Monster Cable is Back! Sues Mini-Golf Company

[pzaur]

Not to be disgusting...well..actually...to be completely ridiculous...
If there were a Monster Cable in the commode you could say a "monster dump on a Monster Cable"...

-pat

 

[Jack Hammer]

Kurt,

I agree wholeheartedly with you. I have to admit most of what little I know about trademarks I have gleened from reading online the experiences of others with MC. That said, with MMG offering to freely give up all of their trademark applications, except MMG, my concern becomes if they did, MC might be able to apply for "Monster Entertainment" and "Monster Family Entertainment Centers" as trademarks. MC would still gain the marks they have been fighting for, and would be possibly be able to use it as more leverage against others later.

Jack

 

[MidnightSensi]

Not to be disgusting...well..actually...to be completely ridiculous...
If there were a Monster Cable in the commode you could say a "monster dump on a Monster Cable"...

-pat

Sloppy I know. Fortunetly I didn't have to photoshop the flames on there, those are real.

Also, if you Google "noel lee," Audioholics shows up before Monster Cable. haha. We need to get it so when you google "Monster Cable" this thread comes up before their website.

 

[jinjuku]

Ddawg, before I begin, I want to say that I also work for Monster along with Pangritt.

I'm sorry you feel the way you do, but I hope you'll take a moment to consider something. Trademarks are critical for businesses and people alike, and if you don't try to protect them, they can become genericized (check Wikipedia for the entry about genericized trademarks -- it is pretty useful here).

First off, Monster Cable has a problem for choosing a generic word then to trademark: Monster. Duh. Why do you think Compaq spelt their name that way?

Why do you think we have a Pentium processor and not the 786 or 886 like in the old days? (8086,8088,286,386...)?

We aren't the ones needing a lesson here. You are.

 

[Nemo128]

Lesse...

Cheapest cane ~= $10.

Cheapest wheelchair ~= $100-150

Cheapest Segway ~= $4300

Disabled != struggling small business owner. Let's not dilute the issue with bringing up sympathy for someone's disability. I know plenty of disabled people, who don't have the mobility or access to technology to make YouTube vidoes, that can barely afford a wheelchair. I'm sure everyone knows people like that, so let's stick to the core issue.

Monster is founded and owned by a tyrannical shrewd liar of a business man who happens to be partially disabled. Maybe Noel should put more of his company's money into Segways For Vets DIRECTLY and not into frivalous lawsuits that attempt to take ownership of a noun listed in every dictionary ever published since before he was a microscopic tadpole swimming in semenal fluid. Thanks.

 

[MonsterMiniGolf]

First, I want to apologize for using this board as a negotiation platform. We've made a variety of attempts to reach the elusive Noel Lee, but he continue's to hide behind his lawyers, so here we are......

Esross,
Earlier you said....
"Monster didn't start this -- the Monster mini-golf franchise tried to apply for trademarks Monster already had. Monster simply responded in an attempt to protect its brand -- just like any responsible company."

Let me make this easy......if what your saying is true, and applications for marks you "already had" is the ONLY reason you are fighting to "protect" your brand, then we propose you put your money where your mouth is......

Of the variey of marks we applied for, (monster entertainment, monster family entertainment centers, etc...) we are ONLY intersted in one...."Monster Mini Golf".
Now, we can all agree that "Monster Mini Golf" is a mark that we can say with 100% certainty that you DO NOT "already have", right? So how does this sound......

-We (MMG) will happily abandon EVERY pending trademark application we currently have pending, except the ONE mark that we all agree you DO NOT already have, "Monster Mini Golf".

-In return, YOU drop your opposition to that ONE mark "Monster Mini Golf", and allow us to register it.

This is an opportunity to move forward, based on your own words. It's a simple yes or no, and it will give you a chance to show the world that what you said earlier today was not a lie.

So, we're all listening, Yes or No?
-Patrick Vitagliano

Still waiting.......Yes or No?

 

[pangritt]

pangritt, I apologize, i was unaware of Mr. Lee's disablity.

