Acer Aspire L320 minipc problems

[bigboysg]

Purchase an Acer Aspire L320 at Comex 2007. Nice and quiet book size minipc, even smaller than my SVC cable box

Some problems I find with the L320 (top of the line model with TV Tuner):
1. Documentation - VERY bad. There is NO documentation describing contents in the box. I have some items which I have to guess what they are and where they fit. For example, I see a small black rectangular box that has a USB connection. I guess it is probably the receiver for the remote control. Then there is a little bean thing with a thin long cable (probably an IR Blaster). No parts description, I think it connects to one of the 2 holes of the above mentioned remove control receiver device. I have no idea what this is for an whether the connection is right. The user guide is a generic Acer Aspire L series guide that does not mention my model or the various ports relating to the TV Tuner card).

2. S-Viodeo TV out is not working. I connected it to my TV and cannot see anything. It is not detected by the system. I searched on the web and found other customers also facing the same problem.

3. Technical Support - Seems that they don't even know what they are selling. I called them up to complain that I cannot send the signal out to my LCD tv through the s-video tv out port. After some digging, the tech support say they do not even have an L320 (they only have L310) and he has NEVER seen the L320 with a tv runer card and cannot confirm if it has a tv-out port. He cannot find any documentation either on this and ask me to take a picture of the back of the computer to email to him! How stupid.

4. TV tuner - tuned channels are not sharp/clear. Only when using AV In port do I get an acceptable image.

5. I need to find out how the FM receiver works as I cannot find any app (or Vista Media Center setup/screen) that deals with listening to FM radio. Does anyone know how to setup Vista Media Centre to receive and playback FM signal? I don't see anything about Radio setup in the setup screen. The FM/TV tuner in the Acer is a Yuan MPC788.

The Acer Technical Support guy that came out to check on the system seemed like he never saw a unit with the TV tuner card before. I had to show him the functions and what was not working. He took the unit back to Acer for diagnostic.

 

[bigboysg]

Well, after having Acer technical support taken my unit for over 3 weeks for diagnostic, now then got back to me to say that the s-video is just a dummy port. It is not connected to anything and is not a feature of the tv tuner card! I am at a lost for words. It takes them over 3 weeks to find out? Are they only using that as an excuse as they cannot get it to work? I bought the unit without a bundled monitor as I intended for it to be an entertainment center to connect to my TV. If the S-Video is not working, it would defeat the purpose! Their sales people are misleading the customers as they were pointing out the ports at the computer to me before my purchase and showed me the s-video port.

The tech support claimed that the s-video port is not in the brochure so it is not a "feature" of the computer. I told them that the brochure is just as abtract as it also DID not mentioned other part of the tv-tuner card (AV-in, optical audio out, Remove receivere, IR blaster, etc). So if any of those part are not working, they can also claim it was not part of the "feature"? This sucks. What should I do? I have alredy lost over 3 weeks of productivity....

After arguing about this problem on the phone (which they claim is not a problem as they just forgot to seal the dummmy port), they offer to HELP me by selling me an Acer 22" P223W 5ms LCD. What kind of COMPENSATION is that? I can get a brand new 2ms 22" Samsung (for a similar price they quoted) at the store now. Why should I spend a similar amount buying yet another Acer product? I refuse to take the unit back until they fix the problem :-(

 

[mss666]

1. Documentation <--- go to the start menu select all programs and look in the acer system folder.

2. S-Viodeo TV out is not working. I connected it to my TV and cannot see anything. It is not detected by the system <---- it doesnt have one see question 1

3. Technical Support - Seems that they don't even know what they are selling. I called them up to complain that I cannot send the signal out to my LCD tv through the s-video tv out port. After some digging, the tech support say they do not even have an L320 (they only have L310) and he has NEVER seen the L320 with a tv runer card and cannot confirm if it has a tv-out port. He cannot find any documentation either on this and ask me to take a picture of the back of the computer to email to him! How stupid.

<-------- acer dont tell the support staff what they sell so sometimes with new machines this will happen.

4. TV tuner - tuned channels are not sharp/clear. Only when using AV In port do I get an acceptable image. <---- dont have the spec's to hand but im guessing it will only take a digital input so if your using an analogue input it wont work.

