[mikem]

BTV/BM integration is indeed probably the biggest single issue at the moment for users of the products, however until Snapstream decide what to do with BM then that isn't going to happen. Do they integrate it, do they make it opensource, do they just kill it off etc.

Whilst that is indeed true I don't seem to read in the threads that people asking for DVB support or any other feature request for that matter are saying that there feature request, is more important than anyone elses feature request. They are merely asking for the feature to be added.

Snapstream have certainly shot themselves in the foot by making statements such as that they will make the integrated version free to owners of BTV and BM, along with free upgrade to DVB supporting versions. I can't wait to see what happens when someone who bought a localised version 3.6 of Snapstream in Europe claims there free upgrade to a BTV supporting version and see how snapstream try to wriggle out of it, as it is likely to be BTV 10.x by then. Making statements like that will annoy customers expecting snapstream to deliver. It is even more annoying when you read a review where they tell the review site that they are working on a feature when they clearly aren't when you read these forums.

If people seem to be asking for feature requests then it is a good thing as it shows that they are passionate about the product and want it too succeed. If you don't ask then you will never get what you want.

I wouldn't be suprised at a lack of DVB support due to the BTV market share currently being small outside America, if BTV 3.6 was supposed to be a serious attempt to expand into Europe then it was a very poor effort indeed, and the lack of localised versions since indicates a poor uptake of those versions. Expecting people to subscribe to tvtv and then saying there is your tv listings is a bit off. Also supporting only Analogue cards when it is known that Analogue is being switched off seems pointless. People building HTPC's will be savvy enough to know that Analogue is been switched off and so ignore the product in favour of one that is Digital supporting.

500 downloads a month of StephaneM's XMLTV importer for BTV shows there is interest outside North America, but it would appear to me that of those 500 very few people are actually buying BTV afterwards for whatever reason.

If Snapstream ever expect to succeed outside of North America then they will need to get non North American Features into the product, otherwise they should just come straight out and say North American Product Only, and then the rest of the world can find an alternative product.

Personally I am using MCE2005 as it can do everything that I need now, and am going over to MediaPortal once the tvengine 3.0 with multiple backend/frontend support is released. When looking for an alternative to use in the interim, if it didn't support DVB then it got rejected straight off. I like to keep an eye on BTV/BM though with the rose tinted view that DVB support will be added one day, however I don't expect it any day soon.