Looking at your Sky TV dish and wondering what you could do to make it look a little less, well, dishy? Read on to borrow a few of our ideas (we won’t tell anyone).
First, you should talk to the Sky TV installation engineer ahead of time to find out if there are alternative places to install the dish. You can also ask about other methods of making it more discreet. In most cases, they will be able to help you reduce how much the dish stands out and help your home look as stylish as ever.
How to Disguise Your TV Dish
There are multiple methods of making your TV dish less obvious. Which one you choose will depend on your particular tastes and the style of your home.
Paint It
Did you know you can paint your satellite dish? It’s actually fairly easy and even recommended in some cases, to help your dish last longer in the elements.
If you choose to paint your dish, aim for a colour that will blend into your home. The same colour as the wall you are mounting it on may be your best option. However, you should avoid dark colours, since they will absorb heat and this can cause damage to the dish.
You should use a matte paint to keep the dish low key. Nothing makes it more noticeable than beaming light in the neighbour’s eyes. Gloss paint can also end up concentrating sunlight and heating areas you don’t want heated. Use an outdoor paint that will stand up to the elements.
Don’t forget the mount. Even galvanised metal can be painted and will benefit from the extra protection. You should avoid painting the LNB more than a very thin layer. It’s best to leave this clear, however.
Add a Lamp
You can actually find covers for dishes that look like a plastic globe and turn them into an outdoor lamp. While the cover doesn’t interfere with the signal, it does help disguise the dish and has the added benefit of giving you some extra outdoor light. These are meant for pole-mounted dishes.
Another option would be to do this yourself, by adding spotlights below the dish and a plastic cover over it to hide the actual dish. Everyone would assume it was built specifically to create a floodlight in your yard.
Move It Indoors
Your Sky TV dish needs to point at the satellite, but it may be possible to position it inside the house if you have the right conditions. Some people will set it in a large window that is not in use, while others install a skylight in the attic to allow the dish to point outdoors. Either of these options can make it easier to hide the fact that you have a dish and they also eliminate the need to disrupt your home’s lines.
Position It
Where you place the dish will determine just how noticeable it is. First, consider where people will view your home from. If it is mainly from the front, you may be able to have the dish installed on the back side of the home, where it will not be noticeable from the front. Another option is to position it behind the chimney or between two roof ridges.
Look at the angle the dish needs to be at and then look at what existing structures you have on your building that can be used to camouflage it a little. The installation engineer should be able to help you figure out the best possible method of installing the dish so as to avoid drawing extra attention.
Use Stickers
You can find stickers that are specifically designed to cover TV dishes. These may be meant to decorate or they can be designed to help hide the dish. Decorative stickers include flowers and sports designs, making it another place to showcase your interests. However, if you wish to hide the dish, you can opt for wood grain, stone, or even brick to help it blend into the house.
For an even more advanced technique, take a photo of the space where the dish is to be installed and then print it out on outdoor sticker paper (there are companies that can do this for you) and add it to the dish, to make it look as though it belongs. Again, speak to the Sky TV engineer to find out if this is a good option. You’ll also need to find out where they will install the dish so you can snap a photograph.
Some people have had great results using contact paper, as well. It comes in a range of designs that can be used to disguise your dish. You’ll likely need to seal the edges, however, to prevent premature peeling.
Install at Ground Level
You may have the option of installing the dish on the ground. Talk to the engineer about possible positioning and see if you can add it to the garden. This makes it much easier to hide and you won’t need to worry about disrupting the roof line.
Alternatively, you may wish to install on a slight rise, such a power box, or a small shed. This gives better sky access without placing the dish too high and making it more visible. Your engineer can help you determine the best option for placement and will test the service to ensure you are still getting the best signal possible.
Build a Box
As long as your dish can still point in the right direction, you can surround it with just about anything you like. This means you can build a box around it or any sort of structure that allows the dish to still point to the area of sky it needs to. You might add a false chimney to the home, or just a planter box to a balcony, etc. Get creative or look online for some easy to build options that will hide the dish.
If you’re not interested in building a box, consider purchasing a fake rock to place over the dish if it’s lower down. These look fairly realistic and allow the dish to continue scanning for the satellite, but hide it completely from outside eyes. The rock is made of material that allows the signal to penetrate, so all you need to worry about are the cables, which may be hidden underground.
Start Planting
Depending on where your Sky TV dish is located, you may be able to create a disguise with plants. Planting tall shrubs or grasses around a dish can allow for great access to the sky, while hiding it from view in a very natural way. You may even have the plants already in place and will just need to clear a bit from the centre to place the dish.
If your dish is mounted on a pole, you can also plant taller bushes, vines, or even trees around it. In fact, it’s possible to plant trees around the sides that aren’t pointing at the sky if the dish is installed fairly low.
These are just a few of the options you have when trying to keep your satellite dish installation discreet. If you have cables that need to be tucked away, try hiding them behind drain pipes, or trim. You can also add a small entry point to the home near the dish to avoid external cables.
Satellite Installation
You will have some say in where your dish is installed, but your satellite TV provider knows the best way to install it. It’s a good idea to have an honest discussion with them about what is necessary and how you feel about obvious dishes. They’ll be able to offer some tips and suggestions to help you feel more comfortable with where the dish is being installed.
It’s always a good idea to talk to the engineer while the dish is being installed, as they can give you more tips and pointers. They’ll also walk around your home and help you find the best spot to install the dish so you get excellent signal without creating an eyesore.
There’s no reason to settle for a terrible looking satellite dish on your roof. Even if the positioning is inevitable, there are ways to disguise the dish and ensure that your home looks as amazing as it always does.
Are you interested in getting help with your TV dish installation? Contact South Wales Aerials today to find out how we can help.