Can an old DirecTV dish be used to pick up broadcast?

I just bought an old house that has a dish. If I hook it up to my TV,
will it function as an antenna? Are there directionality issues?
Should I just replace the dish with a standard antenna, re-using the
mount and cable? Do I need a pre-amp? We don't watch a lot of TV,
so I don't want to spend too much.

Thanks in advance for replies.

--Bryan

--Bryan wrote:
I just bought an old house that has a dish. If I hook it up to my TV,
will it function as an antenna? Are there directionality issues?
Should I just replace the dish with a standard antenna, re-using the
mount and cable? Do I need a pre-amp? We don't watch a lot of TV,
so I don't want to spend too much.

Thanks in advance for replies.

--Bryan

You might be able to pick up some ota stations, but the dish
isn't designed for that. A regular antenna will likely work
much better. Check this website:www.antennaweb.org. It will
give you a good idea of what you can get at your house. Oh,
and yes, you can use the cable and mount for a new antenna.

Chip

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"--Bryan" wrote in message
...
I just bought an old house that has a dish. If I hook it up to my TV,
will it function as an antenna? Are there directionality issues?
Should I just replace the dish with a standard antenna, re-using the
mount and cable? Do I need a pre-amp? We don't watch a lot of TV,
so I don't want to spend too much.

Thanks in advance for replies.

--Bryan

You can take off the dish and use the cable and mount. Be sure to remove any
Satellite related switches or splitters, and replace them with F/F
connectors or OTA splitters for other TVs in the house. Terk makes a flat
antenna that mounts on a dish mount, I picked one up from eBay for $21
shipped.

On Dec 28, 6:37*pm, "Rastamon" wrote:
"--Bryan" wrote in message

...

I just bought an old house that has a dish. *If I hook it up to my TV,
will it function as an antenna? *Are there directionality issues?
Should I just replace the dish with a standard antenna, re-using the
mount and cable? * Do I need a pre-amp? *We don't watch a lot of TV,
so I don't want to spend too much.

No. but the cables and mount can ususally be used. The Winegard
HD-1080 at about $40 is a good choice. Preamps are not usually
required if you are in an area that got even fair analog reception
with rabbit ears

Frank Provasek wrote:
On Dec 28, 6:37 pm, wrote:
wrote in message

...

I just bought an old house that has a dish. If I hook it up to my TV,
will it function as an antenna? Are there directionality issues?
Should I just replace the dish with a standard antenna, re-using the
mount and cable? Do I need a pre-amp? We don't watch a lot of TV,
so I don't want to spend too much.

No. but the cables and mount can ususally be used. The Winegard
HD-1080 at about $40 is a good choice. Preamps are not usually
required if you are in an area that got even fair analog reception
with rabbit ears


Isn't DirectTV fully encrypted so you have to have their box?

On Dec 29, 3:06*pm, RickMerrill wrote:
Frank Provasek wrote:
On Dec 28, 6:37 pm, *wrote:
*wrote in message

....

I just bought an old house that has a dish. *If I hook it up to my TV,
will it function as an antenna? *Are there directionality issues?
Should I just replace the dish with a standard antenna, re-using the
mount and cable? * Do I need a pre-amp? *We don't watch a lot of TV,
so I don't want to spend too much.

No. but the cables and mount can ususally be used. *The Winegard
HD-1080 at about $40 is a good choice. Preamps are not usually
required if you are in an area that got even fair analog reception
with rabbit ears

Isn't DirectTV fully encrypted so you have to have their box?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

You would just connect the cable directly to an HDTV and you will get
your broadcast channels

Gary wrote:
On Dec 29, 3:06 pm, RickMerrill wrote:
Frank Provasek wrote:
On Dec 28, 6:37 pm, wrote:
wrote in message
...
I just bought an old house that has a dish. If I hook it up to my TV,
will it function as an antenna? Are there directionality issues?
Should I just replace the dish with a standard antenna, re-using the
mount and cable? Do I need a pre-amp? We don't watch a lot of TV,
so I don't want to spend too much.
No. but the cables and mount can ususally be used. The Winegard
HD-1080 at about $40 is a good choice. Preamps are not usually
required if you are in an area that got even fair analog reception
with rabbit ears
Isn't DirectTV fully encrypted so you have to have their box?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

You would just connect the cable directly to an HDTV and you will get
your broadcast channels

Right, but they were talking about DirectTV (not cable).

On Dec 30, 10:36*am, RickMerrill wrote:
Gary wrote:
On Dec 29, 3:06 pm, RickMerrill wrote:
Frank Provasek wrote:
On Dec 28, 6:37 pm, *wrote:
*wrote in message
...
I just bought an old house that has a dish. *If I hook it up to my TV,
will it function as an antenna? *Are there directionality issues?
Should I just replace the dish with a standard antenna, re-using the
mount and cable? * Do I need a pre-amp? *We don't watch a lot of TV,
so I don't want to spend too much.
No. but the cables and mount can ususally be used. *The Winegard
HD-1080 at about $40 is a good choice. Preamps are not usually
required if you are in an area that got even fair analog reception
with rabbit ears
Isn't DirectTV fully encrypted so you have to have their box?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

You would just connect the cable directly to an HDTV and you will get
your broadcast channels

Right, but they were talking about DirectTV (not cable).- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Nope, they were talking about picking up local broadcasts.

Frank Provasek wrote:
On Dec 30, 10:36 am, wrote:
Gary wrote:
On Dec 29, 3:06 pm, wrote:
Frank Provasek wrote:
On Dec 28, 6:37 pm, wrote:
wrote in message
...
I just bought an old house that has a dish. If I hook it up to my TV,
will it function as an antenna? Are there directionality issues?
Should I just replace the dish with a standard antenna, re-using the
mount and cable? Do I need a pre-amp? We don't watch a lot of TV,
so I don't want to spend too much.
No. but the cables and mount can ususally be used. The Winegard
HD-1080 at about $40 is a good choice. Preamps are not usually
required if you are in an area that got even fair analog reception
with rabbit ears
Isn't DirectTV fully encrypted so you have to have their box?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

You would just connect the cable directly to an HDTV and you will get
your broadcast channels

Right, but they were talking about DirectTV (not cable).- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Nope, they were talking about picking up local broadcasts.


Wow, you mean you can pick up local broadcasts with dish antenna?