Many of you have been waiting for a full tilt review of an Acer Aspire Revo 3610 Atom ION 330. Well, here it is. Possibly the first one on the Internet with this level of detail. It’s taken a week of use to get the full impression of it’s power and abilities and this review should leave no doubt! So, here goes.
Some of you may already know that I’ve been on a quest for the ultimate “cut the cable” solution and save $70 + a month on crappy cable service with bloatware content. Well, it’s been a year now and I’ve looked at a lot of software, desktops, NAS items and network media players. I’ve run different programs on Windows and Xboxes too, like XBMC and Boxee. Both of which I love! But none of those items were yet able to give my family a complete media experience. So, what is that experience? None of those devices or media center programs offers BOTH network share (music, video, pictures) and complete Internet content. Though Boxee comes closest, and their new improved Boxee Beta arrives December 7,2009, but it still falls very short of fulfilling my needs with regard to Internet content. That will change over time as media companies embrace Boxee and alliances are forged with media and hardware developers, but that’s a whole other post.
Also, with so many media formats like; Adobe Flash 10.1 Beta, HD, h.264 .mkv, AVI, MOV, mpg4 and Blue Ray, there is nothing yet available with the ability and power to play such a wide diversity of content. Plus, Boxee & XBMC do not provide an browser to view Internet content as well as surf the Internet from your couch. Ultimately, I kept returning to a HTPC with Windows as the only solution. And that’s where the Acer Revo 3610 with Windows-7 64bit comes in! Oh, I can hear the Linux and Mac people just wincing and building up steam. You guys can get the same thing too, so if that’s your flavor go for it. But this is a Windows thing happening here. So, lets get down to business.
What’s Inside?
The Acer Revo 3610 Atom Ion boasts the Intel Atom 330 dual core 1.66 GHz processor, Nvidia Ion GPU that supports full 1080P via an HDMI cable and 5.1 surround sound. Comes with Windows-7 64bit Home Premium installed. Wow, that’s a lot going on there and all for $330.00 USD!
Operating System- Windows® 7 Home Premium
Processor- Intel Atom Processor N330 (1MB L2 cache, 1.60GHz, 533MHz FSB)
Chipset- NVIDIA ION
Memory- 2GB (1/1) DDR2 800 SDRAM installed in two of two memory slots
User upgradeable up to 4GB (one 2GB memory card in each slot)* subject to availability of 2GB card
Storage- 160GB* SATA hard drive, 5400RPM, Multi-in-one card reader supports optional Memory Stick®, MultiMediaCard™, Secure Digital or xD-Picture Card™
Video- NVIDIA® ION™ graphics VGA and HDMI™ (High-Definition Multimedia Interface™) ports
Audio- High-definition audio support Two external USB speakers Headphone and microphone ports
Interface Ports- RJ-45 LAN VGA DC-in Headphones Microphone HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface™) eSATA Optical SPDIF Six USB 2.0 (two front, four back)
Card Slot- Multi-in-one card reader supports optional Memory Stick, MultiMediaCard, Secure Digital or xD-Picture Card
Communication- Gigabit LAN, wake-on-LAN ready802.11b/g/Draft-N WLAN
Expansion Slot- One PCI Express® Mini
Dimensions- 7.1″ (180.0mm) W x 7.1″ (180.0mm) D x 1.2″ (30.0mm) H without bezel
User Interface- Wireless keyboard and mouse- Included
Power- 65W AC adapter with power cord
Compliance- Energy Star® 5.0PC2001
Security Feature- Kensington® lock slot
Warranty-One-year limited warranty*
Included Software- Acer® Arcade Deluxe, Acer® eRecovery Management, Adobe® Acrobat® Reader, eSobi™ *, McAfee® Internet Security Suite (trial version), Microsoft® Works 8.5 (full version), Microsoft® Office Home & Student 2007 (60-day trial), MyWinLocker®, Nero® 9 Essentials* ,Oberon Gamezone*.*OEM, not full-featured, version.
