Acer 8204 experiance

Just thought i would share my experiance of the contraversital TM 8204.

Had mine for 1 week, build date 01/06. Initial impressions were not good for this expensive machine, screen being the biggest disapointment. Coming from a 2 year old Toshiba Satellite M30 with matt screen, i found the 8204's to be dim, suffers from light leakage, washed out, very narrow viewing angles and the resolution hard on the eyes for normal use. (perfect vision by the way) After hours of adjusting the settings in Catalyst the colour and brightness is acceptable but the LCD itself seems to have a faintly visible textured patternining that makes everything slightly soft. Not good, for your info the LCD is the Samsung LTN154P1-L02

After completing the factory installation, the machine does not run cleanly or as snappily as it could. I can see why other users are going for fresh installs.

Performace is excellent, the chasssis is high qulaity (except the annoying express card blank that falls out) and a good compromise of sizes an weight, keyboard is good. I am amazed at its gaming capability for a general use business machine. Running the new FEAR at max settins without problem. No LAN issues so far.

All considered its the screen that ruins it for me, i am returning mine on Monday for a full refund. I would like to give the 8204 another go, can other users let me know if some units have a good screen thats sharp without light leakage?

 

You may have already read but just in case : http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=42214

I am pleased with my 8104 - it is a matte screen and will not be as 'bright' as a glossy the same for the 8204 - I think the screen quality for me is ok and with a few tweaks is bright enough for my needs - everyhting else has just worked so no buyers remose here. Also I have little or no light leakage (at least none that bother me), no dead pixcels.

I use it as a business laptop first and playing second (i am also not a hard core gamer or play state of the art games) . I think most that are dissapointed (other than a factory flaw) consider this a gaming machine first.

 

My 8204 has very little light leakage, certainly not noticable under normal use. I find the screen crisp and bright enough - I suppose it could be subjective. No dead or stuck pixels. Haven't had any of the other problems reported either (at least that I can remember). I have updated the BIOS and the Intel EEPROM, as well as installed the 6.2 Catalyst drivers. I have the same screen as you.

Given the broad range of experiences that have shown up on the board, it sounds like quality control problems: some are good and some aren't.

- Ed

 

EDF and daacon, have either of you performed a clean install?

I've already posted in the other thread, but since you two are here....

Basically, I'm looking to upgrade the HD to a 7200 RPM Seagate. I do primarily software development and I need the extra speed for performing compilations and file loads. I'd like to start with a base install of XP and build it up the way that I want. Either of you guys go this route?

I think the thing that is worrying me the most, at the moment, is the screen. I'm not looking forward to a lenghty return process to get one without the light leakage. In addition, as I mentioned, I'll be doing a clean install and I noticed that the Acer site doesn't have *any* drivers for this bad boy. Scary. It's getting to the point where I'm thinking that it's probably safer to ask my boss to cancel the order and wait for one of the Asus notebooks to release.

Thoughts?

 

I did do a clean install. I removed all partitions (including the recovery Partition and a full Format) - and yeah there were no new drivers available the first time I did it (I have done it twice). Initally I just used the CD's that came with the system. Today on the Acer site is the most current drivers for the 8100 so I would assume the 8204 will have them there are well soon. CHeck out the sitcky here - European site may have them.

I tend to do a fresh install once a year or so. I also take full images (using Arconis True Image 8.x) that can allow me to at least get back to where I was in the event something goes wrong. (but so far , other than time, the fresh installs went fine)

Next fresh install I will take an image immediatley so I can just recover (doooooooh!)

 

I've done clean installs on other machines, but haven't seen a need to do so on this one yet. The Acer Europe FTP site has all the drivers (I think). Try http://support.acer-euro.com/drivers/notebook/tm_8200.html then follow the link near the bottom of the page to the ftp site.

I'm a sw developer too - this baby is great for doing builds quickly while doing other things too.

- Ed

 

Thanks for the info guys. I'm sure others will appreciate as well.

After some careful thought and looking over the experiences of many of the other 8204 owners, I just sent out an email to the bossman to tell him to cancel it for now. I'll either wait until the Asus notebooks come out or perhaps even into Q4 for Merom to start poping up. Hard for me to pass up an offer like this though, but probably for the better.

 

The screen problem I reported here:
http://www.notebookforums.com/showthread.php?t=136500
makes proffessional graphics editing impossible, so if Acer wont replace the faulty samsung model of lcd they are using, I'll prob return mine too. Such a shame because apart from the LCD I like it alot.

