Sorry to bring this thread back up, but I have also been wanting this for a long time. I find the volume adjustment in VLC to be incredibly annoying. It amazes me that there is no option to simply turn it off or lock it at a specific level. I want to control the system volume, not programs individually.
There are two ways I control system volume, but only one of them gets taken over by VLC.
1) Dell Bluetooth Keyboard - there's a volume knob, and when it's turned it talks to my Logitech Setpoint software which then adjusts the system volume. This method works as I would expect, and doesn't touch VLC no matter what. I really like that. However, this isn't my preferred input method for volume control. that would be:
2)
Griffin Powermate - it's a fantastic little knob that gives me very accurate control over volume, and is just more pleasant to use than the keyboard. The problem is that, even though I have the Griffin software set up properly, VLC for some reason takes over control of the volume adjustment. When the focus is on VLC, turning the Powermate changes the volume in the program. If I merely click somewhere off the player window and take the focus away, the knob controls the system volume.
It seems to me that as an interface design decision, it's awful to have this second volume level, particularly if the user has absolutely not option to simply lock it or turn it off. Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't VLC not used to have that volume control? I liked the program a lot more then.
I hope someone who works on the program is reading this, because it's a feature I think is really important. Please let us lock the volume!
ps- thanks to segraves1 for posting this thread. I posted a similar one a month or so back, and not a single person replied to it. thanks for that, guys.
*edit*
Oh, and I've unset all volume controls in settings, and yes, VLC
still takes control