Hmm, well I notice that this is probibly an age old topic and noboy has looked into it, but I thought i'd point out that even if the ribbon is cut, totaly, you can still use the external remote control socket to use the player. If you get the right remote, you even get some better functionality, imo. For example it has the folder forward or folder backwards buttons, that let you use the Item shuffle more intuitivly. Come to an album you dont want to hear? Press folder forward, get to the end of an album and want to hear it again? Press folder backwards. I've personaly bought an extra "Useless" NW-HD5H and a remote at under 20£ and it has worked flawlessly in my backpack, even though the unit was about 2 years old when I got it and i've been using it for some time now. Figure once the 30gb hard drive fails I might try the Compact flash mod again, the way I see it, I dont even need the case anymore, I can make it as big as I want, so long as I can still read the screen. Thinking maybe of doing an Altoid tin mod with a plexiglass window for the screen Ghetto, but cool.