 

Hrmm i've heard of bad experiances with the 8204's. But i must say im very impressed with mine. Bad batch maby? But if you get one without faults then you really wont regret it

 

Hmm you are the first person to say you don't have the lcd problem. Could you confirm what you see in the top row of this pic: http://www.cameraid.com/art/quadrants.gif e.g. do you see 2 squares or a rectangle?

 

I see 4 squares...what am I suppose to see?

btw, I have the 8204 build date 0601. My screen looks very nice, slightly dimmer than my Sony Vaio, but not bad.

 

are the 4 squares very small? if so, those are dead pixels.

Read this to find out more about them:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=11976

 

No, I see the 4 square boxes of various shading

 

I moved the image all around the screen and found a single dead pixel...not bad.

 

I've heard a lot of complaining about the 8200 that i don't agree with. Here's my $2 worth And my experience with mine.

The display: This is my first laptop so I have not compared this display to any other. From my perspective, brightness seems pretty good to me. Viewing angle: again nothing to compare it too but that's why hinges are so good, to adjust for that. As for lateral angle, i'm a writer and don't really care if those sitting beside me can't read what i'm doing.

Sharpness is excellent at the native 1680x1050 small fonts are easily readable even at a distance. Photo sharpness is gorgeous.

The display light leak issue. YOW!! from the pictures i've seen, thats pretty bad. I do not have that issue at all with mine. So i would definitely try another unit.

Speed and performance is fabulous. I don't game at all, but have not yet been able to bog this thing down. editing 3 simultaneous 900 DPI images in photoshop, while having 17 open browser windows in Opera, with downloads happening in the background, dealing with files on another computer on my network and editing audio in Adobe Audition, still have processor headroom and piles of memory left.

I did have the poor connectivity NIC issue, but downloaded and applied the EEPROM update from the FTP and its fine now.

I only have one issue. The switch that senses lid closure, either the switch is flakey or the solder connections to it are. Every couple of days the display backlight just shuts off and if i move the lid slightly it flickers. (used to mysteriously go into standby in the middle of working until i disabled standby on lid closing) THat'll just be repaired.

I have had Windows issues but it similar to the kinds of problems that people have had with other computers. Not an Acer issue.

Overall this is an excellent machine, Huge performance in such a light package with great battery life, beautiful display and all the features power and connectivity that will see this machine last me for many years.

 

2 sqaures on the top row, 2 on the bottom. Not sure what that image is trying to prove though, as it's crystal clear what you're looking at. Does it really highlight the problem you have with your screen? If so, I would say take it back for warranty!

 

If you see 4 squares then your screen is faulty. Every 2nd row of pixels on your screen is greyer than the previous. Look at the same image on another computer and you will see there shouldnt be 2 squares in the top row.

 

Yellow11, you say photos are sharp and you do photoshop editing to I'm assuming you would have noticed the grey lines, so perhaps your LCD is a different model. Can you try the test?

Furthermore if you move the window around your screen vetically you will see the 2 squares in the top row alternate in brightness. i.e. left is brighter than right, then when you move the window down a pixel right is brighter than left.

 

Hrmmm.. That didn't seem right to me so I opened the file in PS, zoomed it in 800%, and cropped it around the center point. As you can see, there is in fact 4 distinct patterns - which means if you *dont'* see 4 squares you have a problem, if you do I'd say it's just fine.

 

This I *can* see however - it's subtle but noticable under scrutiny, and it's same for bottom squares if you move the image horizontally as well. I wonder if it's the screen or the video card that causes the behavior though?

 

Eh? There are not 4 distinct patterns. Your thumbnail shows it is grey black, grey, black. The same pattern in both squares. And the same pattern should have NO difference in brightness. That is the point in the test. Anyway since you sayd you see 4 squares we know your screen is faulty too.

 

Its the display. 55 pages on the same problem on the old power book here:
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=158751&page=55

 

I checked my 8204 and I see one large rectangle on top and 2 squares below. I guess this is what you are supposed to see. I checked it on a Dell 19" LCD and see the same thing. I seem to have a different brand screen from most that have posted their info from Everest Home in a thread on Notebookforums.

Monitor Properties
Monitor Name Plug and Play Monitor [NoDB]
Monitor ID QDS003D
Manufacturer QD15AL021
Manufacture Date 2005
Serial Number None
Max. Visible Display Size 33 cm x 21 cm (15.4")
Picture Aspect Ratio 5:3
Gamma 2.20
DPMS Mode Support None

 

That is great news rb999! I'll call Acer and see if they will replace my faulty display with your model.

