Panasonic DVD-RV31K DVD Player, Black
Excellent basic player, but don't buy it for MP3 capability
I had a tough time deciding between this unit and the Pioneer DV-343.  I ended up choosing the Panasonic mainly due to the MP3 playback ability.  Well, it does play back MP3 discs, but with no kind of features whatsoever.  The tracks are listed by number only, and you can't even randomize playback.  You can do next track/previous track, and FF/REW within an MP3, but that's about it.  Oh well, it's good if you want to mix a pre-randomized party CD or something.<br />As far as DVD playback goes, the picture is much better than my old RCA 5220 was.  The FF/REW search for DVDs is excellent, much better than I expected from a low-end (but brand name) unit.  I haven't used the DV-343 in person, but I know the previous model (the 333) had very choppy searches.  It also plays VCDs on CDR very well, again with good search abilities.  The unit does have it's cheesy side, as it says &quot;Welcome to DVD World&quot; when it powers up, but hey, Panasonic has never quite been in touch with American culture...  <br />Other then the MP3 ability, this is an excellent unit.  I'd definitely recommend it.