are pretty small.

[Rob///M5]

Passport Max

[335Xray]

BEL STiR has radar band segmentation like the new passport max which makes it a faster/better radar detector with less false alarms than the 9500ci and then the Li is reportedly a better laser shifter than the included version with the 9500ci...

So...if you don't mind buying two different systems and your installer can do the job well, the STiR + LI is supposed to be the best system for both radar detection and laser evasion...

X

Awaiting Stealth's input

[chong0]

slightly off topic, but wondering how Escort LIVE works in comparison to the smartphone app WAZE.

I've been using WAZE a lot more because it was recently bought by google and there seems to be a good network of 'police spotters' which i have found to be helpful.

does LIVE send all false signals to the app as well and what are people's impressions about this? i would imagine that LIVE is only as good as the number of people who have this tech whereas WAZE has been very helpful on my commutes back and forth (also running a V1 with POP3 disabled)

[bm5bullit]

Originally Posted by ///M KID

What radar should I get and why?

Beltronics STiR Plus w/Laser interceptor vs. PASSPORT 9500ci

Here are some great installs I found on YouTube...

This is the setup I have on my car. Love it, works very well and the stealth part does not hurt either.

[DrewM5]

I was just in having my 9500ci moved from my Acadia to my new Traverse and ask my ship this question. The LI is arguably a better system than the Beltronics version. The downsides are (i) cost (it will run you about $3K more to do the STiR with LI than just the full Beltronics setup) and (ii) interface - I like having everything in one display and one control unit. So, for me, I will likely pass on the LI and use the full Beltronics setup as my 9500ci (same laser as the Bletronics I believe) has not yet failed me.

[stealth.pilot]

Before I answer some context: I own a lidar gun. A Kustom Prolite+ - the same gun used by my local Police Department. I also have a friend who owns 5 other guns used by different police departments in the US. I have had 3 cars running these systems since 2009 and all my cars are tested against all 6 guns.

I have also owned all three systems on this thread - the 9500ci, the Bel STiR+ and the Laser Interceptor Quad HP as well as the standard Laser Interceptor Quad on the three daily drivers I've had since 2009. My current M5 is equipped with the Bel STiR+ and LI Quad HP.

9500CI - poor setup in my opinion. Pretty much only great as a KA band and traffic camera detector.
- K band ramp up is very poor. It cometimes warns you too late.
- not great against instant on
- Laser jammer falses a lot. Gets set off by air traffic control systems, the scanners at the port that I pass every time I cross the causeway, Infiniti cruise control systems, and sometimes the sun on a low horizon. It's a pain in the ass. It doesn't false all the time, but it is very annoying to get a false left while you are on a conference call. The reason for this is that the jammer is a brute force jammer - ie it looks for anything that looks like laser, and it then broadcasts blanket laser noise to jam it. The Laser interceptor on the others hand looks for specific life gun pulse patterns and sends back a specific pulse pattern. So the LI doesn't false as easily. In fact mine never falses ever.
- 9500ci gives the cop a jam code on his gun also because it is brute force jamming
- laser jammer can be beaten. I know how to do it. It's not hard. I'm not going to post how because I don't want to advertise it to the mobile tax collectors. I learned this the hard way. I got a ticket with my 9500ci. I went to the shop, spent N afternoon trying to replicate the issue with the owner. Found the weakness. Then I swapped out the hammers of the 9500ci with a standard Laser Interceptor and fixed the problem.

Bel STiR+
- band segmentation transforms k band and instant on sensitivity relative to the 9500ci. It is a detector I've much more confidence in on both k band and on KA band.
- seems to be better off axis
- don't use it for laser so no falses.

Laser Int
- smart jammer - no falses, no jam codes
- Much more robust if installed properly. Hard to get a reading on an M5.
- better alerts (they are clear, and more specific e.g. Tell you what gun you are dealing with)
- uses laser diodes instead of LEDs. Has something like 4x the light output of the Escort jammer, and 8X if you have the HP version.

One final note
The advent of the Passport Max windshield unit suggests that Beltronics has got some new DSP tech which will take both the next generation 9500ci and STIR+ replacements to the next level in terms of range, sensitivity and ramp up. So I suspect there will be a new top dog installed detector within a year. I can't wait to get that.

[URBAN LEGEND]

Originally Posted by stealth.pilot

Before I answer some context: I own a lidar gun. A Kustom Prolite+ - the same gun used by my local Police Department. I also have a friend who owns 5 other guns used by different police departments in the US. I have had 3 cars running these systems since 2009 and all my cars are tested against all 6 guns.

I have also owned all three systems on this thread - the 9500ci, the Bel STiR+ and the Laser Interceptor Quad HP as well as the standard Laser Interceptor Quad on the three daily drivers I've had since 2009. My current M5 is equipped with the Bel STiR+ and LI Quad HP.

