I know I'm coming a bit late to the thread, but this is what I now do for a starter. The day before brew day I activate my Wyeast smackpack first thing in the morning (I only use Wyeast). That evening, I boil 1/2 cup DME in 1/2 liter of water for 3 minutes, cool, and pitch my smackpack. I swirl a few minutes to aerate; don't use a stir plate. I brew ales, 5.5 gallon batches, usually between 1.052 and 1.056 OG, and oxygenate with pure O2 for 40 seconds before pitching the whole starter.
I used to make larger starters, usually 2L, and used a stir plate. Then one time I didn't have enough DME to make a big starter so I made a small one, and it worked just fine. I've noticed no difference in lag times, fermentation lengths, final gravity, or the quality of the finished beer when using small vs. large starters.
I know what the books and yeast calculators and forum commentators say. But in my experience, the larger starters often recommended by these sources are simply not necessary for most homebrewers. If you're brewing lagers, or making larger batches, or just want to, then by all means continue to make large starters. You will not make worse beer for it and might actually make better beer. But I strive for simplicity and maximal effect from minimal effort in all aspects of my life, including my brewing, so I will stick with small starters for now.
BTW, in 9 years of brewing, on only 1 occasion did I encounter a Wyeast smackpack that was almost dead. In that case, I nursed that yeast back to health with a starter that I stepped up three times, to truly epic proportions.