Acer Aspire Timeline Owner's Lounge

But isn't it worth it for the drop in power usage? At full load the SU2700 uses 10W, the SU3500 uses 5.5W, and since they are single core they might max out cpu usage a lot.

 

Does anyone know if the 15.6" 5810t can be found in the US with a Core 2 DUO for a reasonable price? It has to be the 15" for the numberpad, but the single core is giving me serious reservations as a heavy-multitasker in "ligher" applications (music, online video, email, word processing, excel, etc.). Can anyone give me a feel for how slow (or shock me and say how fast) this computer is in typical usage?

 

hey guys!
if anyone is interested, here is some detailed changelog of the 3810 BIOS that i received from acer after i inquired about it. note that specs for the current 1.10 bios are not available, unfortunately.

Release | Versio | Description | File name & | Note
Date | n | | Checksum |
------------+---------+-------------------------------+---------------+-------------------------
2009/06/2 | V1.08 | 1. Disable PCI Express ASPM | JM31.108 | VBIOS :
2 | | L1 state when the BIOS | 1879889C | 1744
| | setup item "Switchable | | V011.022.000.004.03213
| | graphics" is "Switchable". | | 8
| | Enable PCI Express ASPM L1 | |
| | state when the BIOS setup | | EC: V016_0007
| | item "Switchable graphics" | |
| | is "Discrete". | |
| | 2. Update EC code to | |
| | Ver016.0007 for JM31/SJM31 | |
| | (1) prevent system can't | |
| | power on. | |
| | (2) prevent system can't | |
| | immediately power on by | |
| | press power button after | |
| | shut down. | |
------------+---------+-------------------------------+---------------+-------------------------
2009/06/1 | V1.07 | Fixed ATI VBIOS version | JM31.107 | VBIOS :
0 | | string. | 187A19FF | 1744
| | | | V011.022.000.004.03213
| | | | 8
| | | |
| | | | EC: V015_0018
------------+---------+-------------------------------+---------------+-------------------------
2009/06/0 | V1.06 | Fixed the switchable VGA | JM31.106 | VBIOS :
8 | | “power saving mode” is | 1878C2AB | 1744
| | incorrect as S3 resume. | | V011.022.000.004.03213
| | Fixed the setup menu item “ | | 8
| | switchable graphic” | |
| | parameter from “discreate | | EC: V015_0018
| | ” to discrete. | |
------------+---------+-------------------------------+---------------+-------------------------
2009/06/0 | V1.05 | 1. Change memory | JM31.105 | VBIOS :
6 | | configuration setting to | 1879B11A | 1744
| | fix some 1g memory can't | | V011.022.000.004.03213
| | boot issue | | 8
| | Original setting is | |
| | Memory down +SODIMM | | EC: V015_0018
| | =0x21 | |
| | Intel said correct | |
| | setting is | |
| | SODIMM+SODIMM =0x11 | |
| | 2. Clear ePM flag | |
| | 3. VGA switch by ePM status | |
| | 4. Modify issue: "The | |
| | hddpassword setup menu | |
| | item will disappear in | |
| | bios setup menu when | |
| | user change display | |
| | mode". | |
| | 5. Modify issue : "Sometimes | |
| | the internal keyboard | |
| | will lose function | |
| | after enter BIOS setup | |
| | menu". | |
| | 6. Acer Energy saving | |
| | solution for NUN-ePM ( | |
| | Brightness control ) | |
| | 7. Add support EM560 EM660 | |
| | detection | |
| | 8. Set WOL always enable | |
| | under AC and remove setup | |
| | menu item. | |
| | 9. If system on IGD | |
| | mode,when HDMI cable plug in | |
| | system switch to ATI VGA | |
| | 10. Update EC code to | |
| | Ver015.0018 for JM31/SJM31 | |
| | (1) clear VGA_TEMP | |
| | variable when displayer | |
| | is not discrete VGA. | |
| | (2) automatically | |
| | turn off MMB LED berfore | |
| | entering S3. | |
| | (3) WOL support AC full | |
| | mode(S3,S4 and S5) and | |
| | DC-S3. | |
------------+---------+-------------------------------+---------------+-------------------------
2009/05/2 | V1.04 | 1. Disable South Bridge | JM31UMA.104 | VBIOS : 1744
7 | | POPUP/POPDOWN function | 1879A5A6 | EC: V015_0012
| | for all type CPU. | |
| | 2. Add set power saving | | ATTENTION PLEASE
| | default value is enabled | | !!!This BIOS is only
| | as cold boot / warm boot | | for C build machine
| | on DC mode | | and continuing
| | 3. Set Brightness to 30%, if | | machine.And stop
| | power saving enable | | release for B build
| | without ePM. | | machine.

greetz

 

Origamikid89, me and you are in the exact same boat. your description of yourself as a heavy multitasker in "lighter" applications is perfect for what i do as well. In addition, i would love the 15.6 inch for the numberpad (and larger screen), but am having serious trouble getting past the core solo. I would love for someone to give a good answer to the question that it seems both of us want answered.