The Atom Dual Core 330 1.66 GHz processor does not consume a lot of power at all yet has enough oomph to push up to 1080p Blue Ray HD content with ease courtesy of its close integration ION GPU that supports graphics acceleration and offloading. The Intel Atom & ION is a single mobo unit that incorporates the use of NVIDIA’s GeForce 9400M chipset. All this provides a low power consuming, high end video device in a tiny package! The unit is, dare I say it, silent! Even while viewing 1080P content, when the fan is throttled up I have to put my ear up to it in order to hear a whisper of sound. Unlike competitors such as the AsRock 330, which is somewhat audible at 26+dB. Also, the unit is cold to the touch at idle and barely gets warm to the touch when under heavy use.
There’s MORE on pages 2-3!
Thank you Paul – this is gold! This is the most comprehensive review of this unit, likely solidifying my choice of this unit. I only have two question – 1) how are you getting your audio out of the unit (I very much hope that 5.1 is carried via the HDMI cable), and 2) what plans if any do you have for an add-on bluray? (I expect Acer will release a piggyback unit in time – what have you heard).
A suggestion for tuner – I haven’t bought one yet, but I intend to get the HD Homerun dual ethernet tuner. Andrew Edney, and others, have reviewed it favourably (dispelling my initial concerns about limitations on bandwidth). Conversely, to your mention of Hauppauge, the Home Server Podcast boys didn’t speak highly of their evaluation of their products (noting poor signal as a major issue).
Keep up the good work!
.-= Justin´s last blog ..Dell Zino HD headed for Australia .. ? =-.
Justin,
Thanks for the props! Mine is the ONLY review on the Internet showing and detailing actual usage of the Revo 3610!
Boy, there was sooo much to cover here. I’m sure I will think of things I left out, so I’m relying on you guys to post inquiries.
The audio is carried by the HDMI cable to the TV, or to the AV system.
No plans for Blue Ray myself in the near future. I’m not a big DVD user. I use mostly Internet sources for TV. But that may change. I did though see a YouTube post with a guy playing Blue Ray via Esata on the older 3600. NewEgg.com sells various DVD or Blue Ray combo set ups. No need to buy an Acer unit and no, I’ve not heard of one coming out.
Tuner is really way in the future, so my eyes are open to suggestions on that front.
If you think of anything else, post a comment. I hope to have some video up on YouTube in a day or so showing function and video flow of Flash.
As I test and learn..I’ll post.
Paul – Fantastic review…now I have a lot more information on which to base my purchasing decision. It sounds like Hulu Flash works great with the update. Have you tried playing Flash videos in HD, either from Hulu or Youtube?
I think the only way this review could have been any more perfect is if you could have done a head-to-head comparison between the 3610 and the Dell Inspiron Zino HD (I’m agonizing between the two). I would definitely appreciate any input you might have. Thanks!
Sean,
Thanks for the complement.
Yes, I have tried the Hulu HD and YouTube HD sites. The three vids on Hulu HD work fantastic! YouTube, not so good. But it’s the source or their player that is the issue. YouTube just wont start or locks up. Also, their bandwidth is next to nothing for some reason..barely 300kbs! If I let it download and buffer the whole vid, it might play. It’s not the Revo…it’s YouTube that has some issues right now. I’ll post some details about that later. Just remember, each of all the sites out there, HD or not, has their own encryption, player type, bandwidth allotment and final quality of the source material. So, if it’s garbage in….it’s garbage out. And at 1080P, it will look like lots of garbage! I’ve found that most non-HD Flash content looks better setting the Revo at 720p.
The Zino HD. Hmmm, I like that one too. Though it is AMD and the GPU does support acceleration and Flash, I’m sure it will work well too. The best part is you can get a better processor, so speed and multitasking would be greatly improved. Making the Zino HD a more “all around replacement” HTPC. Knowing what I know now about the Revo, I’d have no issue plunking down $450 for the Zino and getting the better CPU and maybe the better GPU, but cheese out with no wifi and the smallest HD. If you want more overall processor power, go and get the Zino. Same principal as the Revo, just more horsepower for about $130 more.
I’m thinking of just getting one right off for my main rig replacement. No worries.
Thanks for the review – very informative. I’m torn between this and the new Asus eeebox 1501!
Beaker1977,
Thanks for the props!
The Asus 1501 is identical with hardware (Atom 330 CPU and Ion GPU) and function as the Revo except for two things: The Asus has a DVD drive and it has a larger Hard drive. Also, with a sound level of 26dB on the Asus, it will be slightly audible compared to the silent Revo.
I considered the EEE 1501 myself, but could not find one for sale in the USA. Acer was first to market with theirs and I was not waiting on a DVD drive as I do not need one really.
