AcerTravelmate8371

Model

Current Issues

Hardware problems:

  • Internal microphone not working
  • Fingerprint reader not working
  • Few special keys not working
  • Bluetooth + WLAN always get powered on during boot and need to be switched of manually.
  • All CPU scaling states (P-States from 800 MHz to 1.4 GHz) only available with BIOS >= v1.15

Bugs in the latest 9.10 Karmic release (probably not directly related to this model):

  • GNOME power manager does not turn off backlight (bug)

  • Suspend/resume not working (bug)

System Info

dmidecode -s system-manufacturer

system-manufacturer: Acer

dmidecode -s system-product-name

system-product-name: TravelMate 8371

dmidecode -s system-version

system-version: V1.10

Hardware details

Screen & Monitors

Device

Works?

Bug #

in Gutsy

in 9.10 Karmic (current development)

Screen

Untested

YES

Correct resolution?

Untested

YES

Correct refresh rate?

Untested

YES

3D Acceleration

Untested

YES

External monitor works?

Untested

YES

External monitor - mirrors

Untested

YES

External monitor - extend desktop

Untested

YES

Power Management

Battery detected?

Untested

YES

Hibernates?

Untested

YES

Suspend

Untested

NO

Dim monitor on battery

Untested

YES

Blank monitor on inactivity

Untested

NO

413168

Lid Close

Untested

YES

Cpu frequency scaling

Untested

YES (all p-states of su9400 available with bios v1.15)

Sound

Sound works?

Untested

YES

Correct volume?

Untested

YES

Hardware volume switch

Untested

YES

Headphone jack

Untested

YES

Mic jack

Untested

YES

Internal Mic

Untested

NO

Networking

Wired NIC

Untested

YES

Wireless NIC

Untested

YES

PCMCIA NIC

n/a

n/a

Firewire

n/a

n/a

Bluetooth

Untested

YES

Modem

n/a

n/a

GPRS/UMTS (3G) Modem

Untested

YES

Infrared

n/a

n/a

Touchpad & Mice

Touchpad

Untested

YES

Touchpad - Doubletap = double click

Untested

YES

Touchpad - Scroll down side

Untested

NO (sometimes)

External mouse - USB

Untested

YES

External mouse - Serial

n/a

n/a

Docking Station/Port Replicator

AC through replicator

Untested

Untested

USB

Untested

Untested

Serial

Untested

Untested

Parallel

Untested

Untested

External Monitor - VGA

Untested

Untested

External Monitor - DVI

Untested

Untested

Modem

Untested

Untested

NIC

Untested

Untested

PS/2

Untested

Untested

Additional Hardware

Fingerprint reader

Untested

NO

CD/DVD drive

n/a

n/a

PCMCIA cards

n/a

n/a

Parallel Ports

n/a

n/a

Card reader(s)

Untested

YES (SDHC)

Webcam

Untested

YES but no powersaving! (usb suspend not working)

Function and other keys

Fn key

Operation

Keycode

Works?

Bug #

in Gutsy

in Karmic 9.10 (current development)

+ Esc

Untested

Untested

+ F1

Untested

Untested

+ F2

System properties

Untested

NO

+ F3

Bluetooth

Untested

YES

+ F4

Sleep

Untested

YES

+ F5

External Monitor

Untested

Untested

+ F6

Monitor Light Switch

Untested

YES

+ F7

Untested

Untested

+ F8

MUTE

Untested

YES

+ F9

Untested

Untested

+ F10

Untested

Untested

+ F11

Untested

Untested

+ F12

Untested

Untested

Other special keys

Key

Operation

Keycode

Works?

Bug #

in Gutsy

in Karmic (current development)

Windows key + E

open all workspace

Untested

YES

Euro €

(keycode 435) separate key for euro sign

Untested

NO

Dollar $

(keycode 434) separate key for dollar sign

Untested

NO

WLAN

toggle WLAN

Untested

YES

Backup switch

start a backup tool?

Untested

NO

PowerSmart

toggle energy saving options when running on battery

Untested

YES but cannot be toggled on AC

Keypad toggle

disable keypad while on

Untested

YES

Notes

special keys:

Key

Key code

Euro

435

Dollar

434

  • Keycodes were read using showkey. Special keys without code given did give any key or scancode. No output on these keys using xev.
  • Seems to be similar for other notebooks, some solutions using acerhk or acer_acpi modules available on in source.
  • Euro and Dollar keys are next to the arrow keys, which are quite small. It might be more practical to keep them off in case they get hit accidentally. I guess no one will ever look for these signs there anyway as they are available on the normal keyboard.

