What To Do With Old DirecTV Dish? - 9 Ideas & Avoid Fees (2023)

There’s a lot of confusion about what to do with your old DirecTV dish – or the dish from any satellite TV service for that matter.

The decision can be tough, depending on whether or not you’re going to try and use it or not.

You may think this is something your garbage company should take care of, but it’s the homeowner’s responsibility.

So what should you do with that old satellite dish, and It’s a predicament that comes up all the time. Should you send it to a junkyard for scrap Should you try to sell it?

Well, what if that old satellite dish gathering dust and grime on your terrace can still be useful in more ways than one? Yes, you heard that right.

If that old dish is in decent condition and you have an interest, there are a lot of great options to put it to use, including some surprisingly cool ideas.

You just need a little bit of innovation and creativity in your street smarts.

What to do with Old DirecTV Dish: 10 incredible ideas for an old satellite dish

The first thing is to ensure that the old dish is in reasonable condition and won’t require any major repairs.

You should check the structure of the dish and make sure that it’s not rusted, damaged, cracked, or too worn out in any way.

If all is well then you can start brainstorming a bunch of incredible ideas to put your old satellite dish to good use.

Luckily, we’re ahead of you on this one.

You see, below you’ll find ten of the most brilliant ways to put your old dish to use.

1. Improve your 3G signal

If your 3G signal is lousy then you may be missing out on some pretty good opportunities.

The solution is right in front of you, so all you have to do is get some courage and your old satellite dish.

Some rural areas receive very poor 3G signals and making a phone call with clarity becomes a real challenge.

The thing about satellite dishes is that they’re designed to capture signals even from far away distances resourcefully.

This is where your old DirecTV dish comes into play and you’ll be surprised at how well it works to improve your signal.

Set up the dish in a suitable location where it will collect signals from every different direction.

It will result in a stronger and more consistent 3G connection that will make your life easy.

Place your phone calls in front of the Dish and you’ll barely deal with the frustrations of a poor 3G signal.

2. Antenna Mount

Looking for an easy solution to improve your signal? Then you might want to make some serious improvements to your old satellite dish.

You see, a regular antenna will do the trick, but what makes a difference is a high-gain antenna.

You might find it weird that an old TV dish is used as one of these important antennas but in fact, it works better than anything else out there.

This is because it has a bigger footprint and will capture signals that regular antennas can’t handle.

You can take advantage of this by installing the antenna on your old satellite dish so that you get an even stronger signal.

Remove the coaxial cable from the DirecTV dish and plug it into the transmitter found on your antenna.

Now, you’ll get a better signal and can enjoy improved clarity and more channels.

3. Bird Bath

How many times have you walked outside on a nice spring day only to find your pet bird unable to drink from its water bowl?

You may have tried to provide it with a different water source, but the problem persists.

This is because the bird is not able to access water with ease.

The reason for this is that most of the time, people use their kitchen sink as the water source.

That’s why you need to take advantage of your old satellite dish and install a bird bath.

You’ll be surprised at how well it works and how effectively it attracts birds of all kinds.

The dish is big enough to provide birds with much-needed water, and they’ll also be able to hop inside it.

This will give them a safe and secure place to drink, bathe and even play.

4. High Range Wifi Receiver

Your old DirecTV dish can make an impressive high-range Wifi receiver.

It works even better than any wifi booster because it increases the range of your connection.

This is ideal for people who live in big houses and have a lot of rooms that need a good signal.

What you do is mount the dish so that it captures the best signals from satellites.

Then you connect the coaxial cables to a Wi-Fi booster or router so that you can expand your Wifi coverage across your house.

To set it up, remove the antenna while keeping the coaxial cable intact.

Fix a wireless Wifi adapter to it and you’re all set.

You can then connect your devices to the adapter to get a better connection with improved signal strength.

Ensure the dish is pointing in a direction that makes sense, and you’ll see a significant improvement in the range of your Wifi connection.

5. Long-Range HDTV

You can also make your old satellite dish work to improve your HDTV signal.

It’s pretty similar to the Wifi receiver, but with a bit of difference.

You’ll need an OTA HD antenna so that you can connect it to the old dish and relish free access to high-quality television channels.

You’ll get all the channels you want, with crystal-clear HD images and sound.

