16:9 Export trick from Final Cut Pro to iDVD

Question

If this is posted, I have not seen it. I have spent years trying to get a decent photo quality video on my widescreen tv without peoples faces looking like 4 pixel blocks. I think I have found a pretty decent result.
This is for Photo Slide shows only. (If you are going to mix widescreen video with photos, you must have the video in the timeline before you change the sequence to Anamorphic.)
Create my widescreen project in Final Cut Pro
(Photos have already been custom cropped (16x9) and reduced to 960 px in height before importing. iPhoto does this easily)
Sequence settings in FCP: Use the default settings just check anamorphic. Also, best compressor for photos seems to be DVCPRO.
When project is ready to export, Export to Quicktime Movie
Setting: Custom (the Sequence Editor pops up)
In the Aspect Ratio drop menu select "HDTV 720p (16:9) This will change the aspect ratio to 1280x720. All other settings should match your sequence settings.
Export
Open the movie in QT Pro. Select the Video Track in the Movie Properties
Check Preserve Aspect Ratio
Change the Height to 480 (the width should automatically change to 853)
Close the movie and save changes.
(This step really does make photos clearer)
iDVD will read this as widescreen and create descent non pixelated SD quality on your Widescreen TV.
If you have a better way to do this, or can get better quality than this achieves, I would be interested to know.
Profe

Answer 1

Hey Mish.
I use 960 px because it is double the minimum 480. That allows me to use zoom animation or crop further without losing quality. I guess I would not have to go as high as 960 but its a number easy to remember.
As for your questions about my methods. I am one of those Final Cut Users that really does not understand how things work. I am just good at using it to create my movies. So what you say is Greek to me. Also, for some reason, I do not have Compressor application that so many people talk about in the forums. I just got so fed up with the crappy result I got with just exporting with the same settings as the sequence. The result was pitiful. If you think of a better result using different sequence or export settings, I'll try it.
I do a Highlights DVD project once a year. It's about 2 hours long (photos and video) and this method has given me the best ever result. It's my last year doing it so I don't want to invest in any software. My buddy would also tell me to use DVDSP and I've used it a couple of times but there is so much to it that I always forget what to do. So I have to "play nice" with iDVD
Profe