Escort Solo S2 Cordless Radar and Laser Detector

Design
Mounting the Solo S2 in our test vehicle was a no-brainer. A small suction cup bracket slides into the unit's release mechanism and easily attaches to the windshield with light pressure. The unit is housed in a sturdy plastic case that's low profile and compact, making it a discreet companion for those traveling in states that don't look to kindly upon the use of radar detectors. The rear of the unit is dominated by the receiver window and there's a rear-facing laser detector window designed to detect laser signals emanating from behind the vehicle.

The Solo S2 uses multiple low-noise laser sensors to provide long-range warning.

Much of the Solo S2's design and interface is focused on power savings, which, according to Escort, allows the unit to run for months under normal use on two AA batteries. The LCD backlight is only illuminated when a button is pressed, or when the unit detects a signal. In fact, the only indication we had that the unit was on at all was a single blinking red light next to the unit's mode setting. The S2 is also equipped with a motion sensor that automatically powers the unit off if the vehicle has not moved for 25 minutes.

Features
The Solo S2 can detect all of the radar bands currently in use in North America for speed detection. These include the X, K and Ka bands. The unit also features detection diodes for laser detection, but for the most powerful protection from laser detection, Escort offers the ZR3 laser jamming system, which is plug-and-play compatible with the Solo S2.

Signal strength is clearly indicated and can be backlit on command.

False alarms are one of the major annoyances of radar detector use. The Solo S2 was surprisingly adept at minimizing false alarms from home garage door systems, as well as home and commercial security systems that commonly operate on X-band radar. The unit's city sensitivity setting decreases sensitivity to X-band sources, while the highway setting does not. We found the unit's powerful "AutoSensitivity" mode the most accurate, however, as it dynamically filtered all types of radar signals and identified which sources were a legitimate threat. We got a few false alarms, but for the most part, annoying chirps from bogus X-band sources were fairly uncommon.

The Solo S2 has ten built-in customizable settings. In the settings mode, the LCD acts as a menu system that lets users control display brightness, automatic mute, audio tones, and power modes. There are also settings for disabling detection of selected bands. We liked the expert mode settings, which allow a user to get a constant picture of the intensity of all the radar bands in the area.

For those living in states that prohibit use of a radar detector, the Solo S2 does include VG-2 radar detector detector protection, which is designed to both alert the driver and shut down the unit's oscillator. However, VG-2 protection is not enabled by default; users must turn it on the settings menu. While it's likely that VG-2 protection increases power consumption and is therefore disabled by default, many first-time users might be in for a big surprise and a confiscated unit.

On the Road
The convenience of a wireless radar detector does have a downside. To save battery life, a cordless detector has a reduced "duty cycle" compared to a DC-powered unit. This means that for a fraction of each second a cordless detector is actually turned off to reduce power. These milliseconds of downtime are imperceptible to users, but they allow cordless units to significantly reduce power consumption. The effect of duty cycle reduction is lowered sensitivity, especially on the wider radar bands that take longer to scan. This effect is most prevalent on the widest band, called Ka. What does this mean for users? In some situations you'll have less warning time before a police radar has a lock on your speed.

Fortunately, none of these theoretical drawbacks seemed to affect real-world use in our informal testing. We used the Solo S2 on a 100-mile stretch of busy interstate and were impressed with the low number of false alarms we received. Again, this remarkable level of accuracy is owed to the unit's AutoSensitivity feature. The unit detected Ka-band radar twice and both times warning came at least half a mile from the police cruiser's location-- plenty of time to hit the brakes and avoid a ticket (if we had been speeding, of course).

Accessories
Escort offers an optional "SmartCord," a 12-volt cigarette-lighter power cord that can power the Solo S2. In addition to power, the SmartCord includes an LED alert for radar and laser as well as a mute button on the lighter plug.

Pros

• Portable, compact and discreet
• AutoSensitivity feature reduces false alarms
• Highly accurate, good long range radar detection

• Shorter range and sensitivity than wired units
• VG-2 protection not enabled by default
• LCD display not as visible because of power constraints

I agree that you'll have to buy the Smart Cord instead of relying on batteries. But save yourself the extra $30 for the S2 and the additional $30 for the Smart Cord and just buy the already corded 8500.

The idea of it being a cordless unit is a total and absolute ripoff!!! They need to extend the battery life to at least 100 hours for this to be a viable product.


Good detection, bad display   June 19, 2006
Jeffrey Kaplan (Boston, MA)
12 out of 12 found this review helpful

The detection capabilities of this unit are great. I got the S2 a couple years ago so I could use it both on batteries on a motorcycle and plugged in in a car. It works wonderfully in both places, except that the batteries jiggled loose due to the bike's vibration. Solved that by shimming them with a spare foam earplug.

However, much more serious, is the display. About two years ago, I had to send my S2 back to Escort, under warrantee, due to a patch of dead pixels. They replaced the display.

About a year ago, now out of warrantee, I noticed a patch of dead pixels again, and it's growing. Also, the the contrast is decaying to the point where it's nigh-impossible to read during the day, and it is impossible to read at all for the first 20 minutes or so when the temperature is above 80 degrees (Fahrenheit). Maybe the newer units have a better display.


Excellent - but not as good as the corded model   January 26, 2007
Bill E. Branscum
10 out of 12 found this review helpful

I own several Passports and recently bought the Solo. Fortunately, I am within the return period for exchanges. I am going to get another Passport. The range is good compared to most radar detectors, but abysmal when compared to a Passport with a cord.