Toshiba U79 and U80 Owners Discussion And Review !!

[shield99]

That fix won't work for me since my Plex was working on the TV and stopped working after an update to the Plex server side. Also, I'm able to access plex from my other devices, so it's not a firewall/DNS/access issue.

And the Plex app on VIDAA sucks anyway, so I'll try it on the weekend only. I won't use it even if it works anyway since the one on fireTV is so much better.

Tried Plex on U79 this weekend and god its bad. Not to mention every large file is transcoded on my media server (Same media server passed through the same files on my C9). Given that my media server is running on an old Piledriver chip, it frickin lags a lot.

Edit: Just checked the Plex Server activity dashboard. While the 5.1 audio is being sent as Passthrough, my 4K HDR video is being transcoded to 1080P and hence the high CPU usage and stuttering on the Plex app on the U79.
Upon inspecting the Plex App on Vidaa -> Settings -> Video -> Local Quality: I don't see any options for 4K.
Does this mean that Plex on Vidaa doesnt support 4K direct steams via a Plex Server?
Can you please verify the same once and also cross refer this with Plex on ur Firestick (Local Quality Settings and see if you have 4K options there)

 

[bipin1143]

Tried Plex on U79 this weekend and god its bad. Not to mention every large file is transcoded on my media server (Same media server passed through the same files on my C9). Given that my media server is running on an old Piledriver chip, it frickin lags a lot.

Edit: Just checked the Plex Server activity dashboard. While the 5.1 audio is being sent as Passthrough, my 4K HDR video is being transcoded to 1080P and hence the high CPU usage and stuttering on the Plex app on the U79.
Upon inspecting the Plex App on Vidaa -> Settings -> Video -> Local Quality: I don't see any options for 4K.
Does this mean that Plex on Vidaa doesnt support 4K direct steams via a Plex Server?
Can you please verify the same once and also cross refer this with Plex on ur Firestick (Local Quality Settings and see if you have 4K options there)

I use plex via firesick 4k [65u79] and i face no issues
I play my media from my PC via local WiFi. For me its been a delight playing local 4k hdr10/Dolby vision files file.
im not sure about the audio cuz i dont have a system as of now but the display info shows 5.1 or 7.1 atmos
The quality setting should be left as 'play original quality'

 

[shield99]

I use plex via firesick 4k [65u79] and i face no issues
I play my media from my PC via local WiFi. For me its been a delight playing local 4k hdr10/Dolby vision files file.
im not sure about the audio cuz i dont have a system as of now but the display info shows 5.1 or 7.1 atmos
The quality setting should be left as 'play original quality'

The quality is left as original but since it was being transcoded, i checked the settings and noticed that there were no 4K settings there. Tried with a 720P file and that too was transcoded.
The built in plex app is beyond crap

 

[Prameet]

I use plex via firesick 4k [65u79] and i face no issues
I play my media from my PC via local WiFi. For me its been a delight playing local 4k hdr10/Dolby vision files file.
im not sure about the audio cuz i dont have a system as of now but the display info shows 5.1 or 7.1 atmos
The quality setting should be left as 'play original quality'

Does it play smoothly without a wired connection. Planning to buy a firetv stick 4k exactly for this purpose.
Also can firetv stick play local 4k HDR/Atmos h265 files as big as 20gb over WiFi without stutter from a Plex server without any transcoding?

 

[bipin1143]

Yes all my collection of movies are large files 4kHDR/DV they play quite smoothly on firestick over wi-fi.
I didn't test the Atmos since I don't have a dedicated atmos setup
You can play both HDR and Dolby vision flawlessly

 

[Prameet]

Yes all my collection of movies are large files 4kHDR/DV they play quite smoothly on firestick over wi-fi.
I didn't test the Atmos since I don't have a dedicated atmos setup
You can play both HDR and Dolby vision flawlessly

Alright, actually my Plex server is an old 2015 laptop that I use to host files which were mostly h264 before but now it can barely play newer h265 hdr files. So I don't want the server to do any processing or transcoding as it just won't be able to. I just want the server to be a repository for my movies and nothing more and want a powerful streamer that can playback the file in its full glory.

 

[shield99]

Alright, actually my Plex server is an old 2015 laptop that I use to host files which were mostly h264 before but now it can barely play newer h265 hdr files. So I don't want the server to do any processing or transcoding as it just won't be able to. I just want the server to be a repository for my movies and nothing more and want a powerful streamer that can playback the file in its full glory.

Firestick 4K seems to be the solution for both of us. Just gotta wait for it to drop down in price as these went for 2.5K during Diwali sales.

 

[Prameet]

Firestick 4K seems to be the solution for both of us. Just gotta wait for it to drop down in price as these went for 2.5K during Diwali sales.

2500 for the 4k stick?? The lowest I remember is it being 3500

 

[Yaridu]

Alright, actually my Plex server is an old 2015 laptop that I use to host files which were mostly h264 before but now it can barely play newer h265 hdr files. So I don't want the server to do any processing or transcoding as it just won't be able to. I just want the server to be a repository for my movies and nothing more and want a powerful streamer that can playback the file in its full glory.

I tried Dolby demo disc from 8th gen core i5 to fire stick 4k. Cpu 100% utilisation for M2TS file . Dashboard shows it is trying to transcode audio.

