Just after opinions in relation to USB TV Tuners compared to your normal tv.

More precisely, USB Digital TV Tuner compared to your LCD/Plasma with digital tuner.

Are they a viable alternative, or is the quality significantly reduced?

The quality is not really dependant on the USB tuner itself. It is responsible for receiving the data stream. The computer handles the processing - this is the part that will affect image quality.

Of most importance:

- Handling of signal strength (both USB and STB tuners will vary by brand/model)
- Decoding of MPEG stream (done in software by the computer, not by the USB tuner)
- Output method device (how the image is scaled/deinterlaced/colourspace output etc.)

On my PC I use a Twinhan PCI HDTV tuner (one of the first available in Australia).
Coupled with decent decoding software the quality is easily equal to the best set-top boxes out there.

I have an EyeTV DTT unit and I haven't been all that happy with the quality of the signal I get.
Channel 10 is fine in either SD or HD channels, but the rest are jumpy and I can very rarely pick up channel seven at all.
Compare this to my LCD with built in tuner which is perfect on every channel.

EDIT: Should just mention that the EyeTV is hooked up to the roof aerial too

I have an EyeTV DTT - it hums! The quality of picture is great! I have not dramas with it (except getting it to wake to record)

The other night my digital Sony Bravia monster HD LCD thing lost all recpetion - my EyeTV and elgato - no worries. Both are connected to the same aerial.

Me = very happy

I have an Elgato Hybrid which is okay ... the HD channels tend to skip a little, though that's probably more due to the age and power of the Mac Mini it's plugged into than anything. Standard definition digital seems to work fine however (which is all I need given my TV).

Plus I love being able to record on the one machine and share the recordings wirelessly to all the other computers in the house with no noticeable performance issues during playback.

My main beef with it is the dodgy remote. Now I just screenshare the HTPC from my main computer to control it.

I have an EyeTV for DTT too, and I find that the reception isn't as good as my Plasma's inbuilt HD tuner.

I can get all channels perfectly on the Plasma, but not on the DTT, and they're both connected to the same aerial.

I have this setup and have no issues with picture quality or reception.
Nothing beats being able to record all tuners at once, even while watching a recording.

Using eyetv diversity in dual mode with one roof aerial. PQ is as good as it was with the digital set top box.

I think TV tuners aren't as good as TVs themselves, but it depends on a few things.

I've got an EyeTV DTT, connected to my roof aerial via a long cable. I get all channels fine without any flickering, except for ABC which never gets reception (have never fogured out why). I prefer to use EyeTV though, as it lets me rewind TV, fast forward, and record shows and such (using IceTV) which I find nice. Then again, before I had my USB TV Tuner I had a crappy TV the same size as my Mac.

Always depends on your computer, too.

I have an EyeTV DTT hooked up to a MacMini at my parents' place as I don't have an antenna. The reception is crystal clear (plugged into their external antenna). I just set up what ever I want to record via IceTV, then go round once a week or so and export to watch through my AppleTV at home.

The only problems are with ABC and SBS recordings which frequently have glitches and artifacts caused by interruptions to the signal. ABC2 seems to be the worst culprit followed by SBS. For some reason the commercial channels aren't affected as badly. Anyone know why this might be?

Used an EyeTV DTT on my mac. When plugged into the roof aerial gets all channels without any issues. I have a HD LCD so picture quality is great without stuttering or distoration. This plays fine on my G4 as listed in my sig.

Edit: Without being plugged into the roof aerial the signal is rubbish with the provided one. Usually one get ABC and thats it.