Feature Length Video Compression for DVD

[grebanahs]

I have a two hour long video that is in full HD filmed with a Canon HV30. Using the basic Apple Quicktime compression codec the video comes to about 72 GB. This is a problem considering my DVDs are 4.3 GB. Is there a compression codec that can be used that will keep a fair amount of the quality but make it possible for me to actually burn them to a DVD?
This is a very important project, that is now overdue, and any help would be greatly appreciated.

Further info: Using MacBook Pro, Videos imported as DV, 17" MacBook Pro, (any other needed info let me know)

[guns1inger]

If you imported them as DV, which is standard definition, and used the DV codec then they would only be around 26GB in size. Still too big for a DVD, but far easier to manage.

What are you planning to do with this video ? Any compression that puts two hours on a single DVD is going to reduce quality to some degree, or make the video difficult to edit, or both.

If you are planning to author a DVD then you have to use mpeg-2 compression. A two pass VBR encoding wil ldo the job, but will reduce quality to some degree.

If you just want to watch it on a TV or through something like an Apple TV at some point in the future then H.264 will do the job.

Neither of these lend themselves to editing or re-encoding in the future.

So think about what you are trying to achieve. You have already lost all the HD goodness by going to DV (if what you say is correct), and you may cut your options further if you compress the video again without consideration for it's further use.

[grebanahs]

Sorry, I misspoke, that was the way my previous camera was required to import.
In editing in Final Cut, it was using the Apple Intermediate Codec and it was still at an HD (1440*1080) pixel aspect ratio.
I have already exported a .mov, that was the 72GB.
What I need this video for is DVD playback. And need a compression that will work for this, and also fit it on a 4.38GB DVD. I understand some quality will of course be lost, but I am hoping for the compression settings that will keep it at least at the highest possible quality.

[johns0]

Thread moved to mac.

[Case]

What I need this video for is DVD playback.

A two hour movie can fit on a DVD 4.3 in DVD-Video format (MPEG-2), although dual layer would allow for more quality.
You will loose the high resolution. But you need Standard Definition (720x480, DAR 16:9) for the DVD-Video format.