I am new to this but I have been reading guides and posts for almost a month now. This is probably simple for a pro but I am still stumbling in the dark. I am trying to end up with a full size movie, not letter box.
First try: I used Decrypter, after reading all the guides and posts that I could, then DVDFab and split TOP_GUN into two disks. When I made the burn with Nero Express 5.5.10.9 there were two complete movies, one on each disk. One was letter box without menu and the other which had menus with a choice of regular screen, when selected worked fine. I thought it was supposed to split one movie into two disks? I noticed that if I double clicked on the main movie, title 1 showed less than 4 GB. When main was selected it also played a movie. (I guess the letterbox version)
Second try: I used Decrypter with same settings. I used DVDshrink 3.0 Beta and compressed to get a “green bar”. After the burn with Nero the movie was letter box.
Third try: I used Decrypter with same settings. I used DVDshrink 3.1.7.0 Beta and re authored ENEMY_OF_THE_STATE. (like to have never figured out that you have to drag files from one open window to the reauthor window.....then read last night in a post all about the process) I selected title 1 and the root from the menu containing choice for screen preference. After the burn with Nero the movie was letter box. It played the menu before the movie but it was like a movie also and would not allow any selection. I now know that unless using another program if a re author is done in Shrink it only plays the menu, it is not selectable. There was some discussion in a post that it could be done with DVDfab but I think it was decided that that would not work that CloneDVD was needed. I tried different screen settings on the apex 1130 player but nothing helped.
I am trying to learn Ifoedit and ImgTool but am not having too much comprehension. I saw in some posts or guides yesterday that menuedit was needed. I have installed that but am still in the learning process. Last (not final) try on "Snatch" I chose Title 2, which info (from either ifoedit,menuedit,or somewhere I just can't remember right now) advised that it was 4:3 not 16:9 but when burned was letterbox and when the movie started the sound was from the director, not the actors.
Read another post that CloneDVD was the way to go. Downloaded it and am struggling to learn it. Since it will not work with protected files I ripped with Decrypter in file mode and CloneDVD picked those files up and played in view window. I went through next steps and at the last step I could not select "write to dvd writer". I chose write to file and chose a directory. At 98% or so it advised it failed. Tried to write to iso file and at 98% or so it advised it failed.

I followed the guides and posts in the forum for the software settings and have tried not to ask the same questions that have been posted before but I keep getting the same result. It sounds as though most who have posted WANT letterbox, but I don't. I just want a back up of the main movie with no compression or the least compression possible, the only reason I have been trying to get a menu on the copy was in hopes that if a menu was there I could choose 4:3 instead of 16:9. Is there a setting I can change? Or am I not choosing the correct set of files? Or something altogether different?
This is a long post and I hate to push my luck, but one more question....... I started dvd recording after seeing this forum and getting interested. The first idea was to transfer home movies to dvd. I got a Panasonic E80. I record to dvd ram then put into pc panasonic dvd burner and load using TMPGenc author. I then use MPEGvcr to edit, move segments around and cut portions out then TMPGenc author to open that file and save for burning which is done with Nero 5.5.10.9 which came with the burner. It works. Question is, since both programs are near the end of the eval period and before I buy, is there a better way to perform the operation? If TMPGenc had cut and paste or MPEGvcr saved in burnable format I would only need one not both. Or is there another Program that would be better?

Thanks for your time and help (and patience)