when using a compaq EVO N1000 laptop to capture video
from a canon mv 530i digital video via a firewire cable
the result is a video with perfect audio but a video that
is covered in a coloured pixel snow storm (sorry, but that
is the best way to describe it)

I have tried capturing using different quality levels
(low, medium, high, & avi) but still get the same result ?

Any ideas ?

> when using a compaq EVO N1000 laptop to capture video

What is the processor in this laptop. You need about a PIII 600 MHz to
capture video with preview using firewire.