Escort SmartRadar Owner's Manual

With

Ultimate Out-of Site Protection

Made for

Android Smartphones

Your new SmartRadar™ device is a complete, supercharged, quick-install radar/laser detector with built­in Bluetooth® technology for connection to mobile phones and other Bluetooth devices.

SmartRadar includes full X, K, and SuperWide Ka radar capability, digital signal processing for superior
range and reduced false alarms, our patented Mute and AutoMute , audible and visual band alerts, plus
all the state-of-the-art performance and features you’d expect from ESCORT®:

Receiver unit mounts behind your rearview mirror for hidden radar and laser protection.
Miniature display controller allows easy access to information and controls.
Ultra-bright alphanumeric display uses 280 LEDs for crystal-clear information.
Exclusive ExpertMeter
SpecDisplay

TM

provides actual numeric frequency for any radar signal.

TM

tracks and displays up to eight radar signals.

TSR software automatically rejects traffic flow sensors.
Program mode lets you instantly customize seven features.
Compatible with ESCORT’s SHIFTER ZR4™ laser-shifting system.

And, SmartRadar is fully compatible with the new ESCORT Live™ Android™ application!

Using Bluetooth® technology, SmartRadar communicates with your Android smartphone so you can

access your detector settings and manage alerts with just a touch of the screen. This combination of
technologies also gives you access to the most powerful driver alert network—ESCORT Live!
(Subscription may apply.)

With ESCORT Live, you and your fellow drivers will instantly communicate all radar/laser encounters
automatically, providing the most up-to-date and accurate protection on the road. Imagine millions of
other drivers helping you Drive Smarter™!

ESCORT Live Features (Enabled only while running the ESCORT Live app)

Multi-view interactive display, allowing you to manage alerts and detector settings
Access to our exclusive real-time ticket protection network, which warns you of upcoming

alerts received by other users in the area

Access to our DEFENDER® Database, which warns you of verified speed traps, speed cameras,

and red light cameras

Our most popular GPS-powered features, including speed-limit data for over-speed alerts, and

TrueLock™ to help eliminate false alerts. You can also mark locations for future reference.

We recommend you read this manual in detail to get the most out of your detector’s performance and
features.

Please drive safely.

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Table of Contents

Setting Up SmartRadar 4

Connections and Controls 4

Features 5

Settings and Preferences 9

Specifications 14

Understanding Your Detector 15

Troubleshooting 18

FCC Compliance Notice 20

Software Updates 20

Parts and Accessories 21

Warranty 22

Service 22

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Power Button

Press to power on or off.

Volume/Mute
Button (V-MUTE)

Press and hold to
set volume for
alerts. Press and
release to mute
an alert in progress.
When connected to
ESCORT Live, press
three times during
an alert to lock out
or unlock the alert.

Brightness Button (BRT)

Display brightness adjusts automatically.
Press BRT to set a fixed brightness or to
select Dark mode.

Sensitivity Button (SENS)

Toggles between radar sensitivity
modes: Highway, Auto, and Auto
No X. ESCORT recommends the
Auto mode.

Matrix Display

Shows current radar sensitivity mode.
During an alert, shows band and signal
strength or actual radar frequency.

Preferences

Press and hold both BRT
and SENS to enter
Preferences. Then, easily
review or change your
settings, pressing BRT to
scroll through preference
categories and SENS to
select an option within
the category.

Setting Up SmartRadar

What’s Included

– Radar/laser receiver with built-in Bluetooth wireless technology
– 2 receiver mounting brackets (suction cup and adhesive mount)
– Mini display controller and mounting bracket
– 2 power connection kits (for rearview mirror or fuse panel connection)
– Zip ties (for securing any loose/dangling wires)
– Quick Reference Guide
– User Manual (on disc)

Registration and Installation

For detailed registration and installation information, see your SmartRadar Quick Reference Guide.

ESCORT Live!

For details on pairing SmartRadar to your iPhone and downloading ESCORT Live, see your SmartRadar
Quick Reference Guide.

Connections and Controls

Receiver Unit

For an overview of receiver unit connections and controls, see your SmartRadar Quick Reference Guide.

Mini Display Controller

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Features

Power-On Indication

Once the start-up sequence is complete, the display will show your current radar sensitivity mode. If you
prefer, you can select alternate power-on displays. See the Settings and Preferences section for details.

Volume/Mute

To adjust SmartRadar to your preferred audio level for alerts, simply press and hold the V-MUTE button
on the mini display controller. The audio will increase/decrease while it is depressed. Once you reach
the desired audio level, simply release the button. SmartRadar will retain this setting in its memory,
even if the system is turned off.

The V-MUTE button can also be used for muting the audio during a single alert. Simply press the button
during the alert. Once the radar encounter has passed, the mute will disengage, and the audio will
return to your preset level.

AutoMute

Your SmartRadar device includes ESCORT’s patented AutoMute feature. After SmartRadar alerts you to a
radar encounter at your selected volume level, it automatically reduces the volume more than 50%. This
keeps you informed without the annoyance of a continuous full-volume alert. If you prefer, you can turn
the AutoMute feature off. See the Settings and Preferences section for details.

