VideoStudio :: Creating Video Files

I am interested in saving my projects for both uploading to the web and for storing on my hard drive. I'm having some issues

I get by ok with the actual editing part of the VS 4 program. However, I am really struggling to figure out how to create the files in the most efficient format that would balance both quality/file size. I use two HD cams that record in the mp-4 format with h.264 compression 29.97fps. One is a Sanyo Xacti, the other A Kodak Playful. I like to record with the 720p/30 setting, and would prefer to retain the same frame resolution when I create the finished projects. Also these cams record at a rate of about 9000 kbps or so, but would like the finished project to be reduced to about half of that or maybe even less.

OK, so to this point I have experimented in saving my finished project to several different formats. And based on my first impressions, the AVI format looks best (when selecting ffd show and h264 compression). Only there's a problem...the audio is out of sync. About 1-2 seconds ahead of the video I have tried several times always with the same result. If I instead select xvid or h263 or h263+ as an alternative to h264, then everything seems fine. I have also tried creating a movie template with these parameters, as well as just going into the create custom file option and selecting AVI. Can't seem to solve the audio-video sync with h264 as the compression, no matter what I try.

Oh, and now that I've mentioned "Creating Movie Templates" I have another question dedicated just to that.

Why is it that when I save my project using my newly created template, the result is that I end up with several short saved files (portions of the complete project) instead of one single and complete file of my project? Have tried with both an AVI template in h264, as well as a WMV template. Doesn't happen when I don't use a template.