What does Rev hook into when it plays MP3 files on Windows?

[Ben Rubinstein]

I'm trying to get Rev to play MP3 files on Windows XP Embedded.

I'm carrying the stack, the MP3 file, and StackRunner around on a USB drive, 
so the problem isn't there.  I can plug the USB drive into any of several 
Windows XP machines, launch StackRunner, press the button, hear the sound.  On 
the Windows XP machine, depending on the method I use, I either get my ears 
trashed by static (if I simply "play" the file), or have an error 'starting 
video' (if I set the filename of a player object").

As I mention, I have the whole setup on a USB drive, that I can take to 
different machines, so I'm confident the question is not about the script, the 
path to the MP3 file, etc.  The issue appears to be Rev's inability to hook 
into resources it needs from the OS.

Windows XP Embedded is not a unitary system, but is built to order from (I'm 
told) about 11,000 components.  I previously had a version which didn't have 
Windows Media Player.  I downloaded and retro-fitted this, and WMP could then 
play MP3 files, but Rev still not.  I was told that this was because simply 
installing the consumer WMP didn't install all the hooks that an app would 
need; so had the OS rebuilt, this time with WMP etc buuilt in from the start. 
  I just got this back today, and it's not helped.

The supplier is going to have another go at rebuilding the OS, but obviously 
if he knew what Rev needs it would be a big help.  He's suggested that it 
might not even be specifically a Windows Media issue, but that there might be 
components he needs to include just to allow an app written in C to access 
system components at all.

Can anyone shed any light on:

- the components Rev needs from Windows to play MP3 (etc) files?

- whether there is any kind of log or console where Rev might actually be 
reporting problems it has?

Thanks in advance,

- Ben