Cold, the unit plays a disc after much searching and hunting for
the TOC, and even then the video has slight noise in it that is not normal.
The picture just gradually gets filled with more and more noise until the
unit starts to skip and just lock up.

Your player may be in need of an optics recalibration. Worst case would be the
need to replace the pickup if it went south.

Panasonics are not bad players, although some models are troublesome. Not
familiar with the model you've specified, though.

This may be a perfect time to consider replacing the Panny with a Pioneer
auto-reverse player, like the CLD-D704, which is also an auto-reverse unit but
considered the best U.S. non-ELITE player ever made.

I ask if I need a special shop because I took the unit to a TV/VCR shop in
town and they laughed at me for wanting to "repair that junk" and said they
can't do it. Junk? This deck in good working order will sell for $200 on
eBay.

If you run into a repair shop that calls your stuff "junk" right in front of
you, then it's also a pretty good guess to say that they may also be
incompetent. It's very unprofessional to insult a potential customer like
that.

s it worthwhile to repair, or should I just give up and buy a newer deck?
Shouldn't a shop that can handle DVD/CD repair be able to handl an LD
player?

Depends on the problem. In the case of having to realign the optics, the shop
will have to have the right tools, service literature, oscilliscope and the
correct calibration test disc.

Try contacting Kurtis Bahr at . He is well-praised at
alt.video.laserdisc for his professionalism and expertise. He may be able to
help you get your Panasonic working like new again. - Reinhart