Date   : Tue, 14 Apr 1998 10:44:24 +0000
From   : "Rick Galbraith" <rick_galbraith@...>
Subject: (Fwd) Re: Elite

This is an exchange I had with Crispin recently:
I start off with a quote from an article on my web page:
----
>There is a drawback (as always) to the 1770 DFS and that is an
>occasional problem with older copy protected software which directly
>accesses the 8271 controller for copy protection schemes. Obviously,
>if the 8271 is no longer installed, the software will fail to load.
>This unfortuately includes the very popular Elite and may include
>others, though I ahve yet to find anything else. The latest versions
>of the 1770 DFS contain an alternate 8271 "emulation" mode
>which may make it more compatible with older software.

Sounds good to me, what I wanted to do was make a few 1770 upgrade boards
myself, to sell to anyone who wanted them, if I could get a circuit diagram
of one!  The rest of the upgrade kit is fairly standard, the ROM could be
copied of course.
>
>Just to add to the confusion, Crispin. Obviously, if they had a 
>version for the Master, then they must have overcome the access 
>problem. By the way, I have transcribed the article to my page:
>
Yes, they did change it, anyway, when Superior Software bought the rights
to publish the game I think they changed it so that Elite was compatible
with 1770 BBC B's and B+'s as well, because it was 1986 and I don't think
they sold 8271 DFS BBC B's anymore.

>http://www.pangea.ca/~ricgal/adfs.html
>
>Keep going to the bottom of the page until you see the article on the 
>1170 upgrade and ADFS.
>
Thanks, very interesting.
----
Thought the rest of the list might enjoy.