Do I need a smart TV, or are the boxes that you can buy any use? It is just I will get more telly for my money if I just buy a non smart tv and a box to stream lovefilm etc to it.

http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/chromecast/#netflix
Googles chromecast plugs into the HDMI and does netflix and youtube etc. Not in the UK yet but up at $35US.

After that there is Raspberry Pi running something like XBMC

next up is the lightweight PC or apple TV thing.

I went with the Shuttle XPC slim running Win 7 and XBMC. Great silent and still a full PC running anything and everything I need.

The plan from google for the chromecast is for it to put advertising into the programs that you are watching, so i wouldn’t touch that.

at $35 I’d give it a go, the API/SDK is out there so anyone should be able to write apps for it/link to apps so it shouldn’t be long before there is a media centre streaming one done (probably add free)

I use an Apply tv. You need good wi fi and a telly with an hdmi. But it does the job of letting you rent or buy films. the only annoying thing is that some listed films are buy only