Best program to use with Final Cut Express to make DVDs

Im using FCE 3.5 HD and I want to create nice DVDs. I know how to edit and create good picture videos, but iDVD just doesnt cut it. It compresses my image WAY too much and it makes everything look bad. I had a 4.2 GB HD video that I dropped into iDVD and it downsized it to about 2.7 GBs Anyone know why exactly? Is it because iDVD makes everything SD? If so, then whats the best way to grab my full HD video and drop it into iDVD (for the mean time) so that it fits it exactly into a 4.7 DVD and doesnt compress it sooo much like from 4.2 GB down to 2.7 GB (thats a really BIG down conversion). So more like, what can I do to make perhaps a 10 GB full HD video drop down to fit into the 4.7 GB on the DVD? <---Thats actually question 2. For question 1: I would LOVE to have DVD Studio Pro, but it only comes with Final Cut Pro and I dont know all that as of right now. Any way of getting DVD Studio standalone or what other programs can you refer that is as good, better, or almost as good as DVD Studio?? Thanks!
GC

noloc45 wrote:
.. Anyone know why exactly? ...
FCE works with dv (=13GB/h) or AIC (=~40-60GB/h).
videoDVD contains files in mpeg2; the standards allow a max. bitrate of ~9MB/sec ... = 1h=4GB ...
so, the encoding from FCE to iDVD HAS to drop the file size.
iDVD is a consumer tool, so no manual settings of bitrates.. it has some 'automatic' benchmarks= project length <60min = max. bitrate, <90min=6MB/sec, <120min=4MB/sec.
iDVD allows import of HiDef projects, but does not support creation of HDDVD(=dead format) nor BR-disk.. Toast9 + Roxios plug-in + an ext. BR-burner allow creation of BR-disks.
you find older versions of DVDSP sold single at eBay.. but those versiosn are not for Intel-Macs, will run under Rosetta=slow..

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