Audio Issues on Acer Aspire 7720G

Hi.
I recently bought a Acer Aspire 7720G-302G32Hi Laptop.
I have a wierd intermitant problem.
When using Windows Media Player, or Media Center, i can be listening to music for an hour or so and its fine.
Other times after just a few seconds, the audio just seems to stop.
It does it when watching films sometimes to. The audio just stops but everything else still runs fine. (Still have video etc)
It does it in games too. (Still plays fine but with no sound)
Its like theres some kind of problem with the drivers.
If you close the program and start it again however, the audio is then fine.
There doesnt seem to be any kind of reason for it and it doesnt do it at a certain point either, just when it fels like it.
Theres no problems showing under device manager. I have even tried to un-install the drivers and re-install them again. And its still doing it.

However, it doesnt do it when streaming audio through my web browser. I use firefox for internet and often listen to online radio. Wierd.

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated. It is getting really frustrating.
Thanks in advance guys.

The Specs (just in case they are needed):

As requested in earlier replies, and to avoid mistakes,
The operating system is - Windows Vista Home Premium 32 Bit (or x86)

General
Platform Technology Intel Centrino Duo
System Type Notebook
Built-in Devices Stereo speakers, subwoofer, wireless LAN aerial
Width 40.4 cm
Depth 29.8 cm
Height 4.3 cm
Weight 3.6 kg
Localisation United Kingdom
Processor
Processor Intel Core 2 Duo T7300 / 2 GHz
Multi-Core Technology Dual-Core
64-bit Computing Yes
Data Bus Speed 800 MHz
Chipset Type Mobile Intel PM965 Express
Cache Memory
Type L2 Cache
Installed Size 4 MB
RAM
Installed Size 2 GB / 4 GB (max)
Technology DDR II SDRAM
Form Factor SO DIMM 200-pin
Configuration Features 2 x 1 GB
Storage Controller
Type Serial ATA
Serial ATA Interface Serial ATA-150
Storage
Hard Drive 160 GB - Serial ATA-150 - 5400 rpm
Hard Drive (2nd) 160 GB - Serial ATA-150 - 5400 rpm
Optical Storage
Type HD DVD-ROM - integrated
Card Reader
Type 5 in 1 card reader
Supported Flash Memory Cards SD Memory Card, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, MultiMediaCard, xD-Picture Card
Display
Display Type 17" TFT
Max Resolution 1440 x 900 ( WXGA+ )
Widescreen Display Yes
Colour support 24-bit (16.7 million colours)
Features CrystalBrite
Video
Graphics Processor / Vendor NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS TurboCache supporting 1GB
Video Memory GDDR2 SDRAM - 256 MB
Max Allocated RAM Size 768 MB
Audio
Audio Output Sound card
Compliant Standards Sound Blaster Pro, Dolby Digital Live, Dolby Pro Logic II, High Definition Audio, Dolby Home Theater
Audio Input Microphone
Notebook Camera
Camera Type Integrated
Sensor Resolution 0.3 Megapixel
Input Device(s)
Type Keyboard, touchpad, 4-way scroll button
Features Built-in numeric keyboard
Telecom
Modem Fax / modem
Max Transfer Rate 56 Kbps
Protocols & Specifications ITU V.92
Features Wake on Ring
Networking
Networking Network adapter
Wireless LAN Supported Yes
Wireless NIC Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG
Data Link Protocol Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11g
Features Acer SignalUp
Compliant Standards IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11g, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED
Expansion / Connectivity
Expansion Slots Total (Free) 2 ( 0 ) x memory - SO DIMM 200-pin ¦ 1 ( 1 ) x ExpressCard/54
Interfaces 4 x Hi-Speed USB - 4 PIN USB Type A ¦ 1 x display / video - DVI-Digital - 24 pin digital DVI ¦ 1 x IEEE 1394 (FireWire) ¦ 1 x infrared - IrDA ¦ 1 x display / video - VGA - 15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15) ¦ 1 x display / video - S-video output - mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm ¦ 1 x audio - SPDIF output/headphones/line-out - mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm ¦ 1 x microphone - input - mini-phone 3.5mm ¦ 1 x audio - line-In - mini-phone 3.5mm ¦ 1 x modem - phone line - RJ-11 ¦ 1 x network - Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX/1000Base-T - RJ-45

 

although u gave a very detail config ur sys. u missed out a very imp point - The OS. are u using a 64 bit OS???

go to control panel >> administrative tools>>event viewer and check whether any error logging has been done at the time of this error.

