VIRTUAL HEIGHT? What are they then? Are you suggesting there's a specific location for virtual speakers?
I've never discussed virtual height speakers so I've got no clue what you're babbling about.
As I've said, you cannot have an Atmos setup without it including either physical or virtual height speakers.
You keep saying it, but it wasn't true in 2014 and it's sure as hell not true now. The fact you keep arguing about something you're dead wrong about is precisely why I had you on ignore twice before. What good is a fount of knowledge who can't even admit they're wrong about something. I'm simply tired of you reposting incorrect information.
THe processor would simply ignore the Atmos metadata if there are no physical height, ceiling or upward firing speakers present or if that processor hadn't Dolby Virtual Height processing.
I'm going to say this one last time. WRONG!
I honestly don't know you can't seem to comprehend what you're being told. Just because your AVR doesn't do it has no bearing on everyone else.
I've said at least twice now that ANY AVR/AVP that supports front wides or other ear level speakers beyond 7.1 (The Trinnov Altitude from 2014 supports up to 24 ear level speakers for Atmos, for example) uses Atmos decoding to place the objects in those speakers! Atmos objects are not just about overhead speakers for goodness sake!
Yes, cheaper AVRs that only have 7 or 9 channels might "need" overheads to engage Atmos because they don't offer any Atmos configuration beyond 5 or maybe 7 speakers on the floor, but that doesn't mean squat for ones that do! I suspect if you configured your own system for 7.1 and played a streaming MP4 5.1 Atmos track you'd get (or certainly should get) Atmos decoding because rear surrounds are only supported in 5.1 base tracks as Atmos beta data. It certainly works here on either of my D&M brand AVRs.
My Marantz 7010 from 2016 supports front wides also! Guess what? It uses Atmos decoding even for 5.1.0 + FW! It has to! Front wides speakers are NOT present in the 5.1 or 7.1 base channels. They are encoded as objects on the meta data!
My newer Marantz 7012 from 2018 engages Atmos decoding even for 7.1 decoding! That is because streaming Atmos is often only using a 5.1 DD+. By decoding Atmos, it can offer 7.1.0 output from the 5.1 based Atmos signal!
There is literally nothing in the Atmos spec that says an Atmos AVR
must use the 5.1 or 7.1 base tracks even for base 5.1 or 7.1 playback. It is entirely up to the manufacturer to decide. Those tracks are for backwards compatibility with older equipment. Decoded 5.1 should theoretically sound identical to the pre-recorded 5.1 base track.
So everyone owns an X6700H do they? If not then no, it isn't 100% incorrect. You are reciting an exception and not the rule!
I never said or implied any such thing. In fact, I already pointed out in a previous message my 7010 (and any AVR that supports front wides) uses Atmos decoding without overheads. You ignored it and are making ridiculous assumptions now as well.
Atmos is an object based system. It supports 24 floor/ear level speakers for object rendering. There is absolutely NOTHING to suggest Atmos in general "requires" overhead speakers to function except poor assumptions by Internet know-it-alls.
Could you actually direct me and or anyone else to anywhere that actually says that a 9.1 setup devoid of height, ceiling, upward firing or Virtual Height processing is a legimete Atmos configuration?
24.0.0 is a legitimate Atmos configuration and anything below it. Ask Trinnov. They'll set you straight as can Storm Audio or Dolby themselves (Try Stuart Bowling, Director of Content and Creative Relations at Dolby; he's seen my system even) for that matter.
Or you could could just actually TRY a 9.1 configuration and see for yourself. I can prove it even in a 7.1 configuration on either of my AVRs here.
I've got the Dolby Atmos demos in MP4 format with 5.1 base tracks. "Atmos" comes on my front panel and my rear surround speakers play the same sounds in the same places as the 7.1 TrueHD versions do as 7.1 only. That proves the AVR is decoding the rear placed objects as the 5.1 base tracks do not support rear surrounds.