Is problem BD player, disc or both? (1 Viewer)

Panasonic DMP BD80 player (purchased 2009) with the latest firmware update. (2.64)
Played hundreds of BDs last 4 years w/o issue but, last few months had 4 problems.
2-15-2013: Iron Man 2, USED freeze & skip in 2 spots, repeatable. Small marks scratches. Replacement disc played perfectly.
3-19-2013: Platoon, NEW, cannot read disc, No scratches. Found several complaints online re single disc edition similar to mine. Replacement disc played perfectly.
4-19-2013: Warrior, USED, freezes several spots, repeatable. Has a few scratches. Replacement disc played perfectly.
4-26-2013: Point Blank, NEW, Will not load! No scratches. (Working on replacement)

In all cases tried to clean & no help. Have SD card inserted in player & just disabled Internet access in menu which is not used anyway since no connection.
I’m wondering if the 2 used disc problems (which were fixed by a new disc) prove my player is OK. Except, I wonder if my player losing the ability to correct errors/play discs with scratches?
Have yet to replace Point Blank but, if new disc plays fine (as did Platoon) then does that also mean my player is OK? No firmware updates since 4-2012 so, I wonder if Panasonic has abandoned older players expecting issues & wants to force customers to buy new players? Is 4 years really “old?” Seems suspicious that I had zero issues for almost 4 years & then past few months, 4 issues.
No, I have no access to another BD player to test some of these defective discs.
I could buy a cleaner with brushes or even disassemble & manually clean the laser but, if that was the problem it would have trouble playing all BDs.
Perhaps just a recent string of bad luck or maybe early signs of player failure.
Thoughts?
Thanks,
Steve

Updates: Tried new BD, 12 Angry Men & also would not load despite eject & retry 5X. Tried Legally Blonde & didn’t load but eject & retry & played fine. Now problem is 2-3 BDs, not just one.
I gave up & bought an Oppo BDP-103. Works great plays both BDs that would not play in Panasonic & Oppo has great customer service reputation. I have emailed them with a couple set up questions & each time I received a reply in hours ... not weeks (or never) as happens with some other brands.
On the day my new Oppo was due to arrive, I finally rec’d (telephone message) response to my Panasonic paper, snail mail letter! They had ignored my email & telephone support was worthless, no suggestions. They said: “If SD card in & Internet disabled & tried another copy of Point Blank, try turning off Quick Start. We have had good results with this. Yes, FW 2.64 is latest update. Only other option is service but, since plays all other BDs, & unit 4 years old probably not a good option for you.”
I tried quick start off & now Panasonic plays 12 Angry Men! But, still no luck with Point Blank.

It's probably the laser mechanism aging - as Blu-ray has much tighter tolerances than DVD or CD players do, these become issues much more easily. Good call on the Oppo, I think you'll be very happy!

It was something with the Panasonic DMP BD80. Either no FW updates for over 1 year & probably never to be anymore, or a laser issue. Or the software that reads BDs has trouble reading some but, not others.
It would have been nice had Panasonic admitted this. I assume this was an early sign of a failing player. Had I kept using it, more & more old & new BDs would fail to load. Even, perhaps, BDs I had played w/o issue previously.

I have two BD35. One of them is starting random non-reads. Played Silver Linings Playbook fine, then wouldn't read 2001.

schan1269 said:

I have two BD35. One of them is starting random non-reads. Played Silver Linings Playbook fine, then wouldn't read 2001.

Click to expand...

You are in a unique position. If one identical BD35 has an issue with a BD, you try in the other BD35 & if issue resolved & try again in 1st BD35 & if issue remains, you have proven the fault is with the 1st BD35.
It may be time to replace at least one of your BD35s. If it is similar to the BD80s, you can try; turning off BD live/Internet access, reformatting the SD card or inserting & formatting an SD card if one is not installed & turing off Quick Start. Even if these BDs do play fine in your other BD35 these work-a-rounds may buy you more time if the BD35 is beginning to fail. Apparently, when some Panasonic BD players start to fail, these steps may help to play an unplayable/BD.

I offered my scenario to show it is possible that manufacturing variations mean one player is fine for 2 years, where another is fine for 5 years. Ironically, the one failing is the one I bought used...and use least. I paid $60 for it 3 years ago. The one that is fine I bought NIB and gets a movie spun in it 6-10 times a week.I have 5 BD players.LG 390Sony 350Toshiba(rarely used, was a freebie when I sold wholesale and Tosh had met their 6 month sales goal)BD35 (2)All of them are profile 2. All of them are set up for BD-Live. The ones that need it have SD cards. And every once in a while a new movie won't play.