Creative acquires Sensaura

[TS | Thomas]

SCIPHER SUB SENSAURA WAS SOLD to Creative Technology yesterday for a cool $6.4 million in cash.

The firm makes 3D sound technology, & the sale includes not only the business and assets, but all the intellectual property & the existing deals that Scipher Sensaura has.

Would you like to know more? Wonder how this will pan out.

 

[Didou]

I'm amazed Creative has never had any monopoly related issues with any goverment.

 

[MoRulez]

hmm...

Wow, this is big news for reverb API users, that mainly means gamers. Yeah you're right, this is now a true monopoly in the sound API field but that field wasn't a big industry anyways. I remember when it was A3d vs. EAX a couple years ago, now its just EAX (from Creative).

 

[TS | Thomas]

There's still QSound around (Which Philips use anyway). As it is Soundcard manufacturers like Hercules, Terratec & Videologic all use old Sensaura builds anyway so I can't imagine this'll affect their cards much (In the sense of - oh no we can't update anymore, something we haven't done in 2 years or more anyway).
I think most would agree anyway that Creative are best for gaming Soundcards anyway (EAX Advanced HD, true 4/5.1/6.1/7.1 positioning & better reverb).

 

[cpharrboy]

Originally posted by Didou
I'm amazed Creative has never had any monopoly related issues with any goverment.

Thats what I was thinking. No other company has really been able to provide real competition to Creative in the PC soundcard market. Hopefully M-Audio will do something soon. The biggest issue is that no other soundcard has all the gaming goodies that Creative has and cant use the stuff like EAX3 and EAXHD because Creative has all the rights to them. Maybe if game makers would start using some of the older tech thats just as good.....oh wait...Creative just bought the other good one in Sensaura. My M-Audio Revolution 7.1 has extensive Sensaura support.....what does that mean now that Creative ownes it? M-Audio cannot make anymore with Sensaura support? Its grandfathered in? M-Audio can use EAX 3/4 and EAX HD (not much of a chance there but Im hoping)? It sucks because cards like the M-Audio Revolution 7.1 has far better sound quality but gets tossed aside by most because it has none of those great gaming goodies and hardware Directsound support. Ive never really liked Creative. Ive always had problems with their cards and as a result I have avoided them. Ive owned a SoundBlaster AWE 64 Gold (way back in the day good stuff), SoundBlaster Live! X-Gamer and Audigy. All of them gave me a hard time. My past two cards have been Hercules Fortissmo III 7.1 and my new M-Audio Revolution 7.1. I love them both and would never go back to Creative if I can get my way about it. I would think someone would do something about them though. They killed the only people that were really going to give them competition in the Aureal line of stuff.