Thanks
Hi Paul,
Great review! I recently bought Revo 3610 in the UK and was so impressed that I today got the second one.
My only disappointment is that although the wireless adapter was initially advertised as 802.11b/g/n, the units in the UK are in fact fitted with Atheros AR5007EG adapter which is only capable of b/g and does not have “n” or even “drat-n”.
I wonder what is the wireless card in your model and can you get wireless-n speed?
Also, the second unit I received today is considerably noisier than the first one and I will be returning it on Monday for the replacement. I don’t know it is just bad luck, but I am getting slightly worried as some other reviewers in the UK complained about the noise on some units.
Vlad,
Thanks for the cudo’s!
I’ve been reading up on the Revo 3610 by users in other countries: Canada, Japan, UK, etc. Many state that their units come with different configs than the Acer site states. Some have larger hard drives, no wireless N, no VESA mount. Some have said theirs makes more sound than versions from other countries. The USA model came out the last week in October, while the rest of the world has gotten access to them for a few months.
Mine makes absolutely NO sound. I can barely here is when the fan is at full speed during heavy HD usage. And I can only hear it if I put me ear to the fan port on top! So, I claim mine is “silent” for all intesive purposes.
Wifi card? Hmm, looks like it is the: AR5B91 wireless adapter . And it does in fact have b/g/n. I found sources on the net that state it’s Draft-N. Now, I do not yet have an N router. No need as my house is wired with cat-5, so I don’t use wifi except for my laptop and it uses G.
I may buy another one for my office, but I think I’ll opt for the Dell Zino HD (comfortably optioned to $450 USD) with the faster processor so it can be my desktop replacement and HTPC.
Hey Paul,
Great review of the product, you definitely were what caused me to go with the 3610. I do have a quick question.
You mentioned that to be careful to not lose the acer hotkey app. I looked on the acer download site for 3610, and didnt see any additional software other than the chipset/audio/video and lan drivers. I ordered the Revo with a 7200 rpm drive i plan to swap out and do a clean install of windows7 via a USB disk. Is there anything I need to make sure to get off the factory HD before I swap it out?
Mike,
Thanks for the complement!
Well, I’ve not looked at the Acer site to see what exactly is available for download there. Once you get the Revo and fire it up, it prompts you to make a Factory OS recovery disc set. Now, you’ll need a USB DVD or CD drive to make this. It will make an exact duplicate of the installed drive with all it’s programs, drivers and set up.
Now, if you’re not going to do that and just install a new Win-7 or another source copy, then you would want to get that HotKey program back. I saw it on the web here and there. Google it or dig on Acer’s site. Though, I will say I rarely use the keyboard to control volume or play features. So, even I don’t need it really. I’ve just seen guys go crazy to delete all bloatware and kill things they wish they hadn’t.
Personally, I’d put more ram in it vs. a faster drive. More ram would give better performance over seek times. But even ram is not needed unless you’re going to run a lot of things at once.
Good luck with the Revo, I luv what mine has done for our home entertainment.
Paul –
Great Review !
I just got mine and am looking to dig into it soon. A few questions – 1) how does it handle ISO files ? I have my whole DVD library ripped as ISOs and am hoping it will work ok. 2) is it ok to delete all the bloatware before making the backup ?
He Frank,
I’m not sure how you like to normally playback ISO files on your PC, but Windows Media Player does not normally handle ISO files, but VLC Media Player does and supports hardware acceleration http://www.videolan.org/vlc/ .
Oh, the backup plan. This is a point of contention with me. I’ve informally heard that the OS backup is on a seperate partition and is stored there. Which is normal, but there is no formal documentation of that. I believe it to be true as a lot of PC makers do that to save making a disc. If that is the case, then modifying and deleting the bloatware is ok to do first. Since I have WHS, I was able to make an image backup after first boot, so I did my backup that way.
Until I get a usb dvd drive to test the Acer’s backup, I cannot 100% say how they do this. Does their backup system make an image of the stored OS or is it a back up of your current working OS?
Much thx !
