Spea Software

File:Grafikkarte-Tiga.jpg-based Spea Fire, featuring a i860 processor]]

Spea Software AG was founded in Starnberg, Bavaria, in 1985 by Ulrich Seng.{{cite journal | last= | first= | date=20 June 1988 | url=http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-13529144.html | title=Kleiner Fehler | trans-title=Small Mistake | journal=Der Spiegel | lang=de | publisher=Spiegel-Gruppe | volume= | issue=25 | pages=107–109 | archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130808105612/http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-13529144.html | archivedate=8 August 2013}} The company's name is an acronym standing for Systeme für Professionelle Elektronik und Automation (Systems for Professional Electronics and Automation).{{cite web | last= | first= | date=2014 | url=http://www.mum.de/DE_Mensch_und_Maschine_Zeitzeugen.CAD?ActiveID=1423 | title=Zeitzeugen – sie waren von Anfang an dabei! | trans-title=Contemporary witnesses – they were there from the beginning! | work=Mensch und Maschine | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141220214119/http://www.mum.de/DE_Mensch_und_Maschine_Zeitzeugen.CAD?ActiveID=1423 | archivedate=20 December 2014 | lang=de}} The company chiefly produced graphics cards for the IBM PC and compatibles, at first producing ISA cards before branching out to VESA Local Bus and PCI cards in the 1990s.

In 1992, the company went public on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.{{cite journal | last=Staff writer | date=26 June 1992 | url=https://www.computerwoche.de/article/2818938/boersengang-der-spea-software-ag-ist-jetzt-eine-beschlossene-sache.html | title=Trotz ungünstiger Zeit für Neu-Emissionen: Börsengang der Spea Software AG ist jetzt eine beschlossene Sache | trans-title=Despite unfavorable timing for new issues: Spea Software AG's IPO is now a done deal | journal=Computerwoche | publisher=IDG Publications | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207090140/https://www.computerwoche.de/article/2818938/boersengang-der-spea-software-ag-ist-jetzt-eine-beschlossene-sache.html | archivedate=7 December 2024}} Some time in the late 1980s or early 1990s, the company established an American subsidiary by the name of Computer Visualization Technologies, Inc. (CVTI), headquartered in Fremont, California.{{cite journal | last=Corcoran | first=Cate | date=31 August 1992 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EVEEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA27 | title=LSI's Video Seven bought by German graphics company | journal=InfoWorld | publisher=IDG Publications | volume=14 | issue=35 | page=29 | via=Google Books | access-date=21 February 2024 | archive-date=21 February 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240221082156/https://books.google.com/books?id=EVEEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA27#v=onepage&q&f=false | url-status=live }} In May 1993, Spea through CVTI acquired Video Seven, a major American graphics cards manufacturer based in Silicon Valley, from LSI Logic. This gave rise to the product line Spea/V7.{{cite journal | last=Schroeder | first=Erica | date=19 July 1993 | url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A14052511/GPS?sid=wikipedia | title=Graphics board maker Video Seven shuts doors | journal=PC Week | publisher=Ziff-Davis | volume=10 | issue=28 | page=135 | via=Gale | access-date=20 February 2024 | archive-date=21 February 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240221082205/https://galeapps.gale.com/apps/auth?userGroupName=&sid=wikipedia&origURL=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.gale.com%2Fps%2Fi.do%3Fp%3DGPS%26u%3D%26id%3DGALE%7CA14052511%26v%3D2.1%26it%3Dr%26sid%3Dwikipedia&prodId=GPS | url-status=live }} Simultaneously with the acquisition of Video Seven, Seng stepped down as chairman of Spea.{{cite journal | last=Staff writer | date=12 December 1993 | url=http://www.computerwoche.de/a/hauptaktionaer-seng-tritt-vom-vorsitz-zurueck-spea-software-ag-formt-wegen-geschaeftsausbau-vorstand-um%2C1131676 | title=Hauptaktionaer Seng tritt vom Vorsitz zurueck: Spea Software AG formt wegen Geschaeftsausbau Vorstand um | trans-title=Major shareholder Seng resigns from chairmanship: Spea Software AG restructures board due to business expansion | journal=Computerwoche | publisher=IDG Publications | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141208010042/http://www.computerwoche.de/a/hauptaktionaer-seng-tritt-vom-vorsitz-zurueck-spea-software-ag-formt-wegen-geschaeftsausbau-vorstand-um,1131676 | archivedate=8 December 2014}}