 

[Yaridu]

Yes all my collection of movies are large files 4kHDR/DV they play quite smoothly on firestick over wi-fi.
I didn't test the Atmos since I don't have a dedicated atmos setup
You can play both HDR and Dolby vision flawlessly

What format/s are these large files? Also are you transcoding these files?

 

[Prameet]

What format/s are these large files? Also are you transcoding these files?

Mostly mkv, as of now I only have the original fire tv stick and m2ts file stutter and buffer while trying to play on it. H264 encoded mkv files play on it smoothly over WiFi.

I tried Dolby demo disc from 8th gen core i5 to fire stick 4k. Cpu 100% utilisation for M2TS file . Dashboard shows it is trying to transcode audio.

This is exactly what I don't want. My 6th gen i5 laptop will not be able to transcode h265 HDR mkv files on the fly and buffering and stuttering won't go away.
Did you try VLC media player. Search for upnp Plex server in the VLC player and try to play the video files directly on VLC in the firetv4k. This bypasses any transcoding that Plex server has to offer.

 

[bipin1143]

What format/s are these large files? Also are you transcoding these files?

HEVC mkv files im not transcoding
I play opriginal quality

 

[crashnburn]

Firestick 4K seems to be the solution for both of us. Just gotta wait for it to drop down in price as these went for 2.5K during Diwali sales.

2500 for the 4k stick?? The lowest I remember is it being 3500

Best I see via Keepa is: 3600 (diwali times: Oct 16-Nov 13 ) and later at 4500.

 

[lightgamer]

Best I see via Keepa is: 3600 (diwali times: Oct 16-Nov 13 ) and later at 4500.

There was a 10% HDFC discount at that time too, so I got it for ₹3240.

 

[architlfc]

Hey guys, any leads on where I can buy this tv in Mumbai from? RD online had a few in stock two weeks back. Have been checking everyday since then but no luck with stocks.

 

[shield99]

2500 for the 4k stick?? The lowest I remember is it being 3500

Yeah, my bad. Got the numbers mixed up.
It is currently available for 4K (6K - 2K coupon discount) which is pretty good too.

 

[crashnburn]

There was a 10% HDFC discount at that time too, so I got it for ₹3240.

I need to get in on these indian card hacks -

I got mine from US .. Actually have a spare sitting packed new in box

Yeah, my bad. Got the numbers mixed up.
It is currently available for 4K (6K - 2K coupon discount) which is pretty good too.

2500 for the 4k stick?? The lowest I remember is it being 3500

 

[Yaridu]

Mostly mkv, as of now I only have the original fire tv stick and m2ts file stutter and buffer while trying to play on it. H264 encoded mkv files play on it smoothly over WiFi.


This is exactly what I don't want. My 6th gen i5 laptop will not be able to transcode h265 HDR mkv files on the fly and buffering and stuttering won't go away.
Did you try VLC media player. Search for upnp Plex server in the VLC player and try to play the video files directly on VLC in the firetv4k. This bypasses any transcoding that Plex server has to offer.

Tried it, Thanks for the tip! . Yes now the CPU utilization is barely above 10% for normal 10GB files, cool as a cucumber. This method not as slick as plex is better to watch 10+ GB movies & 4k rips. However M2TS files and true HD mkv Dolby files strugle to play. I read it is VLC+ Plex not playing well with M2TS files. End of the day I wold not be watching movies in that format. However if one needs to really push the limits of this TV, maybe need to invest in a dedicated 4k player or a HTPC with powerdvd and a decent graphics card. Thank you FM's I am slowly using this TV's real potentials.

 

[lightgamer]

Tried it, Thanks for the tip! . Yes now the CPU utilization is barely above 10% for normal 10GB files, cool as a cucumber. This method not as slick as plex is better to watch 10+ GB movies & 4k rips. However M2TS files and true HD mkv Dolby files strugle to play. I read it is VLC+ Plex not playing well with M2TS files. End of the day I wold not be watching movies in that format. However if one needs to really push the limits of this TV, maybe need to invest in a dedicated 4k player or a HTPC with powerdvd and a decent graphics card. Thank you FM's I am slowly using this TV's real potentials.

If you want to use Plex, you'll need to understand the mechanics of how everything works and when something is transcoded.

M2TS has nothing to do with the file transcoding or not. It's a container and not a codec. It's just like MKV or MP4.

Every video file can contain 1 video, multiple audios and multiple subtitles. With Plex, you can shift between them using settings. Also the Plex playback info screen shows you why something is being transcoded.

Most likely the transcoding will be done for audio (TRUE HD) and some alpha based subtitles (ASS) files. More often than not, you have multiple audio tracks in these blu ray files and you can simply switch to the AC3/EAC3 track and that will stop transcoding as the TV can natively decode/pass them. Similarly, you can switch to SRT/PGS subtitle files. Also you can go into Plex settings and change subtitle transcode settings.

If a file doesn't have these options, it's very easy to transcode the file and add these compatibility layers. Takes 2-3 minutes.

The reason VLC plays these files is because it's transcoding on the TV/firestick and you just don't see that. The transcode is still happening.

 

[Ravikiran 33]

When can we expect toshiba u 7980 to be on sale in amazon/ flipkart