How to connect an old video cassette player to my laptop?

I have a couple of old video cassettes that I want to record and watch on my computer. The only way to do this seems to be by connecting my old video cassette player with my computer.

The cassette player connects easily to my new flat screen TV but with a huge cable that won't go into any computer. Have in mind that this cassette player plays only large video cassettes and is about 20 years old when DVDs didn't exist. It is a Panasonic, Model No: NV-P5AM It surprises me that it works perfectly with the new flat screen TV, so maybe it can work with a computer.

here is a picture:
http://www.kharkovforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2044246&d=1294860257

What do I need to connect this video cassette player to my HP laptop?

Your vcr probably offers either rf output (coax) or RCA video connection. To get the video into your computer you need either a tv tuner that can take the coax rf input and tune it to the vcr channel, or a tuner/video card that accepts rca video cables. Usually with RCA cables you'll have a red, white and yellow plug, the red & white are L-R audio and the yellow is composite video.

I have an old ATI desktop video card that had an adapter to accept RCA composite video, but I have no idea with a laptop.

Oh, and if you're planning to convert the VHS to DVD and you have commercial VHS tapes you probably won't be able to re-record them. Most commercial VHS had a copy protection scheme that will stop recording. There used to be 'signal pre-processors' that would let you copy a commercial VHS but they don't seem to be available to purchase any longer.

that it is easiest to connect the TV tuner on your computer.