Will any dual core laptop do for capturing assuming the hd is spinning at 5400 rpm?

You don't even need a dual core.

HDV transfer is 25Mbps, well within even the slowest FireWire speed of 100Mbps.

A 500MHz laptop can manage it!

Editing HDV, on the other hand, will require a beefy processor.

I have a laptop with a 1.4M celeron and a desktop with a 2.4 p4. The p4 gets close but still drops the audio. The celeron sucks.

That's very odd.

Please confirm:

You are trying to capture HDV from an HDV camcorder via FireWire?

How can you tell the audio is missing? It can be that your computer cannot play the files properly.

FireWire transfer really doesn't need much CPU power.

Can you send captured files back to the camcorder? If so, is the audio ok?

I had not thought of it not being able to play back properly. I will try to capture then send it back to the video camera and see if it works properly. Thanks!

Yeah!Computer needs more power for playback of these files.I have old desktop who capturing very well,but playback is choppy.But anyway ,all ok with captured files.Maybe littlebit depends with what u playing back.I find out that vlc mediaplayer can handle better way those files.and playing back is smooth with my old desktop computer.instead of power dvd example.