can somone help me out with DVD-R question?

I have been having bad luck with DVD's lately. I dont know what happened to them but I just had to replace 2 of them because of a small scratch it wouldnt play on my DVD player (I use the playstaion 2) but it played on my friends DVD player (forgot what kind he has)

anyway, i have a laptop and it has a dvd player in that (i just dont like using it) and I am thinking about getting an ext. dvd burner for it. The only problem is i read that PS2 cannot play VCD videos and with the EXTERNAL DVD burner I am almost positive you have to burn from dvd to pc to dvd-r in VCD format.

my question is with an Ext. DVD burner can I put a DVD in my laptop DVD drive and a DVD-R in the external DVD burner and burn from disc to disc?

i've tried a VCD in my ps2 and it didnt work but i have also tried a burned dvd from an internal dvd burner on a ps2 and it did work.

 

The link below may help you. They have a lot of information on dvd there.

http://www.vcdhelp.com/