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Obtaining a USB Vendor/Product ID?

Posted by Cliff on from the proper-identification dept.

Qeygh asks: "I am interested in developing some hardware devices for my own use and, since RS-232 is dying, would like to use USB to communicate with them. If they work out well I may offer kits for sale. To do this right I should get a USB Vendor ID so that the devices can be uniquely identified by the host; but, being cheap, I don't want to drop the $1500 that USB.org charges for one. Does anyone know of any alternatives -- perhaps someone who bought a Vendor ID and re-sells small blocks of Product IDs? If no-one out there is doing this yet, is it a service that anyone else would use?"

5 of 37 comments (clear)

  1. If you're going to sell kits... by torpor · · Score: 4, Informative

    ... then, make an investment for the 'business' you will make from this, and pay the $1500 to get your own Vendor ID.

    Shirking out of paying a vendor ID when you want to sell product based on USB is just stupid. USB requires a unique vendor ID, that database of vendor ID's needs to be maintained and administered, and the cost for that is $1500. Fair enough, welcome to business.

    Pay the fee, if you're going to sell kits. It is the only thing that makes sense. You want to use USB, well ... there is a door fee, and that door fee is $1500.

    If you're not going to sell kits, you don't need your own Vendor ID. Just use nulls for everything, or make one up for your own lab purposes.

    --
    ; -- the corruption of government starts with its secrets. a truly free people keep no secrets. --
  2. Your Google-Fu is no good! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative
    You must master Jeet-Comb-Do.

    "- USB Product Id's or PID are supplied using our Vendor ID for each licensed product if your company doesn't already have a USB Vendor ID and doesn't want to pay the yearly fee for a Vendor ID from www.usb.org." -- Andrew Pargeter & Associates . Sales : 888-806-1053


    This seems to be your best bet. Doesn't look like it would be much of a problem to set up a program and sell or give PID's away though. But, what's to stop random developers from "barrowing" them and causing a difficult to diagnose problem down the line, should you pursue it?

    1. Re:Your Google-Fu is no good! by GreenKiwi · · Score: 2, Informative

      I can speak from experience that the driver and service provided by this company are excellent.

      kiwi

  3. Check with the chipset vendor by morcheeba · · Score: 4, Informative

    A lot of times, the manufacturer of the USB chipset you're using will sublet their product ID's for free or nominal cost. (example: Answer 3, part 2). They're happy to sell parts, and it costs them only 1.1 cents a year per PID (they've got a block of 64k; that's a lot of numbers)

    Also, correction to Qeygh's original question: it's not just $1500, it's $1500 every two years, for just the numbers Or you can join the USB org for $2500/year and get the numbers for free!

    --
    HIV Crosses Species Barrier... into Muppets
  4. Buy a chip, get PIDs for free by nmnilsson · · Score: 3, Informative

    I'd recommend buying a USB-RS232 chip.
    USB is USB - just a lot of specs to follow and nothing innovative.
    It gives you time to concentrate on 'your own' hardware, which after all is what you want.
    You get to use the vendors device drivers and VID, and get a couple of PIDs for your own use.

    My company has worked quite a bit with FTDI.
    They make reliable chips (AFAIKT), and give excellent support.

    --
    No sig to see here. Move along.