Your TV will be able to receive signals from a greater distance than what it normally does and that too without any hassle at all.

They’ll come in with improved clarity and you’ll be amazed by the channels you can access.

All you need to do is mount the dish on your roof and connect an OTA HD antenna to boost its strength.

Place the antenna near the focal point of the dish to receive amplified signals.

From there, a compatible set-top box will do the rest and you’ll be able to access an impressive range of channels.

6. Garden Art

Looking for an original way of decorating your garden?

Then you might want to consider using your old DirecTV dish.

There are lots of creative ways to use these old dishes and it’s amazing how they can be transformed into a garden sculpture, wall art, or even a chicken coop.

You can transform your old dish into a garden sculpture by hanging it as you would normally do with an antenna.

Mount it on the vertical support so that its focal point falls in the center of your yard area. Paint it and have it look like a decoration.

You’ll be surprised at how well it works and how it’ll add a lot of value to your garden.

Another idea is a decorative flower pot for your garden and you can do this by placing the dish on a ceramic pot and having it hold the pot upright.

You can also set up a design so that you’ll be able to grow some plants from inside it.

A chicken coop is another great idea for using an old satellite dish to make improvements in your garden.

This will give you an extra source of income for your backyard, and that too in a creative manner.

7. Yard chair or table

Perhaps the simplest way to reuse your old satellite dish is to turn it into a yard chair or table.

You can do that by fixing the legs of the dish and setting it up in a suitable place in your garden.

This will give you a comfortable place to sit with friends and enjoy a good time together.

You can also use it as a practical table where you can place food, drinks, and even some fresh vegetables from your garden.

This way, your simple dish will serve a whole variety of purposes for you.

Its size is big enough to hold a lot of weight, and you’ll also be able to use it when you watch TV or play a game after a hard day’s work.

This kind of reuse will help you save money and also protect the environment at the same time.

Your dish can be used for many years, thus saving you from buying new ones every once in a while.

It’s an easy process that doesn’t require any professional help.

8. Recycle

There are many ways you can recycle this old satellite dish and turn it into something new and useful.

By doing that, you’ll be able to keep your environment safe from any hazardous material.

You’ll be able to dispose of the old dish in an eco-friendly manner, which will help you and the planet to stay safe at the same time.

According to the New York Times, satellite dishes often end up in landfills and this leads to environmental pollution.

Remember some of the materials and components found in these devices are potentially toxic.

In this case, it’s better to find a recycling center.

Find out which materials can be recycled and look for a center that can take care of them.

Stop using the old dish as a dust collector and recycle it so that you don’t harm nature in any way.

You’ll feel great about the decision when you’re certain that your environment is safe from any harmful chemicals or other hazardous materials.

9. Dispose of safely

In case you have a DirecTV dish that cannot be reused or repurposed, then you should dispose of it in the safest way possible.

Damaged dishes should be taken to a proper waste management center so that it doesn’t harm people or nature.

Don’t throw the dish into a landfill along with other regular trash because it’ll pollute your area, and also contaminate the soil and groundwater.

According to WHO, electronic waste negatively impacts the health of millions of children.

This means we need to be cautious about how we handle and discard electronic waste including dishes.

DirecTV accepts all kinds of damaged dishes for recycling, but you’ll have to go through a verification process before you can take them out.

Call DirecTV customer service and ask them to give you the details, and then follow the instructions that they provide you with.

You can also take it to a scrap vendor in your local area that will take the dish away and recycle it for you.

As long as you take better care of your old satellite dish, it’ll last a long time.

Since it’s made out of some tough material, it will withstand a lot of weather and abuse.

Final Thoughts

Get creative with your DirecTV dish to save money and protect your environment at the same time.

The next time you see the bulky device in your backyard, don’t just ignore it or throw it into the trash.

Instead, think of a way to reuse or repurpose it creatively.

At least, you’ll be benefitting from a free satellite dish that you no longer use.

FAQs

Can you use an old satellite DirecTV dish?

Yes, you can use it for many purposes including a backyard bird feeder, a garden sculpture, a yard gate, and more.

Is my old satellite dish worth anything?

Truthfully, no. It’s just a cumbersome thing that won’t be of any good to anyone.

If you can’t find another use for it, just recycle it and buy a new one.