DVD Studio Pro - Filesize huge!

I have a question for you guys and gals.

I'm creating a DVD from about 8 video files. They all are around 300 - 600 meg each, the file size for all of the clips combined is, 3.85 gigs. All of the editing and the encoding of the video is done. I've built the DVD structure (which is very simple).

Here is the problem, I'm a little confused as to why the file is so big in DVD Studio. I'm using the latest version, DVD Studio 4. I'll give you a run down of what's occurring.
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I created a new file, I then added an image that I created in Photoshop, the image was only about half of a megabyte. The file bar in DVD Studio showed the file size was only about a megabyte.

I added one video, the file size of the video was 350 MB. I dragged in in and added it to the button / track. The file size of the project shot up to 4 gigs. I don't understand why, or how it's even possible.

I proceeded to add the rest of the files, after all of the files were added the project file size said it was 31 gigs. There is only 1 transition, and that's for the clip execution. The DVD layout is really simple, all it consists of is the clips. There aren't any additional menus, clips, subdirectories or anything. Just 8 movie clips and a background image. The videos are all linked to the buttons / added to the track.

Is there any reason why the project would be so big? Should I just export it and then throw it into compressor? Am I missing something, I'm very confused as to why the file is so big. The menu only takes up 8 megs with no video. It's not even HD content or anything, just standard 4:3, there are two 16:9 videos, but I don't think the aspect ratio should effect the projects file size.

I've built the project once and then I encoded it in DVD2oneX2, it compressed the file to 16 gig, but that still wont fit on a dual layer disk. I encoded it again and it dropped down to 4 - 6 gigs but it wouldn't burn for some reason. I opened the video in VLC and the quality was shot.

So is there any idea at all? I don't think something is correct. I might be missing or importing wrong, I don't know. I just can't wrap my head around why the project is so big when it's very minimalistic.

Thanks for the help!

You should encode a real M2V file with Compressor and also make the audio AC3 instead of uncompressed. I don't know what those weird apps you are using are doing, but I've never had a problem. The goal is to not let DVD Studio Pro compress anything itself.



The following does not directly assess your problem, but a little FYI for everyone out there:

DVD Studio Pro measures "gigs" the same way DVD-R manufacturers do. So something that is 4.3 Gigs in reality will display as 4.7 GB in DVD Studio Pro. This is because DVD-Rs say they have 4.7 GB of blank space when in reality it is only 4.3.

The only other way anything can be bloating is if you added a music track to your menu. Then DVD Studio Pro will encode an M2V video file for the length of the sound selection out of your still image, but it'll still be fairly small.

I haven't used any "weird" apps to do anything with the files, I was just seeing what the dvd app would do as far as just compressing it into an iso. I know dvd studio will do that.

What exactly do you mean by encoding a real m2v file. DVD Studio created some m2v files when I clicked on build. I guess I don't understand, should I encode them again and then put them in DVD Studio?

Yes, I always encode the files first. I never ever let DVD Studio Pro do any of my encoding. Encode the files directly from Final Cut Pro using "Export using compressor". I do not endorse doing it any other way.