Simple Antenna Hack for Satellite Dish Owners
If you are tired of expensive monthly satellite bills, try this simple hack for a picture perfect antenna installation
Satellite TV is expensive. And when you cancel, they would ask for the receiver back, but the company typically leaves the small satellite dish attached to your roof in case you or a future owner wants to sign-up again. This little dish is the perfect platform for installing a nice roof mounted antenna that will receive free over the air, live Network TV channels.
You can use the same mount and wires which already go to your television to attach a nice outdoor antenna to. When you're done, depending on the antenna you choose, you'll have a nice professional installation that is already grounded against lightning strikes. Assuming the dish installer did their job correctly.
Warning: This antenna hack may require a trip onto your roof with a ladder. So if you are not physically up for the task, it would be safer to pay someone else to remove the dish and install an antenna for you.
Choose a Good Long Range Antenna to Replace Your Satellite Dish
There are quite a few antennas available today. Choose a model that offers both long range reception and still looks aesthetically appealing. Brands Antenna's Direct makes a nice 4Max model. It has a good range and looks still looks quite nice and is not an eyesore.
The 4Max comes with its own roof mounting hardware. But there is no need to poke more holes in your roof if you already have everything you need from a previous small dish installation.
Simply remove the dish and leave the mast. This is the round pipe that is sticking up. It may require you to remove a few bolts. And when you are done, you only want the roof mount, smooth pipe, and existing antenna cable wire to remain.
Then it's just a matter of installing the new antenna right onto the existing pipe. Don't worry, the 4Max comes with all necessary hardware to mount your antenna to a mast.
All that is left is to screw in the existing satellite antenna cable wire into your new antenna. Then go to your television and re-scan your channels. This is something that is found under your TV settings menu.
Here's What you Need to Do for Week Antenna Signals
Some channels will come in stronger than others. If you're lucky, the channels you mostly watch will be in the clear. But if not, you can make small adjustments in the direction the antenna is facing to help strengthen the signal.
First, go to an antenna website that tells you which direction the transmitters are in relationship to your home. Antennas Direct has an excellent mapping tool on their website which will show you the direction your antenna should be aimed at. It also explains the aiming process, which is quite easy. But this requires a compass and a wrench to loosen the mast mount so the antenna can be rotated.
If you find the signal gets stronger on one channel but you end up losing another, your best would be to buy an Antenna Rotator which will rotate the antenna from your living room by a remote control.
This can give you a perfect picture, no matter which direction the transmitters are located. But with a decent long range outdoor roof antenna, this may not even be required.
Use a DVR and Record Free Live TV Channels
We recently installed the HDHomeRun app, which comes with a $35/year guide and DVR service. This equates to less than $3 a month and is one of the least expensive options available today. To use the app, you also need a PC and one of their HDHomeRun tuners to record shows to.
The app works on Android, Apple TV and Roku, so once your shows are recorded you can use the app to watch them on your favorite media player.
The Channels app is also another acceptable alternative, but it costs $8/month, which is considerably more. Having used both, and if your recording style is to set and forget it, the HDHomeRun app will save you enough money to pay for Apple TV+ subscription. This will give you even more additional content to watch if you are a frugal streamer on a tight budget.
The HDHomeRun tuner will set you back approximately $150 for a dual tuner model. But we can often find them for a lot less on eBay.
This is pretty much all you need to record, rewind, pause and time-shift live TV. Minus the cost of an expensive live streaming or cable TV package.
More antenna tips for a picture perfect installation.
The Channels app is also another acceptable alternative, but it costs $8/month, which is considerably more. Having used both, and if your recording style is to set and forget it, the HDHomeRun app will save you enough money to pay for Apple TV+ subscription. This will give you even more additional content to watch if you are a frugal streamer on a tight budget.
The HDHomeRun tuner will set you back approximately $150 for a dual tuner model. But we can often find them for a lot less on eBay.
This is pretty much all you need to record, rewind, pause and time-shift live TV. Minus the cost of an expensive live streaming or cable TV package.
More antenna tips for a picture perfect installation.
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Use of third-party trademarks on this site is not intended to imply endorsement nor affiliation with respective trademark owners.
We are Not Affiliated with or Endorsed by Roku®, Apple, Google or Other Companies we may write about.