Did you by chance try XBMC with an ISO file ? I am looking to use XBMC for my home theater and it does a nice job of handling ISO files. I know that as of now, XBMC won’t handle HW acceleration (tho Tiben20 on the XBMC forum is working on that) but my biggest question/concern is does the ACER box have enough horsepower to properly run regular XBMC for Windows playing an ISO file ? I really would like to stay with Windows and not start to play with a stripped down linux version (which is what the XBMC forum is suggesting) if i can help it !
Frank,
I’ve run XBMC for several years now along with Boxee. Playing ISO files has noting to do with the Acer. The player used is what matters, that’s why I suggested VLC. But since you mention that you’re going to run a media center program, then yes, Boxee and XBMC both play ISO files very well. The Acer has more than enough HP to run either one playing ISO files.
I read that XBMC had gotten acceleration working some time ago….. And Boxee has it slatted to work with the new Beta coming out in a few weeks. The Boxee is built with XBMC’s foundation.
XBMC or Boxee works just as well on Linux as Windows. The Linux boys like Linux as it’s open source (free), and it can use less system resources. But, Linux and media playback can have issues. Use either Windows or Linux. But I don’t see the need to wipe a brand new Acer Revo of its Windows just to start from scratch and run Linux. There are no real advantages in doing so. Plug it in….install Boxee or XBMC…done….enjoy.
To lay any doubt aside about the Acer’s abilities. No troubles playing ANYTHING on the Acer: ISO with Full DVD files with working menu, 720 or 1080P, H.264, .mkv, mp2, mpg4, avi, Flash, Silverlight, NetFlix, Hulu, YouTube, XBMC, Boxee Alpha. No lag, no stumble. Incredible video quality. Watch a video in 1080p and surf the net or play a game at the same time. I mean, it freakin’ works!
Thanks for taking the time Paul. Very helpful and much appreciated. Will probably get one of these this week or wait for ASUS EB1501. I have a question for you if you don’t mind please.
I’m interested in this as a Windows Media extender too. I have WHS (MediaSmart) and Vista Media Center. You don’t seem to use yours in this way, but I’d imagine since it’s Windows 7 that everything should work well. Do you have any insight on this?
Thanks again.
Great review Paul, thanks for doing this!
I’ve had my 3610 for almost a month now, I was wondering…
Have you upgraded the RAM on your unit?
My AspireRevo 3610 works perfectly stable with the stock 2GB RAM (2 x 1GB, Unifosa, Elpida E1108ACBG -8E-E chips)
It works perfectly stable with replacement 2GB RAM (1 x 2GB, Kingston Platinum Series DDR2, Elpida E1108AFBG -8E-F chips)
It works perfectly stable with 3GB consisting of one replacement 2GB RAM and one stock 1GB RAM (1 x 2GB, Kingston Platinum Series DDR, Elpida E110AFBG -8E-F chips + 1 x 1GB, Unifosa, Elpida E1108ACBG -8E-E chips).
It is NOT stable with 4GB RAM (2 x 2GB, Kingston Platinum Series DDR2, Elpida E1108AFBG -8E-F chips). Windows 7 x64 also shows 4GB (3GB available).
I have tried two different sets of Kingston memory, in case it was the replacement memory that was faulty.
With 4GB, it causes crashdumps and random reboots in Linux.
Memtest86+ does not report errors, but will hang randomly in testing.
In Windows 7, it may run fine for hours (went a good 18 hours straight, then the next morning I woke up to “beeeeeeeeeeep”) then the machine will hang with graphic corruption or reboot.
Upon reboot from either Windows 7 or Linux, the machine will sometimes fail to restart – the POST beep does not stop – a constant beeeeeeeeeeeeep is heard and nothing is shown on video output.
Even after removing power from the machine and leaving it for 30-90 seconds then reapplying power, sometimes the machine will boot correctly, at other times it will have the constant beep and hang.
SO… I’m running with 3GB right now. The machine’s been running solid for over a week.
Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the machine – it’s quiet and reasonably fast. It’s a great HTPC. I just wish I could get the full 4GB working.
Hopefully Acer puts out a BIOS update or something. I contacted Acer support but they essentially told me that they can’t help with RAM things and if I really need help, I need to call the Acer phone support which costs money.
Philip,
Thanks for the complement and glad the review helped. The Asus was a cloooose second for me, but I did not want to wait for it to be released. It’s the same thing as the Revo but has a DVD rom. So, performance should be identical to the Revo.
