Obtaining a USB Vendor/Product ID? 37
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?"
If you're going to sell kits... (Score:4, Informative)
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
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.
Re:If you're going to sell kits... (Score:2, Interesting)
Your last bit of advice is the best... 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.... As long as this'll work for testing purposes, this should do him just fine.
On another note, I agree wit
Re:If you're going to sell kits... (Score:1)
You don't need a Vendor ID if you're not going to sell product. Vendor ID's are to make it possible to recognize different devices in the marketplace, not in the lab.
In the lab, use whatever you want.
Re:If you're going to sell kits... (Score:4, Interesting)
By the sounds of the article, it sounds as if he's going to sell a few kits to recoup some cash, and/or because others are interested and he wants to share. It doesn't sound to me as if he wants to become the next Rockafeller out of the deal.
People used to say the same thing about IPv4 space. "Just use whatever block you want; it's only a lab!" Suddenly companies small and large alike are finding people announcing routes for their IP space halfway across the Internet. In other words, if you're going to "make up" your vendor ID, try to find a reserved/testing block or ensure that these devices will never get into the wild.
Sounds like you've never run a small / SOHO business my friend. :)
Re:If you're going to sell kits... (Score:2, Funny)
If you're ever caught in a room with one, remember the A-type connector is benign, but the B-type cable can deliver a serious sticker shock.
Re:If you're going to sell kits... (Score:2)
Ah, but I have. When you're a small business, every dollar counts. If fact, every dollar counts so much that you have to have an extremely firm footing in reality, or you'll go broke.
The reality is that a USB ID block costs $1500. If you're not going to spend this money, you might as well not be in business. It's an expenditure you're going to have to make. It would be nice if it were cheaper, but at least it's a very reasonable price.
Your Google-Fu is no good! (Score:5, Informative)
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?
Re:Your Google-Fu is no good! (Score:3, Informative)
kiwi
I can just see it now... (Score:2)
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 0000:0000
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 4242:2469/40 International Widget Sdn Bhd. FTL469 Hyper Communicator
#
A TID appears to be a temporary VID, but... (Score:2)
Re:A TID appears to be a temporary VID, but... (Score:1)
Just go with a value (Score:1)
I suspect you won't make friends by doing this, but I also suspect the value you choose won't be sold to anyone else. :-)
Don't worry about it, yet. (Score:2)
Just don't use 0x8086 since we all know who has that one...
Re:Don't worry about it, yet. (Score:1)
You'll have a lot of angry customers..
Test IDs (Score:2)
Check with the chipset vendor (Score:5, Informative)
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!
USB Logo?! (Score:1)
My product would have a big red circle, with white letters saying "USB" in the middle. 95% of consumers wouldn't notice the difference.
Buy a chip, get PIDs for free (Score:3, Informative)
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 [ftdichip.com].
They make reliable chips (AFAIKT), and give excellent support.
Re:Buy a chip, get PIDs for free (Score:1)
Just pick one (Score:2)
They don't want collisions as much as you do..
what kind of dip switch question is this? (Score:1)
Re:what kind of dip switch question is this? (Score:1)
In instalation:
You will need to pick a USB ID for your device. Use a paper clip to position the switches on your device to a random position, and then use your mouse to adjust these switches to match:
**switches**
If, after you have installed a new USB device, this device begins to malfunction, simply re-pick a USB ID, and adjust the switches on the device, and [click Start->Setting->USB Manager|open the USB ID Manager from the App
Sounds like it would be easy enough.... (Score:1)
One could set up a Universal USB Tinkerers Association, or something like that, specifically for this purpose.
Not to say you necessarily s
get it with an FTDI chip (Score:1)