I can also tell you that i did some research to find out if the 15.6 could be gotten for a reasonable price with the core 2 DUO. It is unavailable all together on US soil, but it can be acquired via UK amazon and other British and European sites. The issue of course, is indeed price. All across the web and in plenty of electronics stores a version of the 15.6 inch model with a core 2 SOLO processor can be had for 500-550, which is within my price range, but it is of course a single core. If you want the DUO processor You cannot end up with this computer for any less than $900, and you will end up paying more like 1,100 when its all over. the model you end up with has a larger HDD and features like 3G and wimax, but i dont need any of those things. Basically, the 15.6 is available with a dual core, but not for a good price. I am assuming that in due time, all the timeline models will have dual core processors, but until then we're screwed (unless someone who has used the 15.6 inch single core says it can handle those tasks me and my quoted text talked about)

 

My 13" Timeline just arrived today But to busy with studies and stuff to do anything til later.

 

TigerDirect.com $549.99 with $66.55 Bing Cashback and $1.99 shipping

I didn't know about that, seems silly that a weaker CPU eats more power. Maybe that's why the 1810T doesn't come with the SU2700 at all. Ultimately though, the battery life of the 3810T will still be great regardless of the CPU. I wouldn't need more than 8 hours of laptop use in one day anyway. Personally, it isn't worth it for me.

 

Can the Upgrade that we receive from Acer be used to do a clean install instead of an upgrade? And if I can, do I need to have Vista still on the system before the clean install?

 

So I've had to use the eRecovery partition way to many times. Sometimes I have Windows files that are delted/corrupted/missing/etc. or it won't load Windows for some other reason. Anyone have any idea what I should do? Would updating the BIOS maybe help?

 

Windows 7.

 

hey guys, my 3810TZ just arrived today. (got it from Tigerdirect with bing cashback promotion). nice deal for this kinda machine...

as many mentioned, out of box it had 100% CPU problem. Instead of updating Intel IGP driver, i did a fresh install of windows 7 RC. it is working very nicely ^^

However, i installed 32bit version instead of 64bit (due to some of my old applications). which program do i need to download see volume/brightness level? since all the files in acer.com are 64bit... am i out of luck?

thanks in advance..

 

I don't think all the softwares are 64 bit, there is an option to change it to 32 bit i believe.

 

which software to see volume/brightness level?

 

"Launch Manager" i think.

 

Im thinking of getting either a Timeline 3810 or 4810. 4810T comes with DVD-ROM which I think is handy but does the drive worth extra 300gm? Is there big difference between 14 and 13.3 inch in terms of portability?

Another dilemma is, in my country, 3810T comes with either Core 2 Duo or Solo but no HD 4330 and 4810TG comes only in Core 2 Solo/HD 4330. I wonder wheter Solo would affect normal usage and 720p, 1080p video viewing? Currently Im using a Turion X2 2Ghz, HD 3450 Compaq 14" laptop which is around 2.4kg and I do feel its sluggish.

 

it is just basically the weight difference, the size, it isn't much bigger than the 3810t from the 4810t. I measured it, wasn't much bigger than the 3810t

 

It's funny that everybody nowadays are so grazy about multi core processors. For most of the usage single core processors are just fine. I have 3810T with SU3500 at home and also my work computer has a single core processor. At work I'm using quite heavy programs and most of the time I have many of them open at the same time. I have never had any problems due to single core.

You are most likely just fine with single core processor. Besides you are probably not listening music, watching video, doing word processing and using excel at the same time. You might have all the programs open, but that's not really multitasking if you are not doing anything with all programs. If you have often some heavy tasks running in background, then you get real advantage from multi core processor.

 

Hmm... DO NOT UPGRADE YOUR BIOS TO V1.23 OTHER WISE YOUR CPU WILL BE STOCK AT 1.4 GHz FOR SU3500.. I just noticed that.. running CPU-Z.. before, my BIOS version was 1.10, it was able to do 1.6GHz.