 

Sorry.
I am using 32-bit Vista Home Premium.

I cant see any relevant events on the event viewer that are relevant to the issue.
I have been using Windows Media and the audio has stopped several times today and i cant find any info about it.

 

I have just checked and it does it with head phones plugged in and it does it on either battery or on mains.
I cant get my head around it at all.
Just to clarify, i have just tested it again with the audio crash and it doesnt leave any trace anywhere it the event log.
Any ideas and help will be greatly appreciated!

 

uninstall your audio chip from device manager and reinstall it using the driver cd ......... this should solve it

 

unfortunately, the laptop didnt come with any disks at all.
Acer just use a "secret" partition on one of the hdd with all the info on it.
You just have to run a recovery program which restores it back to the state when i bought it, which will delete all my software and music and stuff.
I dont have anywhere to back upto now as i sold my pc to buy a laptop.

Would you know who the chip is made by so i can download the relevant drivers?
only i cant seem to find this info myself.

 

go to the device manager and see which company makes the chip. search in google for the drivers..

 

Hi, if its the same setup as the Acer Aspire 5920, just go into Control Panel, then Windows Mobility Center, then 'User guide drivers and utilities' the drivers should be in there.

 

Hi.
I have looked up and spoken to acer themselves!! Which im surprised about.
anyway, the audio device is a realtek HD audio.
I have tried re-installing fresh drivers from acers website.
I have now even tried recovering the original image that was installed by acer.

I have a copy of vista here. Should i try putting a "clean" install of vista on my laptop? And remove the Acer image on the "hidden" partition?

Well, i could use the extra space. You never know.

Thanks for your help

 

It´s a common problem among 7720G group.
The sound distortion issue is sadly not a software error. If you still have warranty that´s great ´couse motherboard has to be replaced.

Details on the issue on www.acer-userforum.de.

Whatever you try the issue cannot be solved, although you can minimize it by turning all the spec´s to max performance.

Regards

 

Thanks for your advice.
EDIT: Also, your link that you provided is not in english - German? Maybe?

However, I have been in touch with Acer over the phone today and had no joy.
According to them, the audio issue is software based.
Any machines that they have had back to the workshop ahev just been completely re-imaged and problem solved that way.

Bear in mind thats according to their tech engineer.

I think im gonna try a complete fresh install, without all the Acer rubbish on it.



Also, on a different note:
I keep getting a windows audio driver replaceing the realtek audio driver?
Rooot of the problem maybe?

Ive only spent all day today trying to find out the cause.

Than ks for all your help

 

^^ i agree try reinstall before u take it to them. reformat and reinstall everything. and if u still see the trouble. fire acer

 

srry, it is a german forum.

Your sound issue can be minimized with acer empowering maximum settings.
That way it can be only minimized.
Did it ever occur to you that they dont want to give you another laptop? Or it just cost´s too much to change the motherboard?

Anyway, i contacted Acer Germany, and Acer Croatia, both confirm the sound issue and are willing to change the MBO, or if laptop only 14days old they´ll give you a knew one.

Please note that Acer is still working to solve the sound issue through bios, so you can install the newest v1.34, maybe that´s gonna help a little.

Belive me when i say, many people have tryed everything possible. The only software sollution would be to maximize cpu performance, to let it work on 2000ghz all the time. And/or to have many progs installed and running in background.

