DVD player for CD music? Pion DV-220V-K, Pan DVD S43

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I'm looking for convenience of playing CDs without the remote. Audio quality of the player is less important - my receiver is a so-so, speakers are KEF IQ3 - better than average, but it's just two-channel (it won't be more than 2.1 even in distant future). Though, I noticed some difference in audio when comparing two players (see below).

My requirements might seem odd, but here they are:
1) Toggle-disc on front panel with Play, Stop, Next/Previous, like on MP3 players, preferably bright (my room is dark). Why manufacturers have to remove all the buttons from front panel?? I inserted CD, standing in front of it, wanting to play track # 3 and I can't! I have to go and get a remote and then find and press tiny Next/Prev buttons.
2) LED indicator that shows Track # on CD, or Chapter # on DVD.
3) Must play MP3, though all of them seem to play, these days.
Less important:
4) Not too lousy remote for DVD play - most DVD remotes have tiny Play and Pause buttons. Those are THE most frequently used buttons in movie watching, but they are always small, hidden in zillion of other buttons. A handier remote can probably be purchased separately.

What I tried:
1) Panasonic DVD S43, not upconverting (and neither is my TV, so I don't care). Plays Divx, MP3, CD, DVD etc.
Pros (CD):
- Shows Track # on LED display.
- With TV on, on-screen display shows the entire list of tracks with names, with currently playing track highlighted.
- Tolerant to old and scratched DVD discs.

Cons: No front panel controls except for Play/Stop, and those are black on black.

2) Pioneer DV-220V-k, upconverting.
Pros:
- Shiny silver toggle-disc with Play, Stop, Next/Prev. Shiny silver On button (I know, "shiny silver" sounds childish, but black on black sucks, in darker room).
- Remembers where I stopped DVD movie - even if I re-insert the disc.
- USB input (not much for me, I'm not playing from USB stick, but might have to).
- Bright red LED indicator (? - not sure it has to be bright and red, since it's virtually useless, see below).
- (?) Not quite sure, but it seemed like Pioneer sounded a little better than Panasonic (both connected via analog outputs).

Cons:
- Doesn't remember the last played audio CD track after On/Off (with disc still in the player).
- LED display doesn't show CD track # or DVD chapter # - only running time.
- Even if you turn the TV on, the on-screen display shows only track #, but not the entire list of the tracks (to see the list, you have to jump through a few hoops in the menu).
- Disc tray doesn't pull out completely, I had to pull it out manually for half inch more after doing it electronically. Could be a malfunction, but even pulled out to the limit manually, the round "footprint" in the tray remained partially hidden in the body. I have to tilt the CD downwards, insert the front edge, and then place it flat in the tray. You can't just flop it flat on the tray as with other players. VERY inconvenient feature.
- Loud buzz when disc tray pulls in and out.

Pioneer will have to go back to Walmart. Mostly, I'm pissed off by useless LCD indicator of Pioneer - what's the use of Next/Prev button on front panel if you don't know what track or movie chapter you're on?

Any ideas what other models to try? Can be a Blue-ray player too as long as it fits my requirements (they are getting cheap lately). Or should I get a separate designated audio CD player (if anybody still makes CD players)?

PS:Forgot to mention one more "con" of the Pioneer: in the FF mode of DVD movie (or "Scan", as they call it), it doesn't automatically turn the sound off even at the highest speeds, and chirping/squeaking of the fast scanned audio is annoying. Old not-upconverting Panasonic shuts the sound off, from the 2nd speed and higher.