 

What are the best config for light gaming + youtube hd?
I'm hoping to run diablo 3 + starcraft 2 when it comes out.
I prefer the 13.3. Will I need the discrete graphics + the dual core?

 

Definitely need the dual core, and the ATI. After looking at specs for both games, for best performance the 4330 would help a lot.

 

can you even buy such a config in 13.3" in the USA?

 

Not yet .

 

that's not good ... i wish acer adds a side note what the update bios is really about...

i am using stock bios 1.04 and there are 2 newer ones but i don't know....

 

The first time it happened I did have Windows 7 on it. It bluescreened and then couldn't load Windows. I tried reinstalling it but now I can't boot from my USB drive even though I've followed multiple guides nothing works it won't load from the USB drive and I don't know why.

Also, sometimes my HD sounds like a Geiger counter.

 

I think it's just CPU-Z not properly recognizing the processor completely. My friend with an MSI x340 has the same problem/outcome.

 

mmm? SU3500 is rated at 1.4GHz.. just that sometime it goes to 1.6GHz. I think I see the problem, putting it on "High Performance" mode, locks it at 1.4GHz, when I set it at "Balance" mode, it was doing 1.2GHz/1.4GHz/1.6GHz, depending on usage.

 

Is the 3810t and 3810tz the same system? I wanting to upgrade my cpu in my 3810tz that currently has a u2700, is this an easy upgrade?

 

Is the single core SU3500 1.4GHz such a poor performer for youtubeHD?

I've a Celeron M 1.5GHz, and there appears to be some dropped frames, however it doesn't seem to be *that* bad to be unwatchable.

 

Hey guys Quick question...Whats the LED light below the touch pad for? Mine doesnt seem to be lighting up

 

The processor is soldered in. You won't be able to upgrade unless you're both skilled and adventurous.

 

Thanks for the quick reply.

 

It's for charging the computer. It's orange when charging and blue when fully charged but it only comes on when you have it connected to AC power.

 

I have the 4810t-8480 with the core solo sitting in a box from office depot in my house right now, and i have 14 days to decided to open the box or not. The timeline seems to have everything i could ever want in a laptop except for a dual core processor. With that in mind, could someone who determined that the single core was NOT enough for them describe the types of things they do on a laptop that were too much for the single core to handle? Personally, the most tasking thing i might do would be video/audio compression/conversion at the same time as web browsing or word processing. I'm thinking about just going with the laptop and resigning myself to the fate of having to do my video compression at times when i wont be at the computer (which works anyway because i usually do huge batches of files in a queue which can go overnight by itself) however, i would still like to know what proved to be too much for some people to bear. Most reviews are strangely mixed. about 65% of reviews simply cant stand the thing, but then about 35% of them give the identical complaints as those who cant stand it, but after installing the new BIOS and drivers have none of the problems anymore. Im not sure ive ever been more torn over a computer decision...

 

Go Get the Dual Core Model if your converting It Will perform better at such tasks

 

well i suppose i should have added a fairly important detail... the dual core model is very difficult to acquire in the united states, and far more pressing, it is out of my price range.

The choice for me would be between some "regular" affordable laptop with the same specs as the timeline except for the processor would be non ULV, dual core as well as having a larger size and weight and shorter battery life.

Its the age old trade-off between performance and portability, but the way i see things the other laptop i could get wouldnt break the bank in performance (its the Gateway NV5214u,sitting in my house next to the timeline 4810t-8480, both unopened so i can return if wanted) it would just be faster than the timeline. the overall speed of a conversion task is not as much of an issue (this is typically hampered by disk speed anyway) as is its ability to handle basic multitasking and the ability for a laptop to let me watch already downloaded movies on my 42 inch 1080p TV... and maybe the occasional youtubeHD video (and i can put up with letting it load before viewing)

 

I Have been using a 3810T with Core Solo for 6 Weeks now, performance is ok for browsing and Office... more Intense tasks bring it to its knees.

I do however use it to show movies on my HD TV via HDMI no issues , can get 2 movies from 1 Battery charge , and then some (I fly a lot and trans-code from Disc on my iMAC)

I will however be upgrading to a Dual Core and moving to the 4810T soon, and getting a 1810T as soon as they are available here due to reduced weight for traveling .

Directly streaming/playing YouTube HD is a no go on this beast (You need to download first , I use IDM)... guess the lack of proper multi tasking support in the Core Solo is the limiting factor here... So based on your described usage profile I would suggest the only way to go is the Core Duo.. sorry to say ... but ...

