Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!janus.Berkeley.EDU!mitchell
From: mitchell@janus.Berkeley.EDU (Evan Mitchell)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Synchro Express II
Keywords: I'm not sure yet...
Message-ID: <34853@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>
Date: 9 Mar 90 23:57:08 GMT
Sender: usenet@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: mitchell@janus.Berkeley.EDU (Evan Mitchell)
Distribution: na
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
Lines: 38

Fool that I am, I took the plunge and purchased a Synchro Express II hardware/
software disk copier.  You know, the one that's advertised in all the Amiga
rags and guarentees to copy EVERY piece of software.  Well, I called them up
and the nice woman on the phone assured me that it would work with my setup.
In fact, she said the only title that couldn't be backed up was Sword of Sodan.

GOOD NEWS:  She said it would arrive in about 3 days, it arrived in 3 days!  
Installation was simple and straight forward.  (BTW, the hardware doesn't look
like the thing pictured in the add, it looks more like a gender-bender than
anything else)  Simply plug your drive into the synchro unit, and plug the 
synchro unit into your computer.  (of course your power must be off)  The
software is auto booting and is simple to use.  There aren't many gadgets and
no pull down menus.  Pressing the right mouse button allows you to choose 
between normal/index/syncro copying.  With the hardware in place most disks
should be easily copiable using the normal mode.  It's VERY fast!  Using
certain combinations of options I was able to backup "TV Sports Football"
"Batman", "Double Dragon", and SpaceHarrier/Live and Let Die.  However,
I wasn't able to give it a real test yet.  ( I don't play any of the games
I listed anymore, so I'm not yet impressed)

BAD NEWS:  I couldn't make copies of "Summer Challenge" (amazing!  I only paid
12 bucks for it and it has the best copy protection yet) or "Superstar Indoor
Sports" (9 bucks!).  The hardware also doesn't do what it's supposed to.  There
is a pass-thru switch on the hardware that is supposed to allow you opperate
your machine normaly with the synchro unit installs.  It doesn't work!

OVERALL IMPRESSION:  I'm not sure yet!  I haven't had a chance to really test
the device yet.  Also I my setup might not allow me to make copies of
everthing.  I have an A500 (1 meg/old agnes) with a PRO-drive.  I think the
pro-drive may have some timing problems since I was unable to load Sword of
Sodan with it.  Anyway, If I get a chance I'll try to backup some of my real
games (i.e. Blood Money, Beast) and also borrow my friends drive to see if 
there are any differences.

More to come...

-Evan Jay Mitchell
 mitchell@janus.berkeley.edu