When I open my disk to backup using beta 5 It only gives me two options for compression. the first is Automatic and the second is ratio however the only difference in compression levels is one percent even with the ratio bar all the way full. I can't get the size down small enough even in re-author mode with both digital audio tracks removed. The only way I can get it down in size is to compress at the still pictures level...which is not something that I want to do for obvious reasons. Any suggestions would be helpful.

when you select Automatic, it will compress up until the level where it has no red on the bar. When you select this option, what level is it compressed at? What size is the original movie? Did you try removing all the extra audio and subpictures?

The original movie is just over 5900 MB, that is JUST the movie with all of the audio tracks and subpicture (No menus or extra features). When I select the Automatic option in Re-Author mode it reads at 99% but there is still red in the bar. After I removed all but one of the audio tracks and the subpicture, its still at just over 4700 MB.

As an additional note...when I use version 2.3 to try ripping it only gives me one option for compression of the movie which is a 4% level (same circumstances apply: movie only in re-author mode, just one audio track etc...). And this leaves me at just over 4700 MB as well.

Incidentally the movie is Chicago which was just released last week, and I was wondering if some new encryption techniques are used on it and this is causing the problem??

I've successfully backed this up already. Basically, use re-author mode, slide the compression mode down to around 60% and it should be done. If it doesnt work, use DVD2One and compress movie only using variable compression.

I'm gonna go ahead and try this using DVD2One. But what I was trying to clarify is that the ratio bar in beta 5 for this movie only represents 50 MB in total. When I slide it left to right it goes from 99% to 100% there is no option for me to do it at 60%... and in terms of file size it goes from 4316 MB to 4366 MB. Thats just for the movie... if I add in the audio it pushes the total size over 4700 MB. Is this how it should be?

Sounds like a bug. Report it here:

http://forum.digital-digest.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=49