I’m not a MCE user…yet. But upon a quick read of extenders I found this. Media extenders connect to a media center and allow the extender to “control” the actual media center. I found nothing that allows you to turn a PC into an “extender” to control another media center PC. I found no MS extender DVD or software to install on a PC to do this. Now, don’t take this info a gospel as I’m not a MCE geek.
Personally, I use the Acer as a media center with Boxee for shares, IE for internet videos and surfing. Personally, I’d just buy one for each TV and network to WHS rather than try to “extend” and control a single MCE unit with Revos. Though that would be cool. There are many ways to make this all work for your needs…that’s just my way.
Brandon,
My pleasure. I luv what this little guy does and the fantastic integration of the Atom and the Ion to bring content to your TV with a quality that used to take $600-$800 to do!
No, I’ve not upgraded the ram yet. I’ve had it only ten days and have resisted cracking it open to jack with it. I feel it works very, very well as it is. I don’t feel a faster drive will improve seek times enough to bother with. Now Ram, yes, I plan on this upgrade because the video card hogs up 512. After my initial clean up of bloatware, I was able to get the Revo to boot and have just about 1gb of free ram. Never ran out yet or had any issues yet either. Anyway, I read a review on Newegg.com that a buyer/user installed two sticks of Transend ram #N82E16820208407. Though, he made no comment of any issues or Windows seeing only 3 of the 4 gbs. Hmmm, I’ll have to do some more work on that one.
I’d say most of your issues with the crashing is probably the ram brand. Try the Transend part number listed above and you may have better luck.
Oh, and I have three video demos ready for posting too.
They are:
Part 1-GPU acceleration with 720p H.264 MKV files
Part 2-Flash acceleration with Hulu Desktop, Hulu IE and Hulu HD
Part 3- Boxee Flash app and SMB share of 720p H.264 files
Can’t wait to see the Revo in action here on PaulJRoberts.com? Then trot on over to my Vimeo channel to check ‘em out.
http://vimeo.com/pauljroberts
Be sure to leave a comment while you’re there!
***** Best price on the 3610 out there please?? *****
Thanks for the review. I’ve been looking at something my son and something to replace my mothers email computer I built her with very old pre2002 parts. I was mildly impressed with the 1600 I saw at best buy the other day and can only imagine this unit is much nicer. I’ll order soon.
Brandon, on your memory issue. Likely NOT a bios problem. While you may set timing for chips, addressing the full 4G during operation is not a function of the bios. I would look to a power or heat problem.
First, take your 3GIG setup and do the following.
Swap the current 1G and 2G module and see if it dies.
Next, swap out the 2G with your other 2G. Check for boom.
Swap the 1G and 2G again and see if the smoke is let out.
If all is well, it’s likely not a problem with the actual modules you have.
Now, go back to 4G but put the modules in different slots than you did originally. If problems assert and the time line seems the same then you may wish to look into an adapter that provides more current and hope it’s not internal power regulation causing this.
It may also be a heat issue. With a smaller fan setup you may be giving little thermal spikes that the smaller fan may not be taking care of fast enough. It is a tight space and with no ambient air, or objects, to absorb the radiant heat, you could be cooking the memory, or soemthing else, a little.
Try putting an external fan on the unit and see how long she lasts… Be sure you are keeping it really cool and that air flow goes over the top vent (not directed into) to draw air out. The improved flow may help. If it does, let acer know their airflow is improper for the unit.
Solution… if there’s room, try heat sinks for the memory. Look for lower current consuming ram modules or improve circulation.
Good luck.
Marc
Thanks for the reply Paul, things seem perfectly fine at 3GB, so barring Acer releasing a BIOS update that addresses more RAM, I’ll likely leave it be.
There’s only about a 256 MB difference between 3GB and 4GB (with 4GB, the video RAM falls into the unused space) anyway.
Received mine today, stripped it from bloatware and it seems working ok.
My biggest issues right now are : HDMI resolution, the Revo is directly pluged to a Sony W4000 LCD and although the TV is set to FullPixel text doesn’t look sharp.
Second more serious issue is around HDMI connectivity, I can’t get my Pioneer amp to recognize it. I didn’t have any compatibility issues with an Asus laptop, two Sony laptops, a Pioneer DVD player and a WD TV Live HD player. NVidia drivers are latest ones, 195.62 and I’m running Windows 7 x64.