5. I need to find out how the FM receiver works as I cannot find any app (or Vista Media Center setup/screen) that deals with listening to FM radio. http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/691a2e47-9459-4b9f-a423-bece085a153a1033.mspx

The Acer Technical Support guy that came out to check on the system seemed like he never saw a unit with the TV tuner card before. I had to show him the functions and what was not working. He took the unit back to Acer for diagnostic. <--- they are not acer tech guy they work for a company called lynx who carry out all acers on site repairs

After arguing about this problem on the phone (which they claim is not a problem as they just forgot to seal the dummmy port), they offer to HELP me by selling me an Acer 22" P223W 5ms LCD. What kind of COMPENSATION is that? I can get a brand new 2ms 22" Samsung (for a similar price they quoted) at the store now. Why should I spend a similar amount buying yet another Acer product? I refuse to take the unit back until they fix the problem :-( <---- acer tech support staff will never sell you anything, except maybe the extended warranty.

the acer tech support are not part of acer, they do not sell anything. they are not there to help you set up your machine, they are not there to teach you how to use your machine. they only thing they are there for is to fix you machine if it stops working.

 

[bigboysg]

1. <--- go to the start menu select all programs and look in the acer system folder.
The "Generic" documentation is plain lousy. No mention of the parts (e.g. IR blaster)

2. <---- it doesnt have one see question 1
Yes it does, and is clearly labeled on the unit. The consumer is just NOT informed that is is a DUMMY that is not connected to anything. It is very misleading. You can't depend on the "generic" documentation as it does not contain specifics of ALL the parts included with the system. So any part that is in the box but not mentioned is just a product of your imagination and don't have to work?

3. <-------- acer dont tell the support staff what they sell so sometimes with new machines this will happen.
This seems to be true. Very sad for those guys to to support things they never see.

4. <---- dont have the spec's to hand but im guessing it will only take a digital input so if your using an analogue input it wont work.
I was using the TV out from the Starhub Digital box. It "sort of" works, but the quality is BAD.

5. <--- they are not acer tech guy they work for a company called lynx who carry out all acers on site repairs
That is interesting. I guess you mean the technician that comes out to do servicing. I guess they are outsource this service.

As to the technical support on the phone, I would suspect that they work for Acer. A lot of firms employ contract staff that are officially staff of contracting firms but they are still considered staff of the company (but just contracts vs perm staff) and have email address from the company. For example, I know a number of contractors at HP, but to the outside world they are HP employees.

<---- acer tech support staff will never sell you anything, except maybe the extended warranty.
I mean support guy on the phone, not the technician that came out to do repairs. They DID offer to sell me the LCD. Even quoted me a "special" price that was actually higher that what I could I get from SLS.

<---- they are not there to teach you how to use your machine. they only thing they are there for is to fix you machine if it stops working.
I wasn't talking about use of the machine but configuration which may not have been set properly, and without proper documentation. The 2nd technician that came out was actually a lot better. Got the FM working in the Vista Media Center, and fixed a subsequent problem of the DVDRW not working (probably cable came loose when they were testing the unit).

 

[FUtomNOreg]

I bought an Acer Aspire One (AAO) this fall and within weeks the screen blacked out upon booting. Rather than replacing my AAO , Acer referred me to a technical repair depot. After 6 weeks still no word - then two weeks ago after calling Acer they said they would send me a new one on back order. Still no sight of it. Today when i called they said they have no idea when the back order will be filled. Just wonderful customer support - not! Wish i had bought a MacBook now.

 

[tabs59]

Mine worked fine until it failed to boot up 12 months to the day that I bought it. I have heard online of similar problems people have had with this model failing around the end of warranty time.

Curry's are very reluctant to do anything about it. My local PC repair shop wouldn't touch it, as it was a mini tower and difficult to work on, so be warned.

My solution is no more Acer and no more Curry's! I am spreading the word, so other people don't get caught out!

 

[l320boyo]

If it failed after only 12 months your rights as a consumer are protected under the sale of goods act - for upto 6 years. An appliance such as this has to last a reasonable amount of time. My L320 failed 2 weeks after the manufacturers warranty expired - I have just had it repaired free of charge by Comet after I told them I was aware of my Statutory Rights and would pursue Comet via the online small claims court to ensure they repaired it free of charge. It was booked in that afternoon.

There is definately a problem with this model as Ebay is littered with dead examples. It's a shoddy product and although mine now works again I don't expect it to last forever as the heat generated by a few components inside is unbelievable, (hot enough to burn).

Don't forget, a warranty is in ADDITION to your statutory rights - not a replacement for them.

http://whatconsumer.co.uk/how-long-should-it-last/ <- READ THIS!

I'll check back here every so often so if anyone else manages to get theirs repaired, post here.
Final note - don't be fobbed off - know your rights.


Here is a list of Direct Store numbers - Speak to the manager - he / she will know that you're right.


Aon Warranty Group 0870 4003320 0208 8645400 Helpdesk - handle Comet warranty claims
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Comet 0870 5425425 01633 873761 Cwmbran
Comet 0870 5425425 0117 9772848 Bristol Service Centre
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