Top deals on CNET here
- Average user rating: 2.0 stars out of 24 reviews Back to product review
- My rating: 0 stars
Full user review
-
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful
0.5 stars
"A great little HTPC that remains crippled by Acer"
Pros: Small, quiet, powerful, attractive, inexpensive. Probably the best deal around for a Home Theater Personal Computer (HTPC).
Cons: Problems with network adapter cutting in & out.
Summary: I bought this device the day I heard about it. I knew it was the perfect fit for my entertainment center as a Home Theater Personal Computer (HTPC). Got home, set it up and was just all around happy. One HDMI cable to attach to my TV and no hassle with choosing resolutions (1080p) or anything. Set it so that Vista Media Center starts at windows start-up and attached a remote control. Connected to my shared videos/mp3/pictures/etc across the network. There were a couple of network issues where it just stopped working and then started again.
BIOS update to fix network problems results in HDMI audio not working, so have to use more than just HDMI cable to attach to TV (part of the reason i got it).
A little long for shelf.
It's an Acer :-(
HOWEVER, this is when my problems started. I received an Email from Acer telling me about a BIOS update. Then the Acer Update software started telling me that there was a BIOS update also. Apparently, one of the things this update was supposed to fix was the network issues. So, I ran the BIOS update, rebooted windows and found out that I don't have any sound anymore. Tried altering some settings, etc, but nothing seemed to work. I googled "acer x1200 hdmi audio" and came across people all with this same problem.
I called Acer support (device is just over a month old at this point) and after about 45 minutes waiting I finally speak to someone that tells me to do a Windows System Restore, even though this won't change anything on the BIOS. The phone conversation was disconnected, so I wait for the representative to call me back, since we are in the middle of trying to help me. When this happened to me before with Dell, they called back in a matter of minutes. Needless to say, no one called me back. So about 30 mins later, I call support again, wait for about an hour and finally get through to someone else. I explain the situation to him and he starts chastising me about updating the BIOS and how no one should ever update the BIOS. I then explain to him that I was notified 2 different ways by Acer to update. Needless to say, he shuts up and has no solution, except for me to have it shipped to them out of my own pocket to have it repaired. By repaired, I'm sure they mean reformatted, and not fixed. If it could be fixed, they would just release a BIOS update for everyone to use to fix their system themselves.
I guess I could live with this problem if it wasn't for the fact that I don't have any other inputs on my TV for sound other than HDMI. My other devices are using such connections. Basically, I'm left with almost a brick.
In short, this would be the perfect little HTPC, but Acer leaves a lot to be desired. I only wish it was sold and built by Dell so I could get some of their wonderful support.
Buyer beware.
- 3 replies to this review
-
thank you for your honest report
-
Your experience with the Acer X1200 is interesting and "instructional". You remarks about Dell's outstanding service leave me COLD. I've had nothing but pure "he$%" from Dell ... (any alliteration is purely coincidental)
-
There is a new fix to the HDMI audio bios issue. See here:
http://www.slashgear.com/acer-issues-aspire-x1200-hdmi-hotfix-2814845/