 

Yea it looks like I got lucky and got one that is at least OK. It is not greatest but the brightness is ok, I don't notice any light leakage, and It does not have the problem you mention here. I got it looking pretty good by adjusting some of the color settings as someone in another thread suggested. The viewing angles could be better but it is not a bad screen overall. The screen is definately not the best selling point of the 8204.

 

More and more I'm getting the feeling that there was a batch of defective Acer's. Would you guys with a 8204 mind posting where you bought yours? and any other info that would distinguish yours from others.

 

Whoa i looked at that image on 3 CRTs and all of them see 4 squares...?

 

OK, there 2 two different patterns (my mistake), but they are offset as follows:

The top "row" is comprised of 1 pixel high horizontal lines, that have a the opposite alternating pattern on the left and right.

The bottom "row" is comprised of 1 pixel wide vertical lines, and once again the pattern switches at the mid-point.

I can see the same 4 "squares" at normal size and at 200%, 400% and 800% zoom levels. Sorry but I don't buy it - if anything it has to be a human perception thing.

 

I posted this earlier, but let's do it again..

Open the image attached below, what do you see - 4 squares, a rectangle and two squares, or 2 rectangles?

 

The test is about the brightness. E.g. either there 2 boxes in the top row of different brightness. Or there is one rectangle in the top row which has constant brightness.

 

Ahh *Brightness* - now that at least makes some sense. In that case, I can see some very subtle differences in the brightness when comapring left to right, and that brightness does alternate if I move the image around the screen. However, I am always "seeing" 4 squares, never a rectangle

 

Now that I understand where it is you're coming from with this, I have to say that having differing levels of brightness is something I'd fully expect out of any note book LCD screen. Let me clarify;

All notebook screens I've seen have a single backlight located at the bottom of the screen which fires upwards and then must be reflected forward. Thus it stands to reason that the light intensity has to be different at various places in the vertical plane, simply because of the distance increase from the light source. I'm sure they do their best to minimize this effect, but the only way I can see to totally eliminate it would be to have full backlighting like a desktop LCD, no?

 

No the reason the 2 square in the top row differ in brightness is because of the grey lines on the actual LCD display. The grey lines on the actual display affect the grey lines in the pattern. So if the grey lines in the pattern are in sync with the grey lines on the physical LCD it gets darker. It doesnt affect it when they are in sync with the black lines. So thats why one is brighter than the other. Then when you move it down a pixel it switches to the other one. Its a fault in the LCD panel, but since there are 8204s around with a different model there is hope in getting it replaced.

I'm suprised you dont notice the lines in general usage. In movies, games, images and even in the bars at the top of windows, and any grey screens I clearly see the rows of grey lines. Its like everything is dithered.

 

I still dont understand what your test proves. I have tried a variety of tests found on the web including this free download:

http://www.batchconverter.com/MonitorTest-download-13217.shtml

and my monitor looks great, I routinely edit images in Photoshop CS and have not had any issues.

 

I made my previous post before i tried the tests. Yes it appears that i have the line problem that you speak of. Here is what Everest says about my monitor:

Monitor Name Plug and Play Monitor [NoDB]
Monitor ID SEC3146
Manufacturer LTN154P1-L02
Manufacture Date 2005
Serial Number None
Max. Visible Display Size 33 cm x 21 cm (15.4")
Picture Aspect Ratio 5:3
Gamma 2.20
DPMS Mode Support None

As i've said this is my first laptop so i haved nothing to compare it to, but compared to what i have been used to using this is MUCH better. I wouldn't really call this issue a 'problem' or say that it is faulty. OK, its not an Apple display, but stuff still looks pretty great as i see it.

So my photos are sharper on this monitor compared to my old CRT. OK so the display could be sharper but, at least in photo land, too much sharpness is often a bad thing.

I got my first 8204 on Feb 2nd and had it replaced once already due to the NIC problem, and after screwing around with Tech Support too many times and taking so long to get this thing set up properly i really don't feel like sending it back yet again. I'm too busy using it every day to screw around with this anymore. I'll just keep this one.

 

Please let us know if you do get the new screen, and if you find it better. Also where are you located? ...

Currently I'm very pleased with my 8204, the screen isn't perfect, but it is still good for me, so I thought I'd wait until Acer get a new screen model and then send mine in to change it if it is a lot better than the LTN154P1-L02

 

My 8204 screen looks great, is bright, NO pixels stuck/dead, and I see absolutely no lines, even in photoshop use, or with pixel check programs. Howeve, I also see 4 separate boxes with your reference image, which I don't see with my Apple G4 PowerBook (3 year old Titanium model) - it looks like one solid square. I guess this means the 8204 is using a cheaper screen, much like the last model PowerBook G4 used.

