Viva Metal Box is no more

[Pieter V]

Thanks to Andy for first reporting this news in the Best Buy thread.

An excerpt from the summary decision issued Nov 26 2012:

The Court permanently RESTRAINS AND ENJOINS Defendants Viva Magnetics Ltd. (Hong Kong), Viva USA, Inc., Viva Media Packaging (Canada) Ltd., Viva Metal Packaging Ltd. and Viva Media Packaging Ltd. (collectively, “Viva defendants”), their duly authorized agents, servants, employees, and all others in active concert or participation with the Viva defendants from (a) infringing the following United States patents of plaintiff Glud & Marstrand A/S (“G&M”): 7,051,872; 7,232,032; 7,350,642; and D562,049, and (b) making, using, offering to sell, selling and/or importing (i) the Viva Metal Box for Blu-Ray and DVD products accused of infringement in this action, and/or (ii) the Digital Versatile Disk (DVD) case accused of infringement in the 2005 action between G&M and some of the Viva defendant

Here is the original suit filed by G&M (steelbook) in District Court in Washington state:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/85682389/Glud-Marstrand-A-S-v-Viva-Magnetics-Ltd-Hong-Kong-et-al

 

[jbsolo]

so should the shops be pulling out all their products from the stores or start selling them all for $4.97?? Er, who is Glud & Mastrand?

 

[Liselotte]

SB = Apple

 

[apsmith21]

Er, who is Glud & Mastrand?

G&M is the maker of steelbooks - they are the ones that hold the patents, as well.

Scanavo is just the marketing firm that is responsible for their sale and the interaction with movie studios.

 

[xage]

Will this make VMBs more valuable?

With Disney Brand tagged to it for 2011 and 2012... That alone means Value

This would be interesting to see how the Niche Market of Media Packaging Collection Reacts

 

[biscuitnoir]

Like I said in a previous post, time to stock the VMB's, these are going to sky rocket in value, just like the IronPacks

 

[Buffalo MX]

Yes its a shame this

On my like they had better designs and cool art on most of them, hope Glud & Mastrand and /or Scanavo will hire some designers of the now jobless Viva guys

 

[mllNY]

And we just got this Viva Thread on the forums. Dammit!!

Worst timing ever

 

[Xavier]

I will let my collection go for

This really is a shame tho

 

[Drum18]

It's a shame. Even if I dislike theor spone, the overal look of VMB is amazing. Embossing, paint, visual, they were a good companion to SB. Metalpack are just meh IMO.

 

[biscuitnoir]

I will let my collection go for

This really is a shame tho

Nice one

 

[jcm]

Damn, like many I really liked VMBs. What a shame...

 

[Wreck]

Oh I'd just like to point out that Viva is a bigger Company. Cause some seem to think its the other way around.

 

[Naughtius Maximus]

Oh I'd just like to point out that Viva is a bigger Company. Cause some seem to think its the other way around.

^this surprises me!

I always thought Steelbooks were the Man Uniteds (top dogs), VMB the Tottenhams (up and coming) and Metalpaks as the Leeds (no one likes 'em)

 

[Wreck]

Viva is a huge company they make so much more than just viva metal boxes. Most all your plastic blu-ray cases are viva cases.

---------- Post added at 09:20 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:15 AM ----------

They are also big enough to go back to the drawing board and make something that complies if they so choose. So perhaps we haven't seen the last of them. Personally I felt the blu-ray steelcases were picking up steam in the collector market before they launched the Metal Box ... but they pretty much abandoned those for the metal box.

 

[urbeenjammin]

RIP...

 

[blackberry]

Really so sad !!

 

[snooloui]

Oh dear what a terrible shame. Disney will have no choice but to start releasing Steelbooks again

 

[Steelknight47]

First IronPacks, now Viva Metal Boxes, whose's next?

 

[Xavier]

Does this mean other countries can still make tho?

 

[Horhay]

Competition in this space is very difficult, the design is so similar that it's just tough to make something new and different enough to not violate any patents. Sucks really.