Audio Systems: JVC DVD player gone bad?, little flashes, best buy

Question
This may be outside your field of expertise.  Just let me know if it is.

I have a JVC DVD player (model XV-M5GSL).  It's 3 years old (I bought it at Best Buy for $140).  I chose it because it replaced my CD player, and has 5 drawer-type slots for CDs/DVDs, instead of the carousel type -- so it takes up less room (isn't as deep).  CDs play great.  But when I play a DVD, be it old or brand new, I see what I can only describe as scratches -- they're little flashes of silver "blips" that suddenly appear and disappear, worse on some DVDs than others.  It happens throughout the movies -- at uncertain increments.  I've played the same DVDs on my computer's DVD player and don't see those scratchy looking blips.  My computer's monitor is 12".  This is not a new issue.  I didn't know any better and thought all DVDs played like that.  So the machine has always done this.  But now it's much more noticable to me, because I got a brand new big TV this week.  My new plasma TV is 37", so I see the "scratches" BIG.  Got any advice?  Do I just have a lousy DVD player?  Thanks.

Answer
Dear Steven,

Yes, you have a lousy DVD player. The good news is that you didn't spend a king's ransom on the JVC. Since the warranty has long since expired, I'd trash it and get a new one. If you can live without a changer, the single disc models are cheaper and take up no more room than those with the cartridge changers.

Kindest regards,

Kevin