 Current Status of Unit: Scrapped Magnus [meaning "great" in Latin], the second unit of the entity which would become known as VerTecX21 was designed and constructed to replace Imperium as Gamestation. Mr. M. Twomey and Mr. J. Meade advised on it's design and construction was completed by PCPRO distribution through PFH Computers on 6th Jun 1998. Magnus was a significant technical leap forward from Imperium and was designed around Intel's initial release of the "Deschutes" Pentium II processor and coupled with an Intel 400LX "Balboa" chipset mainboard. It boasted 64Mb of SDRAM and an ATI 4Mb GPU coupled with a 12Mb Voodoo2 3D accelerator. In addition to it's role as Gamestation, Magnus became VerTecX21's Video Editing Unit in Dec '98. It filled both roles admirably until Feb '99 when Orion was created. Magnus continued to hold minor roles until perhaps it's longest and most
important role for VerTecX21, that of Video Capturing Unit; a role necessary for
the creation of the much lauded VerTecX21 original production "Time Rogue". Magnus served
as Video Capturing Unit from Dec '99 until it's retirement from active service
in March 2002. Magnus was reactivated intermittently several times in the following 5 years for minor work until it was permanently scrapped on 10th May 2007. Original specification for Magnus, finalised: June 6th 1998 CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT: Intel "Deschutes" Pentium II 333MHz, Socket 1, with L2 Cache - 512Kb MOTHERBOARD: Epox EP-61LXA-M RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY: PC100 SDRAM, 64Mb GRAPHICS PROCESSING UNIT: ATI Rage 4Mb PCI + Creative Labs Voodoo2 12Mb PCI Graphics Accelerator AUDIO PROCESSING UNIT: Creative Labs AWE64 ISA HARD DISK DRIVES: 2x Samsung 6.4Gb Hard Drives OPTICAL DRIVE: 36x Generic CD-ROM NETWORK ADAPTER: Kingston ISA NIC OPERATING SYSTEM: Microsoft Windows '98 Peripheral Devices DISPLAY: ADI Microscan 5P 17" CRT
Significant changes to original specification: XX/06/98 - Installed Realtek RTL8029 ISA Network Interface Card XX/12/99 - Upgraded to Voodoo3 3500 TV AGP (GPU Upgrade)
Current status of parts: Ati Rage 3d 4Mb PCI: Installed in Imperium XX/12/99 Voodoo2 12Mb PCI Graphics Accelerator: Installed in Imperium XX/12/99 Raite RDR-108H 8x DVD-ROM: Installed in Hyperion 01/03/02 Creative Labs Soundblaster Live! Player 1024 PCI: Installed in Hyperion 01/03/02 Pentium II 333MHz: Retained for the VerTecX21 Museum Epox ER-61LXA-M: Disposed PC100 SDRAM: In Storage Kingston ISA NIC: Unknown [Presumed Disposed] ADI 17" CRT: Disposed May 10 2007 Western Digital 8.4Gb
Hard Drive: Destroyed
Costing: The total cost of all initial components for the Magnus system was IE£2380.17 (€3058.44) (UK£2063.56) (US$3380.72) [Exchange rate as of 06/06/98] |
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