Thanks Guys, I Got it yesterday.
It was hard choosing between the V1 and the 8500 X50. In the end it was a special price break, a free accessory and an extended trial period good until 1/31/05 (67 days) to make up my mind. If this don't prove to be satisfactoy, I'll try the V1.

Here is what I put to Escort. Several years ago I purchased a battery powered escort Solo because of Laser getting to be common place here. It was OK on Laser but SUCKED BIG TIME on radar. I sent it back with the complaint. They returned it saying it checked out OK. I ate it.
I compared it's radar to a now 13 year old Uniden unit. This old baby still picks up radar for miles. The Solo in comparison was not good for more than 1/2 a mile. Heck you could almost see the cop first. When I returned the Solo I told them about it. They said no way any Uniden product could compare or exceed an Escort product. So I backed off and just ran them both. So now, the spouse finds a way to break the switches off the Uniden. How do they do it?

So I call Escort and tell them I just can't understand how their latest version could get such great test results. I reminded them of my woes with the old solo. I insisted the old solo was a lousy component and I felt ripped off. I then offered them a challenge to take back the old solo along with the old Uniden for a head to head battle, and if the Uniden won out I would win a 8500 X50 Blue, free for all the pain and suffering.
They declined. I believe they know I would win.
Instead they offered me a really great price reduction, threw in a hard wire smart cord, 2 year extended warranty and an extended trial period. On the condition I send in the old solo and the Uniden. Then after the 67 day trial, if I am satisfied, they keep both of my old detectors. If not, I return the 8500 X50 for a full refund minus shipping and get my stuff back. They still had to charge my credit card.
The way I compared the old solo to the uniden was with the K band radar speed display signs they set up around here. We call them dummy speed traps. After 33 days (3 days out of trial period) from when I first got the Solo, I drove by one and the Solo did not pick it up until WAY too late! Ticked off, I turned around and did it again in dis-belief. Same thing! Not even within 1/2 a mile! The road was straight and had a small rise between it and a point up the road 2.5 miles away. Then doing the same with the uniden, it went off 2.6 miles from the sign! I did a repeat of that too. This new stuff was going backwards I thought. Do I have a bad one? That is when I sent it back the first time.

So we will see. I am making a road trip Monday from 30 miles north of Atlanta to Tampa, 500 miles, all on I-75. I will report here how it went.

Thanks Again

 

the valentine one is far superior to the escort and anything else previously mentioned. i have had them all, and the v1 is the best.

 

Perhaps I'll never know about the V1 if the 8500 X50 does satisfactory. If not, I'll try her out.
Have you had the 8500 X50?

 

I did not have the X50 version of the 8500, I had the regular version of the 8500. In all areas the Valentine 1 beats the 8500 and you would be suprised how much the bogey counter and directional arrows of the Valentine 1 helps you out.

When a cops sets next to one of those speed signs that you know of and don't slow up because you say that is just that speed sign going off you will get a ticket where the Valentine 1 will tell you that there are 2 radars sources.

 

I love my x50 blue. I have picked up K band at least 1.5 miles away and KA at least 2 miles away. The new POP radar feature is great. In the bay area the highway patrol is using POP more and more.

 

The 8500 X50 has the capability to show multiple sources when the display is set to "Expert Mode".