After encountering difficulty marketing graphics cards under the Spea/V7 brand name, Spea had the Video Seven division shuttered in 1993. Spea themselves continued to sell multimedia peripherals such as sound and graphics cards with the Video Seven trademark into 1995.{{cite journal | last=Glass | first=Brett | date=13 June 1994 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gjgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA42 | title=If your system arrives all shook up, consider sending it back | journal=InfoWorld | publisher=IDG Publications | volume=16 | issue=24 | page=42 | via=Gale | access-date=21 February 2024 | archive-date=21 February 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240221082151/https://books.google.com/books?id=gjgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA42#v=onepage&q&f=false | url-status=live }}{{cite journal | last=Staff writer | date=1 March 1995 | url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A16707456/GPS?sid=wikipedia | title=Windows '95 – SPEA Intros Enhanced Graphics Card | journal=Newsbytes | publisher=WP Company | via=Gale | access-date=21 February 2024 | archive-date=21 February 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240221082602/https://galeapps.gale.com/apps/auth?userGroupName=&sid=wikipedia&origURL=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.gale.com%2Fps%2Fi.do%3Fp%3DGPS%26u%3D%26id%3DGALE%7CA16707456%26v%3D2.1%26it%3Dr%26sid%3Dwikipedia&prodId=GPS | url-status=live }} Sales at the company peaked at 174 million {{Deutschmark}} in 1994.{{cite journal | last=Staff writer | date=24 February 1995 | url=http://www.computerwoche.de/a/neue-produkte-von-fast-miro-und-spea-sprach-und-videoverarbeitung-auf-dem-weg-zum-pc-standard,1112373 | title=Neue Produkte von Fast, Miro und Spea Sprach – und Videoverarbeitung auf dem Weg zum PC-Standard | trans-title=New products from Fast, Miro and Spea Speech – and video processing on the way to becoming a PC standard | journal=Computerwoche | publisher=IDG Publications | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304100320/http://www.computerwoche.de/a/neue-produkte-von-fast-miro-und-spea-sprach-und-videoverarbeitung-auf-dem-weg-zum-pc-standard,1112373 | archivedate=4 March 2016}} In November 1995, Spea itself was acquired by Diamond Multimedia of the United States.{{cite journal | last=Staff writer | date=6 November 1995 | url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A17614992/GPS?sid=wikipedia | title=Diamond to acquire software company | journal=HFN | publisher=BridgeTower Media | volume=69 | issue=45 | page=58 | via=Gale | access-date=21 February 2024 | archive-date=21 February 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240221082616/https://galeapps.gale.com/apps/auth?userGroupName=&sid=wikipedia&origURL=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.gale.com%2Fps%2Fi.do%3Fp%3DGPS%26u%3D%26id%3DGALE%7CA17614992%26v%3D2.1%26it%3Dr%26sid%3Dwikipedia&prodId=GPS | url-status=live }}

Although the company is considered a German graphics card pioneer, the company did not develop graphics chips itself (like Matrox, for example). Instead, it used chipsets from various manufacturers (including S3, Tseng Labs, and Avance Logic) for its graphics and multimedia cards. The drivers were developed by Spea itself.

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Category:Computer companies established in 1985

Category:Computer companies disestablished in 1995

Category:Defunct computer companies of Germany

Category:Defunct computer hardware companies

Category:German companies established in 1985

Category:German companies disestablished in 1995

Category:Graphics hardware companies

Category:Defunct software companies of Germany