Most audio recording software should have an option to record in mono; if you can find an option for that you won't have to buy anything. Otherwise you need to buy an audio Y-adaptor, 1 male to 2 female to get the mono sound from the VCR to play on both channels, or a new VCR if you want stereo.
BrandNamez just got some AR9s in stock: http://brandnamez.com/merchant.ihtml...&AffNo=8799243 I just bought a pair there; $280 is a pretty good price as well. I got an AR2C last fall, planning to build a hi-res system at a leisurely pace, now I have to grab everything while I still can...
One thing to try might be getting a standalone RF adapter; the ones in VCRs often give a very poor signal that varies wildly in brightness. I would just go pick one up from someplace that will let you return it, and try it out to see if there is a difference.
If you're just looking for the basic poster frame (where the frame clips the plastic right on top of the poster), I get all mine from The Frame Place (http://www.frameplace.com/). They sell 27x39, 27x40, and 27x41 (to accomadate the many older onesheets that are one inch longer or shorter), and...
I have an AR pro series optical cable, and it hasn't given me any problems with looseness. Since all you're going to gain with a better digital cable is more durability, you might just want to pick up one of these; it cost me a whopping $9, probably less than Best Buy charges for the performance...
If you need to find a DLP theater in your area, it should be hilighted in the theaters listing of the Finding Nemo ad in your newspaper; I didn't even know we had a DLP theater in Denver until I saw that!
For online, pre-built component cables that cost less than Monster, try accessories4less.com. They have Acoustic Research Pro component cables (part HT191) for $25.99.