 

thanks for the honest answer, i really just wish i could take this thing out of the box and actually try it in a real life situation (stupid office depot return policy) so you say if youtubeHD is allowed to load up first it will work? because i have a nice fast internet connection and would have no issue waiting 1 minute before i watch youtubeHD videos (i'd say i watch a youtube video in HD about 1 time every 2 weeks... and i convert videos/song probably 1 time in a month, and thats being generous)

 

I don't think a solo would be that bad if you barely use any HD content. I'm in a similar dilemma myself. But for me its the integrated card vs the ati card which is no where to be found in the US.

Anyone havea clue if the gma4500 can run diablo 3/starcraft2? Those are the only games I fear will tax the card too much. I've seen it run WoW fine, and those all use the same engine...

 

It all depends on the youtube video. I had an EEE that could watch some HD youtube fine, like a video of someone showing off their Linux desktop, while it would fail on something like an airplane taking off. I would think the SU3500 would be the same.

 

as for this, i think that u will probably be fine with the GMA4500 if you keep the settings on the low end. I play basically no games on my computer, and the ones i do (C&C generals and roller coaster tycoon 3) I can play on my current laptop with GMA900, so theres no reason the 4500 couldnt handle them. A review i saw equated the 4500 to being slightly better than a year old GeForce 8400M G card, so maybe see if that could run it, just to be sure?

my benchmark ive been using has been an HD version of lady gaga's poker face music video. despite the fact that i very much so dislike lady gaga, the video is a nice test because there is a whole lot happening all the time. my 3 year old laptop with a centrino duo can play the video well provided not much else is happening, and CPU usage during is always 90%+

At the same time, i only use poker face BECAUSE its got a lot happening, in reality i watch very few youtubeHD videos, and even less that have so much happening. Most of the HD i would be watching on this laptop would be already downloaded HD movies and such, which- as i understand it- run very well on this computer once everything is updated with drivers/BIOS etc... i read somewhere on the comments for a review of this laptop that a guy was able to easily watch a 1080p blu ray (from a virtual mounted drive) over HDMI on his TV flawlessly. if this is the case, the 4810t-8480 can do everything i need. has anyone tried that?

 

can anyone tell me if their su9400/su2700 can run WoW/hl2 type games?

 

I have a Timeline SU9400 3810T. Run HL2 no problems average above 30's FPS
native resolution most graphic settings high.

WoW a little tougher. Everything low @ 800 x 600 and FPS 20-40.

Played HL2 on a flight from Santa Ana, CA to Newark NJ ( 5 hr flight) for over 4 hours and still had 25% battery left when I shut down.

Excellent little laptop. Just installed today ISO loader, 5 Blu-ray ISOs and BD software player and the CPU was about 20-25% during playback. 500gb drive coming in handy.

 

That just sounds great. I can't wait for the 4810tg to show up. With the 4330 and a dual core I'll be happy to have the machine.

 

DOS is much better for flashing.
Reason being Windows has a lot of services running any of them can cause a bad flash.
Running in Pure DOS Mode is a more reliable method of flashing especially BIOS Mods.

 

Which version are you trying to flash... I'm all the way up at 1.10 no issues (even though 1.10 comes as dos only , no problem to get it flashed under windows )

 

Mate lets not go back in to the dark ages please... All major suppliers and OEM's have been windows only flash for years now...

So your opinion whilst appreciated, is way way off... as millions of users just update via Windows... and not really answering the question asked...

lets try and support each other,and supply solutions for the question asked, not just voice opinions which in the cold light of day bare no substance, or did Acer, Lenovo, Dell, SONY and ASUS get it wrong all these years?


Updating in DOS is way more dangerous as more difficult for a newbie to perform as there is way less protection and open to misuse..

 

4810T with SU2700
Can it run Sims 3?

 

Sorry I am a BIOS Modder and flashing by DOS is always preferred.
Can you imagine while flashing in Windows the Program hangs??
You just bricked the laptop.
So which is safer is pretty obvious.
DOS mode is safer as there is no way for CLI + single flashing Program to fail plus the DOS flashing Program has less component only a Single Executable.
The only reason for flashing in Windows is when you don't have a DOS equivalent or too lazy.

 

So and what part of that helps a newbie ?

and has it happens why have a bios in the first place so 80's and dos... in case you had not notice the Timeline series is BIOS free its actually EFI ! so you cant brick it

so running DOS or using a windows flasher is actually always running the same interface in an Emulator, actually less so under Win7

 

Where is the Bios 1.13?

 

yeah! im interested too