9500CI - poor setup in my opinion. Pretty much only great as a KA band and traffic camera detector.
- K band ramp up is very poor. It cometimes warns you too late.
- not great against instant on
- Laser jammer falses a lot. Gets set off by air traffic control systems, the scanners at the port that I pass every time I cross the causeway, Infiniti cruise control systems, and sometimes the sun on a low horizon. It's a pain in the ass. It doesn't false all the time, but it is very annoying to get a false left while you are on a conference call. The reason for this is that the jammer is a brute force jammer - ie it looks for anything that looks like laser, and it then broadcasts blanket laser noise to jam it. The Laser interceptor on the others hand looks for specific life gun pulse patterns and sends back a specific pulse pattern. So the LI doesn't false as easily. In fact mine never falses ever.
- 9500ci gives the cop a jam code on his gun also because it is brute force jamming
- laser jammer can be beaten. I know how to do it. It's not hard. I'm not going to post how because I don't want to advertise it to the mobile tax collectors. I learned this the hard way. I got a ticket with my 9500ci. I went to the shop, spent N afternoon trying to replicate the issue with the owner. Found the weakness. Then I swapped out the hammers of the 9500ci with a standard Laser Interceptor and fixed the problem.

Bel STiR+
- band segmentation transforms k band and instant on sensitivity relative to the 9500ci. It is a detector I've much more confidence in on both k band and on KA band.
- seems to be better off axis
- don't use it for laser so no falses.

Laser Int
- smart jammer - no falses, no jam codes
- Much more robust if installed properly. Hard to get a reading on an M5.
- better alerts (they are clear, and more specific e.g. Tell you what gun you are dealing with)
- uses laser diodes instead of LEDs. Has something like 4x the light output of the Escort jammer, and 8X if you have the HP version.

One final note
The advent of the Passport Max windshield unit suggests that Beltronics has got some new DSP tech which will take both the 9500ci and STIR+ to the next level in terms of range, sensitivity and ramp up. So I suspect there will be a new top dog installed detector within a year. I can't wait to get that.

dude never disappoints!

[stealth.pilot]

Originally Posted by ///M KID

What radar should I get and why?

Beltronics STiR Plus w/Laser interceptor vs. PASSPORT 9500ci

Here are some great installs I found on YouTube...

That's a poor nstall. Laser is an optical speed measurement tool. It works on line of sight. Putting the jammer behind the grille blocks the view and reduces its effectiveness.

On the other hand I salute that guy. Guys like him getting tickets, cause police to think LJs don't work, and that's why they are still legal.

[stealth.pilot]

Originally Posted by M54ccibo

Whatever you do, if you go LI don't put them that far back in the front grill. No bueno.

No idea, but I will find out the moment the parts dept has that grille!

[bm5bullit]

Originally Posted by stealth.pilot

That's a poor nstall. Laser is an optical speed measurement tool. It works on line of sight. Putting the jammer behind the grille blocks the view and reduces its effectiveness.

On the other hand I salute that guy. Guys like him getting tickets, cause police to think LJs don't work, and that's why they are still legal.

If not behind the grille, where else can you mount the LI unit?? Do you have pix?

[stealth.pilot]

Originally Posted by bm5bullit

If not behind the grille, where else can you mount the LI unit?? Do you have pix?

Mount it vertically on the vanes of the grille slightly peaking out so they aren't obstructed by the vanes even at an angle. Mlwnd has good pics.

Get BMw version front sensors so they are designed for vertical mounting.

[M54ccibo]

Originally Posted by stealth.pilot

Mount it vertically on the vanes of the grille slightly peaking out so they aren't obstructed by the vanes even at an angle. Mlwnd has good pics.

Get BMw version front sensors so they are designed for vertical mounting.

Stealth is right on with this...the sensors have to be protruding. "Stealth the car, not the install"

[ColdList]

Originally Posted by stealth.pilot

Before I answer some context: I own a lidar gun. A Kustom Prolite+ - the same gun used by my local Police Department. I also have a friend who owns 5 other guns used by different police departments in the US. I have had 3 cars running these systems since 2009 and all my cars are tested against all 6 guns.

I have also owned all three systems on this thread - the 9500ci, the Bel STiR+ and the Laser Interceptor Quad HP as well as the standard Laser Interceptor Quad on the three daily drivers I've had since 2009. My current M5 is equipped with the Bel STiR+ and LI Quad HP.

9500CI - poor setup in my opinion. Pretty much only great as a KA band and traffic camera detector.
- K band ramp up is very poor. It cometimes warns you too late.
- not great against instant on
- Laser jammer falses a lot. Gets set off by air traffic control systems, the scanners at the port that I pass every time I cross the causeway, Infiniti cruise control systems, and sometimes the sun on a low horizon. It's a pain in the ass. It doesn't false all the time, but it is very annoying to get a false left while you are on a conference call. The reason for this is that the jammer is a brute force jammer - ie it looks for anything that looks like laser, and it then broadcasts blanket laser noise to jam it. The Laser interceptor on the others hand looks for specific life gun pulse patterns and sends back a specific pulse pattern. So the LI doesn't false as easily. In fact mine never falses ever.
- 9500ci gives the cop a jam code on his gun also because it is brute force jamming
- laser jammer can be beaten. I know how to do it. It's not hard. I'm not going to post how because I don't want to advertise it to the mobile tax collectors. I learned this the hard way. I got a ticket with my 9500ci. I went to the shop, spent N afternoon trying to replicate the issue with the owner. Found the weakness. Then I swapped out the hammers of the 9500ci with a standard Laser Interceptor and fixed the problem.

