[Question] Upgrading One Connect Box from The Frame (2020 - LS03T) to 2022 box

[Yanis T]

Is it possible to upgrade their OCB to a newer one but keeping the same panel?

This is just my hypothetical answer on this topic since I am interested and I hope others may enlighten this topic.

I own a 75" The Frame TV (EU - LS03T - 2020) and it seems Samsung is completely abandoning the 2020 line with support. This tv is perfect and no problems at all but now it seems they are interested in having people pay for newer products for people to throw their perfectly working TV.

First instance (that got me interested on this topic) was from this update (2401.1) which somehow KILLED Q-Symphony support on my soundbar (Q70T). I tried everything and nope doesn't work. So I decided to get technical and went into the service menu using my device with IR.  I found out that the Q-Symphony support was set to 0 which was odd. I tweaked the setting to 1 and then decided to turn off and on still nothing but then I thought what about if I change the setting but quit the service menu without triggering a full reboot when turning off. So I left the service menu with (Factory x2) and went to sound settings and guess what? My Q-Symphony works and all works but the moment I turn off the TV (causing the tv to silently reboot). I found out it doesn't work and in the service menu (Q-Symphony was set to 0) so I can conclude on saying that samsung SPECIFICALLY changed the parameters on this specific update disabling Q-Symphony which really made me annoyed.

Second instance is services, the latest update (T-NKMDEUC) 2501.2, brought the loss of google assistant and soon loss of smartthings support, gallery and samsung health and maybe Samsung TV Plus. Samung TV Plus gives me an error about loss of connection to server. Anyways it seems samsung is just giving up support. I'm not hating on samsung nor nothing but just upsetting that samsung is just gonna sink the 2020 line of TV's.

Now, this is where this made me think of the question in mind. Is it possible to replace the One Connect Box with a newer revision because the newer revisions have the same cable and power specs including one connect cable specs which theoretically makes it possible to replace the OCB but leaving the panel. Obviously there may be a problem on how it might work but I think it's possible to reprogram the newer revision OCB using the Extended Service Menu (Info+Factory) choosing the panel list and color etc.. recoding and possible to maybe backup from the original box like color balance or something then restore in the service menu. Obviously model numbers different (LS03B as ref.) but apart from that it is possible for it to work.

Finally, I want to know if some people have ever attempted such thing and if they had success or not. Hope to hear your point of view.

Also I want to try and downgrade the TV somehow to an older version by service menu or somehow and that would be much appreciated.

[Obsydian]

I don't think it is possible, the cable connector may also be different.

Funny you mentioned this as yesterday I was looking at trying to bring my QN95A 2021 to a different TV firmware to get the latest features.

[Yanis T]

LOL

About the connector, well I thought so too but then I checked the french service/repair manual for LS03B and LS03B One Connect Boxes available on the official french website support page and they use the same connector and pretty much same hardware configuration which technically makes it possible. They haven't changed much for the newer Frame models except for the other series (I think).

[Yanis T]

Also new things I found in the extended service menu under SW model and Panel Type, it shows tv's panel types and hardware/software config varying from 2018 to 2020 meaning pretty much they use the same board across numerous models of TV.

I found the LS03C and LS03D as options in SW model and also their corresponding panel types in the service menu so maybe meaning that upgradibility was possible and maybe still is? Or just they use the same parts to save costs but they are telling us to buy newer products and just throw perfectly working TV away.

[Yanis T]

If what I'm seeing is correct just according to this map of sorts. The One Connect Box is just an "Android TV Box" connect to the screen via a glorified HDMI cable. LOL The brains of the screen is on the panel and the One Connect Box handles the power and smart hub and controls the screen but like in a way SSH. LOL

I did an experiment which you definitely DON'T want to do AT ALL. I had my screen on and just on youtube. I disconnected the One Connect Cable while IT'S ON then reconnected it and 6 seconds later screen comes back on and all is well and all controls.

[Obsydian]

That's heavy maan 😉