Future-proof - on my TV.

[harry12]

I am thinking of making a move to update my gear.
Currently operating Win98SE, I can write DVD's slowly because the processor/Memory is poor. Playback of commercial DVD results in a gap between voice and picture (ie rubbish!)
I am thinking of buying a super-new dual-core processor and dual memory, on a new MBD.
Already, I have a PCI-Audigy-2 soundcard.

If I want to view commercial DVD's, what options do I have to watch them (with sound) on the computer? What if I want to connect to my large-crt TV, using SCART lead, perhaps?

In future, I will have domestic CD's/DVD's with stills (=jpeg) and moving pics (don't know format, not yet bought the camera)....I have some old VCR-tapes with the children, on that I will want to convert to DVD...

I would like to "edit" the videos, cuttiing out silly bits and maybe inserting some Titles, or creating an "index" if feasible. Does the Inded start when the DVD is inserted, then you choose the track?

A SCART-connector DVD-player is reasonably cheap - will this beat the pants off a PC+DVD-drive? As I don't recall seeing PC's with SCART outputs (or inputs) so how can one Edit old VCR-tapes....I have Video and Audio conectors so I presume a decent video-card would take these.......any views on the quality vs SCART which appears to be de facto standard in domestic TV gear.

What are the Pros/Cons with modern camcorders using tape or mini-dvd - I'm not really iinterested in low-quality recording and wonder whether there are snags with the newer media. Some camcorder offer Stills (using SD cards) but I have an acceptable still-camers that is likely to surpass the file-size of any camcorder.

If I get a phone with video, is there much can be done to "improve" the quality, or is it a matter of putting-up?

Any other observations?