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5 Comments on “Acer Aspire REVO R3610-U9012 – Ultra-slim desktop – 1 x Atom 330 / 1.6 GHz – RAM 2 GB – HDD 1 x 160 GB – GF 9400 – Gigabit Ethernet – WLAN : 802.11b/g/n – Windows 7 Home Premium – Monitor : none”

1. 
   1 David Alan Tussey said at 7:40 pm on September 20th, 2010:

   Stripped out the Windows 7 and loaded Ubuntu. Then ran XBMC. Works really nicely in that role. Well made box, small, quiet. Nice.
   Rating: 5 / 5

2. 
   2 Scott Showalter said at 10:10 pm on September 20th, 2010:

   I recently had a chance to review this Acer AspireRevo to the to its most popular competitor from Zotac (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0030UH2J4?tag=a52-20&ie=UTF8) and I have a bit to say about both. I’ve broken down my comparison by specific sections, detailing often-overlooked characteristics of computers.

   As someone who has been involved in mini-PCs, having owned one since ASUS first started vying to draw attention away from Apple’s still-visually-unchanged Mac Mini, I hope you find my review helpful and that the insight I share positively impacts your buying decision.

   === CAPABILITIES ===
   
   Small home theater PCs (HTPCs) are rapidly growing in popularity. Several manufacterers are trying to scoop up a peice of the market. However, right out of the gate, any mini-PC worthy of being considered for use as an HTPC must deliver on two things: a CD/DVD drive, as well as a decent way to implement some form of TV capture card (whether mini PCI-E, onboard hookup, or otherwise). The missing media here drive can be an annoyance, although the obstacle can be easily overcome with a slightly larger budget and one of these (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002VKBKD8?tag=a52-20&ie=UTF8). Another viable solution might be to grab one of these thin, sexy external drives (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002C1BBU8?tag=a52-20&ie=UTF8) which won’t detract from the all-important visual appeal, if your box will ever have eyes laid upon it and you still want to play and burn CDs and DVDs, or ever want to install CD/DVD based software from time to time without too much hassle.

   However, between the (forgiveable) missing media drive and the (inexcusable) missing TV capture solution, I really can’t recommend this for use as an HTPC, in full or part, because it makes this device pretty limited. Technically, if you have digital cable, you could get a remote dual-tuner (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0010Y414Q?tag=a52-20&ie=UTF8). Otherwise, about all you be able to do is use it more as a media extender for another PC already set up to act as the main media server/TV-capture source. Of course, if you’re only after this unit for use as a media extender, it may just suit your needs perfectly. Be sure to snag a decent media-center remote (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00123UGWQ?tag=a52-20&ie=UTF8) if that is indeed the case. There isn’t one included.

   === POWER ===
   
   The Nvidia ION provides this unit with all the power it needs to be a decent media mogul: pairing the power of the central processor with the graphics processor for an economical yet potent combination of performance. Media will benefit from the ION core, which is why Nvidia ION boards and boxes are so popular for use with HTPC implementations.

   Can you call this a multi-tasking beast, on the other hand? Not really. Just as is the case with the Zotac counterpart, you do indeed benefit from the multi-tasking capabilities provided by dual-core hyperthreading Atom processor that Acer chose to use with this unit, there are reasonable limits, especially if media is playing (including in the browser). You probably don’t want to be browsing the Web with more than a handful of tabs open, especially since Flash-based media is placed on and over-abundance of websites these days. So, leaving browser tabs open will begin to bog down the machine rather quickly, especially if you tend to browse the web fiendishly like I do (opening as many Google results as I can in separate tabs, and similar antics).

   If you use multiple apps or programs at once, you probably don’t want to run more than 2-3 (and try to keep background processes and system-tray utilities to a minimum as well). The system can withstand the graphics intensive Aero interface Windows Vista and 7 provides pretty well, but when you start to accrue several windows, all which employ the same translucent effects, they can degrade the performance of the machine over time as well.