Now onto other things. I watched the Noel Lee video and how he can say his company is some small little business and MMG is some giant franchise ready to take on the world is ludicris. Monster Cable generated profits in the tens of millions (and that's putting it rather mildly) and has 500 employees. heck Noel Lee hired Diana Ross to play his Christmas party and they own a friggin stadium...

I for one when i go to 7-11 and order up a Monster Burrito (my name for a big arse burrito mind you) I am not in any way, shape or form gonna confuse that with an overpriced cable that has a lifespan of less than two years (in my experience)....

Now if you'll excuse me I'm gonna drink my Monster Big Gulp, eat my Monster burrito and if I'm lucky later on take a monster dump (that is hopefully after I watch some scary monster movie on the TV).

I'm not going to address all your assertions since I don't know where they come from, but I can tell you that Monster does not own a stadium. Monster did sponsor the 49ers through the use of naming rights. This is done at many sport venues.

Also most Monster cables come with a lifetime guarantee or a "Cable for Life" upgrade so you can visit MonsterCable.com/service to request a replacement for your Monster cables that went bad.

I realize this probably isn't going to change anyone's point of view but it is fair to get the story right.

 

[alexsound]

Lesse...

Cheapest cane ~= $10.

Cheapest wheelchair ~= $100-150

Cheapest Segway ~= $4300

Disabled != struggling small business owner. Let's not dilute the issue with bringing up sympathy for someone's disability. I know plenty of disabled people, who don't have the mobility or access to technology to make YouTube vidoes, that can barely afford a wheelchair. I'm sure everyone knows people like that, so let's stick to the core issue.

Monster is founded and owned by a tyrannical shrewd liar of a business man who happens to be partially disabled. Maybe Noel should put more of his company's money into Segways For Vets DIRECTLY and not into frivalous lawsuits that attempt to take ownership of a noun listed in every dictionary ever published since before he was a microscopic tadpole swimming in semenal fluid. Thanks.

I really love the last part of the last paragraph you wrote. "microscopic tadpole swimming in semenal fluid." At my very mental best, I couldn't come up with something better than that. The only thing Monster and Noel Lee should fight to copyright is the phrase "snake oil". These guys are as bad as Bose, if not worse.

 

[jinjuku]

I'm not going to address all your assertions since I don't know where they come from, but I can tell you that Monster does not own a stadium. Monster did sponsor the 49ers through the use of naming rights. This is done at many sport venues.

I realize this probably isn't going to change anyone's point of view but it is fair to get the story right.

Hi Pete,

I understand that you work for MC and therefore a built in bias. No one in any of the internet based communities have any such bias. They are free to form what ever opinion on the matter.

Organically/Naturally the mass opinion has been negative of MC. You are here and in other forums trying to present the 'facts'. I don't know if you realize the straw-man argument you are producing. Most of us being of technical nature under stand the layman's under pinning of trade mark and similar dress.

MC is coming across as a trademark troll to the vast majority of interested readers. Nothing you could present will change that opinion. It's not because these opinions are simply set in stone and everyone despises MC, it is because we can see through the fog of this legal action (and your active posting of 'facts) and see MC and MMG for what they are.

Personally, my biggest negative toward MC is the conversation that I had with David Tognotti. He told me that MC wasn't finished with Blue Jeans Cable. That there had been further correspondence that MC wasn't speaking publicly about. Guess what? Total fabrication.

You simply may not realize what kind of entity you are working for. There is still time to come over from the Dark Side...

 

[jinjuku]

Also most Monster cables come with a lifetime guarantee or a "Cable for Life" upgrade so you can visit MonsterCable.com/service to request a replacement for your Monster cables that went bad.

Cable for Life and Lifetime Warranty is basically a marketing gimmick.

1st off: You, I, and others here recognize that the long term failure rate of any quality cable (barring end user error) is most likely less than 1%.

2nd off: Some cable interfaces have stood the test of time (banana jacks, rca) while others haven't (DVI). There is a good chance that HDMI will be eclipsed by Display Port even. So what good is a lifetime warranty on a cable that may have a technological shelf life of 7 years?

