Sampo has just released a new DVD player, the DVE-631CF. As far as I know, this is the only set-top DVD player that has a compact flash memory card reader on the player. It can be used to view JPEG photos on your TV, and can also be used to play back MP3 files and MPEG1 video files. And all such files recorded to CD-R can also be played back with this player.

The player is almost exactly the same as the now-discontinued DVE-620, with the addition of the CF adapter (connected to the IDE cable that also connects the DVD loader to the processor board), and the change in firmware necessary to access the CF adapter and play back the other file formats.

Unfortunately, I have not found any way to disable MV or change regions with the 631CF firmware.

I have just begun an evaluation of this unit. Check out preliminary info at this link:

http://www.geocities.com/reversengineer_2000/sampo/631CF/631CFgallery.html

BTW, 620 firmware works on this player, but of course you loose access to the CF reader and no longer have the JPEG playback utility.

-Craig.