Daniel
Daniel,
Well, your HDMI resolution is a mixture of your LCD settings and the Nvidia settings. I have mine connected to a brand new RCA 40″ TV and it is crystal clear. No issues at 10+ feet at reading any text or web sites. So, take a deep breath and dive into tweaking them
I do not own a surround sound system, so I”ve not connected the Revo into an amp controller. The Revo kicks out a straight signal with 5.1 surround, so it should pick it up. Make sure your HDMI cable is the latest compliant for the latest hardware and again, dive into the settings.
You’ve got the latest vid drivers, good. Be sure to get Flash Beta 10.1 too.
It’s not the Revo, that thing has flawless vid out. Just take your time and tweak some more. You’ll get it.
@Paul
Managed to get the Revo output to work with my Pioneer amp so it’s one issue sorted.
Now the second one I need sorting is the issue re resolution with kind of ghosting, noticeable on black text over grey background such as this comment box or on standard Windows menus, I *think* it’s sharper when I connect the amp to my other HDMI source (a Sony laptop).
I will do some research.
Paul,
Hey Paul,
I received my 3610 earlier this week and upgraded to 4gb of memory and the 7200 RPM drive. As Brandon mentioned, Windows 7 is seeing 4gb of installed memory, but only 2.75gb is usable. I’ve been doing some research on this and everyone that has upgraded to 4gb of memory has been seeing this, including linux users. Hopefully Acer releases a BIOS patch to fix this.
Everything is running beautifully but I am still trying to get the text to read well. I have a 40″ Samsung LN40A750R1F HDTV which is about 6-8 feet away. I set the font size to 150% but it still comes in a bit fuzzy even though I’m running at the native resolution of the TV.
Also, I was wondering if you’ve made any progress getting XBMC to work smoothly with 1080p content? I’ve been trying out some alternative SVN versions of XBMC for Windows with limited success. Just wanted to see how well you’re doing with XBMC.
-Mike
@Mike
I think you’re having the same issue as I have.
I am outputting at 1080p60 on my TV (via amplifier which won’t rescale the picture) and text looks a bit fuzzy like you say. Video content is fine though.
The TV I’ve got is a Sony W4000.
I will try connecting a Sony Z laptop to the same HDMI cable plugged to the Revo and will compare image quality.
I’ve been reading of issues with NVidia drivers outputting wrong signals:
http://communities.intel.com/thread/4289
Daniel
Hey Mike,
Glad to see your Revo made it and the upgrades went well. Must be a bios issue with Revo recognizing only 3 of the 4 gb of ram. Hmm, keep us posted here if you find a lead.
Some guys are having picture quality issues over HDMI to their amp systems then routing to the TV. I’m not an AV specialist, but it seems that all comes down to how the amp or TV interprets the signals. Another poster mentions and issue with Nvidia and ATI, but I’m not so sure it’s an “issue.” I have my Revo connected directly to a brand new RCA 1080p HDTV and it is FLAWLESS! (You tweeted me that you found a solution. Post it here, would ya?)
Oh, XBMC. Hmmm, no, I have not installed it yet. Been messing around with WMC to see if I would like it or integrate well, which I’m not sold on due to it cannot import TV/Movie meta data at all! I may, may try XBMC LIVE for a test drive. But that’s all for now. I have my Boxee all set as I like for SMB shares and have IE set with all my Internet video content sites (Netflix, Hulu, Youtube, CBS, NBC, and a few others),and I just want to use the Revo after all this testing. Until Boxee and XBMC implement GPU acceleration and update the integrated Flash to 10.1 Beta….they will be useless as an “all-in-one” solution on lower powered PC’s.
Keep me posted on your set up, OK?
I’m looking at the 3610 to replace a desktop rig. I’m a student and really only need a computer to check email, run java applets for class and minor multitasking (i.e. running iTunes or bit torrent while surfing the internet is the max). I do want something I can play the hundreds of DVDs I have backed up, but want something multi purposed. I want to run a 23 inch monitor on my desk and run a HDMI to my TV 10 feet away for movies and HULU. Would this be a good option?
Thanks.
P.S.- Great overall review Paul.
Update for those following my issue…
I moved back to the stock 2x1GB sticks and after 2-3 days of running fine, the machine went into constant beep again.
