'Ello! My first time posting here on Original Trilogy. 😃

I’ve been muddling my way through downloading the DeSpecialized films, but am feeling a bit stumped. I’m not the most tech-savvy, but am hoping to create my own set of fancy DVD’s (or preferably Blu-Rays) as watchable on any standard DVD player.
~ Any helpful tips would be immensely appreciated!!

STEPS TAKEN SO FAR

Step 1) I downloaded ANH v2.7 from the following Mega link, using the MEGAsync app (as recommended by a friend):
https://mega.nz/#F!hM4QjQqQ!gqlcjANquUoYYPFnfRfTXg

Step 2) Couldn’t figure how to find ESB v2.0 on Mega, but instead stumbled on the Ultimate Introductory Guide, and downloaded the Multipart RAR links instead, copying the “RAW Paste Data” portion only, and pasting it into JDownloader 2. I also downloaded VLC and The Unarchiver for this part:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UoGdxh7qZcqp8L-aJkFj_rCcjKf-xlCM4Fjvux3w6zg/pub

I’ve held off downloading ROTJ v2.5 using the RAR links, as I noticed my final file sizes appear inconsistent when compared with Harmy’s “Supplementary Guide: File Verification”: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FY1HfGgCBH-33hcXuNukzV5qqx_jxtRl5NzFMGD-Ve0/pub

FILE SIZE COMPARISONS

Harmy’s MKV file size for ANH v2.7 is 19.9 GB // My file size is smaller at 15.83 GB?!
~ (Also, my copy from MEGA website is missing the subtitles folder and readme.txt).

Harmy’s MKV file size for ESB v2.0 is 19.7 GB // My file size is larger at 21.17 GB?!
~ (The subtitles folder and readme.txt is appropriately included).

These inconsistencies makes me feel I’ve perhaps made a mistake somewhere. Strange thing is, when skimming the two movies everything looks fine, and the visual and audio appear great. Though I’ve yet to watch them from beginning to end to spot if anything is wrong.

BURNING FILMS ON DVD or BLU-RAY QUESTIONS

I’m using a Mac OS X El Capitan. The only burning device I currently own is my Apple USB SuperDrive (good for DVDs only). I also have iMovies.

Questions:

What other programs should I install (preferably free-to-use or cheap) that can help me get my MKV files onto a DVD, if possible?
~ Some DVD Authoring programs I’ve seen suggested by others (for DVD menu making) are: iDVD, Roxio Toast, and DVD Studio Pro.
But I don’t know if they also help with the file conversion, or if there’s some other program to do this?
(I realize now I probably should have downloaded the AVCHD or NTSC DVD5 files to put on DVD, but originally gravitated toward MKV as I wanted the best HD quality, and liked that subtitles were added (though I don’t consider the subtitles a must-have, just a nice added feature).
If I stick with MKV format and try putting it onto DVDs or Blu-Rays, and convert the file formats to either MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 (aka .mp4), is there any way to prevent losing video quality when converting the files?
Have others found it worth it to purchase a Pioneer DVD Burner? I probably shouldn’t buy one right now (maybe down the road)… Trying not to spend too much moolah right now.
What specific blank discs do I need to burn the movies onto? Sounds like the Mitsubishi Verbatim DVD-R discs are highly recommended. Just want to double-check that’s correct, or if another type is even better suited to this project. Are those good for both DVDs and Blu-Rays?

Thank you in advance for any insights or tips!! I really appreciate any help on this. 😄