Using laptop to view video recorded on camcorder

I have a a current laptop (HP Compaq NX6125) with both firewire and SVHS
inputs and a Panasonic camcorder with both firewire and SVHS outputs. How
can I use my laptop as a monitor to preview the video I have recorded?
I can capture video with Windows Movie Maker but I don't want to do that - I
use more serious Canopus software for recording on my desktop machine when I
get home. In any case, the view screen when capturing is no better than the
screen on the camcorder.
What I would like to do when I'm out and about is see the footage on a
comparatively big screen compared to the small LCD screen on the camcorder.
I had assumed I would be able to do that without installing extra software
but if that's necessary so be it. So far I've had no luck. There's nothing
in the manual at all about the firewire and SVHS ports - in fact there's not
much in the manual about anything. I've already had an online 'chat' with HP
technical support but, despite the
long intervals when my contact was obviously looking things up or conferring
with colleagues, he could not help.
I look forward to lots of helpful put-downs - of the "Danny! All you have to
do is ..." variety and I'll be happy to grovel when the simplicity of it all
is revealed to me.
Thanks
Danny


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