"Video Input Ports" almost always means analog composite video signal inputs. These are the same as you have on a VCR, a TV and probably any DVD player. On VCR's etc they almost always are accompanied by two (for stereo) sound connectors - all RCA type plugs. Can't tell whether these also are part of the Gaetway option.
These are the base-level quality for video connections. Well, I suppose a cable TV signal has even lower picture quality. But other ways, like S-Video, Component Video, etc are better-quality analog signal connection systems.
Firewire, on the other hand, is a DIGITAL port, whether input or output. You can only send into your PC via this port a signal that is already digital. If your video camera has a firewire port, also, you are much better using it than using Composite Video. Besides, most video editing / capture software will do very handy things. You connect camera and PC via a Firewire port, and full-detail digital video and audio are transfered between the machines. Moreover, the PC's software can control both devices using the same connection, so it will start, stop, search your camera's files, etc. BUT if your camera does not have a Firewire port on it, you can't do this.
But suppose you have an old videotape you want to play on the VCR and capture on the PC. The straightforward way, IF you have the composite video port, is to hook up RCA patch cables from VCR Out to PC In, start the capture software, and then start the tape. Some digital cameras, however, offer another alternative (mine does). You can play the tape from the VCR into the camera instead, and its system for converting incoming analog signals to digital form for recording is always running. So it simply relays that digital info stream out the Firewire port, which you can connect to your PC. This MIGHT (depending on the quality of the video capture board vs the camera's converter chip) give you a better conversion to a digital file in the PC.