Frank,
I think you're right about the XML server. The tricky bit seems to be coding the part that interfaces to the player software & XML support in the OS. I had to install MSXML3 from MS to get this to work, so I assume similar services would have to be available from the Linux kernel.

The CE VNC client has a 'Limit to 8 bits' option, so I don't think the host needs to know anything about the client, although if you don't set this on the CE client causes the host to crash (at least on my W98 machine). So far my main problem using VNC is speed. Refreshing a 1280x1024 desktop to a 240X320 screen is too slow to use. I think you're on the right track by limiting to an 8 bit pallet & plain interface. It would help the speed immensely as VNC likes to draw large untextured areas. However, there would might still be a stylus/mouse tapping issue. With VNC I end up dragging windows around a lot by mistake. Perhaps lower latency would help this.

The XML/HTML performance of the winamp plugin is quite good, although it does chew up some bandwidth refreshing the html window on the client every 10 seconds or so (configurable).

I've attached the help/config html page that came with the plugin, for those who're interested. It has some good basic information.

If you implement a VNC interface, you'd still have to run a player app on the empeg/RioReciever right? With XML that interface is just an html/xml page, so virtually any layout is possible and end users could code their own & install it. Just thinking out loud here...

-Zeke

just say you weren't paying much attention...