Professional DVDs have 2 layers to play with and can waste space all they want. Also, they're working with higher-quality masters, which require a higher bitrate and which people expect to be "perfect" on the pro DVD. Many of us are transferring VHS or laserdisc material, which definitely doesn't require a high bitrate because of the sotfness of the image. The idea of wasting a bitrate of 9 on a laserdisc or VHS is ... well, wasteful.

Clearly we're talking about different things, and I would prefer this "discussion" to end right now as I find it pointless and insulting.

I'm on a Mac and I encode directly from Final Cut Pro usually, and I've also been known to use Compressor. A.Pack is used for sound.