How to have a high quality DVD?

Question

Hello to all,
Which quality of QT movie format [422 HQ or H.264] is to be chosen for burning a DVD and what are the advantages or disadvantages of one over the other?

Answer 1

if you want highest quality, 'trick' #1 is:
avoid in-betweens
• your camcorder compresses
• your editor probably compresses/converts
• the disk-maker app converts/compress
all those conversion processes are lossy, compression artefacts get 'multiplied'.
the good looking source file could look in step #2 horrible.
lucky you, most consumer apps on Mac allow a direct process; my preferred tool, iDVD
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3711
accepts 'any' (umm, well, most…) files, Quicktime supports.
So, aside setting your camera to 'max quality' (= don't squeeze 4h onto a 2GB SDcard....) and creating max quality in recording (light! don't make your camera use amplification = 'noise' in picture = no quality in final product), I would export from within FCPX with proRes(LT), I assume, this is your Project's settings?
a) fast export (=no conversion takes place)
b) no additional conversion
c) iDVD (Toast, Burn...) will 'swallow' that format and converts finally
d) such an export is huuuuge (1h=20-40GBs)! don't worry, the disk-burner cares only for length (min:sec). and  disk-space is no issue in video-making, isn't it
using a 'manual'/customized method means, YOU have to keep in mind all that background-info (tech bla bla follows:) such as maximum bitrate of a standard videoDVD, udf formatting, supported audio-codecs, resolution, anamorphic flag,  ... bla bla bla
tools as iDVD (Toast...) will care automatically.
final hint:
iDVD sets the bit-rate (= most determing 'quality'-factor) to max, if the content of the whole disk, incl. menus,  is less than 60min ....
final word:
is a commercial DVD done with a 40$ iDVD.app? No, for sure.
These are done by professionals with professional tools.
Using professional sources.-
compression is more an 'art' than just technique.