Realforce R3 Wired (R3SC41) Disassembly

[techbeezin]

Hello All,

This post is a follow up to my other disassembly post of the Bluetooth R3 keyboard (linked here). In this post I will be going over the Wired JIS version of the R3 keyboard and my findings compared to a R2 keyboard. Unfortunately I did not have a R2 JIS layout board to compare to so this comparison is not 1 for 1. Again my main focus was to see if this R3 keyboard could fit in a Norbaforce case.

TLDR; the wired R3 keyboard will fit in a Norbaforce without any modifications. Continue reading if you would like more information.

DISCLAIMER
I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGES THAT MAY BE CAUSED FROM DISASSEMBLY. THIS IS NOT A GUIDE BUT IS AN INFORMATIVE DOCUMENT. READER ASSUMES ALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DAMAGES. THIS WILL VOID YOUR WARRANTY

With the disclaimer out of the way; if you do disassemble an ANSI layout version, please feel free to take pictures of the process and reach out to u/techbeezin on Reddit / techbeezin#0013 on Discord / techbeezin on Keebtalk, so I can add that into this post.

First thing you may notice when looking at the wired R3 is that it looks identical to a R2 keyboard. This applies to many aspects of this board.

As seen in the above image the R2 (top) and R3 (bottom) PCBs look identical. They both have the 5 pin JST connector and same screw placement (for the most part since the layouts are different). There is also no breakout board since there is no Bluetooth on this keyboard.

The mounting slots are also identical on the two boards. R2 (top) R3 (bottom).

R2 plate width is 36 centimeters
R3 plate width is also 36 centimeters

R2 height is 13 centimeters
R3 height is also 13 centimeters

R3SC41 PCB in MK II Norbaforce case

R2 PCB in R3 case

It seems like the R3 wired keyboard and R2 are almost identical. Mounting points, and plate size is exactly the same and should interchangeable with aftermarket cases that support R2 Realforce boards.

In my personal opinion, the only benefit for upgrading to the R3 wired is having the R3 programming software available to do more configuration with the keyboard. If you have a R2 currently, and don’t need the extra features, then I personally do not think it is worth upgrading.

Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions, and thank you for reading!

[dejusk]

Interesting breakdown, thanks for the research. Looks like the wired R3 is essentially a rebranded R2.

[techbeezin]

Thank you!
That’s exactly what I think too. Granted, it has more features in the Realforce software, but definitely doesn’t justify buying to replace a R2

[rhombus]

Great teardown! Are the sliders on the wired R3 factory lubed like on the BT R3? Is it a good factory lube job or are people going to be inclined to redo it?

[techbeezin]

Thank you and welcome to the community!

As for the sliders I think I was mistaken on the Bluetooth tear down. It looks like lube on the sliders but I think it may be the plastic having some discoloration. If it is lubed, it’s very uneven and definitely needs to be redone in my opinion.