I have got my 4th TM8204WLMi - surprisse!

[137]

Hi guys,

so today I went to try another TM8204. Opened up the box, ran 3D settings and Tocamac, tons of buzzing, ran Everest - SAMSUNG screen with very poor quality and visible grey lines and couple of stuck pixels. So I gave up the ACER I thought.

I then just ran very randomly to another huge store and ask if they have any 8204s in stock. The guy said yes and you can get it with 7 days no questions return!!!!:w00t: I said OK I am getting it. We opened the box to check if everything is there and I found it was 06/03!

Guess what, opened up the lappy, ran everything plus everest. The screen is QD1, it is like day and night, very rich colours, no bad pixels (so far knock on the wood) and no sign of grey lines!

I ran the little 3D car, the buzzing is noticable only when putting my ear close to the GPU area. When running Tocamac - it ireally is buzzing, but that is the only little thing I found so far.

So my question is, what shall I do before I start putting stuff on this beast, cause I am giving it a seven days try and if it works great I will keep it..I would love to.

I also want to ask if there is anybody who has the buzzing only with Tokamak demos and if you think it is real issue or not. Cause when I run the Tokamak on my old 803LCi, and put my ear close to the GPU area can hear some buzzing too. I do not have any other buzzing just now. I will try with games, but I stringly hope (I pray) it will be fine;)

Everybody's experience or idea woudl be veryu welcome and appreciated;)

[CoolHotCold]

Update the bios to the latest i think its 3*12 i think and that should eliminate the problems

[137]

Update the bios to the latest i think its 3*12 i think and that should eliminate the problems

Well, the bios is 15/3312, brand new thing. I am just wondering if there is anybody who has no buzzing (or veeeery silent) and the only real buzzing with Tokamak and if it works well. I would be the happiest person not knowing Tokamak actually:p Will see in the games:cool2:

[EWB]

What stores stock the 8204?

[DaemonSambe]

I've just got my RMA confirmation from CDW to return my 8204. It's a really nice laptop, in all honesty. Well designed, good size, nice specs. I've played about an hour of Oblivion and WorldofWarcraft since i've gotten it, and it performs admirably.
The only reason i'm returning it, is because of the buzzing. I could actually accept some slight buzz while gaming. I understand that even these specs must be driven close to the limit by today's games. And i would be listening to ingame sounds anyway, so it would likely not be noticable.
However, that's not where i hear most of my buzzing. 95% of the time, it's while i'm happily coding away, nothing else going on, and i have to watch 500lines of weblog scroll by, that it irritates me. That's just un called for...
In any case, i'm buying a MacBook Pro - Same specs, about $400 more. For that, i get a much better form factor, design, and the ability to use Textmate on OSX, for development. All, in all, i imagine i'll be more than pleased with this choice.

Regards,

Daemon Sambe

[137]

What stores stock the 8204?

This is in middle Europe, I got it ordered with no payment before, they would sell it otherwise, but accidentaly it arrived stock sealed just today and I got it. So far so good. No buzzing only with Tokamak;)

[kohaar]

No buzzing in Tokamak or any other 3d programs here. From what I have been reading, the build date doesn't say much about the problems. Some get lucky, and some not. :-(

[137]

No buzzing in Tokamak or any other 3d programs here. From what I have been reading, the build date doesn't say much about the problems. Some get lucky, and some not. :-(

Well I have like two weeks to try it out before returning back. I want to keep it really bad, if the buzzing will occur only in Tokamak...I do not really think it will affect me too much. Cause when running Tokamak on other computers with ATI graphics I can here buzzing of various intensity too! I do not know what the story really is...:scratch:

[wynand32]

Well, I suppose the question is: how often will you be running Tokamak? I'm guessing, never, unless you're just wanting to hear the buzz...

On my 8204 (01/06 build) I get buzzing only during Tokamak as well, and I've never heard it otherwise.

My recommendation: keep the 8204, use it productively, and enjoy.

[137]

Well, I suppose the question is: how often will you be running Tokamak? I'm guessing, never, unless you're just wanting to hear the buzz...

On my 8204 (01/06 build) I get buzzing only during Tokamak as well, and I've never heard it otherwise.

My recommendation: keep the 8204, use it productively, and enjoy.

Sounds pretty good:dude:

[tallan]

Congrats on finally getting a good machine. To test it out believe it or not the game Bejeweled 2 stresses my Acer more than just about anything - fans ramp up to full, etc. Run that for a few hours - if it's gonna break it'll break then!

[137]

Congrats on finally getting a good machine. To test it out believe it or not the game Bejeweled 2 stresses my Acer more than just about anything - fans ramp up to full, etc. Run that for a few hours - if it's gonna break it'll break then!

