IMPERIUM

Pentium class, 1996

Current status of unit: Scrapped

Note: Imperium was, for it's initial years of service, named "Control".

Imperium [Latin for "power to command"] was the very first system created for the entity now known as VerTecX21. Mr. M. Twomey and Mr. E. Prout advised on it's design which was completed by PCPRO distribution through PFH Computers on 21st Aug 1996.

At time of commissioning it was heralded as one of the most audacious pieces of technology ever conceived. Sporting a 133MHz Intel Pentium processor, 2Mb GPU, 6x CD-ROM drive and 16Mb of EDO RAM, it was described as "overkill" by peers.

Imperium functioned as the sole system in operation from commissioning until 3rd July 1998 when Magnus came online. It would hold a number of simultaneous designations in the following years. It was designated as Internet Workstation in Oct '97 until Oct '99 when that duty was assumed by Orion. After Jul '98 it assumed duties of Secondary Gamestation and later in February 1999 it became a Tertiary Gamestation when required. As Imperium was the only VerTecX21 machine that could be fitted with a unique ISA SCSI card, it always held the designation of Scanstation, serving as an interface for the Epson GT5000 scanner for it's entire period of service.

Imperium was permanently decommissioned after 5 years of service lasting from Aug 1996 until Aug 2001. The unit was eventually scrapped In March 2002.

Original Specification for Imperium, finalised: August 21st 1996

CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT: Intel P54C Pentium 133MHz, Socket 7, with L1 Cache - 16KB

MOTHERBOARD: MSI MS-5129 PCI P54C TR5 Intel 82430VX (Triton III)

RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY: 16Mb Autocomputer TR5 EDO RAM

GRAPHICS PROCESSING UNIT: S3 2MB PCI

AUDIO PROCESSING UNIT: Generic "Soundblaster Compatible" 16-BIT ISA

HARD DISK DRIVE: Western Digital Caviar 11200 1.2GB

OPTICAL DRIVE: 6x CD-ROM

OPERATING SYSTEM: Microsoft Windows '95

Peripheral Devices:

DISPLAY: 14" SVGA CRT

SCANNER: Epson GT5000 A4 Flatbed [SCSI interface via ISA card]

PRINTER: HP DeskJet 660C [Centurion] [Parallel Interface]

MOUSE: Generic 2-Button Mouse [Serial Interface]

KEYBOARD: Generic 102-Key [AT Interface]

EXTERNAL STORAGE: Iomega Zip 100 [Parallel Interface] [Also interfaced with other units]

CASING: PCPRO OEM Desktop

Significant changes to original specification:

26/08/97 - Installed Logitech Wingman Extreme

XX/10/97 - Installed Generic 36K Internal Modem

XX/06/98 - Installed Compex RL2000 PCI NIC

XX/06/98 - Installed 32MB EDO RAM (RAM upgrade to 48MB)

XX/10/99 - Uninstalled HP DeskJet 660C [Centurion], Installed on Orion

XX/12/98 - Installed ATI All In Wonder Pro 4MB PCI (Graphics upgrade)

XX/12/99 - Installed ATI Rage 3d 4MB PCI and Creative Voodoo2 12MB PCI Graphics Accelerator (Graphics Upgrade)

Current status of parts:

HP DeskJet 660C [Centurion]: Disposed

Pentium 133: Retained for the VerTecX21 Museum

48MB EDO RAM: Some Sold / some retained for the VerTecX21 Museum

Unknown S3 2MB PCI: Donated

Western Digital Caviar 11200: Retained for VerTecX21 Museum

16-BIT ISA Soundcard: Disposed

Motherboard: Unknown

6x CD-ROM: Disposed

14" SVGA CRT: Disposed

Ati All In Wonder Pro 4MB PCI: Sold

Ati Rage 3d 4MB PCI: Traded for Riva 128

Voodoo2 12MB PCI Graphics Accelerator: Donated

Generic 102-Key [AT] Keyboard: Disposed

Generic 2-Button Mouse [Serial]: Disposed

PCPRO OEM Desktop: Disposed

Generic 36K Internal Modem: Installed in Prometheus 01/03/02

Compex RL2000 PCI NIC: Installed In Prometheus 01/03/02

Costing:

The total cost of all components [including only necessary Peripheral devices required for operation] for the Imperium system was IE£1426.69 (€1777.90) (UK£1498.53) (US$2321.52) [Exchange rate as of 21/08/96]

Network Roles:

21/08/96 - 06/06/98 - All functions (no other networked machines)

21/08/96 - XX/08/01 - Scanning Machine

06/06/98 - 18/02/99 - Secondary Games Machine

06/06/98 - XX/10/99 - Business and Comms machine

XX/12/98 - XX/12/99 - Video Capture Machine