They're hardly the most attractive or classy addition to the exterior of a home.
So designers have come up with a satellite dish that’s less likely to incur the disapproving glances of the neighbours.
Called the Sqish, it is a receiver which blends in with its surroundings.
Whereas conventional dishes are round, concave and grey, the Sqish is a flat square, giving it its name.
Buyers decide where they want the receiver placed on their house, take a photograph of the surrounding wall and the Sqish is then supplied to match its background.
The Sqish has just arrived on the UK market and, according to those trying to sell it, it is already being ordered by homeowners who live in conservation areas which have planning restrictions.
It also appeals to those who live in areas where satellite dishes are thought to lower the tone.
This phenomenon is described by the Sqish’s suppliers as ‘dish stigma’.
Phil Millington, of UK stockist The Satellite Shop in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, declared: ‘The Sqish is a discreet alternative to a satellite dish and can be used to receive Sky and Freesat in the UK. It can be camouflaged to help it blend into its surroundings with the addition of a bespoke sticker created from a digital photo.
‘It can also be used in areas sensitive to planning restrictions or dish stigma – and in coastal towns where dishes are prone to rust – because it is made from plastic.'
The Sqish costs £149 and an extra £25 for the matt-finish camouflage sticker.
The camouflage receiver may also prove useful to households whose satellite dishes regularly become home to nesting birds, the activities of which can interfere with the quality of the TV signal.