Hello there, I am a TV station engineer. I believe I can help you. First of all check to see what kind of cable connects your camera to your computer. Is it a USB, Firewire or analog cable. Then check to see what connection you have on your laptop. Obviously, the two connections must match. Once you have the connection figured out, you can move on to the "capture software". If you are using Windows XP you can use the "free" Windows Movie Maker software to not only capture, but also edit your video. The help file is informative and included with the software. Follow the capture instructions. If you have the experience or desire, you can purchase more advanced software packages to do this. If you are using Apple, I'm afraid I cant be much help there. But, I'm sure that Apple might have a similiar scenario. Good Luck