VideoStudio :: Creating AVCHD Video

I am using VS2 and have been working on creating a "hybrid DVD" AVCHD video. I have a Canon HD video camera and an HP computer (w/regular DVD burner) with an i7 quad. Hybrid DVD is played on a Bluray player and HD TV. Everything is working well with editing the clips etc... Rendering has gone well with no real problems. I recorded video at the highest setting 24 Mbps. When I click on properties for a (m2ts) clip in the timeline it indicates 21,0000 to 22,000 Kbps that seems normal. I than go directly to the burn step (Create disc>AVCHD) and proceed to burn the disc at 4X. When I click on the middle icon (thumbwheel) these are the properties:

MPEG files
24 bits, 1920 x 1080, 29.97 fps
Upper Field First
(HDMV-NTSC), 16:9
H.264 Video
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 18000 kbps)
Audio data rate: 384 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio, 48 KHz, 2/0(L,R)

These settings seem normal to me. Also, the "do not convert compliant......" is checked.

This is what I am not understanding. When the 18 minute HD project is brought into the burn disc module, it shows only 1.45 GB of data and after the disc is burned, the video file properties found on the disc show a total bit rate of 11,768. As a test with the same project, I did a (create video file>same as first clip) and created a mpg file that is 2.75 GB in size with a total bit rate of 21,649 which seems normal. I understand VS has a max of 18K but shouldn't I be able to create a hybrid disc with a data rate close to 18K. The video at the lower bit rate plays and look ok using my BR player but I wanted to find out if I could create a higher quality video on disc.

I have read probably every post relating to what I think my problem is and after trying a couple of things, I cannot increase the total bit rate of the video on my hybrid disc.