3rd: Most problems with most products show up in the first few minutes of use.

4th: Lets not kid ourselves, cables are not a part intensive, complex piece of equipment compared to the equipment they interconnect. Low complexity and low part count by it's very nature = reliability.

I have RCA cables that are 18 years old. Still work great.

This is part 1 of 2

 

[MatthewB.]

I found this great webpage that has links to alot of other frivelous lawsuits that MonsterCable has perpetrated. This would be laughable if it weren't so sad and pathetic on Monsters part.

http://www.tabberone.com/Trademarks/HallOfShame/MonsterCable/MonsterCable.shtml

 

[jinjuku]

Part 2

Also most Monster cables come with a lifetime guarantee or a "Cable for Life" upgrade so you can visit MonsterCable.com/service to request a replacement for your Monster cables that went bad.

20ft 800 series HDMI cable at $199


Unfortunately MC's speed badges are all about marketing and provide no technical detail. Is this cable Cat 2 rated?

Or I can get this 25 ft HDMI Category 2 (1600P) rated cable for $37


Do I really need a lifetime warranty on either?

I watched the MC video at URL http://www.monstercable.com/hdmi/advanced_for_hdmi.asp

Noel is testing a Monster HDMI cable and some undisclosed flat jacket HDMI cable at something like 12Gbps. What is funny is he doesn't mention what rating the cable is. He could have gone out and picked up a Cat 1 cable for all we know. Of COURSE it's going to fail at that bandwidth...

This is an example of what I mean by Mr. Lee and MC treating every one as stupid.

 

[Jack Hammer]

Don't forget that sham of a light bulb box they had in stores to show everyone how MC cables delivered more power. IIRC, they had a 10 or 12ga MC cable on one side and something like a spool of 22 or 24ga speaker wire on the other, both mostly hidden from view in a failed attempt to keep people from noticing the dramatic difference in wire gauge.


Jack

 

[markw]

Heavens to mergatroid!

You aren't suggesting they engage in deceptive marketing practices, are you?

That would be tantamount to out-and out lying!

 

[gene]

You aren't suggesting they engage in deceptive marketing practices, are you?

You mean like these?

http://www.audioholics.com/news/trade-show-coverage/2006-consumer-electronics-show-ces/ces-2006-blunders-deceptions-and-other-goofs

 

[jinjuku]

?/Suggestion for PANGRITT

Hi Pete,

Looking around on the MC website. There are NO specs (other than bandwidth) posted for your HDMI cables.

I look at the 800 or 1000 series and wonder are they Cat 1? Cat 2? 1.0/1.2/1.3?

The tech support guy at Monster said you have to look at the Gbps rating then then cross reference it at the HDMI website!?

 

[MatthewB.]

My favorite was when I was in a Circuit City and they had a demo of a bluray player on two screens, one was a Monster brand, the other was unnamed. But you could clearly see how "improved" the picture quality was using "Monster". But knowing about their snake oil salesman tactics. Upon closer examination, I saw that the Monster brand cable was a HDMI while the unnamed brand was a composite with red and white analog cables. Yeah that was a real "fair" demo.

I actually one time opened the Monster speaker demo box one time and saw that the Monster side was a 10 gauge speaker wire cut about 4 feet and the other "unnamed" was a 100 foot spool of 24 gauge wire.

Didn't they hang scheisters like this about a 100 years ago?

 

[jamie2112]

They are the worst ever.....I hope they negative buzz they have generated will continue to grow to great lenths......

 

[MatthewB.]

I think Noel Lee is a fabulous business man and he ranks right up there with other famous businessmen.

P.T. Barnum
Billy Mays
That Shamwow guy
Guy who invented the Pet Rock
Cal Worthington

 

[Jack Hammer]

...Didn't they hang scheisters like this about a 100 years ago?

Actually I believe they tarred and feathered them, then ran them out of town. Hmm, I'm getting an idea...

Jack