Using version 2.1.4 on OS X, VLC maps the audio channels of surround content to the wrong channels.
Here is what needs to be done to get the sound mapped to the correct channels:
This was from a post in 2011.1 Left (no change)
2 Right (no change)
3 Right Surround (was Center)
4 LFE Screen (no change)
5 Rear Surround Left (was Left Surround)
6 Rear Surround Right (was Right Surround)
7 Center (was Rear Surround Left after renaming)
8 Left Surround (was Rear Surround Right after renaming)
The problem is that once you change this in Audio MIDI Setup, then the mapping is wrong in all other apps. So, if you only ever use VLC, then you are OK, but if you use other apps like XMBC or iTunes, then you have to adjust the channel mappings every time you use VLC and put it back every time you're done using VLC.
Seems like a simple fix for VLC to use standard channel mapping.
I am a software developer and my software give you virtual 5.1 or 7.1 for headphones, but every time I use VLC, the channels are wrong. Then I have to tell people how to manually adjust the channel mappings every time they use VLC.
Thanks for your help.