MAGNUS

Deschutes class, 1998

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 Primary System. 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 which now followed the ATX form factor. 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 Intel 440LX

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 Quantum Fireball EX 6.4 AT, 6.4GB Hard Drives

OPTICAL DRIVE: 36x Generic CD-ROM

NETWORK ADAPTER: Kingston ISA NIC

CASING: PCPRO OEM Full Tower

OPERATING SYSTEM: Microsoft Windows '98

Peripheral Devices

DISPLAY: ADI Microscan 5P 17" CRT [001]

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)

01/03/02 - Downgraded casing from PCPRO OEM Full Tower to PCPRO OEM Mid Tower (1999)

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

PCPRO OEM Full Tower: Installed in Orion 01/03/02

2x Quantum Fireball EX 6.4 AT 6.4GB Hard Discs: Installed in Orion 01/03/02

PC100 SDRAM: In Storage

Kingston ISA NIC: Unknown [Presumed Disposed]

ADI 17" CRT [001]: Disposed May 10 2007

PCPro OEM Midi Tower (1999): Installed in Orion 01/08/07

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]