Solved Architect recompression

I am using movie studio platinum 11. I render in NTSC using the DVD architect template associated with my frame rate. When I got to architect to prepare the disc, I also make a scene selection menu and I add a trailer of the original video, which is also rendered the same way. Regardless, even when the DVD will fit on the disc, it still recompresses everything. How do I prevent this?

What is the total length in time of all videos being added to DVDA ?

If the total time exceeds a certain amount, you will need to use custom Bit Rates to make the videos smaller in file size.
This involves using a Bit Rate Calculator.

I have an in-depth tutorial on this topic here:
How to Compress and Fit a Long Video onto a DVD

This video and the trailer is maybe 45 minutes. I've used the bit rate calculator on it and also rendered without it but it still recompressed.

The OP may want read esp. posts #3, 5, and 13 in this discussion I participated in some time ago elsewhere. See what you may have done differently.

I'm sure the good Doc will point out exactly what you may have done wrong though.

I reviewed the directions on the training link. Regarding the Architect properties, this video in question was shot at 24fps, but the only option I see on Architect is for 29.97 FPS. Is this the reason it has to recompress?
I'm about to start editing a 29.97 fps video and will see if that is the problem when I go to burn it. That shouldn't be the problem since there is a 24p render option on Movie Studio.

Drummerkat wrote: I reviewed the directions on the training link. Regarding the Architect properties, this video in question was shot at 24fps, but the only option I see on Architect is for 29.97 FPS. Is this the reason it has to recompress?
I'm about to start editing a 29.97 fps video and will see if that is the problem when I go to burn it. That shouldn't be the problem since there is a 24p render option on Movie Studio.

Seems that you may have found the reason.
From DVD A Studio 5 Help:
NTSC MPEG video (.m2p, .mp2, .mpg, .mpeg, .mpv)
If you’re using the MainConcept MPEG-2 encoder in Vegas Movie Studio software, use the DVD Architect NTSC video stream or DVD Architect NTSC Widescreen video stream template to render your video stream. You'll need to render your audio stream separately according to the parameters listed in the AC-3 audio or PCM audio headings in this help topic.

Avoiding recompression in DVD Architect also mentions as Compliant NTSC MPEG video:
720x480, Display aspect ratio 4:3 or 16:9, Frame rate 29.97... fps.
...even though there is that "DVD Architect-friendly" 24p render option.

I must confess that I have never quite understood how 24p works on DVD. I have read all the info on it and ended up with a massive headache afterwards.
Yes there are no templates in DVDA for 24p video, however the program does accept 24p, but you must select 29.97 fps when using this frame rate.
Some extra things are done when using 24p, so that if the video is played back on a non-24p capable device, it plays back at 29.97 fps.
This all goes back to the good old days of glass cathode-ray tube TV.
This is why it is re-rendered inside of DVDA.

If you render to 29.97 fps or 25 fps, everything will become a lot simpler.

Read the Help files for Movie Studio and DVD Architect and you will learn more about how all this works.