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geekhack Projects => Making Stuff Together! => Topic started by: MJ45 on Mon, 11 November 2013, 18:42:33

Title: Realforce 87u Removable USB cable mod
Post by: MJ45 on Mon, 11 November 2013, 18:42:33
The only thing I don't like about Realforce keyboards is the fixed USB cable. So I decided to make mine removable and have it look like they should have been made. Sparkfun.com makes a nice mini-b usb breakout board that could be also used to mod other brands of keyboards as well and costs $1.95. The stock cable channel needs to be ground out to clear the mini pcb board and the usb mini-b cable with a Dremel tool. I cut off a piece of the stock cable with the header plug long enough to connect the breakout board to the keyboards header plug and soldered up. I filled the case with epoxy where it broke through from grinding and touched it up with black paint. Its mounted with a couple of 6-32 flathead screws and nylock nuts to secure it to the case. It is a simple but effective mod.
Title: Re: Realforce 87u Removable USB cable mod
Post by: dustinhxc on Mon, 11 November 2013, 18:44:22
Whoa thats pretty cool man.. One thing I dont like about the Realforce is I cant add a custom USB. Nice.
Title: Re: Realforce 87u Removable USB cable mod
Post by: MJ45 on Mon, 11 November 2013, 18:49:32
Whoa thats pretty cool man.. One thing I dont like about the Realforce is I cant add a custom USB. Nice.
Well the only other thing I don't like about Realforce and HHKB's are the ABS spacebars but I cant do anything about that.
Title: Re: Realforce 87u Removable USB cable mod
Post by: metalliqaz on Mon, 11 November 2013, 19:07:37
Nice job that looks awesome.
Title: Re: Realforce 87u Removable USB cable mod
Post by: SpAmRaY on Mon, 11 November 2013, 19:13:38
This looks really good. Thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: Realforce 87u Removable USB cable mod
Post by: ShivaYash on Tue, 06 January 2015, 07:55:54
The only thing I don't like about Realforce keyboards is the fixed USB cable. So I decided to make mine removable and have it look like they should have been made. Sparkfun.com makes a nice mini-b usb breakout board that could be also used to mod other brands of keyboards as well and costs $1.95. The stock cable channel needs to be ground out to clear the mini pcb board and the usb mini-b cable with a Dremel tool. I cut off a piece of the stock cable with the header plug long enough to connect the breakout board to the keyboards header plug and soldered up. I filled the case with epoxy where it broke through from grinding and touched it up with black paint. Its mounted with a couple of 6-32 flathead screws and nylock nuts to secure it to the case. It is a simple but effective mod.

This is cool, but is there a version that avoids drilling holes in the bottom case?
Title: Re: Realforce 87u Removable USB cable mod
Post by: False_Dmitry_II on Fri, 26 June 2015, 00:08:10
The only thing I don't like about Realforce keyboards is the fixed USB cable. So I decided to make mine removable and have it look like they should have been made. Sparkfun.com makes a nice mini-b usb breakout board that could be also used to mod other brands of keyboards as well and costs $1.95. The stock cable channel needs to be ground out to clear the mini pcb board and the usb mini-b cable with a Dremel tool. I cut off a piece of the stock cable with the header plug long enough to connect the breakout board to the keyboards header plug and soldered up. I filled the case with epoxy where it broke through from grinding and touched it up with black paint. Its mounted with a couple of 6-32 flathead screws and nylock nuts to secure it to the case. It is a simple but effective mod.

This is cool, but is there a version that avoids drilling holes in the bottom case?

Super late question, gets a super late answer. Sure there is, just hot glue it in place.
Title: Re: Realforce 87u Removable USB cable mod
Post by: Dyto69 on Thu, 06 May 2021, 03:35:57
Question:
Hello, i know this is a really old post but maybe someone will see this. I want to do this but with USB-C, but I'm not sure if it would work. So I would buy a USB-C breakout board like this one: (shortened link https://cutt.ly/ibW2ulW) and only use the VCC, D-, D+ and GND headers like in the Pictures with the Mini-USB Breakout Board. Does someone know if this is possible and will work because I heard that USB-Mini / Micro are very different to USB-C, and it might not work.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
Title: Re: Realforce 87u Removable USB cable mod
Post by: Dyto69 on Mon, 31 May 2021, 03:24:18
Question:
Hello, i know this is a really old post but maybe someone will see this. I want to do this but with USB-C, but I'm not sure if it would work. So I would buy a USB-C breakout board like this one: (shortened link https://cutt.ly/ibW2ulW) and only use the VCC, D-, D+ and GND headers like in the Pictures with the Mini-USB Breakout Board. Does someone know if this is possible and will work because I heard that USB-Mini / Micro are very different to USB-C, and it might not work.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

nvm it works, i just tried it and it just works the same way as normal. I used this Brakeout Board: https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B07Y3BBYVG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1