   === HEAT ===
   
   Both the Acer and the Zotac had about the same heat radiance, but the amount of venting is not quite as adequate as is to be desired. Understandably, proper venting is an obstacle to many of today’s mini-pc form factors. This unit is warm when idle, but lack of sufficient venting can be misleading, causing heat to build up a bit during moderate to heavy use (watching movies, etc). If you’re attaching the unit to the back of your TV, it will get even hotter. All things to consider, after all, plastic tends to be an insulator.

   === NOISE ===
   
   Noise can also be a concern when considering using a machine as an HTPC, but audiophiles wouldn’t be caught using cheap gear anyway. With the Acer AspireRevo, you’ll hear it running if you try (e.g. stick your head up to it), same as with the Zotac counterpart. But the noise generated by the unit is pretty much on par with or less noticeable than anything else you’re probably running at home. VCRs were noisier. The static from your speakers are probably even noisier. Plus, if it’s mounted to the back of your TV, the TV itself would block most of the sound in the unlikely event that the fans were to start roaring up.

   === SPACE ===
   
   The Acer offers you three configurations, as does the Zotac counterpart, with one key difference: for those who have a flat screen TV, but aren’t using the VESA mount, there’s a mounting kit that allows you to attach the Acer AspireRevo to the back of your flat screen, essentially hiding it from view behind your TV. Being that the unit is larger than the area of space that a VESA mount normally takes, I noticed that some TVs that had odd protrusions in the back didn’t always fit the Acer to the VESA mount easily. Also, in some configurations, the behind-the-TV positioning may make it annoying for you to access the box easily. You can also position the box flat on a suitable surface (no stand) or stand the device straight up, using its stand.

   === OTHER CONSIDERATIONS ===
   
   Some might be considering this unit for purposes other than an HTPC, such as web browsing, a home music and file sharing server, even as a spare computer for the kids (with proper parental controls, of course). The idea of these small PCs is really to allow you to equip just about every room in the house with the ‘digital experience’ …whatever that may encompass for you.

   Acer kindly included a keyboard and mouse combo, though I found it to be a bit bulky and not very attractive. There are several portable keyboards that include methods of controlling the mouse too. This portable mini keyboard (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0011FOOI2?ie=UTF8&tag=a52-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0011FOOI2) with mouse control support is pretty popular at the moment.

   I hope you have found this review to be helpful on your mini-PC adventure.
   Rating: 3 / 5

3. 
   3 Donovan said at 10:27 pm on September 20th, 2010:

   I thought about getting a barebones pc and building an HTPC but then I stumbled upon this and it looked like everything I was hoping to find, and for less money. Since I got it last week, it’s been amazing. No more long cords from my laptop to the TV, no more loud Xbox fan when I want to watch downloaded movies, no more crowding around a small screen when I have something funny to show my friends on YouTube. I’d recommend removing some of the pre-installed software and updating to Flash 10.1, but you should do for any PC right now IMHO.

   I would list all of the things that I like about the Aspire Revo, but I’d just be recapping the list of product specs (they made this one right). Instead I’ll just say it is as good as it sounds and everything works great. If you are looking for any kind of HTPC or small, light machine, this is the one I’m telling my friends to get. You should definitely consider it too.
   Rating: 5 / 5

4. 
   4 HP said at 10:46 pm on September 20th, 2010:

   …the best nettop for the money! It is sleek and compact, and I was able to mount it to the back of my flatscreen monitor. This is great for basic web browsing and other media applications (picture viewing, MP3′s, etc.).

   To overcome the slow internal WLAN, I am using a Linksys USB network adaptor.
   Rating: 4 / 5

5. 
   5 Swuzy said at 1:15 am on September 21st, 2010:

   After reading the reviews, I saw an Acer Aspire R3610 at Fry’s Electronics sale for $299. Bought it to use as a low cost Home Theater PC (HTPC). I have an upgraded Comcast residential cable service. Supposedly better than 16 MBS (but it does fluctuate and quite often is lower).