Oh, I have to try it, but I dont have that one;) I am running all sliders to the right on myt Flight Simulator 2004 with all the addons and it is like a breeze, maaan. Do you have any buzzing at all? I really like the QDI screen and 667 RAM it is devil fast gaming machine, and I do not have any buzzing whatsoever, only with Tokamak:cool2:

By the way, when I adjust gamma and contrast and everything int he Catalyst center and ran a game, lets say MS Flight Simulator, and I need to adjust the volume level the screen gets brighter and darker and it pauses for a while. The same when loading the game, the screen goes bit darker and lighter and then it is just fine throughout the game. I do not think it is an issue, just when the screen is with default settings this odes not happen. Just curious if anybody has an experience with this - because the tweaks in appearently CCC affect also the games and I like it my way in the Windows and the default way in the games...

[Falafel]

Certain games let you adjust the gamma setting and those will take precedence over the desktop settings.

[137]

Certain games let you adjust the gamma setting and those will take precedence over the desktop settings.


Well, yeah that actually explains it. To be quite honest guys, I am kind of falling in love with this little carbon beast. I was so much decided I am not gonna get me an Acer after those three LTN dead pixeled and buzzing machines and now I got this one and I cant find anything to complain about:dude: Just the lid with the LCD looks bit sensitive - I mean when closing the lid by just using one hand on a side it tends to twist more than other notebooks, feels more subtile, but lighter on the other hand. I hope the carbon thingy is protective at least as much as the magnesium stuff on the previous acers used to be...:surreal:

[efalis]

Glad you're getting happy, 137. I'd keep it (I have).

- Ed

[137]

Glad you're getting happy, 137. I'd keep it (I have).

- Ed

Yeah, well, the only thing that really starts worrying me is the buzzing when resizing the windows. The heavier graphics within the window resized the more noticable buzz. Not terrible but ceratainly audible:scratch:

[Falafel]

If the buzzing is annoying that much you should send it to acer and ask them to replace your VGA choke. Otherwise you should return it. The buzzing will happen when you windows explorer window around or you resize them. You will also see them in some games as well.

[137]

If the buzzing is annoying that much you should send it to acer and ask them to replace your VGA choke. Otherwise you should return it. The buzzing will happen when you windows explorer window around or you resize them. You will also see them in some games as well.

I mean it is not too too anoying, just audible - maybe as loud as the fan is. Does it have any real impact or just a sound thing? I am sticking around with mostly MS Flight Simulator and it does not produce any buzz so far. The only buzzing i get with Tokamak and resizing Windows explorer windows, but not too too terrible. Actualy the stringest one is when resizing a window with ACDSee picture viewer:huh: No buzz wioth the little 3D car, just this...I was hoping so much to get 100% working unit...

[137]

Well, I suppose the question is: how often will you be running Tokamak? I'm guessing, never, unless you're just wanting to hear the buzz...

On my 8204 (01/06 build) I get buzzing only during Tokamak as well, and I've never heard it otherwise.

My recommendation: keep the 8204, use it productively, and enjoy.

Wynand,

do you get any buzzing when resizing the Explorer's windows? I just noticed some, the more graphics inside the more intense sound, sometimes also when dragging and dropping. It is not louder than the fan, but doesnt help too much in my situation...:nono:

[Falafel]

Wynand,

do you get any buzzing when resizing the Explorer's windows? I just noticed some, the more graphics inside the more intense sound, sometimes also when dragging and dropping. It is not louder than the fan, but doesnt help too much in my situation...:nono:

I had all these before I sent my laptop to Acer to get fixed. They fixed it and I no longer having buzzing noise.

[137]

I had all these before I sent my laptop to Acer to get fixed. They fixed it and I no longer having buzzing noise.

Well, the buzzing is on such level, that if I was not pointed towards it, I would never noticed it. I am not working with physical modeling, plus the Tokamak demos produce buzzing on every single ATI equiped machine I have tried so far! So the "buzzing" itself maybe does not necessarily mean an issue, if it is not really noticable and present permanently. Resizing the widnows buzzes depending on the content of the windows, but really not loud. The only real like rattling I do notice when resizing ACDSee window with some picture in it.

Underlined - it still is the most quiet notebook I have ever had, honestly. If I did not know, I would never be bothered with the buzzing on this particular piece. I do not want to send barnd new machine to the repair center just so they put some glue on the VGA transistors or whatever - until it really isnt super necessary.

