Here is what I do and it works perfectly!

I use a file compression program called Winrar, you must have heard of it. http://www.rarlab.com/ It can compress, and or, cut a video file into any size and as many pieces as you need. I take a finished dv-avi, or project pieces for that matter and use the store setting to cut it into DVD size files. Then burn the files. When you want the files back you just put all the pieces on the hard drive and click the first one. All of them will extract and you have your full quality video back. (this is a no compression setting)

If you want to save some space you can use the Fastest, Fast, or Normal compression setting which will compress your video but not produce any artifacts. from compression. (Fastest has very little compression) It is quite good. If you go up to the 'best' compression setting it wil compress even more and while I have never seen any artifacts using this setting it is possible in theory that some may exsist.