Need help on CD/DVD multi-burner questions, please!

[entech]

I'm ready to order my new T42, with one issue left to decide: whether or not to get the multi-burner CD/DVD. As an add-on to the Expresspackage I've put together, it is only a $149 upgrade (i.e. the package already includes a CD RW and DVD read drive, so the upgrade to the multi-burner is less than the standalone price for the multi-burner. I know NOTHING about DVD burners, capabilities, limitations, what is "state of the art" etc.

The IBM multiburner reads and writes DVD-R, DVD-RW and DVD-RAM and reads DVD+R and DVD+RW.

My main use of the DVD burner would be to copy some of my old VHS tapes onto DVD format.

Is this multiburner a good tool to do that?

Will the newly burned DVD discs be viewable on my home DVD player connected to my TV?

If so, will the image quality be as the original VHS images?

How much do the blank DVD discs cost?

Any other important issues I've not covered in these questions?

Thanks.

[edelrc]

Any DVD burner can do that. However, to pass VHS tapes to digital format you will also need a input port and a software package that does the conversion. Unfortunatelly the T42 does not have a S-Video In port, so you will need an USB video capture external device (usually around $110).

Shame on IBM for not putting in $3000 laptops a S-video In or even much worse... a... sound Line In!!! (And now that I am asking, 2 USB ports more and a serial converter!)