I am wondering if this is present also in other notebooks equiped with X16000, plus there is not buzzing like buzzing. I have had 3 of them and the first was really BUZZING! This one is like the other two, no buzz except mentioned cases. All of them were of different date of manufacture and even different distributor and warehouse... so I am wondering if buzzing in such intensity and presence is not only a cosmetic thing...:speechles

[indiekiduk]

Acer have my 8204 and they can't fix the buzzing. They are going to try by changing the motherboard.

[wynand32]

I only have some buzzing when running the Tokamak demo.

[ocean158]

I'm pretty happy with my 8204, so far I have brought in $5000 in contracts using the beast. I'm used to the screen now and I'm gonna save up for a new screen.

Gaming so far isn't as good as I expect it, not sure if its my omega drivers or what, but World of Warcraft freezes and so does half life 2 on mediocre settings.

Really enjoying the light weight of this bad boy compared to my old Sager. If I could get the bluetooth voip card to work I would be in heaven. Webcam is awesome with skype/msn and the dvd burner is pretty good, rips and encodes really fast.

It's not perfect, but neither is the macbook pro when it comes to xp dual boot. OS X isn't my thing either. So for now, it's my bread and butter.

[DaemonSambe]

Ocean158:
You mentioned the webcam. How well does that work for you? On mine it gets like 3fps. While a similar Logitech standalone has fullmotion near 30fps. I actually would enjoy the webcam if it had better FPS

.Daemon Sambe

[jaad75]

Ocean158:
You mentioned the webcam. How well does that work for you? On mine it gets like 3fps. While a similar Logitech standalone has fullmotion near 30fps. I actually would enjoy the webcam if it had better FPS

.Daemon Sambe It's very easy to resolve low FPS problem by adding some gain in driver settings and increase shutter speed. It adds some noise also - but that's a normal thing. New Logitech webcams on auto setting are increasing gain rather than lowering shutter speed, so FPS stays relatively high. It looks like newer Logitech webcams have slightly faster lenses and less noisy sensors also but they have very poor white balance in low light conditions. It seems like Acer webcams are based on older Logitech webcams but propably a lot could be fixed with newer driver (if Acer (or Logitech) programmers can see that problem at all :)). The real bug is that Acer Orbicam sometimes doesn't turn on properly and then says that is used by another application which is false of course... After third system reinstallation it looks like it works for me, but I'm not sure for how long. And I have no idea why it didn't work before.

[iBorg]

I'm pretty happy with my 8204, so far I have brought in $5000 in contracts using the beast. I'm used to the screen now and I'm gonna save up for a new screen.

Gaming so far isn't as good as I expect it, not sure if its my omega drivers or what, but World of Warcraft freezes and so does half life 2 on mediocre settings.

Really enjoying the light weight of this bad boy compared to my old Sager. If I could get the bluetooth voip card to work I would be in heaven. Webcam is awesome with skype/msn and the dvd burner is pretty good, rips and encodes really fast.

It's not perfect, but neither is the macbook pro when it comes to xp dual boot. OS X isn't my thing either. So for now, it's my bread and butter.

I have the same problem with the el cheapo voip phone - can't make it work, so I just use a headset to use Skype.

Gaming is actually exceedingly good on my 8204 - World of Warcraft is flawless, no freezes at all.

[jaad75]

I have the same problem with the el cheapo voip phone - can't make it work, so I just use a headset to use Skype.

Gaming is actually exceedingly good on my 8204 - World of Warcraft is flawless, no freezes at all.
Follow the manual. It works for me, but sound quality is poor. BTW - I think, that there is no chance to use it properly without Acer software...

[Falafel]

The bluetooth phone works for me in Skype except it isn't all that great. There is an obvious audio delay and the quality is quite poor. You are better off getting a USB headset. I currently just use headphones and use the mic off the laptop and it seems to work just fine.

The bluetooth phone is almost unusable and it doesn't add to the value of the laptop. I've uninstalled the software.

[ocean158]

Yah, maybe mine is set to a good fps, because in Skype, my friends say the video is really good.

Yah I can't get the bluetooth card to work, I wanted to use it with my Vonage Softphone(which is a program on my laptop).

Overall, there are some quirks with the laptop, but it's really crankin' now, video editing, music editing, dvd burning and ripping, this comp really excels. Office apps run insane on this lappy.

As for Gaming, yah Wow is okay but i get some freeze ups, what resolution are you Iborg using? Half life 2 has some freeze ups too.

Thanks.

[kohaar]

The "freeze ups" can possible be resolved by using the Omega driver. While using the standard driver, I experienced this, but after switching to Omega it's gone.

[TaY]

I am runnign WOW with EVERYTHING on MAX, and 1600 x 1050 resolution (native).


Never a lock up or slow down.

Using Cat 6.3