I am creating a hardware MIDI device based around an AVR microcontroller.
I have been able to successfully specify to use the MIDI USB class, so my device functions wihtout any additionaly drivers needing to be installed. I also have it set up so my device has a value for its name and manufacturer.
What I don't understand though is what I need the VID/PID for? It seems like an expensive purchase, for no added value. Currently, I am using 0xDEAD/0xCODE for the combination, and my device still works as expected.
Best Answer
If no driver is needed for your USB device and it the uses 'standard' USB classes then in theory it doesn't matter what VID/PID combination it uses.
However, if another company/device is assigned the same VID/PID combination (doesn't look like DEAD is assigned yet in the company/VID list) and a user wants to use it at the same time as your device or the libraries for the other device are installed on the host computer, then neither device may function correctly.
If the device is a product you may want to look at some of the vendors reselling PIDS rather than making one up. Even if the VID is obsoleted by the USB org (see the list at the bottom of the USB tools page) it will likely remain unused in the future.
[rant on] At $2K, a VID is an incredibly overpriced 2 bytes. I and many others would happily spend a few hundred $ on a single VID/PID combination (how many vendors need 64000 PIDs?), probably generating far more revenue for the USB organisation. [/rant off]