I ddistinctly remember checking out a version of mtv video cd player from a posting to this list and getting it to play vcd's on a hamm system with a standard kernel.
Looking around for it again and itching to try it on my fairly new slink box I can only find a version that recommends patching some stuff into /usr/src/linux/drivers/block/ide-cd.c and recompiling and installing `xreadvcd'. I'm happy to have a go at this ; .... It has to be done or what? angus Claydon