So it’s not having 4GB, nor is it the upgraded RAM. It’s something about the machine. I think I just got a lemon, and I’m just out of Newegg’s return, so I’m RMA-ing back to Acer for replacement.
Thanks everyone for the suggestions and ideas.
Hopefully things will be better the second time around.
Nick,
Boy, the review should have sealed the deal for ya…
Yes, this would do exactly what you asked! Enjoy.
I was wondering can the dual core atom handle silverlight vids in HD full screen (1920*1080)? I recently returned the single core version because of its inability to do this. The single core can handle 1080p mkvs no problem but silverlight full screen was unwatchable(even with 4 gb of ram). The only reason I can justify buying this to the boss is if it can replace my cable box. The one thing i really need to be able to do is stream UFC ppv’s from their website which uses silverlight. With the new flash beta i was able to do 720p youtube no problem.
Bob,
The Revo 3610 handles 1080P mkv’s fine. I’m not sure what UFC uses for the scale of their silverlight stream. Is their feed “really” 1080p? I’m not so sure of that. Heck I’m not sure anyone mainstream is streaming true HD content over the net. They are steaming it in 720p-1080p format, but not in true HiDef.
I run Netflix via IE with the Revo set to 1080p out and it runs perfectly! Same for Hulu, but their encryption is so demanding and the resolution they pump out is not true HD, so anything over 720p with Hulu makes the picture juuuuusst a tad lower in quality. But that’s Hulu and not the Revo. Both Netflix and Hulu flow and play perfectly on the Revo 3610 at 1080p. So, compare the UFC with Netflix. Are they the same in your book?
Honestly, the Revo 1600 single core has huge limitations due to only 2 hyper threads. The dual core has double. So the dual core can handle multi tasking and higher demand functions that the single cannot. I watch Netflix and surf the net at the same time. Heck, I’ve run two videos at once with no issues.
There’s a guy on Ebay offering the 3610 for $387 w/free shipping and a 320GB HDD. Is this still a buy? I ask because it seems like at that price I should go with a Dell Zino. I’m just torn and it sucks.
Paul,
Theres an hd demo video here: http://www.iis.net/media/experiencesmoothstreaming1080p. Try running it full screen and let me know how it works(on the single core i would run it full screen and the speed and quality would throttle down terribly). I know the “feed” isnt 1080p all I need is 720p otherwise its a stepdown from my cable box and a waste of 52″ of Samsung glory. But either way I’m guessing it was due to the single core so I had better save some scratch and buy the dual core. Now I just have to find one cheap with low RAM because I have 5gb’s sitting around collecting dust.
One other thing: What kind of reach do you get with the included wireless mouse/keyboard combo? I had a wireless combo that was a couple years old and couldnt give me the approx 10ft reach I needed curious as to how the included set is. Thanks for app your help its greatly appreciated.
There is a website with an HD demo. Does it run smooth full screen? google “silverlight smoothstreaming iis demo” first result cant post link. With the single core silverlight would throttle fps, connection speed, and quality to being unwatchable. I know the “feed” isnt 1080p on ufc but im hoping for 720p out of the revo otherwise its a stepdown from my cable box and a waste of 52″ of Samsung glory. Thanks for all the help.
P.S.
Sorry if this double/triple posts. I think because of the link it gets rejected.
Bob,
I’m 10 ft away and have the little USB dongle plugged into the top of the Acer just to make sure it has no issues. Which I’ve had none. I have not tested max distance or anything, but I’m 10 ft away….
I’ll have to check the link out tonight, but I’ve been playing any silverlight vid via netflix and alike at 720p and 1080p just fine. Stay tuned.
Hi – seems like I’m the only one who can’t get HDMI signal to output anything to my TV (a 37″ Toshiba) The screen remains blank!
I’ve also found closing down often hangs as well, so I have to force switch off via the on/off switch and then reboot.
I’ve got the 500GB, 4 GB RAM and Win 7.
Any suggestions?
I’ve tried registering it but ACER don’t seem well prepared for this – their web site simply says invalid serial number! So I’m stuffed at the moment for getting help. Any ideas anyone?
Howard
@Bob:
My wireless keyboard/mouse went a good 20 feet (straight line-of-sight). Of course at that range I couldn’t see the screen well enough to know what I was doing (I only have a 46-inch TV).
Howard,
YOu left a lot of things unanswered. Here goes:
What model do you have, 3600? The 3610 does not come with a 500gb drive or 4 gb ram.