   Had initial difficulty getting a good video throughput to the Acer HTPC and to my 62 inch lcd projection screen, but everything worked out very reasonably ok with some upgrades.

   It wouldn’t pick up my super G signal.

   By moving the Acer HTPC around my house, I knew there was a signal input bottleneck at the big screen location. Wifi G/N signal reception was much better at other locations.

   So upgraded to a MIMO concurrent G/N signal (TRENDnet GREENnet 300 Mbps Concurrent Dual Band Wireless N Gigabit Router TEW-673GRU (Black) using both 2.4 and 5 frequencies). Still not good. N signal strength does drop sharply with distance, but this was extremely disappointing as my 3 year old laptop could pick the old super G nicely in same area.

   Stuck a $14 USB 8 GB flash drive onto it and set aside 4 GB for RAM, and also had previously set aside 4 to 8 GB on hard drive as swap area. Video output is still lousy.

   I hooked up a couple of Netgear XE104 powerline 85 mbs modules that I had lying around, and got video throughput (remember, every rated MBS needs to be halved because half is taken up by overhead). However, streaming video would stutter, buffer, and play, sometimes with stuttered buffering taking up more time than watchable video. Sometimes What Is My IP Speed reported 512 kbs download speed. Ouch. It is very possible that some defects have developed with these very old XE104 powerline modules, indeed 2 of 4 modules had to be thrown away as not putting out an ethernet signal on swap tests. But then I knew the outlets were on the same powerline circuit.

   Decided to buy a $139 Netgear Home Theater AV Powerline set (the NETGEAR Home Theater Internet Connection Kit (Black) includes a Powerline AV200 XAV2001 which plugs into your router and into the AC socket, and a Netgear Powerline AV with 4 port ethernet switch XAV 1004 which plugs into an AC socket close to your big screen and outputs ethernet to your Acer HTPC, ROKU device, etc.). That did the trick. With the Powerline AV setup, “What is my IP speed” reports downloads of over 22000 kbs and uploads of over 4000 kbs using the Acer HTPC. Wow. Very sweet, as this is with the following overhead running on the little Acer … Microsoft Security Essentials, Norton, Super AntiSpyware, TOR.

   In hindsight, I probably could have made it work just by getting a better mimo g/n USB antenna wifi dongle. Would have costed under $50, instead of $139 for the Powerline Audio Visual pair. However with the Powerline AV, I felt I had better absolute assurance of getting a good signal (the lower grade powerline did produce a signal), whereas the upgraded usb wifi antenna might or might not have worked.

   With the Powerline AV setup, I really did not need to upgrade my super G router to the concurrent G/N router, but I had wanted to do so for other reasons for some time now.

   So, all in all, I’m quite happy this little puppy could, albeit with some beefing up of signal support. For me, its major shortfall is its very disappointing internal wifi antenna. Wish it came with a better B/G/N antenna, like a MIMO antenna. But as noted, there are work arounds that will make this puppy sing and dance a very lively tune.

   UPDATE.

   For the moment, I am only using this for streaming online web videos/movies, not yet hard disk videos or lan videos nor blue ray or other usb dvd yet.

   Quality of online streaming is maybe similar to but not better than Netflix ROKU standard g versions (hard to tell, but might not be as good as or is slightly inferior to Roku standard g). I have then attached a new Roku HD-XR Player HD extended range N version and it puts out a 720p signal to my 720p big screen 62″ rear projection lcd TV. The Roku XR’s N antenna captures my router’s signals quite well (better than the Acer’s) and the big screen output is very definitely superior to the Acer HTPC’s streaming online videos.

   By the way, I have an older TV with only one HDMI input and that little HDMI switcher is marvelous. Apogee HDMI 3×1 Mini Switcher v1.3b Full HD 1080p – 25m Amplified with External IR Receiver Remote Control
   Rating: 4 / 5

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