If Acer offered a relacement, I don't think I'd accept it, since this screen looks flawless to me, and I'd hate to swap, and get dead pixels..... My 8204 also has none of the other problems users have mentioned, so I feel blessed with mine!

Keep us updated if you get anything from Acer about "the screen problem," though, as those with "screen leaks," etc. would certainly appreciate a solution.

 

I am just off the phone with Acer UK tech support and they are going to fix it. They guy on the phone just noted the grey line issue in my record, he wasn't clear if this was a known issue and has been reported before. Since my laptop only arrived last week he said mine was dead on arrival, which means when they receive it for repair they are going to most likely send me a whole new machine. It appears there is no way I can guarantee I will receive a different LCD model. He did say they dont just send out new machines for DOAs they do look at the case details, so perhaps there is hope I will get a fixed one. I'll include specific details of the problem in the box and inside the laptop on a sheet of paper just to be sure.

The annoying thing is he said I need to package it all up like it came, and copy my data off. How annoying!!! Perhaps I should wait a week and call again and get a repair and not a DOA swap.

 

I tried to install the 6.2 Catalyst drivers, but do not work. I saw on another thread some workaround, but I forgot where, could you give me some advice. In addition, I remember someone that installs the 6.2 and had problem with the machine starts to be unstable.

Does the Catalyst 6.2 helps only on games applications, or improve the overall performance?

 

My laptop was received by Acer today. I'll report back in 5 days with what the replacement is like...

 

I got my acer 8204 from cdw on the 23rd... the LAN problem was still there, the screen wasnt bright enought and leakage made it worse, OOH!! and the screen died on me in 2 days... the screen wouldnt elluminate, i had to constantly play with the little button on the top right corner and the lid for it to light up. the carbon fiber wasnt wat i hoped it would be either, u can still see ripples when u press it gently from the back. hot air blows in ur right hand when using an external mouse and my touch pad also died on me, it wouldnt move at all. maybe coz i left it on over night and it got too hot, coz the next day i left it off all day and when i came bak from classes it worked again. the system seems very unstable coz of all the problems with its hardware, other wise its a very fast machine... wat a waste... too bad. i returned mine bak to cdw right away. thanx but no thanx. i'd rather stay with macs. good luck for all of u who got the acer 8204.

[edit] : forgot to mention that the speakers are horrible also... over all very dissatisfied with acer... cdw was awesome tho.

 

Good luck, indiekiduk! Here's hoping your replacement is flawless!

iBorg

 

Received the laptop back today and the tech note says screen replaced. However it is just the same model and hence the same problem. I'll try talking to Acer again and if that fails I'll have to try to return it to laptopsdirect.co.uk

 

So, any new updates on getting a good screen? I also have a screen with visible striping - on the other hand I don't have dead pixels or horrible light leakage; not that I would like to watch a movie with black bars in a dark room with this screen, as it does disturb me.

 

I have an 8204 with the LTN154P1-L02, and I do not have any complains at all. I work with CS2 and others photography software and I need to have the screen calibrated, also I can watch DVDs with great image. The screen is sharp, "bright" , and the colors are vivid, of course, as I said my screen is calibrated with a customized color profile.

Concerning the 2/4 box image test, I can see almost the right and left box the same way, on a XBright laptop the image is like one box only. I did the same test on a couple of external monitors and other non-XBright laptops and the result was the same.

Bottom line, on my tests, all non-XBright monitors, external or not, has the same result.

I tried on Sony, Dell, Samsung SyncMaster 171s, and the result was the same , a little difference between the right and left side.

 

I sent my 8204 back to Acer for the 2nd time this morning. I'm hoping that if I keep sending it back they will eventually catch on. I'm reading that more and more people are phoning them about the issue.

Here is a better version of the test image that someone made:

 

Got my 8204 a couple of days ago and I'm pretty happy, though I do notice the variable lighting on the screen. If there's a pixel thing, its not enough to bother me. My issue though is that I am having all sorts of trouble getting the right size pages and fonts. I seem to have to change settings depending on which site I'm looking at. I went to the ATI Catalyst control center and have tried to play around there, but the window is so screwy I can't read most of the text. Is there something that I'm missing about how to deal with the screen settings?

 

You might want to check your dpi settings. A lot of websites won't look right on anything larger than 96 dpi.

 

If you have fonts set to large (the default on the 8204) in Windows then many of the Acer bundled apps are unusable.

 

Have you got your 8204 back?