SmartMute

If AutoMute has already reduced the volume for one alert and a higher-priority band is detected,
SmartRadar will sound an alert at your set volume for the second band before adjusting the volume back
down to the AutoMute level.

Display Brightness

The mini display controller’s brightness is automatically adjusted to suit ambient lighting conditions in
your car. (The light sensor is located inside the controller, so the display may dim momentarily when you
access the buttons.) If you prefer, you can press the BRT button to set a fixed brightness level:

BRT AUTO Automatically adjusts brightness (factory setting)
BRT DARK Dark mode
BRT MIN Minimum brightness
BRT MED Medium brightness
BRT MAX Maximum brightness

Note: If you select Dark mode, the mini display controller will not provide any indication that it is on.
Therefore, only audible alerts will notify you of detected signals.

Radar Sensitivity

The SENS button allows you to select your preferred radar sensitivity: Highway, Auto, or Auto No X. In
general, ESCORT recommends Auto for everyday driving.

Highway

In this setting, SmartRadar will detect all radar signals on all bands at maximum range.

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Auto

In this setting, SmartRadar will continuously analyze all incoming signals and intelligently adjust the
sensitivity circuits, providing long-range warning with minimal false alarms.

Auto No X

Auto No X works the same as Auto mode; however, X-band is completely turned off.

Warning: Do not use SmartRadar in Auto No X unless you are absolutely certain that there are

no traffic radar guns using X-band in your area.

Alert Tones

SmartRadar’s factory default for alert tones is Mild mode, which offers softer, simpler alert tones that
are less obtrusive to the driving experience:

X-band, K-band, Ka-band, and Pop = Doorbell chime

o Low signal strength = Double chime
o High signal strength = Triple chime
o If alert remains in area more than 15 seconds = Single chime (as a reminder)

Laser = Solid brap tone (Since laser signals are a possible threat no matter how weak,

SmartRadar alerts you to all laser signals with a full laser alert.)

If you prefer, you can change your alert tone settings to the ESCORT Classic mode, in which SmartRadar
uses a Geiger counter-type sound to indicate the signal strength and type of radar signal being
encountered. When you encounter radar, a distinct audible alert will sound and will increase as the
signal gets stronger. This allows you to judge the distance from the signal source without taking your
eyes off of the road. Each band has a distinct tone for easy identification:

X-band = beep tone
K-band = brap tone
Ka-band = double-brap tone
Laser = solid brap tone
Pop = solid brap tone

See the Settings and Preferences section for details on switching your alert tones.

Voice Alerts

SmartRadar provides digital voice announcements for alerts and selection feedback. If you prefer, you
can turn off the voice feature. See the Settings and Preferences section for details.

Signal-Strength Meter

The matrix display consists of 280 individual LEDs to provide an intuitive ultra-bright display of signal
strength and text messages. When it detects radar, it displays the band of the radar (X, K, or Ka) and a
precise bar graph of the signal’s strength.

ExpertMeter

ESCORT’s exclusive ExpertMeter option is an advanced display for experienced detector users. Please
use SmartRadar for a few weeks to get fully familiar with its other features before using ExpertMeter.

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To use the ExpertMeter instead of the standard bar graph meter, you must select it (MeterEXP) in
Preferences.

ExpertMeter simultaneously tracks up to eight radar signals: two Ka-band, two K-band, and four X-band
signals. The ExpertMeter is actually a miniature spectrum analyzer. It shows what band each signal is, its
relative frequency within the band, and its signal strength. ExpertMeter can help you spot a change in
your normal driving environment (e.g., a traffic radar unit being operated in an area where there are
normally other signals present).

KA|| K|| X||||

Above is the ExpertMeter display if SmartRadar was detecting two strong Ka-band, two strong K-band,
and four strong X-band signals.

As you can see, there are vertical lines after each band designator. Each line shows a signal being
detected. The height of each line shows the relative signal strength. On very weak signals, there will not
be a vertical line at all. The position of the line shows the relative frequency of the signal within the
band.

The band designators (X, K, Ka) will stay on the display for a few seconds after the signal has passed. This
allows you to see what the unit detected, even on very brief signals. However, the vertical lines
representing individual signals constantly change (several times a second) to give you a continuous view
of the signal strength of all radar signals present.

Note: If you use ExpertMeter, the brief signal shown in the power-on sequence when you turn on your
SmartRadar device will also be in ExpertMeter: an “X” with a single vertical line.

SpecDisplay

The SpecDisplay option is also designed for the advanced detector user. In this mode, it will display the
actual numeric radar frequency being received. To use SpecDisplay instead of the standard bar graph
meter, you must select it (MeterSPC) in Preferences.

K 24.150

Display shows a K-band signal at 24.150 GhZ.

Ka 34.700

Display shows a Ka-band signal at 34.700 GhZ.

X 10.525

Display shows an X-band signal at 10.525 GhZ.

Note: Even long-time detector users will require a significant amount of time to get familiar with this
new level of information.

SHIFTER ZR4 Laser-Shifting System (optional, sold separately)

Our optional SHIFTER ZR4 laser-shifting system is the most advanced defense against targeting laser
guns. It includes three (two front, one rear) highly sensitive laser transceivers that detect laser signals
and transmit back a pulsed signal to “shift” or confuse the targeting laser gun.

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