Ben, your suggestion, as appreciated as it was, was sadly only applicable to those vast majority of people running Windows instead of Mac OSX.
Then I discovered VisualHub.
Oh. My. Goodness.
What a wonderful piece of software.
First, it encoded and burned three hours of video into a standard DVD-video. In one hour.
Second, it encoded and burned OVER SIX HOURS of DVD-video in what it called "low" quality but the quality is actually better than I've ever seen Toast burn, and completely watchable.
And sadly, VisualHub is no longer offered. I am lucky lucky lucky to have grabbed a copy of it while I could. I guess the lesson here is, like all good things, it too must come to an end.

Now excuse me, I have some Damages to watch...