1st, Others here know about quality streaming, I haven’t a clue.
2nd, Signal
No matter what you change/add, you already know you need to solve your signal. Is your internet erratic due to your location, or can you upgrade to FIOS? Are you using wired or wireless? Wireless today, starting with a good signal can be very good, however, wired is faster, used to be 10X signal strength. So if marginal, try wired. There are also routers with signal boosters using house wiring and dual antennas, the receiver near your device(s) location.
3rd, I think you are talking about using your Home Theater audio system for 2 channel music, correct? Please clarify that for us.
I do know about music thru my small home theater, for many years. I watch a lot of music video 5.1 and 2 channel, via my home theater. 2 or 5.1 Channel DVD concerts, TV shows like the Voice, XFactor, Songland, YouTube... Hard Drive with 3D Movies, ... Netflix, Prime, Hulu, Viki and some limited music streaming via Pandora.
I used a dedicated PC to my AV receiver for many years. Fanless via 5.1 audio on motherboard to avoid heat of separate audio card. And selected for quiet hard drive.
Small wireless chicklet keyboard is very helpful doing this. Originally PC for unlimited internet access, early smart tv’s browsers were very limited.
Now mostly a modern Smart TV, the PC remains for it’s disc drive and hard drive, I don’t but they can connect to home network to access other pcs).
Much content is 2 channel, I often find the cable company/av receiver creates un-natural surround, so I often force 2 channel and find improvement. The point is, when in 2 channel, it is your front, no center, and, depending on your circuit, sub(s) might be on or off. Therefore, go for the best full range mains your physical setup allows, and if sub(s) for more bass, keep them in the system even for 2 channel.
2 channel, no center speaker active, the mains need to be positioned to create/locate a phantom center, specific enough for imaging.
There is a separate thread about great speakers may not be best if too close or using great speakers in too small a room.
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/just-spoke-to-an-old-client-of-mine-avantgarde-owner
2nd, Signal
No matter what you change/add, you already know you need to solve your signal. Is your internet erratic due to your location, or can you upgrade to FIOS? Are you using wired or wireless? Wireless today, starting with a good signal can be very good, however, wired is faster, used to be 10X signal strength. So if marginal, try wired. There are also routers with signal boosters using house wiring and dual antennas, the receiver near your device(s) location.
3rd, I think you are talking about using your Home Theater audio system for 2 channel music, correct? Please clarify that for us.
I do know about music thru my small home theater, for many years. I watch a lot of music video 5.1 and 2 channel, via my home theater. 2 or 5.1 Channel DVD concerts, TV shows like the Voice, XFactor, Songland, YouTube... Hard Drive with 3D Movies, ... Netflix, Prime, Hulu, Viki and some limited music streaming via Pandora.
I used a dedicated PC to my AV receiver for many years. Fanless via 5.1 audio on motherboard to avoid heat of separate audio card. And selected for quiet hard drive.
Small wireless chicklet keyboard is very helpful doing this. Originally PC for unlimited internet access, early smart tv’s browsers were very limited.
Now mostly a modern Smart TV, the PC remains for it’s disc drive and hard drive, I don’t but they can connect to home network to access other pcs).
Much content is 2 channel, I often find the cable company/av receiver creates un-natural surround, so I often force 2 channel and find improvement. The point is, when in 2 channel, it is your front, no center, and, depending on your circuit, sub(s) might be on or off. Therefore, go for the best full range mains your physical setup allows, and if sub(s) for more bass, keep them in the system even for 2 channel.
2 channel, no center speaker active, the mains need to be positioned to create/locate a phantom center, specific enough for imaging.
There is a separate thread about great speakers may not be best if too close or using great speakers in too small a room.
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/just-spoke-to-an-old-client-of-mine-avantgarde-owner