No name satellite dishes.

Factual Questions
1

What’s up with these no-brand satellite dishes I’ve seen on homes.

It seems to me that there are 2 satellite providers: Dish Network and DirecTV. And, they have distinctive, logo-ed dishes which are installed (for free, typically) when you order their service.

But, on some private residences in Baltimore, I see plain grey dishes that are definitely not from one of those companies.

Is there a way to get some off-brand satellite, some off-brand receiver with appropriate software, and steal Dish/DirecTV service?

Try to answer without actually telling me how to perpetrate criminal behaviors. That’s not what I’m looking for. I’m just wondering if people CAN and DO do this.

These are NOT large dishes that someone might see on a company’s building. These are more frequently seen in a poorer neighborhood, and look like real hack-jobs.

2

There are satellite receivers that get “free to air” stations.
They are DVB and many of them are on the satellite IA5.
Some cable companies get part of their signal from satellite.
There are internet providers that use satellites.

You could probably connect a Dishnetwork or DirectTV receiver to another brand of dish. One can paint over the logo on the dish.