Also, you should check pci bus resources in device manager, you´ll see a memory range issue.

One more thing, some user´s have changed 2-3 laptop´s to get one that works correctly so.... It is common an Acer knows about it.

 

After four days using BIOS v1.34 I haven´t been able to reproduce the failure, nor with "normal use" nor with the "usual procedures" which usually used to unleash it.

Obviously I´m pretty excited about it, but it´s too soon to make conclusions and I don´t wanna get disappointed so I will take this veeeeeery easy.

If someone has already tried v1.34 please let us know how it went!!!

Kind Regards =)

 

I have a Acer 5720z that has suffered from the same audio problems. BIOS v1.34 did solve the audio issues for me, but I had new issues with the fan running erratically.
I reverted back to v1.33 and the audio issues returned somewhat, but without the fan problems.
Guess I'll have to stick there till the next update.

 

One more day and still without sound issues!!! =D

But I have to agree with "Pavane", the fan seems tu run much more often than before. Hope v1.35 will get rid of that!!!

Kindest Regards!!! =)

 

I agree that v1.34 did bring some changes but, now the sound is not distorted but stop´s for a sec here and there.

Anyways acer has agreed to change my mbo so...

Kind regard´s.

 

Hi Van =D

I haven´t noticed any sound "interruptions" yet, not even milisec´s ones, and general sluggish has definitely vanished, at least 'till today =).

¿¿¿Any news about your mbo replacement???

Kindest Regards =)

 

Hi elbubi,

this week should the mbo be replaced, i´ll let you know if it fixed my issue. Glad to here your problem is gone thou.

Regards

 

Hi guys.
Thanks for all the info on this issue.

I tried to update the bios the other day and it killed my laptop.
Its been sent back and Acer replaced the Mobo for me
Came back only 4 days later and not lost any data.
Happy days??
NO!!!
To my amazement, the audio issues are still around to haunt me.
And now the num pad doesnt work at all. Its like its not there.
Bios version on this board is 1.29

I think i should try the update but im afraid im gonna kill the machine again.
Anyone got any tips on how best to flash the bios on these?
Im gonna try and re-install windows, but without the Acer crap in it. (But make sure you leave the recovery partition in, they tell me it voids your warranty if you delete it).
Thanks for your help guys, i really appreciate it.

 

Hi Robbie

I´d recomend you to do Bios flash under DOS MODE. You have to create a Dos Booteable Cd/Dvd with Nero Burning Rom "adding" the flashing files to that disk. I would also advice you to wait till v1.35 to flash it, cause even if 1.34 does solved sound issues (al least for me), it has some cooling issues.

Hope this would be useful to you and you can recover your numpad =)

PD1: Empowering Software SUCKS!!!
PD2: Van, good luck on your replacement!!! =D

 

Cheers for the response dude

I have spent the last 36 hours looking for a way to fix a bios flash failure, after not learning the first time when flashing under windows, i managed to do it again this time by accident, (Sensitive touchpad) and bricked it.
This time, the Laptop would switch on and have posted a "How to" on how to fix the bios Blind!

However, the Numpad is still dead.
Im hoping it is a installation issue.
Gonna re-install tonight.

As for the sound, I have finally managed to get it to work properly
The 1.34 bios does seem to make the fans spin up a little more often, but at least it will be better cooled if the fans are going faster.

Thanks for all your help, and ill keep you posted on the numpad issue.

 

Hi, try this from another post http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=242740

 

Thanks for the pointer to one of my other threads!!

Also, i have posted a seperate thread to my keyboard issue, if anyone has any ideas? please reply on the other post -
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=242782

Cheers guys.

 

oops, my bad

 

no probs dude

 

tried uninstall re install with the latest driver 6.01.5605 for the Aspire 5920G
no matter what...........when using realtek digital output (optical) as default NO SOUND
Bought it only 2 days ago...........Robbie ..........how did you fix it.
Acer told me to backup and reset to factory settings.......but that is how it all started!!!