Not getting really good streamed video

It is more likely that the file is the problem not the video card.
A video file is *big*.   Think of a DVD.  Two hours of movie and a few add in clips takes up 4 GB or even more if the disk is double density.  This is not the sort of video you would want to stream so they compress the video down to a fraction of this size.
This results in pixalisation and areas of colour seem to run in bands.
If this is the case swapping the video card will do nothing at all.

I can watch the tv shows with perfect streaming at home. I have 2gb ram there; this laptop has 3gb ram. problem is not color banding or pixelization, just freeze frames and dropped frames which get worse as the show goes on. I thought it might be the video card might be too slow in terms of buffering and that another card would fix that.  But also, I don't even know if such cards exist (express cards which plug into the side of the laptop).

I would look at the broadband connection first.  More likely to be that than the video card.

Try something like
http://www.speedtest.net/
at both places and see if you are getting a slow connection

did the test. .410mbs download. not sur what that means with video streaming. don't want to save the tv show, just watch it once.
I'm off to the computer store now to talk to them and see if their wireless server will provide correct streaming (I wish I really knew how this stuff works). Shame is I don't need a laptop for just email & surfing the web. I bought this beause my wife's old apple was so slow we couldn't skype to our  grandchildren and I couldn't watch the tv shows i missed. I could always email.
I won't be able to check back for awhile. Thank you for your suggestions so far.
 

Video streaming has to save the file quick enough so you can see enough frames per second to make the picture work.
You might be better to save it (if that is an option) and watch it at the end of the download.  If it goes slow it will not break up that way.
That speed is less that half a meg.  I would say that is too slow to stream video.  Especially if it is larger than a little 1-2 inch screen which I bet it is.

0.410mb is definitely too slow for glitch-free video streaming.   A high-quality stream requires ~ 1.5mbs; and although a highly compressed stream will work well at 256kbs (which you have) it must be completely uninterrupted to be "glitch free" ... and you're simply not getting a high enough rate to support that.

It's not likely a problem with the laptop -- it's just too slow a connection.   Assuming there's a good broadband connection at your rental; you're probably too far from the router.   Try moving the laptop closer to the router and see if the speedtest improves.   Also, if you have direct access to the router; and have a cable with you; try using a wired connection.

Thank you very much,
You're both right on! I went back to Best Buy and watched beautifully streamed video on their broadband connection. At home, in Wisconsin, I have cable broadband and wireless N and get extremely good streaming. Her at the rental it's DSL. I'm close to the router and often some of the other 5 computers in our residence are also online (4 units of our family are renting  a large house together). I didn't bring any cables; that won't happen again. And I will work on saving the download to view later.