Bel STiR+
- band segmentation transforms k band and instant on sensitivity relative to the 9500ci. It is a detector I've much more confidence in on both k band and on KA band.
- seems to be better off axis
- don't use it for laser so no falses.

Laser Int
- smart jammer - no falses, no jam codes
- Much more robust if installed properly. Hard to get a reading on an M5.
- better alerts (they are clear, and more specific e.g. Tell you what gun you are dealing with)
- uses laser diodes instead of LEDs. Has something like 4x the light output of the Escort jammer, and 8X if you have the HP version.

One final note
The advent of the Passport Max windshield unit suggests that Beltronics has got some new DSP tech which will take both the next generation 9500ci and STIR+ replacements to the next level in terms of range, sensitivity and ramp up. So I suspect there will be a new top dog installed detector within a year. I can't wait to get that.

Having run the Bel StiR PLUS and LI setup on my last 3 cars, I can testify that my results are similar. In reality, the Passport 9500ci and the Stir PLUS are built side by side in the same facility (owned by same company) however, the StiR PLUS gives you some flexibility in disabling unused/unpopular bands, which theoretically gives you faster scanning. In practical everyday use, I do think the difference would be quite negligible.

The LI simply is unmatched. The diode technology just puts it in a different category than the ZR4 shifters that come with the Passport ci which are notorious for laser breakthrough (ie: tickets). I have tested my LI under very controlled conditions on a very long industrial strip against 5 guns, with me both approaching the guns with the center aim at the front of the car and the headlights, and driving away from the guns, with the guns being pointed at the rear tail lights, trunk and rear view mirrors.

In ALL instances except one the result was a complete JTG (most guns showing ZERO jam codes), both coming and going, even at close distances. The EXCEPTION was the Stalker II which was able to get a read at approx 20 feet when approaching. This is a completely innocuous read as at 20' I could be completely stopped if I wanted to be and certainly given plenty of room from the time the LI picked up the gun to drop below the speed limit.

I cannot begin to tell you how many times the LI has saved me from tickets. It is literally foolproof IMO. They are very good with updates as well. Mine was just updated (a 5 minute procedure with a laptop) to include additional guns used in Fla.

Agreed on the incorrect setup above as well. The jammers MUST be mounted no less than flush or you are not going to jam anything. :-)

My setup(s):

2013 F10 M5
Bel Stir PLUS (stealth etched rear view mirror mount display and stealth controller mount inside compartment to left of steering wheel-LI power switch in same location)
LI HP dual sensors-front
LI standard sensors-rear

2013 F12 M6 Convertible
Bel Stir PLUS (Stealth etched rear view mirror mount display and stealth mount controller for Bel and LI completely hidden w/ power microswitch mounted between console and floor carpeting-easily switched with finger and totally invisible even if you are looking for it :-)
LI HP dual sensors-front
LI standard sensors-rear

LI has stellar support as well. I did a ton of research prior to investing. Each setup including install runs just over $3K and while it is pricey it never fails.

[URBAN LEGEND]

I have to say that some like stealth and cold are some smart people. Rep sent!

[ColdList]

btw...Just to clarify-the LI sensors shown on the front of the car are what are referred to as the "BMW" mount. I personall would NOT buy these for the F10. They were designed for the older M3 which has a more suitable angle for the grille. In some applications this works but in most they sit less than flush and if brought out to fit flush they look terribly unappealing.

You can buy the regular horizontal sensors and mount them flush against the upper part of the lower vents in the bumper as close to the headlights as possible without them looking ridiculous. You will have to make the outer edge of each sensor stick out a bit fomr the bumper but it is not a cosmetically bad look at all.

[///M KID]

Originally Posted by ColdList

btw...Just to clarify-the LI sensors shown on the front of the car are what are referred to as the "BMW" mount. I personall would NOT buy these for the F10. They were designed for the older M3 which has a more suitable angle for the grille. In some applications this works but in most they sit less than flush and if brought out to fit flush they look terribly unappealing.

You can buy the regular horizontal sensors and mount them flush against the upper part of the lower vents in the bumper as close to the headlights as possible without them looking ridiculous. You will have to make the outer edge of each sensor stick out a bit fomr the bumper but it is not a cosmetically bad look at all.

Interesting. What are other peoples opinions about the above post? Also, is it worth getting the HP LI for the front or is that overkill?

[335Xray]

Originally Posted by stealth.pilot

One final note
The advent of the Passport Max windshield unit suggests that Beltronics has got some new DSP tech which will take both the next generation 9500ci and STIR+ replacements to the next level in terms of range, sensitivity and ramp up. So I suspect there will be a new top dog installed detector within a year. I can't wait to get that.

^^^ I really hope so, and sooner than one year (fingers crossed)

X

PS nice write up