Energy

Using the tips from powertop and laptop_mode:

Consumption

Estimated runtime

Display

Disk

Radio

8,6 W

7,8 h

off

hd spinning

none

9,5 W

~ 7,0 h

low backlight

hd spinning

none

Notes

  • With SU9400 and 3G modem (low backlight, wlan off, bluetooth off) the best I could get is 10.6-11 W
    • With the new 1.15 BIOS (20091117) all P-states from 800MHz to 1.4 GHz are available: 9.5 W

Open Issues

USB autosuspend

Even after triggering USB autosuspend for the webcam, bluetooth and the 3G modem as recommended by powertop, they still produce wakeups.

Fingerprint reader

Manufacturer: Egistec

lsusb -v -d 1c7a:0801

Bus 002 Device 002: ID 1c7a:0801 LighTuning Technology Inc. 
Device Descriptor:
  bLength                18
  bDescriptorType         1
  bcdUSB               2.00
  bDeviceClass            0 (Defined at Interface level)
  bDeviceSubClass         0 
  bDeviceProtocol         0 
  bMaxPacketSize0        64
  idVendor           0x1c7a LighTuning Technology Inc.
  idProduct          0x0801 
  bcdDevice            1.00
  iManufacturer           1 Generic
  iProduct                2 FingerPrinter Reader
  iSerial                 3 00000000000006
  bNumConfigurations      1
  Configuration Descriptor:
    bLength                 9
    bDescriptorType         2
    wTotalLength           32
    bNumInterfaces          1
    bConfigurationValue     1
    iConfiguration          0 
    bmAttributes         0xa0
      (Bus Powered)
      Remote Wakeup
    MaxPower              100mA
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength                 9
      bDescriptorType         4
      bInterfaceNumber        0
      bAlternateSetting       0
      bNumEndpoints           2
      bInterfaceClass       255 Vendor Specific Class
      bInterfaceSubClass    255 Vendor Specific Subclass
      bInterfaceProtocol    255 Vendor Specific Protocol
      iInterface              0 
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x01  EP 1 OUT
        bmAttributes            2
          Transfer Type            Bulk
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0200  1x 512 bytes
        bInterval               1
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x82  EP 2 IN
        bmAttributes            2
          Transfer Type            Bulk
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0200  1x 512 bytes
        bInterval               1
Device Qualifier (for other device speed):
  bLength                10
  bDescriptorType         6
  bcdUSB               2.00
  bDeviceClass            0 (Defined at Interface level)
  bDeviceSubClass         0 
  bDeviceProtocol         0 
  bMaxPacketSize0        64
  bNumConfigurations      1
Device Status:     0x0000
  (Bus Powered)

Sound

Hardware: Intel HDA / Realtek ALC269 Tried "auto" and "basic" model settings on the hda_intel driver.

sudo lspci -v -s 00:1b.0

00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) HD Audio Controller (rev 03)
        Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device 0283
        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 22
        Memory at a4500000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
        Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 2
        Capabilities: [60] Message Signalled Interrupts: Mask- 64bit+ Queue=0/0 Enable-
        Capabilities: [70] Express Root Complex Integrated Endpoint, MSI 00
        Capabilities: [100] Virtual Channel <?>
        Capabilities: [130] Root Complex Link <?>
        Kernel driver in use: HDA Intel
        Kernel modules: snd-hda-intel

Solution for muted internal microphone (German):

Tested on ubuntu 9.10 Travelmate 8471 (same problems there)

http://forum.ubuntuusers.de/post/2326547/

Useful for non-German speaking people too. Pictures included.

 sudo apt-get install linux-backports-modules-alsa-karmic-generic

reboot

 sudo apt-get install pavucontrol 

go to Ubuntus menue - PulseAudio Volume Control

1. Disable mute

2. unlock left/right volume control

3. mute left OR right

Hardware details

sudo lspci

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Memory Controller Hub (rev 07)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 07)
00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 07)
00:1a.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 03)
00:1a.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #5 (rev 03)
00:1a.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #2 (rev 03)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) HD Audio Controller (rev 03)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 03)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 3 (rev 03)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 03)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 03)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 03)
00:1d.3 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #6 (rev 03)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #1 (rev 03)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev 93)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation ICH9M-E LPC Interface Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.2 IDE interface: Intel Corporation ICH9M/M-E 2 port SATA IDE Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.6 Signal processing controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) Thermal Subsystem (rev 03)
01:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation Wireless WiFi Link 5100
02:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller (rev 02)

sudo lsusb

Bus 002 Device 002: ID 1c7a:0801 LighTuning Technology Inc.     <-- fingerprint reader
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 007 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 008 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 064e:a133 Suyin Corp.                    <-- webcam
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 002: ID 0a5c:2151 Broadcom Corp. 
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub


CategoryLaptop

LaptopTestingTeam/Old/AcerTravelmate8371 (last edited 2010-02-24 14:45:07 by host58-172-dynamic)