Did you reinstall the OS?
Did you install ALL the Nvidia and Acer drivers?
Did you enable the Nvidia video drivers?
Do you have the Nvidia video drivers set to turn on the HDMI port?
Are you using a new compliant HDMI cable?
Those are just a few?
Nick,
Be careful, many on Ebay are selling the OLDER 3600 with windows vista. Same hardware really. So make sure what you’re getting. I’d buy the 3610 from Newegg.com and be done with it. Yes, you could buy a Zino for about $430 with the better CPU, Video card and 3 gig ram and the smallest HD for that cost (no wifi-which sucks anyway for movie streaming). If money is a factor, get the Revo from Newegg. If money is no option, then hell yeah, get the Zino!
Appreciate all your help. Cant wait to buy the 3610 and setup my dual boot again with xbmc and windows 7. Once again thanks for everything
Guys,
It seems that 3GB usable RAM out of 4GB is BIOS and/or chipset limitation. I have been working with various 64-bit systems since 2004 and almost always the problem was with the BIOS remapping problem.
If you do want more details, like what conditions need to be fulfilled to see the full 4GB RAM, please check this Microsoft KB:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929605
It is written for Vista, but I believe it equally applies to Windows 7.
Regards
Vlad
Thank you for that long list of questions – I didn’t know what to ask…but now I can start to work through them. I guessed it was something to do with drivers.
It is the Revo 3610, 500 GB H/D and 4 GB RAM.
I’ll report back.
H.
Hi,
I’ve just got the Revo3610, connected to a Philips 42PFL8404, the video is good however I can’t get the sound output to the LCD TV by te HDMI cable. Is there anything I can do to troubleshoot?
I had set the HDMI HD audio as defalut and can see the green bars during the test click but the TV produce no sound.
Revo3610 – 4GB RAM Windows 7.
Thanks
Cel
Cel,
You have sound adjustments in several places.
1-Make sure the master sound of Windows is at 50%. Should be on the taskbar…little speaker icon.
2-Make sure the video player’s sound is at least 75% or more.
3-Make sure your TV sound is turned up to whatever you like.
Lastly, make sure your HDMI cable is connected to the correct port. Usually, one HDMI port on the TV supports sound and the other does not. So, check all this out and report back. You should find your solution in that list.
Howard,
Make sure you open the Nvidia control panel. There is a VGA and HD resolution settings area. Be sure to set the HDMI to at least 720P, that will trigger the HDMI cable to come on.
I asked many other questions as many people have reinstalled the OS and forgot to install the Nvidia drivers and such.
Also, I’ve learned that Revo 3610 users in other countries have more hard drive sizes and ram options that we in the USA do not have. So, that explains how you have a 500 gb drive and 4gb ram. Though, that is how the 3600 came and not the 3610 in most areas I’ve seen.
Let me know what you find out.
Paul,
Thank you for this in depth review. I’ve been researching HTPCs for awhile and had been almost sold on the 3610, but your review pushed me over the edge. My only problem now is actually being able to buy one (still back ordered on newegg).
I am new to using HTPCs so I am not quite sure why you are using MPC-HC. I thought using Boxee to handle all of the media contect was enough. I’ve tried to read up on MPC-HC since reading your post but still don’t quite understand how it would apply to boxee.
Thanks
JP,
Just back order the one at Newegg. They seem to have exclusive rights to all the inventory coming out of Acer. I’ve seen them go to “back order” status and on/near the expected date they are available and taking more orders. Mine was that way and shipped out on the scheduled date!
You’re right, MPC-HC has nothing to do with Boxee.
And I can understand your confusion with this. MPC-HC was used to show how the ION does properly support GPU acceleration with the ION video card. But currently, Boxee Alpha does not support GPU acceleration. So, the same vids played on Boxee Alpha hit the CPU at over 65% vs. 22% played with MPC-HC. They still played just as good in Boxee, but still wanted to demonstrate this fact. Flash is the same way with Boxee Alpha. For GPU acceleration to work, the player as well has to support this feature, which Boxee does not and MPC-HC does. These two areas of GPU acceleration confuse many, many people.
Boxee Beta does support GPU acceleration and it rocks! I’m currently in the closed Boxee Beta test group and I can tell you that it works very well.