# Aureal Semiconductor

> American electronics manufacturer

**Wikidata**: [Q4034580](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4034580)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aureal_Semiconductor)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/aureal-semiconductor

## Summary
Aureal Semiconductor was an American electronics manufacturer founded in 1995 and headquartered in Fremont, California. The corporation specialized in audio technology, specifically as it relates to sound cards, before being dissolved in the year 2000.

## Key Facts
*   **Type:** Corporation, Business, Enterprise.
*   **Industry:** Electronics Manufacturing.
*   **Specialization:** Sound Cards (listed as an instance of sound card and related device).
*   **Inception:** 1995.
*   **Dissolution:** 2000.
*   **Headquarters:** Fremont, United States.
*   **Country:** United States.
*   **Website:** `http://www.aureal.com/` (Archived via Web Archive on October 17, 2000).
*   **PCI Vendor ID:** `12eb`.
*   **USB Vendor ID:** `0755`.
*   **PNP Vendor ID:** `AUR`.
*   **Freebase ID:** `/m/0c1046`.
*   **Wikipedia Presence:** Available in English, Spanish, Korean, and Russian.

## FAQs
### Q: When was Aureal Semiconductor founded and when did it cease operations?
A: Aureal Semiconductor was founded in 1995. The company was dissolved or abolished in the year 2000.

### Q: Where was Aureal Semiconductor located?
A: The company was headquartered in Fremont, United States.
### Q: What were the technical vendor identifiers for Aureal Semiconductor?
A: Aureal Semiconductor utilized the PCI Vendor ID `12eb`, the USB Vendor ID `0755`, and the PNP Vendor ID `AUR`.

### Q: Is Aureal Semiconductor associated with specific computer hardware?
A: Yes, the entity is classified as an electronics manufacturer and is explicitly listed as a "related product and model" within the sound card category, alongside other notable hardware manufacturers like Creative Technology and Roland.

## Why It Matters
Aureal Semiconductor serves as a specific case study in the competitive landscape of late 1990s computer audio hardware. As an electronics manufacturer operating during a critical period of multimedia expansion in personal computing (1995–2000), the company contributed to the market for expansion cards and audio interfaces. Its inclusion in the registry of hardware vendors—evidenced by its assigned PCI, USB, and PNP vendor IDs—solidifies its role as a distinct hardware entity in the history of computing. The company's dissolution in 2000 marks a specific endpoint to its operations, distinguishing it from longer-lasting competitors in the sound card market.

## Notable For
*   Being an American electronics manufacturer active during the late 1990s.
*   Functioning as a distinct hardware vendor with assigned PCI, USB, and PNP identifiers.
*   Operating in the sound card market, a field dominated by hardware acceleration and audio signal processing.
*   Having a defined corporate lifespan from 1995 to 2000.
*   Maintaining a physical headquarters in Fremont, California.

## Body

### Corporate History
Aureal Semiconductor was established as a corporation in the United States in 1995. The company maintained its headquarters in Fremont, United States. It operated as a business and enterprise within the electronics sector. According to structured data records, the company's legal existence concluded in the year 2000, when it was dissolved or abolished.

### Industry Classification
The entity is broadly classified as an electronics manufacturer. Within the context of computer hardware, Aureal Semiconductor is explicitly categorized as an "instance of" a **sound card**, as well as a business. It appears in knowledge bases alongside other significant audio hardware entities such as the Sound Blaster 16, Roland LAPC-I, and Ensoniq AudioPCI. This classification highlights its role in providing input and output of audio signals for computer systems.

### Technical Identifiers
As a recognized hardware manufacturer, Aureal Semiconductor was assigned specific technical identifiers used by operating systems and hardware interfaces to recognize its products:
*   **PCI Vendor ID:** `12eb`
*   **USB Vendor ID:** `0755`
*   **PNP Vendor ID:** `AUR`

### Web Presence
The company maintained an official website at `http://www.aureal.com/`. Following the company's dissolution, the website has been preserved through the Internet Archive, with a specific snapshot archived on October 17, 2000.

### Knowledge Graph Data
Aureal Semiconductor is indexed in multiple knowledge and data systems:
*   **Freebase ID:** `/m/0c1046`
*   **Wikipedia:** The entity has a dedicated article titled "Aureal Semiconductor" available in four languages: English (`en`), Spanish (`es`), Korean (`ko`), and Russian (`ru`).
*   **Sitelink Count:** 4.